In a first for The Great Game Guide Indian Chef Surjan Singh, more fondly known as Chef Jolly, has taken recipe creation to a new level. To prepare his dish of Whiskey Oakwood Smoked Grilled Wild Muntjac Loin Chops the chef joined game butcher of the year Tim Hanks of Hanks’ Meat and Game on a special “Munty Hunt.”
The pair, accompanied by top film-maker John Blackwell took to the hills and woodlands around Ross-on-Wye to hunt for ‘Munty’, as Hanks calls it. Its more regular name is Muntjac, a small species of deer known for its exquisite taste and texture.
“I had a fantastic time out with Tim and John last night,” Chef Jolly told The Great Game Guide. “We harvested a muntjac for the dish and I’m looking forward to preparing it.
“The inspiration for the dish is an Indian dish “Maas Ka Sula” which literally means meat skewered and cooked on an open fire. When hunting was considered a royal sport in India many game dishes were popular. One of them was fire-roasted deer loin chops.
“I have taken the idea a bit further by adding other elements to go with the dish: figs, fired red onion and a tomato chutney. It should be epic and my time out in rural Herefordshire has given me a new appreciation for the work done by butchers like Tim Hanks”.
Tim Hanks said: “We had a jolly time! It was fascinating to listen to Chef Jolly describe the dish he is going to cook using the muntjac. I didn’t know how much game was revered globally and how well it pairs up with spice. His dish of muntjac loin chops was absolutely amazing and the perfect way to celebrate Great British Game Week.”
Originally brought to the UK and introduced to Deer Parks Woburn and Whipsnade, Reeves muntjac takes its name from John Reeves, a naturalist employed by the British East India Company in the 19th century.
It is great to have an Indian chef celebrating such a wonderful species with delicious traditional cooking methods.