There’s a moment at every barbecue when the burgers start to blur into one another. This year, skip it entirely.

Aktar Islam — chef-patron of Opheem, Birmingham’s two-Michelin-starred flagship for modern Indian cooking — has built a barbecue menu designed to be remembered rather than politely eaten. It’s the kind of spread that rewards the coals: big spice, real smoke, and dishes that make the wait worthwhile.

At its centre sit Rajasthani-style short ribs, slow-cooked until the meat gives way, then finished over fire so the spice crust chars and catches. Alongside them, a Goan fish dish makes the case that seafood deserves a place on the grill — bright, tangy and built for sharing straight from the platter. And for the table’s vegetarians (or simply anyone with sense), aromatic paneer skewers arrive blistered at the edges and fragrant with spice, holding their own against everything else on the coals.

The menu works as a full blow-out if you’re feeding a crowd and want to commit. But it’s just as happy pulled apart: run the short ribs as your centrepiece with a few sides, or build a lighter afternoon around the paneer skewers and the fish. Add a few chutneys, plenty of flatbread and something cold to drink, and you’ve got a spread your guests will still be talking about in September.