Nancy Lam's Christmas dinner interview

Our Food Editor Anna Penniceard met with celebrity chef Nancy Lam, who's an expert in Indonesian cooking and who also owns Enak Enak in Battersea.

Nancy's warm and brimming with personality and she knows a thing or two about putting on a great feast for Christmas. You'll get an idea of how Nancy will be spending Christmas Day and what goodies will be on the table, plus find out her top tips for cooking the perfect Christmas dinner for friends and family, in our festive inspired interview.

Get ready for the first question...

1. Whose turn is it to cook this Christmas?
Mine. I always cook. We're having roast turkey, roast goose, roast beef, everything. I'll make the turkey with an Indonesian flavour - spicy and hot. And we'll have Yorkshire puddings. If you don't have enough food, it's not Christmas. We'll have mince pies and a soft-centred chocolate pudding. We'll also have a traditional Christmas pudding that I bought last year for this year. Oh and roast veg - Brussels sprouts, carrots, roast potatoes, roast garlic and onions... I also take food to the casualty staff at St George's Hospital, Tooting.

2. Plan, plan, plan food in advance, or last-minute mission?
I'll ask the kids what they want in advance and whatever they want they can have. It's their Christmas. If they want a salmon, they can have a salmon. There will be four of us this year, oh and three neighbours. We'll be drinking champagne, champagne and champagne!

3. Cut corners on xxx to save cash, but always splash out on xxx?
Buy just enough. Enough for today, enough for tomorrow and enough for your neighbour. If you can't finish your food, you can always give it to your neighbours. Buy the best, the best, the best for Christmas - depending on what money you have in your handbag.

4. What are your three best tips for making Christmas dinner?
1) Don't make anything too complicated.
2) Your starter has to be so so lovely. The kids can run in and out of the kitchen for starters while they're watching telly, but they must sit down for the main course.
3) Always start with grace and end with grace. Oh and put bacon around your turkey and a pot of water underneath like a Turkish bath which means your turkey will never be dry.

5. Get stuffed! What do you put in your stuffing? And in the bird or outside?
Chestnuts, apricots, bread, raw oats, chicken stock, cashew nuts, eggs, sage and onion, turkey liver, turkey heart, chopped up small small, and mix them until they're beautiful and squash it all together and cook it in a dish outside the bird.