Burns Night: How to have an alternative Burns Night - from Haggis Pad Thai to chocolate haggis

Burns night is a night for getting together with friends and family over a meal, but it doesn’t need to be a stuffy event, says Rosalind Erskine.

I recently went on a weekend break to Spain and, on my return, was struck by how shops, including independent stores in the neighbourhood where I live, had gone from Halloween decorations to full on festive windows.

While it seemed a bit early, and jarring after some winter sun, it got me thinking as to why we don’t really do anything for St Andrew’s Day in Scotland, despite it being a bank holiday for most. So when it comes to January 25, and Burns Night, it’s lovely to see it being celebrated around the world, as well as the food and drink associated with it getting a mention on national TV shows and radio.

There’s a whole host of events taking place across the country too. There is the traditional Burns supper of haggis, neeps and tatties, served with whiskies – if you’re in Aberdeen check out the dinner at Amuse in which Glenfiddich ambassador, and guest on Scran, Mark Thomson, will lead a whisky tasting after a lively address to the haggis. Or you can head to Edinburgh's Duck and Waffle if you’re in the Central Belt.

Simon Howie has released a chocolate haggis.

If you’re after something a bit different, The Gate in Glasgow is having a more informal night of food and entertainment, plus cocktails, as is Dewar's Aberfeldy – or why not try the communal Burns feast at Ballintaggart?

There’s no doubt this celebration revolves around food and drink. And luckily it’s easy to make – you can also order cook at home kits. But what if you want to mark the occasion a bit differently?

If you find yourself reaching for your phone to order a takeaway this Burns Night, then take a look at Ting Thai’s ‘Pad Haggis’, the first of its kind, say Deliveroo, which have partnered with the restaurant to put this modern Asian twist on our humble haggis.

The new recipe is an adaptation of Ting Thai’s popular Pad Thai recipe, which was recently crowned one of the UK’s top 30 trending dishes on Deliveroo in 2023. The dish is available for a limited time (January 23-25) priced at £5.50, excluding delivery, which is to Edinburgh and Glasgow only, and sees haggis added to the traditional Pad Thai, instead of chicken or prawns.

Residents in Glasgow and Edinburgh can order haggis Pad Thai this Burns night.

If you have more of a sweet tooth, then Simon Howie has released a chocolate haggis. Yes, a chocolate haggis. Not as strange as it first sounds – Nigella has a recipe for chocolate salami that makes a great gift – this limited-edition chocolate haggis is available in Tesco, Morrisons, Asda and Sainsbury’s. It is the butcher’s first ever dessert product.

Made with a blend of dark chocolate and white choc chips, Simon Howie’s chocolate haggis is a chocolate brownie pudding, suitable for vegetarians and is made to be served as a hot dessert, with ice cream or cream. It definitely will be a talking point at the table if you’re hosting a Burns supper at home, and it’s much easier than whipping up a dessert, though it might pair well with the traditional Cranachan. Plus it’s just asking to be paired with a sweet, sherry finished whisky.