Navaratri and Indian fudge

Saffron and Cardamon Penda

Hindus in India and around the world have been celebrating Navatri . This is a 9-day festival of dance and song.  The name comes from “nava” which means “nine” and “ratri” which means “night”.  The festival leads up to Diwali which means “festival of light” and takes place between 11 and 15 Nov this year.

Navatri occurs  in Autumn which is a time of renewal.  Just as the shedding of leaves makes way for fresh growth so Navaratri rejuvenates the inner spirit.  The festival encourages us to look inwardly, to find renewed energies for the spirit and to feel creative with our lives.

 Garba dance

The festival is celebrated in many ways. Local community groups get together for dancing and feasting.  Garba and Dandiya rass danced to worship Goddess Durga s. The sticks dance representing her swords. Representing good over eveil. There are special foods to cleanse the body none of which contains meat.  It has to be remembered that India has 400 million vegetarians - several times the population of the UK - a topic to which I shall return on another occasion.

One of those special foods is saffron and cardamom penda which is a bit like fudge.  I made some for the festival and here is my recipe.

Ingredients

1½ cups milk powder . ½ cup sugar . ½ cup ghee . ½ cup  milk.2 to 3 strand of saffron . Drop orange food colouring.10- 15 cardamon pods ( green) . Pistachio s to decorate.

Method

1. Boil the milk add a few stands of saffron and simmer on a lower heat. Add the sugar and dissolve and ghee and allow it to cook though for 4- 5 mins until the milk has reduced a little. Stir regularly.

2. Lower the heat further and stir in the milk powder along with some cardamom seeds powder to taste. Remove seeds from the pods and crush using a pestle and mortar. Cook for further 3- 4 mins. Stirring continulously. You will know when its done as it starts to come away from the pan sides.

3. Remove the mixture from the heat and add the food colouring and stir in and allow it to cool for15 mins.

4. Spread  it out evenly on a baking tray until set and cut into cubes and press in a half cut pistachio into each cube.

5. Alternatively omit the food colouring and make little round balls and flatten between your hands and add shavings of pistachio nuts on top.

These can be stored for up to 2 weeks in  an airtight container. These pendas can be presented to the goddesses for their blessing. The blessed food is called Prashad to be shared out amongst friends and family.

Gita's Healthy Happy Chips!

Last night I fancied some chips but not from the "chippy" as we say in Yorkshire. The fish and chip shop to every one else around the Globe.  

So I made my healthy happy chips at home. Here is my recipe that I liked to share with you. Chips made from 1llb (500g) chips and just 2 teaspoons of oil. 

For my recipe you need to peel the skins off or as I have done keep the skins on (making sure to give them a good scrub). I like mine fairly chunky but I will leave that up to you. I would recommend a floury potatoes that enables a softer centre and and a crispier skin. Varieties I suggest are Maris Piper and King Edward . 

So, you will need:


Ingredients
500g gm of potatoes 
10 ml of vegetable oil
(salt and vinegar to taste) or spices if you prefer.

Method:

Heat the oven at 200 oc and the baking tray
Prepare the potatoes into chips or wedges

Place them in a bowl and pour over the oil, using your hands coat them evenly, sprinkle over a little salt.

Place them on the hot baking tray and spread them out evenly. Cook for  for 25 mins. Open the oven once half way through cooking and giving them a turn. Once golden and crispy on the outside and soft in the middle they are ready. To give them that chip shop style feel and taste wrap the chips in cat paper or grease proof paper and place them back in the oven for 5 mins (switched off) - sprinkle on some more salt and vinegar.

Alternatively try this spice combination to jazz up those spuds and have them with a spicy mayo for which you will need a large dollop of good mayonnaise. Mix into that- pinch of smoked paprika, Himalayan pink salt & pepper, crushed roasted cumin and coriander seeds and small pinch of nutmeg and glove and touch of cardamon.

Enjoy!

Spiced fruit scone recipe (vegatarian)

Here's a quick recipe for some a brilliant for an egg free fruit some scones which I baked over the is weekend.

(c) 2015 Gita Mistry, all rights reserved

Put oven on: gas mark 6, 180 oc fan assisted 170oc
Grease a non stick baking tray (I find using a roasting tin bakes a softer scone)


Ingredients:


8oz self raising flour
2oz hard butter
1tsp baking powder
1oz caster sugar (more to taste - But I find this perfect as the dried fruit is sweet)
Pinch of salt
3oz dried sultanas or raisins
1/2 tsp of mixed spice
A drop of vanilla essence
120ml cream, milk or butter milk (can be mixture of them)


Method


1. Rub the butter into the in to the flour and add in baking powder and pinch of salt. (Rubbing is a method using your finger tips -take small amounts of mixture and rub the flour into the butter until is resembles breadcrumbs. Raise the mixture to some height whilst doing this over the bowl to aerate it.


2. Mix in the sugar and fruit and spice.


3. Add in 120ml of liquid, vanilla essence and bind it together with a flat knife


4. Using your hand bring it together to form dough.
Pat out in an 8 inch circle (1 inch in height) score the top in 8 pieces like the picture. Brush the top with milk (not the sides to give it colour contrast)


5. Bake for 20 mins and remove onto a cooling rack and simply enjoy with some best butter and jam is desired.


Of course this is not just for vegetarians! I took this bake to a party last night and they went in a shot...

Serving Mangoes

 A present from my mother who is now in her 83rd year 

My friend tells me that she once visited the home of her best friend’s father in law in Lahore.   Her host had been a senior officer in the Pakistani Police.   He gave my friend a mango and invited her to peel it.  This was the first time my friend had been presented with a mango.   Not surprisingly she made  a nonsense of it with juice, peel and flesh all over plate.   Disappointed, my friend’s host dexterously carved away the skin of the whole fruit with his knife in a single strip and plated them with golden slices while discarded the large stone with very little waste and hassle.  Apparently that method was called “the English method” in Pakistan,

 With their tough and sometimes hairy, sinewy flesh and large stone a mango has more than a little in common with a joint of meat.    There is a knack to carving it so let me show you how

Step 1. - Hold the mango upright on a chopping board with one hand (the stem should be at the top) making sure the cheeks of the mango are to the left and right of you

Step 2. - Cut down one of the cheeks (making sure the knife edge is running down the stone and do the same on the other cheek.

Step 3. - Now turn the mango 45 degrees to the left or right and cut down the edges again with the knife edge running down the side of the stone again (both sides)

Step 4.- Discard the stone or as I used to do eat any last morsel of mango off it like eating a spare rib.

Step5.-  Slice and eat , My father always liked to take his mango with a pinch of salt and ground cumin- a tradition in Gujarati cuisine.

Mangoes are plentiful in India.  It produces the largest quantities and also most varieties. China is the next largest producer.

Raw ripe mangoes are simply delicious. They can also be made into sweet and savoury chutneys,. Their pulp can be eaten with fresh puris or served in lassis. However I prefer to eat them as they come.

Fruit formed a major part of my diet when I was growing even though I was living in Yorkshire in Northern England. I was given fruit each day by mother after meal and it was always chosen and bought very carefully. My mother did all her shopping at an Indian grocer which was conveniently located at the end of our road. I would tag along with her on her shopping trips. I would watch her inspect the stock and gauge what she wanted to buy with her keen eye. She introduced me to some weird and wonderful fruits like fresh tamarind, guavas, pomegranates, watermelons, fresh sugar cane and chickoos which I will write about on another occasion.

Mangoes were the star fruit in our household and I would look forward to their coming into season which was between May and June. The varieties were always Kesar, Alphonso andRajapuri.  Imported from India.  It was a real education shopping at this gem of an Indian store with her, When I was  a child it was exciting and delightful to see her cut into one.

Tip 1. - To buy a ripe mango ready to eat, choose one that gives slightly under a little pressure from your thumb.

Tip2.- Smell the mango ( stem side). It should have a sweet fruity aroma. Avoid a sour alcoholic scent as that indicates an over ripe mango where the sugars have started to ferment.

Tip3.- Look for a full bodied plump mango. Do not worry about little brow flecks. That's a characteristic of the fruit.

Tip 4.- If the stem falls off very easily- it’s a another sign that the mango is over ripe.

Tip5.- Store them at room temperature. Only place them in the fridge when they have ripened to the desired  taste, Eat them  the same day  and watch out for dribbles as mango juice stains clothes badly.

India s independance day

photo:one Indian .com

Today is Indian s Independence day. Marking the end of the British Raj in 1947 in India . Raj means rule.

The Sanskrit name for India is Bharat Ganarajya. Sanskrit  is ancient language of India.

Indian  now has a population of 1.2 billion spread across many regions. From those  regions there is a vast array of mouth dishes.

To help you celebrate Independence day I share with you my recipe for mango pickle with a Gujarati influence..

To make this you will need:

Ingredients:                                                                

1 medium size green mango (firm)

1 tbsp of oil

1/2tsp crushed fenugreek seeds

1tsp chili powder ( less or more to tatse)

A pinch of turmeric

2-3 tbsp sugar

Heaped tsp of coriander powder

A few cardamon pods (slightly crushed)

Salt to taste

50ml water     

Method
Cut the mango into chunks (steam for 10 min's) - cool and mix with the sugar and leave to rest for one day in a jar. Then in a pan add oil and spices. Cook this through until the spices and oil have combined into a loose paste. Add the water 60 ml and stir- then add in the marinated magoes. Simmer for a few 10 mins on a low heat. Cool and store in a jar. The sweet pickle should be sticky and a little orangery brown in colour.  A rested chutney for a couple of days is even tastier so be a patient. This recipe is yum and it can be served simply on fresh Indian bread.

Try this recipe for quick rotlis ( make 4)

Ingredients
2 handful scoops of chapati flour ( 100g)
A knob of butter
Enough warm water to form a dough (100ml)

Method
Form 4 dough balls from the mixture
Roll each into15cm diameter using slightly floured surface
Cook in a non stick flat pan for 40 secs on a medium heat, flip it over for a 1 min until brown flecks have foamed , flip it back over turning the heat up and press on one side of the rotli with a clean tea towel on one half of it allowing the hot air created inside of it to puff the rotli up, and then do the same on the other half - once it has fully puffed up remove it from the pan. The rotli should have brown flecks now on both sides now-  do not cook it for more than 40 secs firstly as it will not finally puff up fully when its turned over.

Slightly cool and spread the rotli with pickle roll it up and enjoy!

Eid Mubarak.

Eid al Fitr (Sweet Eid) is the first Eid of the year and celebrates the end of Ramadan.  It also marks the anniversary of the Quran being revealed. Eid al fitr is the feast of breaking the fast. Ramadam is a period of either 29 or 30 days of fast from dawn to sunset. Muslims around the world embrace this fasting period with great focus and respect.You may remember my article on Global  Festivals and holy days in which I mentioned the second Eid al- Adha (salty Eid) celebrated later in the year. 


Through out the period of Ramadam each day after sunset - the fast is broken usually by eating a date. The date is believed by many Muslims to be a super food and that the best dates come from Medina in Saudi Arabia, which is where the prophet lived and also where he died. See my article 

 Ketupat

There are of course Eid celebrations all over the world and it usually starts with a bath and dressing up in new clothes, after which dates are eaten and then a visit their local mosque for special Eid prayers. According to wikipedia the Muslim community make up 23 %  the worlds population which is a considerable size of  all the religious groups:  There are 1,600million Muslim people. So there are lots of special dishes from a variety of countries on offer like; Ketupat (rice cakes) served in Korea. Dolma (stuffed vegetables) served Bosnia and Brongkos (Oxtail meat tofu and beans (served in Jakarta) 

Some Muslims I have spoken to express how calm they feel through out this period . And that is a time for peace and reflection and that it gives them great focus; including the Birmingham cricketer Moeen Ali   who claims fasting and playing cricket for England is no distraction - in fact quite he opposite.

Eid - al Fitr is a celebration with many types of food and dishes which may be eaten with friends and family. In my last artcle about Eid - al Adha I gave a recipe for  Tal Hue Ghost. Here is a quick sweet recipe for you to try that  help  celbrate this sweet Eid al Fitr

Barfi

Ingredients

125g Full cream Powdered milk

250 Caster sugar or add less

125 Water

 5 Green Cardamoms pods - seeds crushed

12  pistachio nuts shelled and chopped( unsalted)

Butter for greasing

Equipment

Sallow dish or baking tin lined with grease proof paper

Pan

Wooden spoon

Knife and chopping board

Method

1. Place the sugar and water into the pan. Boil and then allow to simmer for 6-7 minutes, until the mixture turns into a  sticky syrup
2. Add the powdered  milk, crushed cardamoms. pistachio nuts and mix well
3. Pour this mixture into the dish and leave to cool pistachio flakes on top
4. When the barfi has set cut into diamond shapes pieces

Tip:  Try adding a drop of rose water for a subtle fragrance, or desiccated coconut to the mixture before setting it. Or you could be very indulgent and cover the top with melted chocolate 

 Eid Mubarak

.

Eid Mubarak.

Eid al Fitr (Sweet Eid) is the first Eid of the year and celebrates the end of Ramadan.  It also marks the anniversary of the Quran being revealed. Eid al fitr is the feast of breaking the fast. Ramadam is a period of either 29 or 30 days of fast from dawn to sunset. Muslims around the world embrace this fasting period with great focus and respect.You may remember my article on Global  Festivals and holy days in which I mentioned the second Eid al- Adha (salty Eid) celebrated later in the year. 


Through out the period of Ramadam each day after sunset - the fast is broken usually by eating a date. The date is believed by many Muslims to be a super food and that the best dates come from Medina in Saudi Arabia, which is where the prophet lived and also where he died. See my article 

 Ketupat

There are of course Eid celebrations all over the world and it usually starts with a bath and dressing up in new clothes, after which dates are eaten and then a visit their local mosque for special Eid prayers. According to wikipedia the Muslim community make up 23 %  the worlds population which is a considerable size of  all the religious groups:  There are 1,600million Muslim people. So there are lots of special dishes from a variety of countries on offer like; Ketupat (rice cakes) served in Korea. Dolma (stuffed vegetables) served Bosnia and Brongkos (Oxtail meat tofu and beans (served in Jakarta) 

Some Muslims I have spoken to express how calm they feel through out this period . And that is a time for peace and reflection and that it gives them great focus; including the Birmingham cricketer Moeen Ali   who claims fasting and playing cricket for England is no distraction - in fact quite he opposite.

Eid - al Fitr is a celebration with many types of food and dishes which may be eaten with friends and family. In my last artcle about Eid - al Adha I gave a recipe for  Tal Hue Ghost. Here is a quick sweet recipe for you to try that  help  celbrate this sweet Eid al Fitr

Barfi

Ingredients

125g Full cream Powdered milk

250 Caster sugar or add less

125 Water

 5 Green Cardamoms pods - seeds crushed

12  pistachio nuts shelled and chopped( unsalted)

Butter for greasing

Equipment

Sallow dish or baking tin lined with grease proof paper

Pan

Wooden spoon

Knife and chopping board

Method

1. Place the sugar and water into the pan. Boil and then allow to simmer for 6-7 minutes, until the mixture turns into a  sticky syrup
2. Add the powdered  milk, crushed cardamoms. pistachio nuts and mix well
3. Pour this mixture into the dish and leave to cool pistachio flakes on top
4. When the barfi has set cut into diamond shapes pieces

Tip:  Try adding a drop of rose water for a subtle fragrance, or desiccated coconut to the mixture before setting it. Or you could be very indulgent and cover the top with melted chocolate 

 Eid Mubarak

.

Sushi and sashimi are often confused sashimi

I often hear people say that they have eaten Sushi when in fact they have eaten raw fish. That is not Sushi .
Sushi  is short grain sticky rice mixed with sushi vinegar. Sushi vinegar is basically rice vinegar with the added ingredients of salt and sugar. Rice vinegar is used to add a mild acetic taste to dishes such as Namasu, Tsukemono . And try not to get the vinegars confused with rice wine (Sake) or liquor (Miran) .

Sashimi means "thinly slices" its often refers to uncooked seafood but it can include cooked seafood and vegetables and certain meats such as beef or deer and cooked egg.

Sashimi http://foodswol.com/

Sushi can be eaten with any of these, in rolls or as topping. Sasmi however can be eaten in its own right.

Sushi http://foodswol.com/

One possible reason for this confusion could be that sushi topped with raw seafood is the most popular sushi in Japan and raw fish thinly sliced is the the most common sasmini as seafood is widely available and eaten by most of the population..

I was once told by a Japanese chef I must use sushi vinegar when making rice for sushi rolls to flavour the rice and not rice vinegar as its vital seasoning of sugar and salt that enhances the flavour of the rice otherwise its dull bland flavour. Its mind boggling as there are so many vinegars to choose from, however by following this simply rule it works a treat each time.Click on this link for a lovely sushi rice recipe and sushi vingar recipe

Happy Rolling

ઘી- Ghee

ઘી- Ghee as written in Gujarati, which is my mother tongue.

I have to say the scent of butter simmering away in my mother’s tiny kitchen stove twice a year filled our home with aromas that left me feeling a little woozy, to say the least. The rich scent of 5lbs of butter melting away overtook my olfactory senses to such an extent that I had stayed clear from the house until the process was complete.

Pann Leaves

However, I would help my mother prepare it though I was still a little girl. We unwrapped the packets of butter and placed them in a huge heavy-bottomed pan which she never used for any other cooking. And it was my job to run down to our local little Indian grocers shop to fetch a pann leaf or two which  I tore into strips ready for them to be added into the pot.

The pann helps the finished ghee curl better from a spoon when serving it. I loved doing this with her to see if it worked after each ghee making process. It always did and I was delighted. Basmati rice would add the most amazing comforting flavours. I could cope with that. Basmati means the queen of scent and as it ages this cooked rice has a beautiful nutty scent and it cooks a lot better with separate grains thus absorbing less water. This is something I will write about in more detail another time. Ghee added to such rice is heavenly, one of purest flavours I ever remember eating and savouring. I never really cared for the shop-bought product.

Picture from nourish kitchen .com

To make good ghee you need milk from cows that have been fed on grass and not much else. Cows roam freely in India even on the busy streets and roads of Mumbhai , rather than being hooted out of the way by drivers. A relaxed cow produces better milk although these will obviously be are dairy cows. Organic unsalted butter works well too. It can also be made from buffalo milk when ghee is used in Hindu religious ceremonies. The ghee made from cows’ milk is regarded as the finest and holds the most significance. Ghee is not only used in cooking but in many Hindu religious ceremonies such as birth, deaths, initiation into manhood weddings, and also as gift giving at funerals to aid purifying the soul . Ghee is used to light holy lamps known as divas - ghee lamps used to celebrate Diwali The Hindu festival of lights.

Its a product that does not require refrigeration as it does not spoil in warmer climates and conditions as long as its kept away from moisture and not exposed to air. In fact some ghees have been known to keep for up to 100 years.  It has a smoking point of at least 250 °C - butter which is only 85% of fat has a much lower smoking point when cooking. Flavoured ghee can be made; however, I prefer it natural to accompany bread and rice dishes and to cook with.  I call it liquid gold. Ghee is excellent for chapped lips. I would recommend it. Smear a little on your lips before you go to sleep to aid  beautiful soft lips and it really does help soothe a sore throat - my Father would add a little in his chai   

Although India is the world’s largest producer of Ghee (and it largest consumer) it is produced in other parts of the world too. It is great for lactose intolerant people as the milk solids are removed. The caramelised milk solid and proteins flavour the ghee adding a sweet nutty taste to the fat which makes it special and it has high smoking point that allows roasting without burning for longer periods than butter does.. 

The clarification starts with the pan of butter and pann leaf.  Slowly melt the butter on a high to medium heat until the butter has completely melted. Stir it once and then allow it to simmer for at least15-20 mins. The yellow liquid will start forming with white spots and bubbles on the surface. This evaporates away any water and removes the milk solids and proteins from the fat which will either rise to the surface or sink to the bottom of the pan which should be a light brown colour and caramelised- any darker and it will affect the taste of the ghees and it will taste burnt. Once the liquid has a refined clarity to it and you can see to the bottom of the pan its ready to take off the heat. Listen out for a sound of slight sizzling and the smell will waft around the room. The foaming and bubbling will take place several times before the liquid settles into a golden liquid with good clarity.   This is when you know its ready to remove from the heat and cool for 1-2 hours at room temperature. Strain through a piece of cheesecloth. The solids that have collected in the cloth can be eaten with a little almond flour and dates or on some fresh bread. This is tasty and very nutritious.

 I love this little recipe for my version of semolina and groundnut sprinkle delicious over mango ice cream.

Ingredients                                                                      

A handful of coarse semolina

1 tablespoon of ghee

1 tablespoon of sugar

5 cardamom pods peeled and seeds crushed

1 tablespoon of ground almonds

1 tablespoon of pistachios crushed.

 Method

1.     Melt the ghee in a heavy bottom pan.

2.     Add in the semolina

3.     Roast the semolina in the ghee and continuously stir it for about 20 mins until it is taken a slightly brownish colour.

4.     Allow it to cool then add the sugar, nuts and cardamon

Hope you like it too.

Food Tips for Dancers

I had a banana, peanut butter and date sandwich for breakfast and it was rather yummy. More interestingly it sustained me for the whole morning and well into the afternoon. That made me think about dance food. I can’t think of a better time to write this post.  It's  Ramadan for Muslims around the world .The first food that is eaten to break the fast each day is that great super food the date. Feeding the body with much needed energy.

It is always important to eat well and it is particularly important for those who require physical activity and concentration. That of course includes dancers. They need to eat well to replenish all the energy that they use up. However, foods that feed our body with energy and other vital nutrients require a little bit of understanding. Making the right food choices is not always easy.

So here are some tips for you as dancers to consider:-

1 Try to eat little and often.  It helps to keep your fire burning. It eliminates hunger pangs. It also stops you feeling sluggish which also happens if you eat too much in one sitting. It keeps you sustained.

2 Choose foods which are filling, healthy and unprocessed. Not only will that help keep you sustained, it will also supply the nutrients that build up muscle and bone strength and keep those organs working properly. In Hindu culture it is sometimes referred to as a "cleaner diet". The body then can then process nutrients from these foods more efficiently and transport the nutrients to the parts of the body where they are needed. Such a diet helps dancers to mobilise their bodies to the fullest extent possible.   After all, your body is your temple. It enables you to undertake the rigorous training that a dancer has to undergo.

3 Try to eat foods that fit your mood.  This is a rather important part of eating for anybody. Getting In tune with your body helps you make better food choices. Mood is usually an indicator that the body needs more of one nutrient than another. I was craving for some fish the other evening. I needed protein as I had not eaten any that day. Although it’s not only fish that gives us protein my body has become used to getting its protein from fish. Protein needs replenishing every day as the body can not store it. Protein builds and repairs tissues in the body which is very much needed for dancers. By no means are they the only benefits too.

4 Cook your food healthily. Steam or grill your food or even eat it raw. Think about what you desire to eat and visualise it your plate. Colour, texture and indeed taste helps are bodies to relax when eating and fully to enjoy the experience.  In terms of pleasure savouring well cooked food is not far removed from watching a dance performance. It is like appreciating the choreography and construction of the performance together with the lighting used and costumes worn and indeed how these costumes move on the dancers as they perform their piece to bring it all together.

So why eat dates?

Firstly dates are a super food as they have many nutrients, minerals and vitamins. Dates give dancers a boost of energy  as they contain natural sugars and are easy to carry around.  They are free from cholesterol and contain very little fat. They are a good source of fibre to help maintain your digestive system and avoid bloating. They have both soluble and insoluble fibre which helps the metabolism. They are a rich source of B vitamins which boost the nervous system that controls your thoughts and movement. In particular vitamin B6 which helps the body retain protein and carbohydrates - another very good source of energy.   They also taste delicious and are very plentiful in the shops this time of the year.

So why not snack on a few in between training this summer and see how you find them. There are many varieties to choose from and they are grown in many countries.

Many consider that the best dates come from Medina in Saudi Arabia which is where the Prophet lived and also where he died. 

Finally,  the best dates are enjoyed uncooked. I know some people like date pudding but to me stewing dates is rather like deep frying truffles. My favourite is the Medjool  variety

If you want to discuss this article or food and recipes in general email me at gita@gitamistryfood.co.uk. There’s lots of other information about food and recipes in my own blog and website.

Why does the UK love eating Indian food?

Why does the UK love eating Indian food? Salivating at the thought of a good curry.... I quote you " Oh I love tarkha dhal; it's my favourite but I don't like lentils usually, " I cant do without my bajias and pakoras every week"  and "oh there is nothing like a good chicken curry" There was even a song created about it for England's campaign song in the 1998 Football World Cup.

" Friends visit my home city of  Bradford's and we often go out  for curry . On many occasion we have visited The Kashmir 1958 .Bradford s oldest curry house and I recommend their fish pakoras at £2.80 a plate full. Or Punjab sweet  and Grill centre where they serve a wonderful chicken and okra curry and a hugh selection of Indian sweets and if Bradford City football team are playing  round the corner we head to the Sweet Centre on Lumb Lane serving  very tasty samosas. In fact, the world's largest curry restaurant is also in Bradford; called the Akash and it boats a 750 seater dinning room.

Though we call it an Indian actually most of these restaurants in Bradford have their culinary roots firmly attached to - Kashmir. In London and the south, Indian restaurant are generally from a  Bangladeshi heritage. Glasgow restaurateurs are mostly from the Punjabi region and Manchester & Birmingham restaurants have predominant Pakistani owners.

Where ever the regional origins, there are over 12000  Indian restaurants in Britain today compared with a humble 6 restaurants in 1939. A industry that is worth 4 billion pounds to the British economy and  its still on the up. It seems that where a curry may have once been eaten on the rare occasion in household it now become habitual, a ritual in most UK homes. And this industry has aggressively developed over the last 60 years. "An enterprise backed by the government...." as  David Cameron said at the last curry awards". "The Oscars of  British Curry."  That is not to say that Indian food and spices have not been consumed before then in the UK. As the following examples history show :-

• An English cook book published in the 14 Century  was all about hot food called The Forme of cury. The word cury  being from the French word curie meaning to cook.  The book lists using: black pepper, cinnamon, glove, cumin, coriander saffron to name but a few in the recipes.

• The East Indian Trading company set up for Britain to trade goods with the Indian subcontinent in the 17 Century. It was not only trade that increased but a interest in Indian food and recipes which were taken back to Britain. Curry powder was available commercially from 1780.

• .The first curry recipe in English was published by Hannah Glasse in English in 1747.

•  In fact the first Indian cafe in London was opened in 1809 Hindustani owner by Sake dean Mohamed in London

• Mrs Beetons curry powder recipe published in her book 1861. Household Management.

• I recently learnt about Colonel Arthur Kenney- Herbert, a British soldier who served in the British Indian army. He wrote articles on Indian food and published a book in 1878. His book focused on how to cook British and European dishes under Indian conditions. Later on his return to Britain he started a cookery school based in Sloane Street in London in 1894.
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When the Hindustan Coffee House closed in 1812, there were curries and spicy food on some menus of the more willing & accepting restaurateurs alongside their English Menus until the oldest surviving Indian Restaurant The Veerswamy opened its doors in 1926. Although it took just over a century for next Indian restaurant to open in the UK , the relationship never really severed; the was there was a constant desire for curries and spicy food as you can see from my findings. Curry and chips, a post 2nd World War idea, was produced by Indian sailors who bought old cafes and chip shops which had been wrecked during the War. They adapted the curry recipe for a post- pub crowd and it became and national institution raising the awareness of British people to spicy food. 

So why do we have such an infinity with Indian cuisine in the UK? One theory is that the dishes are mildly addictive- and have a bit of a bite to them and are very affordable to dine out on. Another theory is the history between the Indian Sub Continent and the UK. Soldiers from British Army based in Indian and their families enjoyed the cuisine and desired Indian food on their return to Britain which started the love affair we have today. Others say that the Indian dishes are becoming more and more authentic so the desire and appreciation for  Indian food is on the up and that more people regularly cook curries at home in helping keeping the  industry alive with greater appreciation . I know that a lot of Indian curry houses in Bradford do not sell alcohol on their premises to customers. However they don’t mind if a customer brings in beers and wines in to their establishment to accompany their meals, which makes a family outing very affordable. Whatever the reason we are eating Indian food in bucketfuls and there is no stopping us.

I would love to hear from you! Why you eat curry and is the experience any different to other cuisines you eat? How often you eat curry? And how you feel at the thought of going out for one... send me a response on gita@gitamistryfood.co.uk

I look forward to hearing from you about your curry habits....