Fancy a curry?

The British curry house or the local Indian as they are more popularly known, are not to be confused with Indian restaurants back home. Most of us make that mistake when we land in UK and rue the waste of our precious first pounds on bog standard, flavourless so called "Indian" grub. It's the first culture shock you receive!

Imagine an Indian girl, a recent immigrant to England, who is feeling home sick, seeking the comforting warmth of familiar Indian food. She unknowingly walks into the local Indian restaurant and orders her favourite dishes. As she samples the food, instead of being transported to her happy place back home, she feels like someone has thrown a bucketful of cold water on her! "You're kidding me", she thinks. Instead of that warm hug she was coveting, this poor homesick soul feels cheated. 

This, sadly, is the general state of Indian food in UK. It's a poor reflection of the gorgeously flavoured cuisine we know and love. The average local fare available here is a hybrid, created by bland British palates and Bangladeshi immigrants who probably cook a Bangla version of Indian dishes(which really doesn't work for non bangla dishes), or adapted their dishes so drastically to please the local taste buds that the version that evolved was unrecognisable to Indians. I have tasted butter chicken with coconut and raisins in it! Pure Blasphemy! Makes me want to start a petition that prohibits the use of 'Indian' so liberally, to label food that is a disgrace to any self respecting Indian. 

Thankfully, this is gradually but surely changing for the better. With the British getting more adventurous with flavours in recent times, and more Indians entering the catering industry, the demand and choice for better, more authentic Indian recipes has grown. In London, which is the best place to find good Indian cuisine, many such restaurants exist, including the michelin starred, Benaras. But ones I've visited that stand out and yet don't break the bank are, Dishoom and Masala Zone in London among others. Outside London, Prashad which is a vegetarian restaurant in Bradford and Chilli Pickle in Brighton, are among some pioneering Indian restaurants that are winning awards and rave reviews for their gorgeous menus. 

Moreover, the new emerging street food culture has encouraged Indians to come out and showcase our rich culinary heritage. Indian street food stalls are popping up all over London like Horn Ok Please in Borough Market. Stop for a quick bite at the Kati Roll Company, a cafe on Poland Street, while shopping on Oxford Street. A Kati(or Kathi) roll is a wrap made with roti with delicious warm fillings from Chicken Tikka to Chickpeas Masala. It's a perfect grab & go Indian snack at affordable prices and tastier than a tortilla style wrap, I assure you.

Celebrity Chefs are helping our cause too. British chefs like Tony Singh, Cyrus Todiwala and even Rick Stein are helping build awareness about authentic, spicy, beautifully flavoured, and not necessarily just hot, Indian food. Rick Stein's 'India' is a revelation, and I must admit some recipes are new even to me, and I've lived in India for the better part of my life. But that's the beauty of Indian cuisine and its micro cultures and recipes that make our food so vibrant and exciting.

To a westerner, looking to try the real thing, I would recommend you look for restaurants run by an Indian Chef or someone who understands Indian food well, like the owners of Chilli Pickle in Brighton. Having eaten there several times, I can vouch for their authentic recipes and innovative menu.

For those who have already done the above, I would urge you to venture into the Asian/Indian areas close to you and you will be surprised at what you discover. Restaurants like Kailash Parbat and Sarvanna Bhavan,  are Indian restaurant chains that have expanded to the UK and a must visit for any Indian food enthusiast. Another great option are pop up restaurants and curry clubs like The Spice Club in Manchester run by a mom-daughter duo that offer a meal cooked by an Indian family and a chance to meet likeminded foodies. feeling more adventurous, why not opt for Indian food for lunch if you work in London? Look for a "dabba" i.e. a tiffin service. It's healthier and honestly, so much more interesting than sandwich & crisps. 

Once you've tried these, I promise you, you will not go back to that flavourless, confused version you once fondly called a "curry."