For further information on any releases for National Curry Week contact Peter Grove Tel : 020 8399 4831 or email groveint@aol.com
CURRY CAPITAL OF BRITAIN 2010
13th July, 2010
NATIONAL CURRY WEEK & CURRY CAPITAL LINK UP
Leicester won the title of Curry Capital of Britain in 2007 and technically continue to hold it as the event has not taken place since, due to a change of sponsor.
Now, fter a two year break the event is back for 2010 as part of National Curry Week in November which is sponsored by Cobra Beer.
Peter Grove, founder and organiser of both events says “I am very excited Curry Capital will be happening once again so that we can highlight the tremendous input from our multi -ethnic communities to some of our major cities”.
Invitations were issued to councils last week and first to sign up was Wolverhampton with previous winners Glasgow close behind, seemingly determined to win back the title they almost regard as their own by rights.
The rules for the event, which involve the restaurants in each city as well as the council or marketing body, have changed a little from previous years but one major change is that the four areas of London will no longer be invited to compete.
“Historically, London has some wonderful Asian restaurants,” explains Grove “and we could easily see them winning year after year. This would rather obviate the point of Curry Capital so instead, we are opening entry to the London councils with concentrations of ethnic restaurants such as Ealing, Southall, Tower Hamlets or Tooting.”
The organisers feel that, by including Curry Capital of Britain under the umbrella of National Curry Week, this year in its 13th year, it will focus the public’s attention even more and help raise funds for The Curry Tree Charitable Fund as well as further celebrate Britain’s favourite cuisine.
For further information : Peter Grove 020 8399 4831 email : email groveint@aol.com
Editor’s notes :
* 2007 was the seventh year that this event had been run and is was won by Leicester.
* It was contested again by 16 cities and was a combination of restaurant and council input with initial nominations from the public.
* It has been commented in the past that winning the title can mean as much as a £1.5 million boost to tourism.
* The first team to win in 2001 was London West with Mayor Ken Livingstone accepting the trophy.
* Glasgow has a rather special place in the competition having won it no less than 3 times and placed every other year.
* Other winners are Bradford and Birmingham.
Dates :
National Curry Week runs from 21 -27 November 2010. The winner of Curry Capital of the Year 2010 will be announced on 8th December.
Final voting for teams 4th October;
Teams announced 11th October.
Final voting for city 1st November.
Final date for receipt of Council submissions 8th November.
National Curry Week 2010
Peter Grove, founder of National Curry Week has announced that the 13th running of the event will take place from 21-27 November this year with Cobra Beer once again as the Headline Sponsor and Official Beer and CurriesOnline.co.uk as Supporting Sponsor.
From April onward, restaurants and other organisations throughout Britain will be invited to register free of charge to carry the National Curry Week message and help raise funds for The Curry Tree Charitable Fund for the malnourished and victims of natural disasters.
During the week, participating restaurants will hold special events to help raise the much needed funds as well as to continue celebrating Britain’s favourite cuisine and have some fun whilst doing it.
The World Poppadom Tower Challenge has proved to be very popular over the years and last year, Poppadom Express in Southampton created yet another record (they won it in 2007) with an amazing 450 of the crispy disks. Gulu Anand’s award-winning Brilliant in Southall won the “Customer’s Restaurant of the Year” title but narrowly missed out on the Samosa Speed Challenge in favour of Tiffinbites.
This year one of the central themes will be “The Great British Takeaway Raffle” with hundreds of prizes such as a gallon – yes we said gallon – bottle of superb Johnnie Walker Black Label Whisky.
Grove said, “The need for the funds raised each year has never been greater and we really hope everybody gets behind this year’s event to make it the greatest ever for fun and funds.” For full details log on to www.nationalcurryweek.co.uk
For further information : Peter Grove 020 8399 4831 email : email groveint@aol.com
Students cook up a treat for National Curry Week
Students and local food producers are teaming up to celebrate a landmark date for one of Britain’s favourite dishes.
Cooking classes at Horndean Technology College took on an exotic flavour when a class of 20 Year 9 students learned how to make authentic curries during National Curry Week with the help of a top Hampshire restaurateur.
A range of fun events is being held across the country to celebrate National Curry Week, which runs from 22 to 28 November. So this was the perfect opportunity for the students to develop their life skills with a curry cook-off.
Sue Pickering, who has been spending the term teaching the students about multi-cultural cooking at Horndean Technology College, said: ‘Cooking is an important life-skill and this project has given us the opportunity to show students an alternative method of cooking a curry. It is great that they can learn to create one of the country’s most popular meals during National Curry Week.’
Jean and Ron of Ron Reeve Butchers in Clanfield kindly donated 10lb of top quality fresh chicken to the class, along with 10 pots of authentic curry sauces stocked by the butchers. The students used a selection from the nationally acclaimed ‘Honey Garden’ range of eight different flavoured sauces, made by the award-winning Madhuban Restaurant in Liss, Hampshire.
Restaurant owner Lodue Miah, who created the sauces, and gave the College a method for using them: ‘I am delighted to support National Curry Week by introducing young people to the pleasures of cooking and the taste of Asian food.’
Mr Miah based his innovative ‘Honey Garden’ sauce range of fresh, hand-made sauces on his own in-house repertoire. He developed them after fans complained they could not achieve the same taste at home with existing pastes and spice mixes.
An annual event since 1998, this year’s National Curry Week marks the 200th anniversary of the opening of the very first Indian Restaurant in London’s West End in 1809.
As well as promoting food from the Indian sub-continent, the week of fun events, promotions and record-breaking attempts also aims to raise money for charities combating malnourishment and poverty around the world. The Madhuban Restaurant, Liss will be donating to support the Curry Tree Charitable Fund during National Curry Week.
A recent poll by market researcher Mintel found that not only was curry the most popular dining-out food in the UK but was the ethnic food cooked most often at home.
visitbirmingham.com to give away...
'The blue Queudrue’ this weekend
16th November 2009
To celebrate National Curry Week (22-28 November 2009), visitbirmingham.com and Birmingham City Football Club have teamed up to develop a very special Blues curry to give away to fans for their game against Fulham on Saturday November 21, cementing Birmingham once and for all as the UK’s curry capital.
Visitbirmingham.com, an official partner to Birmingham City FC, brought in Blues players James McFadden and Franck Queudrue to help produce a curry in a cook-off last week, where Franck’s curry was chosen by a panel of top judges, including Blues Vice President Mike Wiseman.
Fans were able to name the chosen curry via a competition on visitbirmingham.com, with Sutton Coldfield resident Ian Treadwell’s creation chosen as the perfect name for the curry, “The Blue Queudrue”.
Ian said: “After reading that Franck had won on the website, the name just came to me. I’m a big Blues fan so to name this dish is an honour. Franck is a big favourite with the fans at St. Andrew’s so naming the curry after him was appropriate. I’ll definitely be down at the Royal George to taste the dish...I hope it’s not too hot!”
‘The Blue Queudrue’ will be served at the Royal George pub from 12.30pm on Saturday, as well as in the corporate hospitality lounges at St. Andrew’s for the Premier League fixture against Fulham.
The curry has been produced in association with award-winning Birmingham restaurant, Lasan, which was recently crowned best local Indian restaurant by Gordon Ramsay’s The F Word.
Dave Hodgson of Marketing Birmingham said: “Good food is at the heart of Birmingham and the city is now home to more Michelin stars than any other English city outside London. Curry has always been an important part of the Birmingham restaurant scene, and over the past few years has developed into high quality cuisine, especially in restaurants such as Lasan . It’s great to see a curry like this one, created for Birmingham City FC.
“Football has a global audience of 3.13bn, so by working with Birmingham City we can show potential visitors to the city what we have to offer.”
Michael Dunford, Birmingham City FC Chief Executive Officer, added: “We are proud to be taking part in National Curry Week and especially to be producing our very own Blues Curry.
“I am sure the curry will be a huge hit with our fans and corporate clients when they visit St. Andrew’s this weekend for the match against Fulham.”
For further information Please contact:
Matt Peden or James Hickman on 01943 855630 or email mattpeden@hatchpr.co.uk
Press Brief - 1 - Subject: World Hunger
(Figures are based on information from United Nations, Brown University and other specialist official sources)
QUOTES:
“Humanity has made great progress over the last decade. From mapping the human genome to instantaneous global communication, great leaps have been taken. Yet a great human tragedy still afflicts our world. Today, over 800 million men, women and children are denied the most basic human right of all ; the right to food”.
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan - 16 October 2000
“Each year over 40 million people die from hunger and hunger-related diseases. This figure is equivalent to more than 300 jumbo jet crashes a day with no survivors, almost half being children”.
GAIA - An Atlas of Planet Management
“On average the 826 million chronically hungry people worldwide lack 110 to 400 kilocalories per day - i.e below the minimum amount of dietary energy they need to maintain body weight and undertake light activity”
United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization
* In many developing countries women have poor nutritional status and yet are often more vulnerable than men to malnutrition because of their different physiological requirements. In most cases, a woman requires a higher intake of vitamins and minerals in proportion to total dietary energy intake than a man. When women are pregnant or lactating, their foods need to be even richer in energy and nutrients.
* In 1996 the World Food Summit set a goal of cutting the number of undernourished in the world to 400 million by 2015. This target has already been put back 15 years to 2030 as there has essentially been no change in numbers since 1995.
* The United Nations official figures quote 826 million chronically undernourished men, women and children at or below starvation levels. Of these 520 million are in Asia and 200 million in sub Saharan Africa.
Dr Robert W. Kates, first Director of the Feinstein World Hunger Program at Brown University in America puts the figure even higher at 1 billion - almost one in six of the world’s population.
In 1900 the world population was 1.65 billion
In 1940 2.00
In 1960 3.00
In 1974 4.00
In 1987 5.00
In 2000 6.06
By 2020 the world population will be 7.50 (est)
By 2050 8.91 (est)
IT MAKES YOU THINK :
The number of chronically undernourished in the world today equals :-
The entire population of the world just 250 years ago.
* The same as 10,000 Wembley Stadia full to capacity.
113 times the population of Greater London.
14 times the entire population of the United Kingdom.
2.2 times the entire population of the European Union.
Compiled by menu2menu.com - March 2002
Press Brief- 2 - Subject: Curry for Health
Indian food is often portrayed as unhealthy and quantities of deep fried dishes and breads or popadoms can sometimes support this comment. However, science is beginning to realise the many health values of the main ingredients of curry such that a good curry, well produced could well be called ‘health on a plate’.
Chilli - main ingredient is capsiacin and is know as a powerful pain killer and antioxidant helping to combat heart attack and stroke and even extends blood coagulation time. Capsiacin has an affinity for fat so it may well be helpful for weight control.
Coriander - another antioxidant, countering blood pressure and the formation of free radicals which trigger cancers.
Cumin - antioxident once again, having a beneficial effect on blood pressure and heart rhythm.
Ginger - high in vitamin C and a powerful antioxidant and anticarcinogenic. Also helps eliminate toxins from the body.
Fenugreek - higher in folic acid (very important for pregnant women) by weight than dried yeast or liver.
Garlic - known to declog veins and arteries since pre-history. Antibiotic, antifungal, bactericidal, lowers cholesterol and helps prevent heart attacks and strokes.
Onions - help prevent stomach cancers - ingredient quercetin deactivates carcinogens and tumours and reduces high blood sugar levels and promotes ‘good’ cholesterol.
Tomatoes - decreases risk of prostate cancer - the ingredient lycopene is a powerful antioxidant.
Compiled from ‘Curry, Spice & All Things Nice - the what - where - when’ by Peter & Colleen Grove and available free online at www.moodfoodmag.com/curryspice.html
Press Brief - 3 - Subject: Curry & Food Briefs
*
ELECTION TIP? An Emperor of the Shang Dynasty (1520-1030BC) held food in such high regard that one of his 2000 cooks was elevated to the position of Prime Minister.
*
The Prophet Mohammed said ‘If you knew the value of fenugreek, you would pay its weight in gold.’ It has been claimed as a cure for impotence and an aphrodisiac through history and modern chemical analysis has detected the presence of diosgenin that acts in a similar way to the body’s own sex hormones.
*
Coriander was used as a love potion in the Middle Ages and is mentioned in 1001 Arabian Nights as a love herb. The Ancient Chinese believed it brought immortality.
*
CURRY IS ENGLISH? The first real English cookbook was written in 1390 by the cooks, physicians and philosophers of Richard II. They produced 296 recipes under the title of ‘Forme of Cury’. Cury was the Old English word for cooking derived from the French cuire - to cook, boil or grill - hence cuisine. So when the English merchants landed at Surat, India in 1608 the word ‘cury’ had been part of the English language for well over two hundred years.
*
An estimated 23 million portions of chicken tikka masala are served in Indian restaurants in Britain a year - enough to feed a full capacity Wembley Stadium two meals a day for over two months.
*
In 1846 William Makepiece Thackray wrote a ‘Poem to Curry’ in his Kitchen Melodies.
(copy available on request).
*
The tandoor first came to Britain in the late 1950s after first appearing at the Moti Mahal restaurant near The Red Fort in India in 1948
*
In 982 AD in the reign of King Aethelred II, German ships coming up the Thames to trade at London Bridge had to pay a special Christmas and Easter tax in black peppercorns.
*
The hot red pepper (chilli) was discovered by Christopher Columbus in Santa Domingo in 1492. The Portuguese introduced it into Cochin and Calicut in South India in 1501 where it was called the Goan Pepper.
*
The curry powder invented along the lines of garam masala in India in seventeenth century was very similar to ‘kitchen pepper’ so popular in English recipes of the time consisting of ginger, pepper, cloves, nutmegs, and cinnamon.
*
Chilli is the most popular spice in the world today. There are 1600 varieties of the plant and the heat ranges from the sweet bell pepper (0 Scoville units) to the naga jolokia from Assam (850,000 Scoville units). This is so hot it is used for tear gas.
*
Ingredients in chilli make it a natural antibiotic and a powerful painkiller as well as helping to relieve arthritis and painful joints.
*
When you last added Worcestershire sauce to your food you may not have been aware you were eating ‘devil’s dung’. That was one of the original names for asafoetida. one of the ingredients in the concoction created by Mr Lea and Mr Perrins.
*
The interest in spicy food from India in Britain began to disappear after the Sepoy Mutiny in 1857 and the founding of the India National Congress in 1885. By the early 1900s British goods were being banned in India and thus, temporarily, ended the love affair with Indian cuisine in favour of French.
*
The word ‘restaurant’ was first used in the early sixteenth century by Clement Marot to refer to a group of fortifying meat broths. It was not until Boulanger started selling broths from his own premises to avoid the Guild monopoly in 1765 that the word came to have its modern meaning.
Press Release - Poppadum Survey & curry statistics 2007
January 2007
The average Brit spends a staggering £51,000 in his or her lifetime - on curry!
UK adults supposedly splash out £1,145 a head on the spicy dish every year - an astonishing five per cent of the average salary, according to a new study. And it's not just feeding our hunger pangs - 20 per cent of Brits reckon it spices up their sex lives.
These sizzling stats emerged from a poll of 3,000 hot food fans conducted by global research company www.OnePoll.com. The research also revealed that over a third of people admitted having physical cravings for curry and 20 per cent confessed to getting "cranky" if deprived of their favourite dish, facts that have been well-known in the industry for many years.
Almost half of Brits cook curries at home at least once a week and spend an average of £30 per month on supplies in the supermarket.
One in 10 Brits eat curry out at least once a week, with men twice more likely to head out for a curry session than women.
And there's no doubting the nation's favourite main dish - the good old Chicken Tikka Masala, which is top choice for both men and women.
Men still tend to opt for hotter varieties like Madras, Jalfrezi and Vindaloo, while women prefer milder dishes like Korma.
And the cravings start young - with over a quarter of kids asking their parents for curry to go on the weekly menu.
A quarter of men admitted to delving in the fridge the morning after to get a cold curry fix.
It is very much a case of "plus ca change" as the results of the new survey very much reflect a similar national survey carried out by Patak's Real Curry Restaurant Guide over ten years ago in 1996. The survey also revealed that we are not above carrying out the odd 'curry con'. One in 10 people confessed to passing off curry made from a jar of cook in sauce as their own culinary creation at a dinner party, with the South West region being the worst offenders.
But whether made from scratch or bought, curry, according to the survey, still proves the nations most desired dish, with 90 per cent of Brits saying they feel happy and content after eating curry. John Sewell, spokesman for www.OnePoll.com, said: "It's incredible how much money we spend on curry in our lifetime. "We've obviously got a taste for the spicy stuff and the survey goes to show that curry really has become a staple part of our diet."
The nation's 10 top curries:
1. Chicken Tikka Masala 2. Chicken Korma 3. Chicken Madras 4. Lamb Rogan Josh 5. Chicken Jalfrezi 6. Chicken Balti 7. Chicken Rogan Josh 8. Chicken Dhansak 9. Prawn Korma 10. Vegetable Balti
New Poppadum Survey
Top ethnic food and drink website www.menu2menu.com has just announced the results of a survey it has been running over the past year with its readers. The aim was to discover the number and range of poppadums purchased by customers in Indian restaurants in Britain.
More than two poppadums 35%
Two plain 19%
Two spicy 16%
One plain 14%
More than two spicy 11%
One spicy 5%
The average selling price of a poppadum is 60p although the range is 40p-£1.50 and the derived income is very important to the restaurants.
Press Release - Recipes
RECIPES
KEBAB BUTTER MASALA (by Monish Gujral of Moti Mahal, Delhi)
Ingredients for the Kebabs-
Minced lamb- 500 gm
Egg, beaten- 1
Onion , finely chopped- 1
Green chillies, finely chopped- 2
Red chilli powder- 5 tsp
Ginger, chopped- 1tsp
Garam masala- 5 tsp
Salt to taste
Green coriander chopped- 2 tsp
Lemon cut into wedges-1
Method to cook the kebabs-
Combine all ingredients except last two in abowl
Divide the mixture equally in 16 balls . Skewer each ball and with wet hands make 2"long kebabs along with the skewer
Put the skewers in the tandoor or preheated conventional oven pre set at 350 deg cfor 7-8 minutes
Take them out brush them with oil turn around and cook again
Take out from skewers and keep aside.
These also can be served as a snack -arranged on a platter garnished with chopped coriander and lemon wedges
For the masala-
------------------
Refined oil- 2 tbsp
Onion chopped- 1
Ginger-garlic paste 2 tbsp
Cumin powder- 1 tsp
Coriander powder- 1 tso
Turmeric powder- 1tsp
Red chilli powder- 2 tsp
Garam masala- 1 tsp
Salt to taste-
Green chilli sliced- 2
Tomato puree - 300 ml
Lemon juice- 15ml
Butter-50gm
Fresh double cream- 100 ml
Green coriander chopped- 1 tbsp
-----------------------------------------
Method for the masala-
-----------------------------
Heat the oil in the wok
Add onions and sauté till golden brown
Stir in ginger garlic paste
Add spices and salt
Now add the seekh kebabs and stir for 3-4 minutes
Add green chillies , tomato puree and lemon juice and stir for few minutes
Now add butter . As the butter melts add cream and remove from fire
Serve hot garnished with chopped corriander
Just for starters&ldots;.(created by Chef Stephen Gomes of Cafe Naz Group)
HARA BHARA KEBAB
(SHALLOW FRIED MEDALLIONS OF SPINACH AND GREEN PEAS)
Serves 4. Preparation time 30 minutes. Cooking time 20 minutes.
INGREDIENTS
BOILED PEAS 1KG
SPINACH [PALAK] BOILED 400 GMS/2CUPS
GINGER CHOPPED 20 GMS
GREEN CHILLIES CHOPPED 10 GMS
GREEN CORIANDER CHOPPED 10 GMS
SALT TO TASTE
RED CHILLY POWDER 3 GMS
GARAM MASALA 3 GMS
CHAAT MASALA 5 GMS
BREAD CRUMBS 100 GMS
CORN FLOUR 50 GMS
OIL FOR FRYING
METHOD
1. MASH THE PEAS AND BLEND THE SPINACH WITHOUT ADDING ANY WATER MIX THE PEAS, SPINACH PUREE, GINGER, GREENCHILLIES, GREEN CORIANDER, SALT, RED CHILLI POWDER, GARAM MASALA, CHAAT MASALA, BREAD CRUMBS AND CORN FLOUR THOROUGHLY.
2. DIVIDE INTO EQUAL PORTIONS AND SHAPE IN TO MEDDALLIONS.
3. HEAT OIL IN A WOK TO SMOKING POINT, DEEP FRY THE MEDALLIONS A FEW AT A TIME UNTIL CRISP AND GOLDEN ON BOTH SIDES.
4. REMOVE THE EXCESS OIL BY GENTLY TAPPING IT WITH TISSUE PAPER.
5. ARRANGE NEATLY ON A PLATTER AND SERVE HOT.
______________________________________________________
For a main dish try mouth watering JHINGA- E -NISHA.
JHINGA- E -NISHA
(KING PRAWNS)
Serves 4. Preparation time 20 minutes. Marinate 2 hours. Cooking time 18 minutes.
INGREDIENTS
KING PRAWNS 12
CAROM [AJWAIN] SEEDS 5GMS
GARAM MASALA 5 GMS
GINGER, GARLIC PASTE 90 GMS
LEMON JUICE 120 ML
SALT TO TASTE
TUMERIC [HALDI] POWDER 2.5 GMS/1/2 TSP
CHILLY POWDER 5 GMS
YOGHURT 480ML/2 CUPS
METHOD
1. MARINADE THE PRAWNS WITH GINGER GARLIC PASTE, SALT, LEMON JUICE, CAROM SEEDS, YOGHURT, CHILLY POWDER, GARAM MASALA, SALT AND TUMERIC. KEEP ASIDE FOR TWO HOURS.
2. ARRANGE ON SKEWERS AND COOK IN THE TANDOOR OR GRILL UNTIL HALF DONE, ABOUT 15 MINUTES.
3. BASTE WITH BUTTER OCCASIONALLY AND COOK FOR ANOTHER 3 MINUTES.
4. REMOVE FROM SKEWERS AND ARRANGE ON PLATTER. SPRINKLE CHAAT MASALA.
_____________________________________________________________________
And finally indulge yourself with ZAFFRANI CHOCOLATE MOUSSE!
ZAFFRANI CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
(MELTED CHOCOLATE FLAVOURED WITH SAFFRON)
Serves 4. Preparation time 15 minutes. Cooking time 15 minutes.
INGREDIENTS
CHOCOLATE SLAB 100 GMS
COCOA POWDER 100 GMS
SUGAR 100 GMS
DOUBLE CREAM 120 ML
SAFFRON 5GMS
CINAMON POWDER 4 STICKS/10 GMS
GELATINE 20 GMS
CORNFLOUR 40 GMS
WATER 500ML
EGG WHITE 2
METHOD
1. BLEND TOGETHER THE CHOCLATE SLAB, COCOA POWDER, SUGAR, CREAM (4TSPN), GELATINE, CINAMON POWDER, CORNFLOUR, SAFFRON AND WATER.
2. COOK ON LOW HEAT TILL IT REACHES A SAUCE LIKE CONSISTENCY.
3. REMOVE FROM HEAT AND ALLOW TO COOL. PASS THROGH A MUSLIN CLOTH AND KEEP ASIDE.
4. BLEND IN THE BALANCE CREAM AND THE EGG WHITES. POUR INTO CHAMPAGNE GLASSES AND KEEP IN A REFRIGERATOR TO ALLOW TO SET.
5. SERVE CHILLED WITH CHOCLATE FLAKES AND CINAMON STICKS.
Press Release - Brits are no Poppadummies
New survey gives all the latest curry facts & figures)
Almost a third of Britain's curry lovers crunch down more than two of the luscious super crisps with their meal according to the latest survey by National Curry Week organisers, Menu Magazine.
National Curry Week 2006, to raise funds for Oxfam, kicks off on Sunday 22nd October sponsored this year by Cobra Beer Ltd and the latest annual survey of the curry scene offers some interesting facts.
On the poppadum scene 28% of over 1000 people surveyed said they go for 2 plain poppadums with their meal. 32%, however claim consumption of over 2 plain and another 22% went for 2 or more of the spicy variety.
When it comes to drinks with our Indian meals it seems 15% of us go for the traditional lassi whilst 16% have moved to wine as the best accompaniment. Top of the charts, however, is National Curry Week sponsor Cobra at 23% with Kingfisher registering 18%. With other beers registering 13% beer remains the main drink of choice in Indian restaurants.
As far as the most popular dish goes, it is no surprise that Chicken Tikka Masala(CTM) is still the British number 1 at 20% but the trend towards regional dishes is shown with the 'Other' category is second place with 16% beating Chicken Jalfrezi into third at 14%. Close up is Biryani at 13%, Balti and Chicken Dhansak, both at 10%.
Considering some 65% of 'Indian' restaurants in Britain are in fact owned by Bangladeshis it was expected that Bangladeshi food would top the favourite cuisine poll. 31% of those polled went for Bangladeshi but Punjabi gave it a good run at 23%. Kashmiri, creators of the balti, grabbed third with 12% with the increasingly popular Goan/South Indian at 11%
The popularity of Indian food in Britain proved to be as great as ever when the survey asked for favourite main course dish. A huge 36% went for CTM with the perennial Spaghetti Bolognese second with 15%. Pizza could only manage 9%, Chicken Chow Mein 3%, Fish & Chips 5% and Chilli 8% but the traditional Sunday Roast also claimed a respectable 8% of votes. Jamie Oliver will undoubtedly be happy to note that Burgers could only scrape a measly 1%.
From 22-28 October Britain's curry lovers will once again be celebrating National Curry Week, washed down by a cold Cobra no doubt, and raising much needed money for Oxfam's relief operations in South East Asia.
Press Release - Indian Ocean gets into Curry Week
A Week for Curry Lovers
If you needed an excuse to eat Indian food, you've got it. It's National Curry Week in the UK and the Indian Ocean Restaurant team are busying themselves with activities like building the tallest stack of poppadoms to raise money for Oxfam, a special prize for the winner of who can guess how many poppadoms we can stack without them falling over.
There is a special Oxfam Charity Appeal Dinner on Thursday 25th October 2007, serving a tantalizingly delicous 5-course meal for all the 007s' and their guests. An exclusive James Bond Theme Night for the Indian Ocean Diners.
The aim is to get people to contribute £1 every time they eat curry in a restaurant this week for Oxfam's relief work in India and Asia.
Peter Grove of Menu, said: "Our figures show 23 million people are eating out on a repeat basis in Britain every year. We are a nation of ethnic cuisine lovers in general, of which curry is top." So if you want to do a good deed while stuffing your face, eat a curry this week. And then next week, try cooking one at home.
Oxfam Charity Appeal
Oxfam has worked in South Asia for more than 50 years. The focus of our programme in this region is to help both the poor and the vulnerable, and the funds raised during National Curry Week will support the following projects the River Basin Programme and the 'We Can' Campaign.
The Ganges/Brahmaputra River Basin is one of the most disaster-prone regions in the world. Many of the 180 million people who live here are poor. Each year millions face losing their homes, crops, animals, livelihoods, and even their lives in floods caused by the monsoon rains, which fall from June to September. During this time, the region receives more than 80 per cent of its annual rainfall.
The River Basin Programme, which was launched in 1999, helps to reduce homelessness, casualties, and the loss of possessions and livelihoods that occur during the monsoon floods. It also helps ensure that people's lives and their abilities to earn a living are disrupted as little as possible.
The programme provides safer places for people to shelter during floods, as well as boats and safe roads for reaching the shelters. Food storage, clean drinking water and good sanitation are provided and are available all year round
The 'We Can' Campaign to end all violence against women(Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka)
Violence against women is the most pervasive and least-recognised human rights violation in South Asia. One in every two women in the region experiences violence in her daily life. Social, cultural, political, economic and legal factors in the region combine to leave women vulnerable to community-adapted violence.
This popular campaign aims to mobilise a large number of individuals, and communities to accept responsibility, and act together to prevent violence against women. Supporters will challenge and help to change attitudes and practices. The We Can campaign aims at work with large numbers of organisations, individuals, institutions and corporate bodies at national and regional level.
National Curry Week Oxfam Appeal
Guests arrive for 'Drinks Reception' and are greeted by our James Bond girls. The Lounge will be showing Casino Royale on the supersize screen and James Bond Movie Stills mounted on large free standing clapperboards and general helium filled balloon decoration.
The main dining room tables are decorated with a James Bond Style Centrepiece with five helium filled balloons spilling from the middle and are complimented with table confetti. Two James Bond Standees guard the doorway setting the theme for the evenings dinner and entertainment.
After dinner entertainment will start with the Bond Fun Money being distributed amongst the guests to try their luck at the 'Fun Casino Royale' There will be gaming tables for all the 007 agents and their guests and will be able to enjoy both American Roulette and Blackjack.
After gambling it's time to turn the music up and enjoy the last hour or so dancing the evening away. An altogether action packed evening for a very worthwhile cause, Oxfam helping to overcome poverty and suffering around the world. Indian Ocean Stamford Street East, Ashton Under Lyne, Tameside OL6 6QH Tel : 0161 343 3343
Menu
Aloo Papdi chaat
Dahi bhalay
Lahori fish, chicken shashlick tikka, lamb chops platter
Chinoti khunna,
Chicken khara massalla
Shab daig
Bindi
Palak paneer
Variety of rice and kulcha bread
Kheer
Gajjar halva
Cheese board
Press Release - Longest Kebab World Record
LONGEST KEBAB WORLD RECORD FOR CAFE SPICE NAMASTE
The Sun newspaper was on hand to watch top chef Cyrus Todiwala and his team set out to sent a new world record for the longest kebab.
The challenge brought with it several problems such as where to cook a monster kebab how to stop it breaking up. The kitchen team led by Cyrus and his longtime Head Chef Angelo carried a dry run the night before and then at lunchtime on the Friday of National Curry Week they set to with blow torches and a long metal pipe.
Using the very best organic lamb and liberal spicing, the five man team gradually built the kebab around the piping, cooking it with the blow torches. After about 45 minutes a kebab of some 8 feet had already been produced but Cyrus wanted more. One problem! - the length of the pipe had been reached so they very careful, the team had to wiggle the pipe out without breaking the kebab. Then the building began again and soon the width of the room meant the team would have to call a halt otherwise they would not be able to remove the pipe to claim the record.
After 1 hour 10 minutes a magnificent beast of a kebab was complete and with infinite care the pipe removed. Cameras and eyes craned over the tables as the tape measure stretched and stretched to read a fantastic 428 cms or some 14 feet. But was it eadible. The Sun had bought along their eating expert Lup to see if he could gobble the monster down in one sitting but after 10 minutes and 1 metre 8 cms into his mouth he had to call it a day whilst declaring the taste to be fantastic. Within minutes everybody watching had claimed their taste of the world record kebab and it was no more. Cyrus and his team now go into the history books having helped immeasurably to bring attention to National Curry Week and its aims.
Press Release - Big Five O for Dec
On 29th October Dec McSweeney reached the big five-O. To help him celebrate, loads of his friends gathered on the Saturday to drink all his beer and eat all his food. Neighbour Christine and her sister Shirley prepared a fabulous selection of curries, and our American friend Larry chipped in with some Western-style barbecue fare. Cowboys and Indians! The event raised nearly £300 for Oxfam and this was more than matched by a surprise donation from the US contingent - Pam, Nancy and Larry. And needless to say a wonderful time was had by all.
Preparing the food. L-R Pam, Shirley, Christine, Philippa The lucky winner of the star prize, a beautiful painting donated by noted US artist Dennis Davis, was Trudi, seen here with Dec and Nancy, who brought the painting over
Press Relase - Bombay Mix competition for Bradford 2007
Bradford - based Regal Foods is calling upon local spice junkies to push their taste buds to the limit by taking part in a spicy Bombay Mix eating competition during this year's National Curry Week (October 21st - 27th) to celebrate Indian food and culture in the UK. All proceedings raised will be donated to the Oxfam South Asia Earthquake appeal.
The competition is set to kick off on Saturday 27th October at Café Regal on White Abbey Road. Brave volunteers will be signing themselves up to see who can eat the most Bombay Mix in 60 seconds. The winner will be crowned King or Queen of Spice 2007 and will walk away with the ultimate prize of a year's supply of the fiery snack, as well as cash prize and a slap-up VIP meal for six at Café Regal.
Younis Chaudhry, Chief Executive of Regal Foods said: "National Curry Week is a great event that highlights the unique array of traditional Indian foods, both sweet and savoury, that can be enjoyed by all. Anyone who thinks they are up to the Bombay Mix challenge can be assured that there will be plenty of glasses of water on hand throughout so get in touch and register your place today."
Younis added: "We ask those wishing to enter to donate £5 and, combined with other activities during National Curry Week, we hope to raise a substantial amount of money for to the Oxfam South Asia appeal which aids underprivileged families hit worst by the floods by providing clean water and sanitation".
Those wishing to take part in the Bombay Mix eating competition on Saturday 27th October need to register their place by 17th October to avoid disappointment. To obtain an entry form email: Imhotstuff@golleyslater.co.uk or call 0161 832 7178.
Press Release - Hunting for a "60 Year Dish" 15/10/07
The tandoor, was first introduced to restaurants by the Moti Mahal in New Delhi in 1947/8. In fact this can be seen as the birth of Chicken Tikka Masala in its original form of Butter Chicken.
Lala Kundan Lal Gujral first set up in Peshawar in 1920 but came to Delhi in 1947 to set up Moti Mahal. He worked with a local man to produce the first restaurant version of the tandoor and invented tandoori spice mix for tandoori chicken -ground coriander seeds, black pepper and mild red pepper. Called Murg Makhani in Hindi, Butter Chicken originated at the Moti Mahal restaurant in Old Delhi. Famed for its Tandoori Chicken, the cooks there used to recycle the leftover chicken juices in the marinade trays by adding butter and tomato. This sauce was then tossed around with the tandoor-cooked chicken pieces and presto - Butter Chicken was ready! The leftover dish appealed to Delhites and was quickly lapped up by the rest of the world.
So impressed was India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru by Kundal Lal's dishes that Moti Mahal became a permanent fixture in all his state banquets. Legend has it that when former Soviet premier Nikita Kruschev was asked what he liked about India, he replied, ''Taj Mahal and Moti Mahal''. When the Shah of Iran came on a state visit to India, the Indian Education Minister Maulana Azad told him that coming to Delhi without eating at Moti Mahal was like going to Agra and not seeing the Taj Mahal.
After Nehru, his daughter and then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi continued the relationship with Moti Mahal. So fascinated was she by the food that at the wedding of her younger son Sanjay Gandhi, Moti Mahal specialties dominated the dinner. Kundan Lal Gujral, a larger-than-life figure whom people still remember for his immaculate Pathani suits, handlebar moustache, love for good whisky and the favours he dispensed because of his proximity to Indira Gandhi, would personally serve his guests. His wife would begin each day grinding the masalas, a closely guarded secret, that went into the signature dishes. His son Monish and grandson Ashim keep the Moti reputation alive.
As the Indian restaurant industry in Britain developed, the dish was given a "British twist" in the late 1950's early 1960's to become one of Britain's national dishes, Chicken Tikka Masala, beloved of Robin Cook et al.
From National Curry Week 2007 to National Curry Week 2008 (October to October), organiser Peter Grove will be looking for a new "60 Year Dish" - a dish that will prove to be as popular as CTM to last until 2067. The competition is open to amateurs and professionals alike and the top 5 entries will be determined each month for entry to the Grand Final for a cash prize in October 2008. Entries can be submitted via the website www.nationalcurryweek.co.uk or direct to groveint@aol.com
ENDS
National Curry Week 2007
Main Sponsors : Cobra Beer, Commercial Express Insurance, Cono Sur Wines of Chile
For further information or interviews contact Peter Grove 020 8399 4831 mobile 07760 407194 email : groveint@aol.com
Amardeep Malik - Moti Mahal London 45 Great Queen Street London WC2B 5AA 020 7240 9329
Press Release - Countdown to National Curry Week 18/10/07
This year National Curry Week 21-27 October 2007 celebrates the introduction of the tandoor into restaurants and the consequent creation of Butter Chicken, the forerunner to Chicken Tikka Masala 60 years ago.
Lala Kundan Lal Gujral created Moti Mahal restaurant near The Red Fort that grew to a 400 seat restaurant from small beginnings and bcome a legend in its own lifetime. Opened in 1947 he was also said to have invented Butter Chicken which became Chicken Tikka Masala when it was taken to greater heights in Britain. He first set up in Peshawar in 1920 and trailed to Delhi in 1947 following the partition.
Kundan Lal Buffet at Moti Mahal with CTM
Kundan Lal Gujral, a larger-than-life figure whom people still remember for his immaculate Pathani suits, handlebar moustache, love for good whisky and the favours he dispensed because of his proximity to Indira Gandhi, would personally serve his guests. His wife would begin each day grinding the masalas, a closely guarded secret, that went into the signature dishes.
Moti Mahal was the first to bake Chicken in a big clay oven - a sight common across villages for baking bread. It is said a gratifying meal is the ideal mixture of all three senses - sight, aroma and taste. He worked with a local man to produce the first restaurant version of the village tandoor and invented a tandoori spice mix for tandoori chicken -ground coriander seeds, black pepper and mild red pepper. Called Murg Makhani in Hindi, Butter Chicken originated in the Moti Mahal restaurant in Old Delhi. Famed for its Tandoori Chicken, the cooks there used to recycle the leftover chicken juices in the marinade trays by adding butter and tomato. This sauce was then tossed around with the tandoor-cooked chicken pieces and presto - Butter Chicken was ready! The leftover dish appealed to Delhites and was quickly lapped up by the rest of the world.
So impressed was India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru by Kundal Lal's dishes that Moti Mahal became a permanent fixture in all his state banquets. In fact, when the Shah of Iran came on a state visit to India, the Indian Education Minister Maulana Azad told him that coming to Delhi without eating at Moti Mahal was like going to Agra and not seeing the Taj Mahal. So impressed was Nikita Krushchev with Moti Mahal food that he invited Kundan Lal to have a shop at an international trade fair in Moscow and after Nehru, his daughter and then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi continued the relationship with Moti Mahal. So fascinated was she by the food that at the wedding of her younger son Sanjay Gandhi, Moti Mahal specialties dominated the dinner.
Grandson Monish Gujral entered the business in 1983 and has since built the business up to have 33 outlets promoting their specialist "tandoori trail" cuisine including a branch in London. His grandfather's signature dishes remain, some additions were made in the 1970s, some in the 1990s, but people blindly come and order the Butter Chicken, Maa Ki Dal and Roti. "It is difficult to tell them to try anything different," he said. Last year Upper crust magazine voted Monish Gujral`s Motimahal Delux Tandoori Trail Restaurant in Mumbai Nariaman point in the top ten restautrants of Mumbai.
Dynamic as he is, Monish has written a book about his grandfather and has also opened an office in New York -USA for trading restaurant wares and for the expansion of his franchises in the west.
During National Curry Week 2007 curry-lovers in UK are asked to celebrate the introduction of the tandoor and "Britain's favourite dish" in a restaurant or at home by remembering the needs of others and sending £1 per diner to Oxfam. Details for payment can be found on www.nationalcurryweek.co.uk.
ENDS
Recipe for National Curry Week from Monish Gujral of Moti Mahal :
KEBAB BUTTER MASALA
Ingredients for the Kebabs-
Minced lamb- 500 gm ; Egg, beaten- 1 ; Onion , finely chopped- 1 ; Green chillies, finely chopped- 2 ; Red chilli powder- 5 tsp
Ginger, chopped- 1tsp ; Garam masala- 5 tsp ; Salt to taste ; Green coriander chopped- 2 tsp ; Lemon cut into wedges-1
Method to cook the kebabs-
Combine all ingredients except last two in abowl
Divide the mixture equally in 16 balls . Skewer each ball and with wet hands make 2"long kebabs along with the skewer
Put the skewers in the tandoor or preheated conventional oven pre set at 350 deg cfor 7-8 minutes
Take them out brush them with oil turn around and cook again
Take out from skewers and keep aside.
These also can be served as a snack -arranged on a platter garnished with chopped coriander and lemon wedges
For the masala-
Refined oil- 2 tbsp ; Onion chopped- 1 ; Ginger-garlic paste 2 tbsp ; Cumin powder- 1 tsp ; Coriander powder- 1 tso
Turmeric powder- 1tsp ; Red chilli powder- 2 tsp ; Garam masala- 1 tsp ; Salt to taste- ; Green chilli sliced- 2
Tomato puree - 300 ml ; Lemon juice- 15ml ; Butter-50gm ; Fresh double cream- 100 ml ; Green coriander chopped- 1 tbsp
Method for the masala-
Heta the oil in the wok
Add onions and sauté till golden brown
Stir in ginger garlic paste
Add spices and salt
Now add the seekh kebabs and stir for 3-4 minutes
Add green chillies , tomato puree and lemon juice and stir for few minutes
Now add butter . As the butter melts add cream and remove from fire
Serve hot garnished with chopped corriander
Press Release - King & Queen of Spice 30/10/07
Two of Yorkshire's hungriest people showed they could mix it with the best on Saturday when they triumphed in the UK's first ever Bombay Mix Eating Competition.
Roany Penteado, from Leeds, and Bradford's Shazia Khan were crowned King and Queen of Spice 2007 after winning the event, which was organised by Bradford restaurant Café Regal as part of National Curry Week. In the competition, which raised hundreds of pounds for the Oxfam South Asia Earthquake fund, 12 contestants were given 60 seconds to eat as much Bombay Mix as possible.
The winning twosome, who knocked back an eye-watering two pounds of Spicy Bombay mix and 16 glasses of water each, walked away with a £250 cash prize, a slap up VIP meal for six at Café Regal and a year's supply of the fiery snack.
Younis Chaudhry, Chief Executive of Regal Foods, said: "The competition was extremely fierce and we're delighted with the response we have had from people all over Yorkshire. It has been great fun and we were able to raise a substantial amount for a worthy cause, and we look forward to Roany and Shazia returning to defend their titles next year."
Press Release - New Poppadom Tower Record Set 22/11/07
Poppadom Express Indian Restaurant in Southampton, has created a static tower of 230 poppadoms smashing the previous Poppadom Tower world record of 160 created in 2006 during National Curry Week.
Restaurant owner Aazaz Khan said "we are delighted that the Daily Echo was with us to witness our triumph. Our team of chefs and staff competing with each other to create this tower were Dharam Singh, Mallick Khan, Pramod Kumar,Shiraz Khan, Istihak Ahmed."
This competition was part of a drive to help raise much-needed funds for the world's poor and hungry in a fun, positive way with 'National Curry Week & National Eating-Out Week 2007.'
Many restaurants across the country took part in a week of fundraising to help Oxfam tackle poverty and suffering across South Asia. 23 million adult diners who enjoy eating out in Britain each year are being targeted. National Eating-out Week took place from 21-27 October in 2007 with all proceeds going to Oxfam. It was operated in tandem with National Curry Week and enabled non-curry restaurants to join in the fun and fund raising. The basic idea for fund raising is simply to ask diners during Curry Week to ask for £1 per diner, which will go direct to Oxfam.
Aazaz Khan, said "23 million of us eat out each year in the UK - the poor and malnourished do not. We will match every £1 donated by our customers in this effort to redress the balance."
Daily Echo readers were able to log on to their website and enjoy a video of the Poppadom Express team breaking the record.
Press Release - It's a fight to the finish for chilli champs 02/09/08
In recent weeks, the media has been awash with reports about the "World's Hottest Curry" and celebrities from Jonothan Ross to Chris Evans have put their taste buds on the line to try out the fiery concoctions.
For many years the "Curry Hell" produced by the late Abdul Latif in Newcastle laid claim to the title until recently when Chef Vivek Singh from the fashionable Cinnamon Club in London, produced his "Bollywood Burner" and claimed it as the world's hottest, the fiery ingredient being Dorset Naga chillies.
Not to be outdone, The Chilli Company has now come up with "Satan's Ashes" to challenge both the others weighing in with the lip melting Naga Morich chilli to achieve the desired results.
With these three already claiming the title, organisers of National Curry Week have challenged their makers to go head to head in their "Can You Handle the Heat" competition sponsored by Fox's XXXMints. All three have accepted the challenge.
"We are looking for a fiery dish that is edible and enjoyable for those with the courage and fortitude to try it," said organiser Peter Grove. "We are definitely not looking for a dish to put people in the toilet or even worse, the hospital and that is why some of the best Indian chefs in the country are taking the challenge very seriously."
"The Bollywood Burner", "Satan's Ashes" and Rukon Latif's "Curry Hell" will be joined by offerings from other top chefs such as Udit Sarkhel of Mango & Silk and ex of Bombay Brasserie and award-winning chef Chad Rahman of Mumtaj in St Albans.
Until recently the Red Savina was quoted as the hottest chilli in the world at 570,000 SHUs (Scoville Heat Units), which compared with Scotch Bonnets at 325,000 SHUs and Jalapenos at just 8,000.
Vivek Singh upped the ante by using the Dorset Naga from Bangladesh developed by Joy and Michael Michaud at 923,000 SHUs. Gerald Fowler and his Chilli Pepper Company went one better by using the Naga Morich rated just above the Dorset Naga.
Can it get any hotter? It certainly can. Dr Paul Bosland recently grew the Bhut Jolokia Chilli in New Mexico and claimed a new world record at 1,001,304 SHUs followed by Frontal Agritech of Assam who claim the same chilli at 1,041,427 SHUs requiring the use of gloves, masks and protective clothing. Even that is not the end of the story. Warwick University recently claimed a Bangladesh Naga Morich measuring 1,598,227 SHUs and one shudders to think the intestinal collapse that would cause.
The latest twist in the saga is that Michael Michaud himself, grower of the deadly Dorset chillies has decided to throw his hat in the ring to challenge for the title.
The XXXMints "Can You Handle the Heat" battle of the chillies will take place at Excel in London Docklands 26/27 November 2008 during World Food Market as part of the 10th National Curry Week (23-29 November) which this year is raising funds for Oxfam.
Other events are "Pledge a Plate" where restaurants and catering estanblishments designate a dish and donate £1 per plate of that dish sold in the week not to forget new attempts to better the World Poppadom Tower Challenge record held at present by Aazad Khan's Poppodom Express in Southampton at a mind staggering 230 crispy morsels.
Press Release - Blackpool hotel restaurant wins World Poppadum Challenge
BLACKPOOL is now home to two famous towers - the famous landmark and now a record breaking tower - made entirely of poppadoms.
A team of chefs lead by Head Chef Kasi Lingham at Blackpool's Jali restaurant, which is part of the Carlton Best Western Hotel on North Promenade, spent a nail-biting hour painstakingly stacking poppadoms as they tried to beat the existing world record of 230 made by Poppadom Express in Southampton last year, for the "static" tower as part of National Curry Week.
To great applause from an audience of guests, Mayor of Blackpool, Councillor Mary Smith and Julia Massey confirmed that the chefs had smashed the record with a whopping 282 poppadoms before the tower crumbled.
Chef Kuldeep Panchel also managed to break the record for the tallest "moveable" tower, which saw him carefully manoeuvring a 230-poppadom high structure the required four feet from table to table.
Chef Lingham said: "The other chefs and I practiced once a week for two months in preparation. We loved doing it and will definitely be thinking of other kitchen-related records we can break. "
For the "static" challenge, the tower had to be on a plate no bigger than 10in, and stand unsupported for 10 seconds..
Adjudicator Mayor Mary Smith said: "I love events like this. I am very proud of all the chefs. Everything here is lovely, from the traditional Indian carvings to the hospitality."
The "Great Poppadom Challenge" was taken up by nine other hotels in the UK and numerous restaurants as part of National Curry Week 2008 to raise money for Oxfam, but none could measure up to Jali's record-breaking effort.
For further information :
Peter Grove 020 8399 4831 email : groveint@aol.com
Press Release - Special menu from Cafe Spice Namaste
This year's National Curry Week will take place on 23rd - 29th November and will be raising money in aid of Oxfam. To celebrate Café Spice Namaste's head chef and owner Cyrus Todiwala MBE has dedicated a whole menu to the cause, which will take customers along the famous spice trail to uncover the colonial and indigenous history of both Asia and India. Every plate sold from this Spice Trail menu will donate £1 to Oxfam to contribute to the alleviation of poverty and suffering of those less fortunate. This exquisite menu will run for 2 weeks (23rd Nov - 6th Dec) and Café Spice Namaste(16 Prescot Street, London E1) is very excited to be educating customers with the understanding of Indian Cuisine within SE Asia as well as raising money for a cause so close to their hearts.
STARTERS
IGGARU ROYYA ** £7.25
An East Indian preparation of tiger prawns tossed in a deep red masala, redolent with the flavours of crushed black pepper corns, curry-leaves, tamarind and red chilli & served with Keralan style paratha.
CHICKEN SATAY £6.75
Thai yes! Malay Yes! Indonesian yes! But the main masala is always Indian! True. Therefore small dices of chicken marinated in a classic combination of powdered spices and condiments, chargrilled as a tikka in our case as is traditional and served with peanut sauce which is made with coconut milk, palm sugar and roasted peanuts.
MAIN DISHES
KERALA NYANND KAARI ** £18.50
It is the very word 'Kaari' from South India which has evolved in the term we know of today as 'Curry'. The word simply stands for 'cooked in a lot of sauce' i.e. with coconut milk only as it should be for curry. Sadly in Britain we brandish all Indian food under the umbrella of 'Curry' which throws lots of confusion in the minds of the ordinary Indian, such as me! However this week's curry is the classic Keralan coconut curry, quite hot to say the least and simmered with crab dumplings, made with Cornish crab meat & served with steamed rice.
CHICKEN MAELACHA CURRY £16.50
I was really surprised to discover this curry which featured in a Parsee recipe to realise that this Malaysian curry is adopted into the Migrant Parsee population there with just a few nuances of our culture. Primarily yellow, flavoured with Lime leaves and lemon grass, chillies and a little palm molasses but blended with cubes of pumpkin and sweet potato along with the chicken giving it a well rounded taste and texture when served with steamed rice. A true example of East meets Far East!
HOW SHWAY * £17.75
In our house, a hot favourite ay any time, this is Burmese & has several variations. This particular style of lamb curry was taught to us by our neighbours in Bombay who were, Parsees from Burma. Lemon grass has the predominant flavour here but the unique style of this curry is that it is firstly served with egg noodles instead of rice and you get a host of condiments which you sprinkle on top to adjust the flavour to suit your taste.
KAENG PHED** £6.45
Simple mixed vegetable Thai red curry, but in this case cooked to a thicker consistency, as it plays the role of an accompanying dish.
Press Release - National Curry Week spreads to farthest reaches
The influence of curry has spread to the farthest reaches of the United Kingdom with the registration of Small Isles Catering. Craighouse on the Isle of Jura will be celebrating National Curry Week and doing their bit to raise funds for Oxfam.
"We are a small catering company on the isle of Jura (pop 200)," said Stephen Prust, "and would like to participate in National Curry Week. As the population is so small we can only do one curry night on Friday 28th Nov, - our previous curry nights have been very successful".
To go one further, Jaz Singh has signed up his new restaurant 'Rani's Indian' in Costa Blanca, Spain to make National Curry Weekly truly international.
This is a first since National Curry Week began ten years ago.
Press Release - Indian Ocean Raises Almost £1000 for Oxfam
The Indian Ocean Restaurant & Lounge in Ashton under Lyne raised almost £1000 on behalf of Oxfam during National Curry Week at the end of November.
The highlight of the week was the Oxfam Charity Dinner, a five-course dinner in the company of guests of honour, the Worshipful Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Tameside. Diners dug deep into their pockets to support a charity raffle and the Indian Ocean contributed £1 for every restaurant meal ordered during the week.
Nahim Aslam, owner of the Indian Ocean, confirmed: “We know that our customers are finding things tougher this year, particularly with Christmas approaching. Nevertheless, we are delighted that their generosity has allowed us to contribute this fantastic sum to such a worthy cause.”
Press Release February 2009 - National Curry Week Dates announced.
National Curry Week will run from 22nd to 28th November 2009 throughout Britain, with the dual aims of promoting the cuisine and culture and raising money for the less advantaged around the world.
2009 celebrates the 200th anniversary of the first Indian restaurant(Hindoostanee Coffee House) opened in Britain by Sake Dean Mahomet (details http://www.menumagazine.co.uk/book/deanmahomed.html) in London in 1809. From those very early beginnings, curry has grown to be referred to as 'Britain's national dish' with hundreds of millions of pounds generated for the economy from retail sales and the over 9000 restaurants throughout the country.
Such was the success of the 'Can You Handle the Heat Challenge' in National Curry Week 2008 that not only will it be repeated this year but kitchens will now be speed challenged on pakora/samosa creation as well as the production of a signature dish which will be judged nationally.
CurriesOnline.co.uk (www.curriesonline.co.uk) - a leading online ordering and reservation service for the UK Indian Restaurant industry has already signed up to become lead sponsor for 2009 to lend financial and operational support to the event.
Shamim Hoque, Managing Director of CurriesOnline said " We are delighted to be in a position to support National Curry Week and The Curry Tree Charitable Fund. As an online service provider - we feel that we can bring a lot to the table to help make this year's event the best ever whilst introducing our commercial online solution to a wider audience."
Over the past ten years, National Curry Week has raised funds for charities such as Action Against Hunger and Oxfam. New for 2009 is the creation of The Curry Tree Charitable Fund to target the 23 million people eating-out market and raise as much as possible for deserving causes around the world. Causes to benefit from the fund will be decided annually by trustees Peter Grove (Founder), Colleen Grove, Rajesh Suri, Cyrus Todiwala MBE, Shamim Hoque, Mridula Baljekar and Enam Ali MBE.
Commented founder Peter Grove, "This year we are trying to pull the national curry family together to have some fun and help as many disadvantaged as possible. Please visit www.thecurrytree.com and join the 'Pledge a pound' scheme."
For further information contact :
Peter Grove Tel : 020 8399 4831 Email : groveint@aol.com Web : www.nationalcurryweek.co.uk
Or - Curries Online : Shamim Hoque 0845 051 4252 Email : info@curriesonline.co.uk
Press Release July 2009 - Curry Goes From Zero to Hero
200 Years ago curry was known only to those with connections to the British Raj in India and very few restaurants existed in Britain for diners to enjoy.
Then in 1809 along came the amazing Sake Dean Mahomet from Bihar in India to open The Hindoostanee Coffee House at 34 George Street off Portman Square in London's West End to introduce "the enjoyment of Hookha, with 'real chilm tobacco', and Indian dishes 'in the highest perfection, and allowed by the greatest epicures to be unequalled to any curries ever made in England".
The restaurant did not last long but Mahomet went on to become 'Shampooing Surgeon to King George IV' and it would be over 100 years before the next Indian restaurant would grace the streets of Britain.
200 years later curry is widely recognised as 'Britain's National Dish' and 23 million of us enjoy the spicy creations every year.
To mark this success story National Curry Week is changing its direction for 2009 after 10 years of raising money for a variety of charities. The same element of fun will remain with restaurants challenged to go for the World Poppadom Tower record, beaten by a restaurant in Blackpool in 2008, or the new Samosa-building speed record. The difference this year is that all monies raised will go to The Curry Tree Charitable Fund whose Trustees include top restaurateurs Cyrus Todiwala MBE DL ; Enam Ali MBE ; Rajesh Suri, Mridula Baljekar and Gulu Anand.
National Curry Week 2009 will be asking that target group of 23 million curry fans to donate just £1 per person per year to the cause. Donations can be made throughout the year with National Curry Week being the culmination and celebration of achievements. 50% of money raised will go to worthy causes in the sub-continent as directed by the Trustees with an emphasis on natural disasters and, most excitingly, 50% to the education and upskilling of staff for the Asian sector to give tangible help to the Government's efforts at helping the staffing shortages.
Over the next two months, Britain's 9500 Asian restaurants will be invited to join in the scheme to ask their customers to support The Curry Tree Charitable Fund and help build for the future. "Nothing should stop us from helping those who are less fortunate than us." said Rajesh Suri, CEO of top West End restaurant Tamarind.
Details of participating restaurants will appear on the website www.nationalcurryweek.co.uk and if your local restaurant is not involved you can donate direct. Every person donating their £1 will be able to download, completely free, the unique turning pages ebook called Recipes For Success 2009 valued at £5.99 full of recipes from the top Indian chefs.
Press Release October 2009 - Prince of India Supports National Curry Week
Faversham restaurant to donate cash for each meal sold The Prince of India restaurant in Faversham, Kent is to donate 50p for each main dish sold in support of ‘National Curry Week’, from 22nd to 28th November
Over the past ten years, National Curry Week has raised money for charities such as Action Against Hunger and Oxfam. New for 2009 is the creation of The Curry Tree Charitable Fund targeting the 23 million people eating-out market to raise funds for deserving causes around the world.
“It’s good for those of us who work in the catering world to be reminded of those who go hungry,” said Prince of India owner Raj Abdin, adding, “This is a practical way where we and our suppliers can help make a small contribution to those less well off.”
The move comes in the wake of Prince of India nominated for two prestigious awards. First it has been announced as a ‘Local Food Hero’ by the Market Garden TV programme on the Good Food Channel, for championing local produce and commitment to the community. Now it is a front-runner ‘as Best Indian’ category in the ‘Kent Restaurant Awards’, where Kent residents vote online for their favourite dining establishment at www.KentRestaurantAwards.co.uk
This year marks the 200th anniversary of the first Indian restaurant – Hindoostanee Coffee House – opened in Britain by Sake Dean Mahomet in London in 1809. Since then, curry has become ‘Britain’s
National Dish’ generating hundreds of millions of pounds in sales and from over 9000 Indian restaurants throughout the country.