Before I head off to eat dim sum and buy make up, I want to make an important point about Indian food.
Repeat after me. Chicken Tikka Masala. Is. Not. Indian.
Many of the dishes served up in the average Indian restaurant have been created especially for the Western Palate. Before I moved to England from India I had never heard of a phal, madras or tikka masala. And I am not alone. There are some stand out restaurants that are true to Mother India, but these are few and far between.
If I am totally honest, there is no such thing as Indian food. Each part of India has its own culinary influences and the dosas and idlis of the South are completely different from a Bengali fish curry. The word curry, too, is a fake. Curry means gravy. It is not, as commonly used, a word used to collectively describe an Indian meal.
I’m sick of the hotch potch, nonsense food that is passed off as Indian and sets off my digestive system and skin. You should be too. Stick to “real” Indian restaurants. Or better still, look for authentic recipes to cook at home.
8 Comments
Can you recommend some “real” indian restuarants please?
Anything for you. Is five enough to get you going? As I am a realy Sarf London girl, you’ll have to go hunting for the best of the erst near you and let me know which ones to add on to the list…
love your blog. just discovered it, bang goes my early night. Been reading through.
i love discovering indian food, but i also reminisc about the english stuff you dont care for. it doesnt really matter if it is ‘authentic’ or not if it tastes good.
My favourite Indian when i lived in London included anything drummond street, and because i worked in soho, Gopals and the Maharahni. I went to one or other of them every week. I also liked a couple of places local to where i lived in greenwich and blackheath. A long time ago, in the late 80s I loved the Veeraswamy - how does that rate on your scale? ‘Indian’ style food in San Francisco where I now live does not satisfy me as much as London’s did, so i do end up cooking my own sometimes, relying heavily on books because it is not (unfortunately) a food I grew up with.
I just cooked up a feast from Atul Kochhar’s Indian Essence and I thought it was pretty interesting though undoubtedly modern and unauthentic. Still the results were mostly, though not conclusively, pleasing. What do you think of him? I also use a book called Healthy Indian Cooking sometimes which i like. Can you recommend your favourite book - I always want to learn more about cooking the food from your homeland and would love a recommended suggestion..
Btw - i think it is more common knowledge that chicken tikka is a Brit invention, no? Isn’t it the British National dish? I heard it was scottish and made using Heinz tomato soup. Kochhar suggests that it was maybe inspired by Murg Makhan Masala (his words not mine).
Anyway - I wrote about somethings that might interest you, sorry its all from a strictly British viewpoint - I shouldn’t really apologize for seeing the world through my own eyes.
http://becksposhnosh.blogspot.com/2006/10/cookbook-review-indian-essence-by-atul.html
look forward to reading more of your delicious facts and feasts
-sam
How true re: authenticity. It tastes good, but when people tell me Indian food is too oily and/or spicy to eat regularly it sends my blood pressure through the roof. Proper Indian food as you know is totally different from what’s dished out in a lot of crap restaurants.
Veeraswamy just missed my top five btw, because I don’t think it’s very good value money. Bit too expensive.
Thinking about cook books, I just kind of fell into Indian cooking and most of my Indian cook books are presents, donations or purchases in Indian. My favourite book is the National Association of India Cookbook, a compendium of the best of the best of India. I also use Nina Mehta’s books a lot. Some of ingredients are v Indian, but I just leave them out and the dishes still taste amazing.
I just presented Calcutta Kitchen so I’ll keep you posted on that. Atul Kochar’s Indian Essence sounds very interesting. Must check it out - thanks for the tip. There goes my November clothing allowance.
More later (love your blog as well).
only just got round to reading your reply.
Thanks for the info - I will check it out.
Sam
Hi Mallika,
I just found your site tonight and I’m loving it. I wanted to ask you about the cook book you mentioned, National Association of India Cookbook? I can’t seem to find a place where I can get a copy of that.
Can you recommend someplace to buy it? I am very interested in learning more about Indian cooking. I can’t bring myself to eat vegetables unless they’re cooked indian style!
Marc
Heres a website that tells you all about Chicken Tikka Masala and ones in the Midlands to eat at!!
http://www.nationsfavouritedish.co.uk
So glad I stumbled on your blog. Just this week I had friends invite us over for what they called Indian Curry Food….almost had my head blow off and my stomach truly sizzled all night long. Going to the bathroom the next morning was also a unique experience. After reading your blog and recipes I eagerly look forward to setting my palate correct:-)))
Thanks for sharing…..di
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