Chillichap's Review - An A to Z of Indian Restaurant Dishes in the UK from Aloo Gobi to Zarda (and we all like Vindaloo!)

Hello!

My first experience of curry was at the hands of my aunt who regimentally made a curry on Mondays with the Sunday Roast leftovers. Onions were fried with a big spoonful of Sainsbury's Madras curry powder. Stock was added and all the leftovers of the Sunday roast were put into the pan and simmered. Extra always included a chopped apple and sultanas. This was served on a large dish with perfectly cooked Uncle Ben's boil-in-the-bag rice. Fortunately, I loved it. At the time, the only way of adding heat was to cover the dish with ground white pepper. Which I did without hesitation. Occasionally I'd get a Vesta curry-which came dried and had to be rehydrated. This I liked too-I knew no better. It wasn't until the tender age of 18, that I ventured to my first ever Indian restaurant-The Moonlight Tandoori Restaurant, down Oxford's Cowley Road, with my wife-to-be. We were so naive that we didn't even know we had to order rice separately! I ordered the only thing I'd heard of on the very confusing-looking menu, which was a Vindaloo and my wife ordered a chicken curry. We were soon re-educated by a regular at our local pub, who knew a lot more about Indian food than we did. We revised the restaurant and ordered half the menu- never looking back! I hope you enjoy my brief A to Z of Indian food in the UK.

• A for Aloo Gobi: A vegetarian dish made with potatoes (aloo) and cauliflower (gobi), often seasoned with turmeric and other spices.
• B for Butter Chicken: Also known as Murgh Makhani, this dish features chicken in a mild curry sauce made with butter, cream, and tomatoes. A popular dish for those who want taste and not spice.
• C for Chicken Tikka Masala: Chunks of grilled chicken (tikka) served in a creamy, spiced tomato sauce. I've occasionally seen minced lamb in the sauce and this is gorgeous.
• D for Dal Makhani: A hearty dish of lentils and beans, slow-cooked with butter and cream.
• E for Egg Curry: Hard-boiled eggs served in a spicy tomato-based curry. I would recommend a chapati or two with this to make an epic scooby snack.
• F for Fish Curry: Various types of fish cooked in a spicy and tangy curry sauce. Beautiful with white rice to soak up the sauce.
• G for Gulab Jamun: Deep-fried dough balls soaked in a sweet syrup, often flavored with rose water or cardamom. Very sweet and for those with real sweet tooths.
• H for Hyderabadi Biryani: A fragrant rice dish made with basmati rice, spices, and meat, cooked in a sealed pot. Often served with an accompanying vegetable curry.
• I for Idli: Steamed rice cakes, often served with sambhar (a lentil-based vegetable stew) and coconut chutney.
• J for Jalfrezi: A spicy curry typically made with chicken, fish, or vegetables, stir-fried with green chilies, onions, and tomatoes. This dish has become very popular. Just don't eat the chillies if you want a tasty hot dish-the chillies take it up a notch.
• K for Korma: A creamy, mildly spiced curry made with yogurt or cream, often featuring nuts and seeds. I like this dish, but usually add three or four chopped green chillis for heat.
• L for Lamb Rogan Josh: A Kashmiri dish consisting of braised lamb chunks cooked with a gravy based on browned onions, yogurt, garlic, ginger, and aromatic spices.
• M for Masala Dosa: A thin, crispy pancake made from fermented rice and lentil batter, filled with spiced potatoes.
• N for Naan: A soft and fluffy leavened bread, baked in a tandoor oven, often served with curries. Keema naan is my favourite.
• O for Onion Bhaji: Deep-fried onion fritters, seasoned with various spices, a common starter in Indian restaurants. No two Indian restaurants produce the same onion bhajis. Often a great benchmark for how good the restaurant actually is, along with rice (if they can't manage these staples, then they shouldn't be running a restaurant).
• P for Paneer Tikka: Marinated cubes of paneer (Indian cottage cheese) grilled in a tandoor. A great choice for vegetarians seeking meatlike texture.
• Q for Quinoa Pilaf: A modern twist on the traditional pilaf, using quinoa cooked with spices and vegetables.
• R for Raita: A yogurt-based condiment, often containing cucumber or other vegetables, and spices. Great with tikka.
• S for Saag Paneer: A dish made with paneer in a creamy spinach sauce, seasoned with spices.
• T for Tandoori Chicken: Chicken marinated in yogurt and spices, then roasted in a tandoor oven. The fragrance of this makes me so hungry.
• U for Uttapam: A thick pancake made with fermented rice and lentil batter, topped with onions, tomatoes, and other vegetables.
• V for Vindaloo: A spicy curry from Goa, made with vinegar, garlic, and chili peppers, often featuring pork and let's not forget the potatoes. A personal favourite of mine.
• W for Watermelon Curry: A unique dish that combines sweet watermelon with savory spices in a curry. One of the few dishes I've never tried-but I'd give it a go!
• X for Xacuti: A Goan curry dish made with chicken or lamb and a complex spice mix, including white poppy seeds and dried red chilies. Delicious dish.
• Y for Yogurt Kebab: Kebabs made with spiced yogurt and vegetables, grilled or baked.
• Z for Zarda: A sweet rice dish, often colored with saffron and studded with nuts and fruits.

Pssssst - Don't forget the poppadoms. Most people like mango chutney with these, but I love lime pickle, which is something of an acquired taste!

Thanks for reading-I'm off to make a curry

Matt AKA Chillichap