India beats China in UK
Latest reports from UK say Indian meals have overtaken Chinese and Italian as top take-aways.
It's been a while since chicken tikka masala was conferred with the crown of national dish of the UK. Ever since, the curry industry, as it's popularly referred to, has continued to grow, producing Indian dishes made to suit the British palette. Today, it boasts over10,000 restaurants and 80,000 employees, and an annual turnover of £3.5 billion, making it an important part of UK's economy.
Latest statistics show that curry restaurants (a blanket term for high and mid-end Indian restaurants , Bangladeshi curry houses and Pakistani kebab eateries) in Britain serve approximately 2.5 million customers every week. In London alone, there are more Indian restaurants than in Mumbai and Delhi combined. Close to 43 million portions of chicken tikka masala are served per year in restaurants across Britain.
But it's not just about food. Indian cuisine's popularity is also witnessed in the National Curry Week events held every year as well as the annual British Curry Awards that have become a highlight in London's social calendar - Prime Minister David Cameron refers to them as 'the curry Oscars' . The eighth edition of the Awards that took place in London last month had another ingredient to add to its menu: latest statistics reveal that an Indian meal is now the preferred choice of take-away among the British population, overtaking Chinese and pizzas. This led to the introduction of a new category in this year's Awards - Best Delivery Restaurant/Takeaway.
Curry may be born in India, but British Bangladeshis globalised it. So affirms Enam Ali MBE, founder of the Awards and promoter of the British Curry industry for the past 30 years. Bradford and East London's Brick Lane are brimming with Bangladeshi curry houses. "The industry has created over 100,000 jobs for South Asians in UK," says Enam.
Besides the all-time favourite chicken tikka masala , jalfrezi comes a close second for a gravy, whereas lamb shanks or chops are well-liked in fine-dining restaurants, says Enam. Seekh kebabs are still the most popular in casual dining restaurants, he adds. A British version of the popular vindaloo and kormas are also in the most-wanted list.
But how has the industry developed from stuffy curry houses to Michelin-starred restaurants in the past three decades? "The primary change is in people's perceptions. In the beginning, curry houses were nothing more than places to drink cheap beer in. Curries were considered to be pungent smelling; now the British call them fragrant," says Enam. Chef Cyrus Todiwala OBE of fine-dining restaurants Cafe Spice Namaste and Mr Todiwala's Kitchen says, "When I came here almost two decades ago, I was shocked to see that every Indian restaurant had identical menus, dishes and prices. There was no variety, no experimentation . Cafe Spice Namaste initiated that process and this paved the way for future restaurants to establish their own identity and bring a diverse Indian palette to the table."
Now, in spite of the current economic gloom, an average of 10 new restaurants open in the UK each year. Besides fine-dining venues, banquet halls and street-food-inspired restaurants are emerging as well. Covent Garden's Dishoom, based on Mumbai's Irani-style cafes, kick-started the trend of stylised Indian street food. Marylebone's Roti Chai soon followed suit. "Chefs and restaurants are now getting innovative and creative with flavours, decor and sub-cuisines ," says Enam.
But despite a wave of Michelin-starred restaurants across London (which are too posh and expensive for the average British diner), Cyrus admits that the "cheap and cheerful" brand image of Indian restaurants prevails. Take Pakistani-Punjabi kebab houses Tayyab's , Needoo's and Lahore Kebab House, all in East London. Frequented by Asians, Britishers and celebrities alike, they are now legendary, known for their generous portions of delicious kebabs and gravies at cheap prices. It's not surprising to see long queues here during weekends.
However, strict immigration rules are restricting the entry of quality chefs from India. "The pioneers of the Curry Industry had no training besides what little they learned in their mothers' kitchens. And now, there are numerous qualified chefs in India who are finding it difficult to come here. The biggest problem the industry is facing is a shortage of skilled chefs," says Ali.
The humble curry has indeed come a long way.
It's been a while since chicken tikka masala was conferred with the crown of national dish of the UK. Ever since, the curry industry, as it's popularly referred to, has continued to grow, producing Indian dishes made to suit the British palette. Today, it boasts over10,000 restaurants and 80,000 employees, and an annual turnover of £3.5 billion, making it an important part of UK's economy.
Latest statistics show that curry restaurants (a blanket term for high and mid-end Indian restaurants , Bangladeshi curry houses and Pakistani kebab eateries) in Britain serve approximately 2.5 million customers every week. In London alone, there are more Indian restaurants than in Mumbai and Delhi combined. Close to 43 million portions of chicken tikka masala are served per year in restaurants across Britain.
But it's not just about food. Indian cuisine's popularity is also witnessed in the National Curry Week events held every year as well as the annual British Curry Awards that have become a highlight in London's social calendar - Prime Minister David Cameron refers to them as 'the curry Oscars' . The eighth edition of the Awards that took place in London last month had another ingredient to add to its menu: latest statistics reveal that an Indian meal is now the preferred choice of take-away among the British population, overtaking Chinese and pizzas. This led to the introduction of a new category in this year's Awards - Best Delivery Restaurant/Takeaway.
Curry may be born in India, but British Bangladeshis globalised it. So affirms Enam Ali MBE, founder of the Awards and promoter of the British Curry industry for the past 30 years. Bradford and East London's Brick Lane are brimming with Bangladeshi curry houses. "The industry has created over 100,000 jobs for South Asians in UK," says Enam.
Besides the all-time favourite chicken tikka masala , jalfrezi comes a close second for a gravy, whereas lamb shanks or chops are well-liked in fine-dining restaurants, says Enam. Seekh kebabs are still the most popular in casual dining restaurants, he adds. A British version of the popular vindaloo and kormas are also in the most-wanted list.
But how has the industry developed from stuffy curry houses to Michelin-starred restaurants in the past three decades? "The primary change is in people's perceptions. In the beginning, curry houses were nothing more than places to drink cheap beer in. Curries were considered to be pungent smelling; now the British call them fragrant," says Enam. Chef Cyrus Todiwala OBE of fine-dining restaurants Cafe Spice Namaste and Mr Todiwala's Kitchen says, "When I came here almost two decades ago, I was shocked to see that every Indian restaurant had identical menus, dishes and prices. There was no variety, no experimentation . Cafe Spice Namaste initiated that process and this paved the way for future restaurants to establish their own identity and bring a diverse Indian palette to the table."
Now, in spite of the current economic gloom, an average of 10 new restaurants open in the UK each year. Besides fine-dining venues, banquet halls and street-food-inspired restaurants are emerging as well. Covent Garden's Dishoom, based on Mumbai's Irani-style cafes, kick-started the trend of stylised Indian street food. Marylebone's Roti Chai soon followed suit. "Chefs and restaurants are now getting innovative and creative with flavours, decor and sub-cuisines ," says Enam.
But despite a wave of Michelin-starred restaurants across London (which are too posh and expensive for the average British diner), Cyrus admits that the "cheap and cheerful" brand image of Indian restaurants prevails. Take Pakistani-Punjabi kebab houses Tayyab's , Needoo's and Lahore Kebab House, all in East London. Frequented by Asians, Britishers and celebrities alike, they are now legendary, known for their generous portions of delicious kebabs and gravies at cheap prices. It's not surprising to see long queues here during weekends.
However, strict immigration rules are restricting the entry of quality chefs from India. "The pioneers of the Curry Industry had no training besides what little they learned in their mothers' kitchens. And now, there are numerous qualified chefs in India who are finding it difficult to come here. The biggest problem the industry is facing is a shortage of skilled chefs," says Ali.
The humble curry has indeed come a long way.
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