Curries are flavoursome, aromatic and enjoyed by people across the globe. They can also be adapted to suit different palates and preferences, with many authentic Indian dishes being tweaked to suit British tastes. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most popular Indian dishes that have been slightly adapted to make them suitable for Western diners.
Chicken Tikka
Many of the best curry places in London and beyond serve Chicken Tikka as a menu staple. This dates back around 5,000 years ago when tandoor clay ovens were invented. The small, bite-sized pieces of chicken, which we now call tikka, reportedly came into existence when the founder and first emperor of the Mughal dynasty was afraid of choking on chicken bones and ordered his Punjabi chefs to remove the bones before cooking the meat in the tandoor. The resulting delicacy was called ‘joleh,’ which is Persian for tikka.
While this dish is Indian at heart and hugely popular, it has also been adapted for a Western palate with the addition of a creamy tomato-based sauce. Chicken Tikka Masala, as this dish is known, adds a sauce to the otherwise dry spiced chunks of chicken. It’s also relatively mild and enjoyed by people who enjoy flavour over spice.
Murgh Makhani
Murgh Makhani, more commonly known as Butter Chicken in Britain is an authentically Indian dish. It’s a North Indian dish that originated in Delhi, but it has been significantly adapted for British tastebuds, specifically in takeaway restaurants and in pre-packaged versions. While the authentic Indian version is rich and balanced, the British-style Butter Chicken tends to be creamier, sweeter and milder.
Biryani
Biryani is one of the most beloved dishes in both Indian and British-Asian cuisine — but British Biryani is often quite different from the authentic Indian versions in preparation, flavor, and presentation. With an authentic Indian Biryani, the rice and meat are layered and slow-cooked together. A British-style Biryani, in contrast, often includes pre-cooked rice that’s mixed with a curry dish before serving. Authentic Biryanis also include a complex spice blend of saffron, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaves. The spice mix in a British Biryani tends to be less complex and more mild.
Biryanis in India are carefully prepared and are extremely aromatic. They’re also meticulously layered and time goes into the slow cooking of both the meat and rice. Traditionally, Biryani is cooked in a heavy-bottomed pot called a “handi” or a deep, thick-walled kadhai. For dum Biryani (the classic slow-cooked style), the pot issealed tightly to trap steam and cook the rice and meat together. In Britain, special cooking techniques may not always be used. That said, many authentic Indian restaurants in the UK will serve Biryanis cooked in the traditional way.
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