Chef Spotlights
Articles about chef spotlights in the UK curry industry
Amritsari Fish and the Tandoori Roots of Punjabi Restaurant Cooking
Crisp, gram-flour-battered Amritsari fish is one of Punjab's great street-side pleasures, born of dhaba culture and the same tandoor tradition that shaped the British curry house. Here is how it is made and why it matters.
Awadhi Kakori Kebab: The Silk-Smooth Skewer That Demands a Hundred Spices
The Kakori kebab of Lucknow is the most refined of all minced-meat kebabs, tenderised with raw papaya and bound with finely pounded mince and a long list of spices. Its silken texture is the legacy of Awadh's nawabi kitchens.
Goan Vindaloo, Properly: Vinegar, Garlic and the Portuguese Carne de Vinha d'Alhos
The real Goan vindaloo is a vinegar-and-garlic pork curry descended from a Portuguese dish, not a contest to see who can stand the most chilli. Here is how to reclaim it from the British curry-house heat menu.
Chettinad Pepper Mutton and the Roasted Spice Masalas of Tamil Country
Chettinad pepper mutton is one of South India's fiercest dishes, built on freshly roasted and stone-ground spices, stone-flower lichen and the trading wealth of the Chettiar merchant clans. Here is what makes it so distinctive and how UK kitchens can do it justice.
Keralan Beef Ularthiyathu: The Black Pepper and Coconut Dry-Fry of Malabar Christians
Beef ularthiyathu is the dark, intensely spiced dry-fried beef of Kerala's Syrian Christians, built on black pepper, curry leaves and toasted coconut slivers. We explore the dish, its technique, and Kerala's distinct beef-eating heritage.
Maharashtrian Pandhra and Saoji: Vidarbha's Black, Fiery Mutton Tradition
Deep in eastern Maharashtra, the Saoji community of Nagpur cooks some of India's hottest, oiliest mutton curries, built on a secret masala of poppy seeds and stone flower. Here is what makes Vidarbha's black, blistering gravies so different from the coastal Maharashtrian food most British diners know.
Bhunao Step by Step: Reading the Oil-Separation Signs of a Properly Cooked Masala
Bhunao is the patient fry-down that builds the backbone of nearly every great curry. Here is how to read the colour, sound and oil-splitting cues that tell you a masala is truly cooked.
Roomali Roti: Tossing the Tissue-Thin Handkerchief Bread of the Tandoor House
Roomali roti is the gossamer handkerchief bread stretched by hand and cooked on an upturned wok. Here is the dough, the dexterity and the theatre behind one of the tandoor house's most spectacular breads.
Balancing Tradition and Innovation in Curry Cooking
Respecting heritage recipes whilst pushing boundaries. How the best curry chefs honour tradition and embrace innovation.
Knife Skills Every Indian Restaurant Chef Needs
Precision cutting isn't just for French cuisine. The specific knife skills that make an Indian restaurant kitchen run smoothly.
Why UK Curry Chefs Deserve More Recognition
They feed millions every week but rarely make the headlines. It's time we recognised the skill and dedication of Britain's curry chefs.
The Art of Spice Tempering Every Chef Should Know
Tempering — or tadka — is the single technique that separates good curry from great curry. Master it and transform your cooking.