Rebecca had never tasted the dish before…….. It was hotter than the curry……….. By the s sellers of Indian products were trying to persuade the British public with the dietary benefits of curry. According to them, curry aided digestion while stimulating the stomach thereby invigorating blood circulation resulting in a more vigorous mind. Curry also gained popularity as an excellent way of using up cold meat. In fact currying cold meat is the origin of jalfrezi, now a popular dish in Britain.
Between and , the import of turmeric, the primary ingredient in making curry, in Britain increased three fold. Chicken Jalfrezi. However, the bloody revolt of changed the British attitude towards India. Englishmen were banned from wearing Indian clothes; recently educated public officials disparaged old company men who had gone native. Curry needed a jolt and who better to promote it than the Queen herself. Queen Victoria was particularly fascinated by India.
Her interest in India could be seen at the Osborne House, which she and her husband Prince Albert built between and Here she collected Indian furnishings, paintings, and objects in a specially designed wing. The Durbar Room initially commissioned to be built as a sumptuous Indian dining room in by the Queen was decorated with white and gold plasterwork in the shapes of flowers and peacocks. Victoria employed Indian servants.
Wilson, Karim impressed the monarch with chicken curry with dal and pilau. Later her grandson George V was said to have little interest in any food except curry and Bombay duck. By , there were 3, Indian restaurants in Britain and 'going for a curry' became an established and popular evening out. Much of the output of these restaurants, whilst tasty, is neither authentic or traditional Indian food. What they may not match in authentic flavour or 'Indian restaurant experience' they have made up for in competitive pricing and the advantage that diners in a party who might not fancy Indian food can choose something else from a varied menu.
Rather than attempting to 'move Indian food on' from the traditional Indian restaurant offering, mainstream operators on the whole have chosen to replicate the model within their own formats, often using ready-prepared products to deliver it. So there has been a recycling of existing ideas rather than any real innovation. After years of consistent growth and a consistent format, things are changing in the Indian restaurant world: the trend of steady growth may be faltering, or even reversing.
Many arrivals intended only to stay a short period, to earn far more than they could back home, before returning to invest in a business or property, or enjoy a comfortable retirement. Carlsberg lager was widely available in curry restaurants thanks to Prince Axel of Denmark. The Prince attended the British Empire Exhibition in They managed to break the J.
Throughout the exhibition, the restaurant served an average of curries a day. Prince Axel later visited the Regent Street restaurant, bringing a barrel of Carlsberg with him. It proved popular and the restaurant started importing it. The restaurant acted as something of a training ground for waiters.
Eventually leaving to open their own restaurants, they also served Carlsberg, until the likes of Kingfisher and Cobra captured the market. Owners and their staff often had to endure considerable customer abuse, in order to survive, during those times.
Thankfully those days are behind us, but the we should recognise the debt we owe to those who persevered and created the industry we know and love today. That why British Curry Day is dedicated to them. However, despite facing some hostility and racial tensions, many arrivals integrated well. More so than back home. Many settled here permanently, regarding it as a land of opportunity, free from corrupt officials, with universal social justice and equality, where everyone has access to decent healthcare and a good education.
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