With last week’s announcement of the closure of the much-loved Curry Leaf Café in Ship Street, Nick Mosley shares a potted history of the rise of Indian food in Britain and where you can get some of the best in Brighton.
I was sad to hear of the closure of Curry Leaf Café as it was one of the leading lights in the birth of a more modern style of the Indian kitchen in the city. As I’ve reflected time and time again in recent months, the operating environment for independent hospitality businesses in the current economy is challenging to say the least. Every cost – from ingredients to staffing – is going up, whilst consumer disposable income seems to be going down with little light at the end of the tunnel.
Thankfully, there are still plenty of restaurants where you can still get tasty and creative Indian food that won’t break the bank.
Indian food has been embedding itself into British culture for over 350 years. Colonial rule introduced traders, administrators, the military and – of course – their families to the hugely varied culinary bounty of the Indian subcontinent. It is said that Queen Victoria was a fan of curries; Coronation Chicken – a dish that has now become synonymous with supermarket sandwich fillings was invented for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
Without wanting to bore you too much, the etymological origin of the blanket term ‘curry’ – which we use in the West to mean any spicy dish in a gravy – is a bit vague to say the least but the general consensus is that it can be traced back to the Portuguese in Goa in the 16th century. They took the Tamil word ‘caril’ – meaning ‘spicy sauce’ – the plural of which was ‘carie’ and this then mutated to ‘curry’ in English.
Interestingly, curry powder is a very British invention. A blend of various traditional spices, it was produced for export as a cost-effective – and no doubt very profitable – way to share a generic flavour of India across the globe.
Over the centuries migration – whether forced or voluntary – spread Indian food across the world, bringing a sense of familiarity to Indian immigrants and exciting new flavours to the globe.
In the UK, the biggest shift came following WWII as the country actively sought more workers. The British Nationality Act of 1948 pretty much allowed migration from former colonies without limit. How things have changed.
Although many migrants were attracted to jobs in industry, for some their transferable skills were to be found in the kitchen and the wider British population was desperate for exciting new tastes after the drudgery of the war. A café or restaurant is a simple way for all ages of a family to work together and pool resources, so curry houses spread across the country peaking at 12,000 in 2011 but now sitting at around 8,000 as of last year.
The twist on curry that became popular in Britain in the 20th century, doesn’t really bear much resemblance to traditional Indian food. For a start, although accompanyied by dal and chutneys, most Indian food is fairly dry as it is traditionally eaten with hand rather than utensils. But we Brits liked a gravy so dishes were adapted accordingly.
It’s fair to say that today curry has become an intrinsic part of British food culture. In fact for many years our ‘national dish’ has been vaunted to be Chicken Tikka Masala.
Although there are still plenty of curry houses serving up sauce-rich dishes, the 21st century has seen a rise in the popularity of what we call Indian Street Food; samosas, stuffed roti breads and sensational bite sized, pomegranate seed bejewelled, flavour-explosions that are Pani Puri to name but a few.
With Brighton and Hove being one of the UK’s top destinations for food and drink, it will come as no surprise that – certainly since the turn of the millennium – we’ve been at the fore of the ever-changing face of Indian food in the UK. Here are some of my favourites:
The Chilli Pickle
It would be hard to talk about the Indian food scene in Brighton without mentioning this iconic restaurant. Co-owner and head chef Alun Sperring learned much of his trade in Dubai before settling in Brighton and setting up the business in a small unit in Meeting House Lane. From there they went to Jubilee Square where they’ve won more awards than you can shake a dosa at. Alun’s signature dish is the tandoori pork knuckle but my recommendation is the set lunch menu at £17 which includes a curry or kebab of your choice with rice, naan and a selection of sides. https://thechillipickle.com
Brighton Curry
Located on Upper St James Street, this neighbourhood eatery serves up astounding Indian food that is genuinely affordable. The restaurant branding is somewhat lacking, which in this day and age seems like a missed opportunity, however I have no qualms with the quality of the cooking under head chef Gouranga Bera. A hearty curry with naan, rice and sides around the £16-18 mark; also check out their well-priced lunch options to go. https://brightoncurry.co.uk
The Permit Room by Dishoom
There’s no doubt that the opening of The Permit Room on East Street created a lot of chatter on the city’s restaurant scene. Dishoom is undoubtedly my favourite UK multiple when it comes to Indian food; I’ve had some sensational meals at their London restaurants where the queues are typically out of the door. They also have one of the most impressive cookbooks I’ve ever bought that not only shares recipes of their dishes including their signature black dal but also well-researched editorials and beautiful photography that transport you to the streets of Mumbai (formerly Bombay). My recommendation is the grilled whole chicken tandoori at £26 that is perfect to share, and I find it hard to visit the Lanes without popping in for their moreish Clover Club cocktail at the bar. https://www.permitroom.co.uk
Easy Tiger at The Hampton
I have to admit I’m a bit biased here as the kitchen at The Hampton pub on Upper North Street is run by a one-time colleague who is now a friend of mine, Sabu Joseph, who I think is one of the most talented and passionate chefs I have met over the years in Brighton. All aside, he’s an exceptional cook and excels at street food. My favourite dishes are crispy Keralan fried chicken that is flavoured to an inch of its life with spices, garlic and ginger and his beef biryani that wipes the floor with the competition. This is easy dining in a pub environment so expect to pay around £15-20; pints of craft beer not included! https://www.easytigerbrighton.com
Nick Mosley
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