It’s August Bank Holiday, the Scottish one. Our schools go back in a couple of weeks, there’s no no point having another holiday at the end of the month. A Bank Holiday, Civil Servants aside, nobody else seems to really know about it, unless one works in a bank.
Arriving at Shahi Mahal (452 Cathcart Rd., Govanhill, Glasgow G40 7B2) at 14.40, the Hector was surprised to see the mob who were ensconced today. Were they all bankers? Fifteen diners, plus a stream of customers wanting Takeaway, there were well over twenty people crammed in to this modest establishment at any given time. No sign of Zahir, Mein Host, today, maybe he was having the holiday also.
Hector was here for Bateera, Monday is Quail day. We studied the trays at the counter. One almost had me change my mind: a Dark Minimal Masala, rich in appearance.
What is this? – I ask Zaheer’s assistant.
Lamb Liver
I’ll stick to my Quail.
Chana Chicken was Marg’s choice from the array, not had this before.
Marg surprised me by ordering Rice instead of our customary Chapatti. Clearly she thought this to be the better complement for the Chana Chicken Curry which took her fancy.
Note I have not added prices for each element of our Order as what we pay at the end usually pays bears little resemblance to what is on the menu. Actually, neither Bateera or Chana Chicken is on the menu.
We took the table at the door, a table for two. I don’t think I’ve ever really been aware of this table before. It was either that, or sit in the centre of the room.
A mature chap we had never seen before, brought the customary Salad, Raita, and jug of water. The tap water this far south only had a slight taste of bleach. Seemingly the further one goes from Tradeston, the less of an issue this is.
Nibbling on the Salad dipped in some Raita, Marg commented on the Spice Level,
I find that Spicy.
It is.
That was the end of Marg’s intake of Raita. With a distinctive – kick – not bad at all.
Our main courses arrived a few minutes later. The Naan, served whole, had been perforated. Despite this, it had risen to create puffy parts and associated blisters. A decent Naan, but maybe one should look back to Saturdays glorious Naan at Shish Mahal, where a new standard was set.
Rice is on the menu at differing prices. This was more than just Plain Rice, and even more than Pilau. Had Meat or a Vegetable been added, this would have been well on its way to becoming Biryani. Clearly more Rice than Marg would manage, Hector hatched a cunning plan.
Chana Chicken
Two substantial pieces of Chicken on-the-bone, and lots of Chickpeas, sat in a Desi Shorva. The presence of sliced Green Chillies and Bullet Chillies cut lengthways, did not put Marg off. The solids were polished off. Marg:
When we arrived I knew I was hungry and I thought I would have Rice for a change. I chose the Chickpea and Chicken dish on the top shelf and added rice. The Salad arrived first, and we both nibbled on the onion, tomatoes, lettuce, and cucumber. I did not require any sauce. When the Rice arrived, it was huge and I knew we would not finish it. Both dishes arrived as well, Hector was having Quail, and I was looking forward to the Chickpeas and Chicken.
The overall taste was excellent, and full of different spices and flavours. There was an abundance of peppercorns in the oily sauce, as well as Green Chillies, and plenty of Chickpeas. The Chicken fell off the bone and added more texture and flavour. I had two large thighs, which was more than enough for me, when I placed a good topping of rice into my bowl. There was coriander leaves and coriander seeds throughout the Rice.
Overall a very tasty dish, with the Salad adding a different crunch to the flavours. Two small pieces of Naan Bread were also eaten with my sauce.
Bateera
Hector was in the mood for a proper Desi Curry having had some unusual outings since the return from Bradford. This turned out to be exactly what was required. Whenever one mentions Quail, people always talk about the bones: their size and how frustrating the eating process can be. After my recent Fish Bone encounter at Tharas Takeaway, nothing today was going to be a struggle.
A brace, the torso and the legs were separate on the plate. The quantity of Shorva was clearly more that would have come out of a single container on display at the counter. So much Shorva in which to dip, fun. Ginger Strips and sliced Bullet Chillies were present here too. The first big blast of Flavour was Clove. Such joy, tasty, a good level of Spice and well Seasoned.
Plenty of fine bones to suck, then discard. The Chicken Bones, in comparison, looked like ostriches.
On seeing how much Rice was going to be left over, I decided to break a habit and add some to my Curry. As is shown, the last piece of Quail was eaten with Rice, thereafter, there was still plenty of Shorva in which to soak the Rice and keep it interesting. This turned out to be a bigger feast that envisaged at the start.
As we ate, so two massive – Big Pots – were brought in, along with trays even larger than those on display. A function no doubt, dirty, could whoever used them not have the courtesy to clean them? I was glad we had not sat in the middle.
Fingers wiped, face wiped, the Hector was despatched to the facilities. As I went up to wash my face, I passed three chaps with a kilo of Lamb Karahi (£35.00) between them. On my return I made a point of interacting. It has been a while since I have had this. When someone suggest the kilo, it shall be done. No rush.
At the till, card payment was accepted despite a notice on the wall saying this had been suspended at the start of the year. I have had no issues on visits this year. One assumes the £5.00 minimum card payment maintains.
The Bill
£24.00 I have long known that the Salad and Raita are not complimentary.
The Aftermath
Did you enjoy the food?
Indeed we did.
The three chaps with the Karahi were the only customers remaining as we made our exit. It was good to see so many at Shahi Mahal.
While parts of England burn, Scotland has no water shortage. Apparently I shall be attending a BBQ next week. If West Sussex goes up in flames, it wasn’t my idea.
Today, Chicken Tikka Masala (£17.
Lunch menu or a la carte? – asked the young waitress.
The waiter took the Order. 
A glass of Tap Water was provided. No bleach-taste north of the river. Nobody wants to tell me what’s going on in the Southside.
The Naan ticked every box in 
The handi-like bowl was brimming. Normally, with no Rice, I would eat directly from a karahi. And so that was how I had my first dip into the Masala.
Not the Tomato-pink I was expecting, but certainly – Creamy, 
Then I spotted it, the 
I began the process of isolating the 
The chap who I have described as – head waiter – could well have been a whole lot more. Having got the 
Meet Curryspondent Stewart, who expressed his appreciation of these humble pages. Humble? This does a lot for Hector’s ego. The rest of The Company were also gobsmacked, the first time they have witnessed this en masse.
The Village “Curry House”
Marg and Hector arrived at 
A jug of tap water completed the Order. Today, no taste of bleach. New glasses.
The Peri-Peri Chips covered a third of the plate. Suitably dusted with Paprika (?), one assumes frozen Chips, another reason why Hector avoids them. Can people not peel Potatoes any more?
Marg: We did not wait long. My Quarter Chicken was the leg, and I was able to pick up the joint and eat all the chicken off the bone. The lemon was sharp but the herb did not stand out.
I had to wait for the Salad and so was staring at the mass of Rice for quite some time.
The standard Pilau at 
When the Salad arrived, a proper plateful. The Mayo would work well with the elements of the Salad, but Rice and Mayo? Not for the Hector.
Blindfolded, I would have picked this out as 
As is always the case with Chicken, the skin had been impregnated, what lay below was just – white Meat. The limitations of this agenda were now exposed.
The Bill
Tharas Takeaway (55 Woodlands Rd., Glasgow G3 6ED) opened in 2025, it was Curryspondent Stewart who informed Hector that there are two tables. As with the comparable 
Fish Curry was confirmed, but what to have with it? Anticipating a Curry way more Soupy than Desi-Punjabi fayre, I enquired about the Masala. The serving chap seemed to suggest that there was a degree of flexibility, however, the Hector was keen to establish the Tharas norm. Boiled Rice (£3.00) was deemed to be the better option.
I was given a glass and returned to my seat. Water was on the table already, so unlike 
A full twenty minutes plus had passed before I was summoned to the counter. No table service.
Two bits of Fish were decanted from the dark, somewhat viscous, Masala. The interior of the Fish would be revealed as white. Rohu/Carp was my best guess. The bone content would prove to be significant, this would not be easy eating.
Both Onion strips and larger blobs of Onion had a major presence in the Masala. Whole Green Chillies, Onion Seeds and Curry Leaves were in there too. Quite a busy Masala.
With still no sign of the Chef-server, how to announce 
How time passes,
During the thirty minutes of chilling, the ingredients for the
For once, maybe, the Hector would stick to the precise measurements given in 
Whilst the 
This afternoon, I phoned 
Are you sitting in or Takeaway? – I was asked both by the serving chap and a customer in the queue. 
Wendy appeared with two large platefuls of Vegetable Pakora. These had been fetched from 
Peter had prepared Boiled Rice in the traditional way, i.e. a pot. For this I congratulate him, the Hector has never achieved this quality of outcome. A microwave Rice cooker is simpler, and always gives the desired outcome.
Sweet Potato, Chickpea, Tomato, a Vegetable Cury. Chana, I do not rush to, and this is certainly the first time Sweet Potato has appeared in these pages. Not a vegetable the Hector has ever purchased. There’s a simple reason for that.
There was but a threat of Spice, the Seasoning was low. Flavour, still waiting.
When cooking for company, one has to cater for the lowest common denominator, else, one isolates a Baby Curry portion. Kim cannot tolerate Spice, so it goes. 
The Oil took me by surprise. The Masala had separated, a bit of stirring required. The Lamb was on-the-bone in part, as ever Marg’s magic spoon would find the Boneless Lamb.
For Hector, let loose on a mass of Lamb Curry, and having deliberately limited the intake of this Meat in recent times, a challenge. Two pieces of Lamb and the Esophageal Dysphagia struck again. At least there was a Doctor to hand, a proper one for a change.
At the end of 2022,
Arriving at 14.15, we walked through the impressive reception area and were greeted at the entrance to the vast dining room. Mein Host was sitting at a table, busy on his laptop, and with his back to the door. Maybe later. We were taken to a table in the extreme far right corner of the room. Not much of a view for Marg, but perfect for 
Hector to spot the wean whose parents were happy to have it bang a spoon on the table for as long as its heart desired. Beyond, another family group with three weans, who of course improvised some running events, more appropriate for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games. The time of day for a family outing then, beware.
Spinach Paratha and Keema Paratha were Hector’s Bread choices. Limp, not flaky, already past their best, if indeed they ticked all the 
Next a Potato Curry which took me by surprise: Aloo Achari with its distinctive blast of Pickle. This I most certainly liked.
Across the table, Marg had helped herself to the Keema Paratha and the Cheese Paratha. The latter was certainly the least oily of the array. Marg reported minimal Cheese. Marg’s selection of Sides also included the Keema Aloo plus Chana, the Chickpea Curry, plus the Daal and Tarka options. She also took the Anda Bhurji, essentially Scrambled Eggs. This was mentioned in dispatches, and so when Hector went up to fetch a further Soupçon, this was sampled along with the Cheese Paratha. 
Marg: 
textures, and the Aloo Dish had a spicy tomato sauce. The Scrambled Egg had an interesting taste and was very enjoyable. The crispy onions (Tarka) were an ideal accomplishment, along with the Raita-yoghurt. My only regret with the buffet was that everything was cold. I did manage to go up for two fresh pieces of Paratha which were piping hot. I like my food hot. To end the meal I had the Karak Chai with no sugar which was the perfect ending to this experience. 
I had to agree with Marg re the lack of impact made by the Cheese Paratha. This is not a – go-to – Bread for Hector. I recall the first exposure to a Cheese Naan courtesy of the staff at 
A waiter came over to advise it was – last orders: the Chai & Paratha Buffet ends at 15.00.
The head waiter came over to greet, sticking very much to his script – so proud and happy to have us – evidently being his stock phrase This, we had heard already, as he served the two chaps at the next table. They were dining a la carte. He made it clear that the elements of the Buffet would remain available until we had finished eating.
With nothing else of significance happening today, and the Hector left to his own devices, why not cook? 
The array of Spices a la 
And so, in went the Lamb on-the-bone.
Two more ingredients: Garam Masala and Yoghurt, before the grand moment: adding the fresh Coriander.
Dark, Thick, a splendid Masala in terms of appearance. I have admired this consistency of Masala for decades but have rarely manage to produce it.
In terms of Flavour, three distinct sources: Star Anise, Clove and Pickle, maybe to this, add a hint of Smokiness from the Black Cardamom. A combination of intense Flavours. I wonder how many could endure this? 
Today’s Holden Tour took us Moorthorpe and Chin Chin Brewing. On realising that our train would go via Wakefield, it was decreed that
Dr. Stan, Howard and Hector entered 
Poppadoms (£0.95)? – asked the waitress.
The Order relayed, Habib was back over to catch up. Photos of previous visits, masks and all, were produced. Gagan, the head waitress this evening, was also keen to see them. 
Hot plates were brought to the table at 19.26, the food arrived momentarily.
A Lemon slice, Bullet Chillies, and almost sprigs of Coriander topped the mass of Fish Curry. The Spinach, having been a bespoke addition, prevented the presentation of a Herb Mash. With Tomato strewn through the Masala, such as it was, a most inviting Curry.
Hot food, minimal Oil – were my first tasting notes, followed by – big Spice, Seasoning might be more. However, with – Fishiness – to the fore, this was exactly what I sought. Even with the added Herb, this remained very much a Fish Karahi.
Having finished – yay!- and celebrated my Curry with Habib, I added:
In terms of appearance, almost indistinguishable from the Karahi Fish, the Prawns were well embedded. Larger pieces of Onion were the tell, Howard likes – Big Onions. 
A Soupçon of the Fishy Masala crossed the table – wow! Tonight, Howard had won the watch.
Fish Curry features a few times when I go out. Over the years there have been good ones most notably 
The abundance of Meat then Minimal Masala, put this Karahi firmly in the 
Interesting Vegetable mixed in. As a fan of Aloo Gobi, I appreciate the extent to which Cauliflower can absorb Flavours from a Masala in addition to giving off its own. Dr. Stan was happy with his choice:
The Bill
Curry in the small hours at 
We entered 
The days of Hector being recognised by the staff, and receiving the red carpet treatment, have long gone. The transfer of ownership, and changing staff front of house, means that Hector is just another punter. Once upon a time, Omar served Steve and Hector 
The portion was substantial. Defeat stared us in the face from the outset. With nowhere to take the surplus, it was a matter of doing as much justice as we could. One may ask why a Hector, who has been avoiding such quantities of Lamb for the last few months, was talked into this. It was a case of not letting Colin down. This is Colin’s first appearance in 
The Seasoning in this Lamb Balti was off the scale, yet this Curry was certainly not Salty, the epitome of Karrah! The powerful Masala had fully penetrated the Meat. Sucky Bones had added their marrow to the mix. A well pitched Spice Level, not demanding, enough. 
Colin – good thick Curry, fair size portion, as well the balance of flavours. Was well done, nice and rich, with a medium chilli heat. Textures were also good, as were the Naan and Chapattis. The Curry was a little oily and was down to the Lamb either not been cooked long enough, or not of high quality; almost like it might have been a Staff Curry for the next shift. In the Chef’s defence, they didn’t expect someone asking for Desi at midnight.
It was downhill to our respective accommodation. Worryingly, we have an early rise in what will still be – this morning. Welcome to