The first Glasgow Curry of 2015 is the Tapas-style Dishes served at Mother India’s Café (1355 Argyle Street, Glasgow, G3 8AD), Marg’s choice. It must be (nearly) her birthday.
Busy as ever on a Sunday afternoon, and with no booking system, we were happy to be given the only available table in the Inner Room. ‘Twas a bit too draughty to consider the tables at the entrance.
Marg chooses this venue due to the quality of their Butter Chicken, it has a Kick as well as being Creamy. A full portion she would consider excessive. The Lemon and Cashew Nut Rice is always her chosen accompaniment. Normally Marg orders a Starter but today was determined to try something different. South Indian Ginger Lamb? And an Aloo Gobi with Green Beans too?
The Hector order at Mother India’s Café is standard: Machi Masala, Lamb Massalum with Lady Fingers (from The Specials, when available), and of late a Plain Paratha. Of late, Marg and Hector have only been here once a year in the last few years. What does this tell us about the choice of Curry Venues in Glasgow?
Being only days since our Liverpool Curry-Tapas at Mowgli, comparison was very much in mind. All of Marg’s selections came first. The Butter Chicken in its classic Soup-like Masala. Of course Marg enjoyed this. The South Indian Ginger Lamb was described as featuring Coconut and 
Ginger, however there was another Dominant Flavour which I recognised but cannot be sure of its identity. When in doubt, nominate Fennel.
The Aloo Gobi was short of Potato unless Marg had scoffed the lot before it came my way. For Marg this proved to be surplus to her requirements. Marg was defeated, and now pondered why she had ordered The Third Dish.
The Lamb Massalum had Five Large Pieces of Lamb, more Meat than I have been given in some full-sized portions, especially in the South of England. Cloves were the dominant Flavour, a pleasant change from the usual Methi overdose. The Lady Fingers were very much the accompaniment rather than Ballast. This had to be eaten before the Fish whose strength of Flavour would surely have taken over the taste-buds. The Paratha was perfection, Piping Hot and Flaky, if only all Parathas served this year could be as good.
The Machi Masala is always a treat. The Fish was cooked in batter then shrouded in Masala. The Citrus took moments to come through, normally this is instantaneous. The anticipated intensity of Flavour simply was not there. Perhaps the Hector Palate had been numbed by the Fennel and Cloves?
Back to finish Marg’s surplus Lamb, a struggle.
The Bill
£30.40. Five Tapas: One Rice, One Paratha and a Large Bottle of Sparkling Water. £2.35 more than three of us paid in Mowgli, but a heck of a lot more Food.
The Aftermath
The Sunday stroll up Byres Rd, it’s a Glasgow West-End thing.
Steve led the way- Mixed Starter, Lamb Methi, dry and spicy and a Keema Naan. £10.80, one can never have enough Keema. Hector too had spotted the availability of Lamb Methi and did not fancy Rice or Bread at this time. Aloo Gobi should make a Perfect Partner.
Steve’s Mixed Starter was a modest offering, especially when Hector cannot stop thinking about the Wonder that is the 
The Lamb Methi was Suitably Seasoned, the Aloo Gobi was Seasoned to Perfection. The Dry State of the latter worked well with the Wetter than hoped for Masala. A Range of Flavours were emerging, this was quite Impressive, not Champions League by any means, but better than the Second Division. The Lamb was sufficiently Tender, though Steve did question this and was immediately shot down by Hector and Mags. OK, so the Curry came out of The Lamb Pot, more Lamb would have been welcomed, but look at the price. Some of Mags’ Mushroom Rice found its way across the table, Fine. Hector had been Well Fed.
The Main Courses were Expensive, £12.95 up to £19.95. Tapas would win. Howard chose the House Lamb Curry with a Roti, £7.50 in total.
Fenugreek Kissed Potatoes seduced The Hector. This had to be explored, Methi. Keema Therapy featured Mince and Peas, plus a donation to charity. £9.50 in total, more than was paid for a for a Main Course two days previously in Bradford.
In a flat metal tray, reminiscent of army rations, came the the Potatoes. Bratkartoffelen are a particular Hector Favourite. What was served here was Special, better than any Pan Fried Potatoes Hector has encountered previously. The Fresh Onion provided a Diversity of Texture, the Mowgli Masala had a Magnificent Flavour. Imagine Mango Chutney meets Tamarind, Stunning! These are the Best Potatoes I have ever eaten – remarked Hector. This caused Marg and Howard to take note. At £3.00 perhaps better value than anything else we had ordered today.
The Masala-Soup was absorbed by the Vegetable Rice which featured Cabbage, Peas and both Sliced and Diced Carrots. Diced Carrots. The Combination worked well. Indeed the Hector Palate was stimulated. Was the Meat actually Lamb? The Firmness suggested otherwise. The Overall Portion of Curry and Rice was substantial, more than enough food for this time of day.
£16.70. A couple of quid above the average perhaps. However, this was indeed a Good Feed.
The Hector Curry was as Dry as anticipated. The Mushrooms in the Rice were tinned, not wonderful, and the Achari may have been lost between table and kitchen. Still, this was a Bradford Curry packed full of Flavour.
Craig too was in his element once again, waxing lyrical about the splendour of Bradford Curry. 
The Ladies loved their Fish Curry, one each, they could have shared. Both were defeated halfway. I sampled some of Yvonne’s. The intensity of Flavour was astonishing. Should I have ordered Fish? I’ll be back. Meanwhile Craig devoured the milder Marg – Fish Curry. This would set him up for the day, he might last to The Bells this year.
Hector was in the mood for something different, a departure from the seductive Lamb Karahi on-the-bone. I actually studied The Menu last night and so had Lamb and Potato Balti in mind, with Extra Methi added, of course. Craig spotted the Seafood Balti as soon as The Menu was placed in his hand, sorted. The Ladies both chose Starters as an elegant sufficiency, Lamb Chops. Marg cannot resist 
The Balti were presented in Tall Pots, Buckets. Yvonne was so taken she remarked on them to our Waiter when they were later collected. You can take one – was Mein Host’s offer. It is the Contents however that were of greater interest.
Hector’s Balti – Aloo Gosht was piled high with Fun. Wonderful Lamb, suitably Spiced with the Methi doing its job, The Bradford Herb Flavours. The Potato added the required Diversity. More Seasoning would have improved this but after a killer Bacon Roll served from a South Street (Glasgow) Chuck-wagon for Breakfast, I had already been a-salted today.
To complete Stewart’s week of Curry Indulgence there had to a first visit to the 
Just how Hot can Food be heated to? The Sizzling Karahi. The Karahi itself was way too Hot to touch, so was the Curry. The Chapattis cooled sufficiently to tear apart. The Chapattis here are also remarkable, Girth!
Finally, at the third attempt in as many weeks, Hector made it ot the 
Unique, in Glasgow at least, to the 
One Padora between Three, no chance, Two were ordered. Jazzi decided not to take the order for The Mains, he knew we would need a break. The Keema Padora arrived in moments, Truly Excellent. Later we discussed the possibility of simply having Two and no Main. One could come here for The Starter then move on for The Main? Who would do that?
Lamb Gurmeet, Gosh! Superbly Tender Lamb on-the-bone in the Richest of Masalas. One could not eat this everyday such is the Intensity of the Flavour, too much of a good thing perhaps. With Methi to the fore in a Blend of Herbs, an Astonishingly Wonderful Dish. Stewart was suitably impressed – A real change and an improvement on the Karahi Gosht. How he had never been here until this week who knows, and he has never been to the 
A Basket of Complimentary Poppadoms and Dips were brought. As is the norm in these parts, the Poppadoms had embedded Cumin Seeds, this adds the extra dimension. Why not in the UK? The Dips were Mint Raita, Tamarind and a Chilli Paste. I grabbed the Tamarind, Steve the Chilli. We both covered the Poppadoms in similar amounts of our respective choice, Steve soon discovered the error of his ways. As I am slowly establishing, Deutsche Curry may not always be Spicy Hot, however, when a Spicy Dip is provided, Achtung! I tried a bit, QED.
Marg would love this – was a mid-meal observation. Indeed, it is her style of Curry exactly.
