When heading back to Scotland from Manchester, Hector tries to find a train, at the right price, which gives the option for Curry at lunchtime, today, something different.
Yesterday, after the magnificent Fish Karahi creation at Kabana (22 Back Turner St., Northern Quarter, Manchester M4 1FR England), I asked Rizwan if he could pack a Takeaway such that it could go on a train and not have the passengers staring daggers. Rizwan suggested that if he took out two portions of Karahi Lamb (£6.00) first thing this morning, they would cool and so lose their pungency.
I placed the Order last night as a reminder, and dared to ask the question regarding Karahi Lamb that has long needed asking:
I’ll ask, despite its excellence, in what way is it Karahi?
Well to be honest when we first opened it was called lamb masala. Only changed the name to Karahi about ten years ago.
Ten years ago
As it happens, today is the tenth anniversary of Hector first setting foot in Kabana. It’s also Visit #49, no Curry House outside of Glasgow has reached #50. Next visit, the day will have to be marked. Ten years ago, the Karahi Lamb bore little resemblance to that which is presently served. Karahi Lamb 2013 (above) was decidedly Soupy, the Masala approaching Shorva. The Flavours impressed, this was significantly better than what was served in the other Northern Quarter Curry Cafes. However, I do not believe the – killer taste – was there, that evolved thereafter. If someone wants to read through the previous 48 posts, then maybe the first – Wow! – can be precisely dated. The search device (top right) gives Steve as having uttered the first – Wow! – in December 2018.
Checking out of the Ancoats Travelodge today at noon, Clive accompanied me on the walk round to Kabana. A busy time, Rizwan was initially dealing with other Takeaway and Delivery customers.
It was soon Hector’s turn. Two separate portions of Karahi Lamb were carefully packed. Rizwan offered me the – foliage – also, but these I can do at home.
The Bill
£12.00 Is this the first ever Glasgow-bound Takeaway from Kabana?
The Curry was not to be eaten tonight, but Sunday when Marg heads north for a couple of days.
Interlude
Late night munchies are inevitable on these trips. This week’s visits to delhi2go are blogged already. Al-Faisal Tandoori, the daytime fallback when Kabana is closed, still advertise themselves as being open until the small hours. They are not. Two Curry venues, either side of the Ancoats Travelodge, are open late: Chilli’s and Golden Tandoori.
Golden Tandoori predates delhi2go; during Covid, they ripped out their seats to create a Takeaway only. Only two tables have been re-installed. I have not been back since Covid. Chilli’s, I have been inside to study, but as yet have not bought Curry. Again, seating is limited there. Next time in Manchester, but Rizwan has also reminded me I have still not been down to Lahori Karahi. Even Hector has his limits.
Sunday Dinner
I weighed the two portions of Karahi Lamb, a kilo, impressive. One went in the freezer.
The reheating of the Karahi was done on the hob, slowly, so as to let the heat permeate the Meat. There was enough Masala that the contents of the pot were not going to dry out. Never use a microwave, the Salt goes ballistic, destroying the Flavour.
*
The – foliage – had to be prepared: diced Ginger, sliced, large Green Chillies and copious Coriander. Fried Rice with Peas and Mushrooms would provide further Diversity.
Thus the Karahi Lamb was suitably dressed.
Wonderful! The Seasoning registered first on the palate, strangely the Cloves were last to do so. The Lamb was up to its usual outstanding level of quality, the careful reheating had paid off. All the usual Kabana Flavours were there. The temptation of having portion #2 had to be resisted. The joy that the eating of this Curry brings, has to be experienced, to be believed. And I now have another tucked away!
The first Kabana post for 2023 stated – One Cannot Improve Upon Perfection. Today, the Curry remained – perfect – but with the extra Vegetables mixed through the Rice, perhaps the Hector achieved this. Wow! Wow! and thrice – Wow!
Day #4 in Manchester, if anyone thinks these trips are not demanding, then read the previous posts. After an explicable 38 hours without Curry, Hector arrived at a quiet 
It would have been easy to simply once again have the consistently wonderful Karahi Lamb. From the depths of the imagination came:
It was back in 2016 when I had 
The three pots were brought to the table, Hector would have his – foliage – sliced Green Chillies, Diced Ginger and abundant Coriander. 
The Fish was impressively – Thick – Cod is what I believed at the time, Scottish Haddock ain’t like this. The Fish retained its integrity but broke up into flakes easily with the fork. This was a Texture I really liked. 
More Masala was required, significantly more. The light coloured Masalas from the Mixed Veg or Chicken would not guarantee the impact I sought. There was only one thing for it, Hector approached the counter once more:
The Masala gave a boost of heat to the contents of the plate. The Spice Level was also increased, and this was after I had been tackling the Green Chillies. This was a definite – Wow! – moment, the best of both worlds. 
As happens here occasionally, I was beaten by the quantity of Rice. 
A young chap brought the well worn menu, no price increases here for a while. I was pleased to see the Fresh Lamb Karahi (in Lahori Style) per kilo – £25.00. 
Meanwhile back in Scotland, Darvel has been put on the map, lots of coverage of the events there last night. For those who know, it brought a big smile to many in the West of Scotland. Then there was the great water shortage in Glasgow after a water main burst. Well, a water shortage apart from the flooded streets near Auchenhowie. A good day to be in Manchester. Flooding at Auchenhowie, drought in Ibrox, conspiracy!
Authentic Karahi, the Masala reveals all. Tomato based with some Yoghurt stirred in. The Masala looked – grey. Mags mentioned – Namkeen – almost immediately, it wasn’t, but was maybe not far off in terms of Flavour, Peppery, man!
Ladies first, three good portions were taken with enough left to top up, as and when. My Karahi companions appeared to avoid the Bones, novices. The Meat was beautiful, no Sucky Bones, so my lack of butcher knowledge means I cannot identify from where the Meat came. 
The Seasoning was spot on, the Spice Level was perfectly pitched. I had assured everyone that they would not serve something that we could not all manage. The sliced, large Green Chillies, added extra bite, the Ginger Strips, another dimension to the overall Flavour. Our karahi had only smears of Oil/Ghee, though I did note that our neighbours had a slick in the centre of theirs. 
Anyone fancy a Curry? – was Hector’s hourly mantra throughout the afternoon. Despite the feast earlier this afternoon at 
The dark brown Masala looked vicious. With sliced Green Chillies on top, and an extra pot of Chillies provided, there was going to be nothing bland about this Curry. The slice of Lemon was squeezed, a bit of Citrus always enhances a Curry.
Being the Hector, there was a moment of reality. I asked why we couldn’t have proper plates and cutlery:
The Bill
Traditionally, this is the week of the Manchester Real Ale Festival. For reasons Covid, it has not been held for the last two years, and the organisers weren’t ready for this year. Undeterred – The Company – have descended on this fine city, ten of us so far, potentially six more to come. There will be a lot of Curry this week, and maybe a Bier or ten also. 
First stop on arriving in Manchester is always 
Of course, that’s not the end of the process. The – foliage – has to be added, the Ginger adds crunch, the sliced Green Chillies up the – kick – whilst the forest of Coriander simply adds to the overall pleasure. 
The glory of the blended Masala, the outstanding quality of the Lamb, have been described oft. Every mouthful is such pleasure. One simply feels good eating this. I still wonder why not everyone is having this. 
I worked my way through steadily, no Sucky Bones today. I arranged the debris on the edge of the plate. Not all of the Lamb was on-the-bone, loadsa Meat. It’s Monday, Day #1, the appetite is intact. As the week progresses and eating becomes earlier, so I may struggle. Today was just a quiet celebration. 
Rizwan appeared, he had been downstairs. What happens down there? He apologised for not having served me. I reminded him that it’s only 
The Bill
Howard arranged the Über from Society back to Ancoats, three of us found ourselves in 
The Bill
Curryspondent Neil made Hector aware of the opening of Hujra Restaurant (337 Paisley Rd W, Glasgow G51 1LU) towards the end of last year. Curry Houses at this locale have not done so well in the era of Curry-Huete. The adjacent Schawarma Grill, which occupies the former site of the The Clachan Bar, must dominate this stretch opposite Cessnock Subway Station, however they do not serve Curry. The signage at Hujra contains the magic words – Charsi Karahi. 
Having studied the modest menu some time back, I was concerned that Karahi would only be available by the kilo, today I would have taken that if necessary, or pay the premium for the half kilo. 
Qudrat was keen to let me know this would be Afghani Karahi, I hopefully expressed my appreciation of this (when done properly). 
Green Tea, anyone? The menu shows a list of – welcome – items, the Salad included. The laminated menu confirmed Charsi Karahi available by the kilo: Chicken (£18.00) and Lamb (26.00). This is great value for Lamb presently. I also note that some venues are, somewhat cheekily, not differentiating in price between Chicken and Lamb. At this point the price of the half kilo was unknown. 
The Salad arrived and remained untouched until the arrival of the main course. An elderly chap took the window table, He had a Naan plus the Aloo Saag/Palak. Is the Hector being haunted by Spinach? I didn’t spot what his bonus component was. 
Lamb Chops stood proudly, protruding from the mass. Four or five Lamb Chops was a quick estimate. Then I spotted a Sucky Bone and some ribs. All cuts were here. A half kilo with bones, manageable, a half kilo without, madness. 
The Masala was thin, runny, compared to the Lahori/Punjabi equivalent. What sat before me bore little resemblance to the photo on the menu (right). There was no doubting that the Masala was pulped Tomatoes, and no sign of skins. A quick comparison with the equivalent at 
Unsurprisingly, Tomato was the first Flavour to register. The Seasoning impressed, the Spice Level built up slowly from – moderate, especially when the sliced Green Chillies were encountered. Hot food, I tentatively tackled a Chop … these had not been grilled, so cooked in the proper manner, in advance, then added to the Masala; the only way to produce this in the time permitted. The Meat varied in Texture from soft, through tender, a couple of bits were recorded as – tough. As the bones testified, all cuts here. I revised the Lamb Chop estimate down to two/three.
The answer was in the affirmative, however, Qudrat reckoned that he would be left with it in the fridge for some three days. Fresh food is the plan. 
The Aftermath
Harrogate? Marg and Hector appear to be repeating January 2022 in reverse. This is the final stop, fourth night only, feels like a week already. Bettys Tearoom was visited once again, the most expensive Tea in the North, possibly. There Marg had lunch, Hector was saving the appetite for real food. 
We arrived at Jinnah, a converted kirk, at 18.30. 
closed today. 
Arrive together they did, and a bit too quickly for my liking. Having watched and waited for authentic Afghan Karahi being prepared in Glasgow at both 
With the Prawns well into double figures, and a suitably viscous Masala, this was a classic Puri. Well, the actual Puri was sufficiently large to make a meal in its own right. Who would have this as a Starter followed by a Main Course? 
That the contents only half filled the pot was the first negative observation. The garnish included the 
Tomato was the standout Flavour at the start, a low level of Seasoning disappointed. The Spice Level was quoted as – medium – it certainly was. The Lamb was suitably Tender and the ratio of Meat to Masala was equitable. The traditional Bread accompaniment was the correct choice. 
Determined to examine the Masala further, with a bit of balancing, I managed to secure a photo on the new Oppo. The Masala was Thicker than I had previously realised, redder too, Tomato-based? As I looked across the table to the Prawn Puri, I could not see much difference between the two Red Masalas. Hopefully there was. 
When Neil introduced me to Rogan Josh around 1980, it became the go-to Curry for many years. I therefore enjoyed tonight’s Curry for how it actually tasted, not for what it was meant to be. 
The first/only Bradford Curry of the day was at 23.00? Back in the day, this could well have been the third. The distraction was Sunday lunch at Old Gate in Hebden Bridge, there the roast beef dinner is to be recommended. A worthy plateful, featuring Yorkshire pudding, of course, lashings of gravy, plus mash, roast potatoes, mashed turnip, sage&onion, green beans, cauliflower, broccoli and mange tout. Hector will admit to having none of the latter, Marg ate it all. 
straight to 
Hector required a Curry which ticked all the boxes. This could well be my last opperchancity on this trip to have the full bhuna. A well known and reliable Curry Blog led me back to Lamb Nawabi Khan (£12.95), tried and tested. 
I did briefly consider the Desi Lamb (on-the-bone) option, but a half kilo at £17.95 could prove to be too much Curry. I do congratulate 
To complete the Order, a Garlic Coriander Naan (£3.50), Tap Water was also promised. 
The result no Poppadoms. Under the previous management, Complimentary – everything – was the norm, inclusive Chapattis/Naan/Rice also. One could go across the street to 
Five! Sensational value. And they were nearly cremated. In a moment of sensibility, I declined a Lamb Chop, unheard of. Who wants to become Mr. Creosote? This meant five Lamb Chops for Marg, which must be discouraged, however, the precedent has been set. 
Five, succulent Chops, with carbon-infused bones. I thoroughly enjoyed gnawing my way through the meat and bone. 
The Coriander Topping was but a threat. The karahi was filled to the brim with an inestimable quantity of Bradford-sized Meat. With just enough Masala to make this a – Curry – I emphasise that there was a lot of Meat here. Who needs a half kilo on-the-bone?
Cough! This hit the spot. With sliced Green Chillies cooked in, there was no denying, this was – Spicy! The distinctive Bradford Curry Taste was there, Methi is the ingredient which is believed to be responsible. 
If one seeks a blunderbuss of Flavour and Spice, the Lamb Nawabi Khan has to be tried. 
I believe the word had got round that a food blogger was present, smiles aplenty. I did insist that there was a photo with Quasim. It is time to record The Next Generation making their mark. 
And so to 
The laminated 
Six Chapattis, between us we would just about manage five. These were of the thin, traditional variety, which I prefer to the Wholemeal. These are merely more than vehicles of transferring food from plate to mouth. 
This is a new Curry to add to the list of all those covered at 
There was a visible presence of (tinned) Pineapple stirred into the Meat and Masala, Marg likes – sweet – and so this was right up her street:
The abundant flaked Fish sat in an oily Masala rich in Tomato. This too was relatively – wet – for a Bradford Curry, it’s how they do it here, and it certainly works. 
The Fish, which seemed to go on forever, tasted of – Fish! The Masala tasted of – Fish. The Curry tasted of – Fish! This should be bleeding obvious, so why can so few venues across the land achieve this? 
The Bill