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.
After Monday’s dubious Afghani Cuisine at Jinnah (Harrogate), it was something of a self-fulfilling prophecy that Hector made his way to Hujra this afternoon. By my reckoning, Hujra is Glasgow’s fifth outlet for Afghan Karahi. Namak Mandi was due to move around the corner to larger premises, no sign of that yet.
Hector arrived at Hujra around 14.00, Qudrat, Mein Host, was sitting in the open kitchen beyond the serving counter. Ready Dishes were on display, featuring a mean looking tray of Spinach. I would later establish this as – Aloo Palak – also, Chana (Chickpeas), a choice of. Qudrat stood up to greet.
You do Karahi? – I asked, well if he didn’t there was a fallback, and a lengthy walk.
Is one kilo enough for you?
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.
The half kilo was offered and accepted. A Naan (£1.00) would accompany.
Qudrat was keen to let me know this would be Afghani Karahi, I hopefully expressed my appreciation of this (when done properly).
Spicy?
Above medium – was hopefully relayed. I was then put under a bit of pressure to have Rice, presumably the Qabali Rice (£3.50) which I must have had at some incarnation of The Khyber Pass Restaurant. I stuck to my guns, a Naan.
Qudrat pointed to the fridge – help yourself to juice, I will bring salad.
I took a can of Mango Rubicon (£1.00) and went through to the dining area.
Hujra exactly matches Sheerin Palace in scale and layout. With an unrestricted view on to Paisley Rd. West, Hujra is brighter. I chose my spot, and surveyed all. Hujra seats more than twenty, at eight tables. The comfy armchair remains a mystery.
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.
I could hear the usual scraping noises coming from next door, Qudrat gave me a heads up, another five minutes. My Charsi Karahi was thankfully not coming in an instant as it seemed to in Harrogate. A one man show – was nearly the title of this post, but a second staff member arrived, bringing bottles of Water, not Sparkling.
In good time, all was assembled.
The Naan showed a mass of perforations. Not quite – Rogni – it hadn’t turned hard as they tend to do. A dense thickness was therefore achieved, it did the job. In terms of Naan per £, this makes one wonder at the prices charged elsewhere for dough and water.
Lamb Charsi Karahi
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.
I was going to eat directly from the karahi, however, this would not have revealed the Masala. A plate was provided, even some Salad eventually made its way on here.
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 Namak Mandi also confirmed this was thin. Unlike comparable venues, here there was no visible Oil collecting.
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.
Dipping the Naan in the Tomato Sauce proved rewarding. A warming, intensity of Flavour, not depth of, was experienced. This was a simple Sauce, but oh so tasty, despite the hoped for Peppery Flavour being absent. If I had cooked a Tomato Sauce with this much Flavour, well … it was all about the Seasoning.
Qudrat checked on my progress. Tasty – was an early verdict. I had to demonstrate my knowledge:
Do you make Namkeen?
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.
I ate on. Each mouthful felt like a reward for the mouth. Charsi – today’s was a minimalist interpretation. Original Khyber serve a similar Tomato Masala, Khyber Pass Restaurant has the much loved Pepperiness and a thicker Masala. Different Chefs, different styles, take your pick.
The Bill
£15.00 Fantastic value, no premium being charged for preparing the half kilo.
The Aftermath
Introductions were made, the Calling Card issued. We discussed the Afghan competitors, Qudrat is aware of these. Time will tell if this is a cursed location. To the west, Chilli Cottage is still going strong. Eight years since the one and only visit? Can I face Nihari? It’s that or Chicken. Maybe things have changed?
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2023 Menu
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
Time was, a midnight Bradford Curry could be the first/last of three in a twenty four hour period. Maybe those days have gone for good, just as well. After the ritual 
It was 22.30 when we walked into 
So no Curry for Hector, something I have been tempted to do in Glasgow for some time was the fallback. Mix Grill Platter (£13.45) – a Meat Feast, and no need for unnecessary Rice/Bread. Surely, despite Marg saying she wasn’t hungry, she would have a nibble, or two, or three… To Share For 2 People – the 
Seekh Kebab both Chicken and Meat, Chicken Tikka Boti, Chicken Wings, Masala Fish and Lamb Chops! The Chicken Wings aside, Omar has probably tantalised the Hector with the remaining items in this list at some point previously. 
I started with the most familiar, the Seekh Kebab. Here was the opperchancity to confirm that Lamb always trumps Chicken, and of course it did. Spicy and Herb-rich, superb. The Lamb Chops, being relatively underdone, did not have the impact they could have had. But still, Lamb Chops, and Hector had both!
By this time it had become apparent that Marg was not going to assist, she would force me to devour all that lay before me. Hector was up for the challenge.
Nando’s! – was my exclamation when tackling the Chicken Tikka Boti. Tasty Chicken, but as ever, the added Spice and Flavouring were superficial. (which of course is why Nando’s provide bottled sauces to spice up the white meat)
I was also told that 
Friday 13th, a good day to travel. Today trains were running to time, well almost. At least the trains were running. This is the annual weekend when IQ perform in Bury. Hector learned years ago not to stay in Bury, especially when a night in Manchester is the alternative. 
No unnecessary Masala, and no visible Oil, this was as Dry a Keema as I have encountered, brave. With the Spinach mixed through the Mince, the appearance reminded me of Haggis. It’s that time of year. 
Marg got tucked in. What looked like a modest plate of Curry proved to be misleading. Remember, with no Masala to speak of, this was a solid mass. 
Rizwan brought the naked Curry. What a portion, – double figures – did not do the Meat count justice. It also made a mockery of the portion size and subsequent price of my last Curry at 
Starting with the blended Masala and Rice there was an immediate kick and blast of Flavour. Cloves are the distinctive Manchester Spice, I would pick out a piece of 
Cinnamon Bark in due course. 
On Saturday, Yvonne a regular diner at 
The Subway was off, in both directions, there was little choice other than to walk to Byres Rd. from Partick. Taking respite from the prolonged precipitation, and the numerous puddles in Ruthven Lane, I reached Chaakoo at 14.10. For the uninitiated, Ruthven Lane lies to the west side of Byres Road. Ashton Lane, to the east, has two other famous Curry Houses, 
Two couples occupied booths to my left on entry, a group of youths in the far corner to the right. They were loud, Hector went left. A well mannered chap was wiping tables, I was able to choose my own spot. 
Three Baby Potatoes sat in a mass of chopped Onions, also featuring Curry Leaves and Mustard Seeds. It’s good when these Seeds are identified, else one is left wondering, Mustard, Poppy, Nigella etc. There was a definite oil slick collecting at the bottom of the bowl, best avoided. I decanted to the side-plate provided. 
The base Masala appeared almost identical to the above, this time creamier, Coconut Milk probably being the extra, plus Ginger and Garlic. The Onion pieces were possibly larger. Four pieces of rolled Monkfish were decanted, that I reached four triggered another comparison. The four pieces of Fish presented recently at 
Baby Potatoes, fitting for Tapas, I would have to eke these out. The ratio of Potato to – Masala – for me, was not well judged. Too much of the latter. Masala, was this truly a Masala, was this Curry? The menu claimed so. 
I ate on, the Fish and Potatoes gone, I was left with the almost cold, chopped Onions and little sense of enjoyment. Wet and bland – were my final notes. I was never going to be filled by this, a Rice or Bread would have been an obvious addition to my Order. Too late. 
Calling Cards are typically issued on Visit #1, was this so? Why spoil the day of the chaps who had so ably served me? My issue was with what they had served. I had spotted that if one leaves a review in a certain medium, they come back quickly. 
Yadgar Kebab House
Arriving at 14.30, Naveed was in his spot behind the counter. 
Determined not to overindulge, I surveyed the trays under the counter, the – Daily Specials. Aloo Keema Mutter (£7.00) – sat in the middle of three, always tempting, but Hector has maybe seen enough Mince of late. Chapli Kebab (£3.50) has become a must in recent visits, today I would resist, no overindulgence. 
A serving chap brought a Mango Rubicon (£1.00), the orchestra in the kitchen was being well conducted. Chef Arshad stopped to chat en-route from kitchen to store cupboard. He has been on holiday of late, my return visit was well timed. 
Fish Pakora (£6.00) another irresistible 
Tawa Chapatti
A sensible fraction of a portion, enough to titillate, and not miss out. The majority of my Soupçon was Cauliflower with the Masala Mash also being Cauliflower-rich. I decided to ignore the clean plate and use the now warmer one on which the Fish had occupied. 
A plateful, topped with Coriander, an abundance of Herbs, a test. Eight pieces of Lamb, some on-the-bone, sat in the thick green mush. Where to start?
On the assumption that the Palak would overwhelm the palate, I started with the Aloo Gobi. Astonishing! The Cauliflower had absorbed so much Flavour from the Masala Mash, the unique – 
quantity of Spinach et al was on the edge of my comfort zone, would I clear the plate? 
Happy New Year to all readers of Curry-Heute which will soon be entering its fourteenth year, a lot of Curry, a lot of writing. A special mention to Curryspondents who were in touch: Doug, Archie, Ayaz, Zaheer and Tom, plus continuing thanks to Neil who proof reads these pages. 
A quick glance at the ready Curry, Chicken Keema stood out. Ayaz confirmed that the (Lamb) Keema Mutter was not ready. My fellow diners took the Mince option: Spicy – Chicken Keema (£8.50) for Clive, less so, for Maggie, and for Marg, Mince Poori (£7.00). 
The Mushroom Rice portion is way too large for one, Maggie was keen to share. Two Chapattis (£1.00) completed the order. One was really enough, one and a half would be ideal. Will 2023 be the year of – the half Chapatti?
Two substantial Chapattis, halved, were presented. Last Friday I marvelled once more at 
Served with a comparatively Soupy Masala, this needs Rice. The ratio of Masala to the half portion of Mushroom Rice worked perfectly. Moist Rice throughout, even allowing for my dipping with Chapatti. 
Once the nine pieces of Meat were arranged on the Rice, so I then spread the Masala. The mindset had to be switched to – Curry.
This creation makes its first appearance in Curry-Heute. The quantity of filling far surpasses the 
First Curry of the year, Marg’s initial reaction maintains: this is Spicy!
Meanwhile, across the table, Maggie was questioning – medium Spice. Clive’s Keema had added sliced Green Chillies, presumably Maggie’s was as on display. Whilst the Mushroom Rice did temper the Spice in the lesser Keema, Yoghurt was called for, a Mint Raita was presented. All was well. 
My first ever Chicken Keema – began Clive – very happy. Asked for Spicy, not unbearable, at the right level for me. 
On 
I took my favourite spot in the empty seating area. The usual order was recited: Karahi Lamb (£12.00) and one Chapatti (£1.00). A jug of tap water was brought, this I did not touch.
The Delivery Chap was sampling the fayre on display between orders. It was only later I saw a third staff member, a new assistant in the kitchen. 
The thought of never having this, as cooked at 
Lamb on-the-bone, as soft as Lamb can be and full of Flavour. The Chapatti was used to scoop up the Tomato based Masala. What a Chapatti, a standout today, light and fluffy, one can take this for granted, perfect. 
Given what is now being charged for a kilo of Karahi Gosht, this portion was still excellent value. There was no stress involved in eating this Karahi, minimal bones, one sucky. Somehow I ate this Curry quicker than normal, at the end, still hot food. The final Curry of the year, what a way to end.