Some of our Company described the New Year of 2020 to be – the best ever.
A pity the rest of the year turned to…
New Year – 2021 was definitely the worst with everyone at home. To bring in 2022, it was therefore decided to try and repeat the success of 2020. This saw Lord Clive and Lady Maggie travelling north from Crawley to join Hector, Marg, Howard and Tracey at Steve & Louise’s. Yes, folks, Curry in Helensburgh once again.
Feeding eight, one cannot make a Curry for four, twice. Inevitably, there would be too much food, though being – at home – there should be little wastage.
My Fish ‘Machi’ Masala always goes down well, particularly with the ladies. Creamy Curry, even Hector can bear it once in a while. To accompany, I suggested that Steve did the Bread and I did the Rice. This provided the opperchancity to cook my Spicy Rice which could be regarded as being a few steps short of a Biryani. The published – Spicy Rice Recipe – also happens to cater for eight, a major reason why it is not prepared very often.
The preparation of both the Spicy Rice and the Machi Masala is well documented/illustrated in this Blog. For the Machi Masala, today’s departure from the recipe was the use of both Frozen Onions and Red Fried Onions. I kept stirring in more of the latter until I saw the quantity of Masala approaching enough for eight, and the thickness taking on the texture of a Daal. The reasoning behind this was the later addition of the Cream which would thin the Masala. The Spice Level was maintained around – medium – the Seasoning, as Hector defines it should be. Imagine a Fish Curry without Seasoning, as if.
The 1200g of Salmon was cut into bite-size pieces and transported to Helensburgh – raw. Reheating a Fish Curry would have seen the Fish turn to pulp.
The Spicy Rice felt remarkably simple this time around, don’t be surprised if it makes more appearances in future.
I had no idea what Steve was producing. Last time I did a Chicken Korma whilst Steve produced a Lamb Curry. Today he had cooked Chicken Thighs in a rich Masala which equals any of the quality Masalas I have seen in recent weeks.
Machi Masala
The reheat was not as straightforward as hoped. Steve’s new kitchen, of which he is rightly proud, features a ceramic hob. I have cooked with one previously at Carnoustie, I don’t like them, insufficient control. At Hector’s House, one cooks with gas. My large pot did not work on the ceramic hob. Steve offered a replacement. It was he who smelled the burning. On transferring to yet another pot, the burning of the Masala on the base of pot #2 became apparent. It seemed to take an age to get the Masala to a temperature at which I was confident the Salmon would cook. Eventually, all was well, the largest quantity of Machi Masala ever produced by Hector was ready.
Chicken Curry
Steve’s Chicken Curry was in a wok. To this he added water during the reheat, confident that it would evaporate. His Masala needed no reduction, nor did it need thinned. He knew what he was doing. Meanwhile Hector was looking up the price of gas hobs with the aim of recommending one.
Spicy Rice
The Spicy Rice was reheated in batches in the microwave. I had deliberately undercooked it before leaving home, with the assumption that the Basmati would continue to absorb the moisture in transit. Reheating on the hob could have dried it out too much. The microwave was a sound method.
The eight assembled. Poppadoms and Spiced Onions were the amuse bouche whilst the Mains were presented. Once again, Steve’s Spiced Onions impressed.
Now for the quickest of conclusions. There was little point asking for individual comments, they would all have described the same thing. Also, it was 23.55 when we stopped eating, other distractions were then in place. Everyone made the correct and appropriate noises, the standard appreciation when someone has bothered to cook for a dinner party. Marg did comment on the – smokiness – of the Machi Masala. This could have come in part, from the Dried Red Onions, however, I suspect pot #2 may be the real reason.
I thought the Spicy Rice was wonderful. As noted above, this could become the route towards Hector attempting a first Biryani. The Chicken Curry was as good as any of the genre I have experienced. Chicken Thighs, of course, whilst the Masala had pedigree. Steve has been adapting Hector’s Curry Recipes for some two decades.
Happy New Year!
Lahore Karahi
The 
The waitress announced that Chef had differentiated between the – mild – and the – medium-plus – by the addition of the sliced Bullet Chilli. Both were topped with a sprinkling of Coriander. 
When I had this 
Same topping, same Masala, with added Pickle. I accept that’s how one makes an Achari, what I’m getting at will be made clear below. Graeme’s comment:
Same topping, same Masala, surely the Bhuna should have looked markedly different? I challenge the Chef to explain why this Masala deserved to be called a Bhuna? 
Behold the plate of – Soup! Hector and Marg both ordered this? It’s just as well it came with Rice, Bread alone would have been impossible, we had Bread.
As always the first dip of Paratha into the Masala would reveal so much. Topped with Red Chillies, these added more to the underlying – smoky – Flavour. There was Spice, not enough to have Marg make her customary outburst, there was Seasoning, enough to make me take note. This Masala had everything one could hope for, Texture aside. Why so runny? 
Not a Curry, but a Lamb Kebap topped with Syboes with an accompanying Salad. The Red Sauce is something Hector has learned to avoid. Too often straight from a bottle, Chilli Sauce tends to be as Sweet as it is Spicy. Angus had ordered Pilau Rice when Bread would have been the logical accompaniment. However, he and Alison were sharing the Rice and a Naan.
Angus did express his pleasure immediately, he had chosen something to his taste. Thereafter it a matter of clearing the plate, which he did, though half the Pilau Rice was left over. 
The last time I saw this Curry
Indeed, Judith and Angus had the Pilau and Coconut Rice before them, neither could establish which was which. 
This Curry last featured in 
This was the proverbial mountain of Rice accompanied by two small bowls of sauce, a Raita and presumably a Masala. I would have expected, and have confirmed, the serving of much more Masala as Marg and I did recently at the 
Of the five bowls of Rice on the table, none were finished. There is a physical limit as to how much Rice a person can eat. At the end of our meal, the table resembled a European Curry House with 
The Bill
We took a chance and turned up at 19.00 without having phoned to check there was space. Around a dozen customers were present, scattered across the restaurant which occupies part of the building which makes up The Brig Inn, also a hotel. I/we didn’t know this, yet we have passed this building oft on our way to 
A young waiter brought the menu then returned soon after, keen to take the drinks order. Only 330ml bottles (£2.30) of Sparkling Water were available – two please. 
The waiter was not ready for my interrogation. On mentioning Ghaly Masala, he started writing this down. I had to stop him and ask again what sort of Masala this was. He went off to consult and returned with – creamy. Strike one. On enquiring about the – rich sauce – in the Lamb Budda, he told me the Lamb had been cooked in the sauce. Well I bloody well hope so – is the phrase which was withheld. Hector was firmly back in the land of the – Mainstream – no – Desi – here. In time the word – thick – was used to describe the sauce, but only after I had introduced – Soupy – as a possible description. Lamb Budda it would be – 
At 19.30, hot plates were brought to the table. Later, two more bottles of Sparkling Water were brought. On pointing out that we hadn’t ordered these, the waiter returned to confirm – on the house. ‘Tis the season to be jolly, allegedly. 
As I intrinsically knew when I saw the Masala in the Lamb Curry at 
subsequently be halved, a decent portion. Two wedges of Tomato had been introduced near the point of serving. I always enjoy half-cooked Tomatoes. 
The Lamb Budda has a two Chilli rating – Madras – was given in the guide elsewhere on the menu. I would call it a – Medium – Spice Level, never challenging, enough to know it was – Indian Fayre. With the amount of Flavour present, there was really no need for more heat, however, had I ordered Chilli on my Naan, well who knows? As we shall see, Marg did alter the Spice Level of my Curry. The Seasoning was as I hope for, not what usually comes. Lamb Budda, so far so good.
The Masala here was decidedly paler than the above, but had the same blended consistency. Sliced Green Chillies had been stirred in, pieces of which merrily crossed the table. Merrily? Calm, Hector, you’ll be using – joyful – and – triumphant – next. I took a Soupçon of the Masala for comparison purposes. 
Every grain of Rice was eaten, the entire Naan too, which is unheard of. Plates were wiped clean. Joe came over to join us on seeing we were finished. He apologised for the wait, the Complimentary Drinks were a consequence of this, a large Takeaway had delayed matters. Here was the opperchancity to introduce Curry-Heute. I congratulated Joe on the quality of his Curry. That we knew Fiona and family was revealed. Indeed the next couple to depart made a point of chatting also, Shish Tandoori has its enthusiastic regulars. 
The Bill 
Our attention returned to Fiona et al. They described Shish Tandoori as being their favourite Aberdeen Curry House.
Mosque Kitchen (31-33 Nicolson Square, Edinburgh EH8 9BX) lies opposite the venerable
I arrived at 14.20, there were only a handful of customers in this somewhat large Curry Cafe. In the Manchester style, the fayre was on display in food pans, ready to serve. 
It was the Masala which brought me here, it has that – special – appearance which I shall describe as possessing an – oily porosity. A hint of something herb-like sat to one side of the plate where the Masala had run free. The Rice featured Seeds, I hoped for Cumin, but no telltale blast was forthcoming. Seven large pieces of Meat, school dinners came to mind once more. I thought back to a certain lady who would count the chips in the scoop as she served them, shaking off what she regarded as too many. Each piece of Lamb would be halved, I had no issues therefore with the portion size vis a vis the price. 
Two chaps sat on the far end of the table, I waited until they departed and took the photo across Nicolson Square. It could be some time before I return to the impressive 
During 
Comparisons with Nando’s was the primary purpose of the visit. Hector has been enjoying Nando’s since 1994 when introduced to, I believe, their second outlet at Earl’s Court (London). Since then Nando’s have expanded across the nation and Peri Peri Chicken has been introduced to many a Curry House and Kebap Shop. 
Both come with Chips, Marg managed to arrange a Salad instead of Chips. 
I’ll start with the Chips. Since the ritual of – adding Salt – to one’s dinner disappeared from Hector’s book of tricks over two decades ago, Chips have been relegated to – occasional – and are only ever eaten with Mayonnaise. Mayonnaise may have been available, none was asked for. These Chips were seriously hot, fresh, and remarkably tasty in their own right. What’s more, the bucket in which they were served had been heated. Good Chips, as verified by Marg who suddenly became interested. I never order Chips at Nando’s, double Spicy Rice for Hector when having a half Chicken. 
Saturday’s Salad had way more Pickles than previously seen at 
No Olives, and not overtly – Spicy – as Marg did not make her usual cry. For the extra £1.50, I felt that the Peri Peri Chicken looked to be a much better deal/meal.
Hector has deduced that there are no hockey balls being struck by ladies anywhere in Central Scotland today. As a consequence, Marg declared herself free to join Hector for the Saturday afternoon Glasgow Curry ritual. Indeed, Marg went one step further and invited Peter & Wendy, who are similarly without commitment, to join us. Furthermore, Marg even suggested the venue: 
Having agreed that Peter would share the kilo of Lahori Chaska Lamb Karahi (£24.99) with Hector, Zaheer was contacted yesterday and the Order placed. This should save us the wait whilst the 
For accompaniments Hector went off-Menu – Chilli & Coriander Naan (£2.99), whilst Peter chose a Garlic Naan (£2.99). Marg stuck to her usual Chapatti (£1.30). On realising there would be more than enough Bread on the table, Wendy decided to share in what came her way. 
Sat facing the counter, I could not see how many were in the Restaurant. A huge portion of Peri-Peri Chicken passed us, this I must try, sometime. Peter acknowledged that he too liked the look of this. However, he was here, for what I believe, was his first sit-in share of a Desi Karahi. 
The customary Chilli Dip and Raita, today, were accompanied by a Salad which was a departure from the norm. Overloaded with Pickles, this was a pleasing change. I don’t think I’ve ever had a Pickled Onion with a Curry before. The Pickled Chilli was mine!
Topped with Coriander, Ginger Strips and a single slice of a Bullet Chilli, this was quite a mass of Mince, and Peas. The consistency was as it should be, a hint of a Masala, this is meant to be a Dry Curry, too many venues do not know this. 
The Chapatti was standard fayre, and definitely a Chapatti, not a Roti. Some went to Wendy. 
If ever I was not having my kilo of indulgence, I believe this may be the go-to Curry at 
The Toppings had no Chillies, the Spice Level in the Curry was pitched perfectly. QED:
I know that families sit down to share this quantity of Karahi. They do so with piles of Bread. Some may wonder how I can put away so much Meat, I wonder how they can eat so much Bread. Without Bones, the intensity of Flavour would not be the same. Without Bones, the challenge would be a non starter. Today, there was a sufficiency of Lamb on-the-bone, the Meat bore no resemblance to the kilo and a half of Lamb on-the-bone I bought in my local Halal Butcher yesterday. That appears to be Bones with Lamb. 
The first dip of Bread in the Masala reveals all. We had Spice, we had Seasoning, and most importantly, we had Flavour. Glorious! I can always identify Cloves, thereafter it becomes a matter of stop analysing, get on with the enjoyment. 
The karahi was cleared, mission accomplished.
Having regularly promoted the wonder that is the Lamb Lahori Karahi served at 
The new 
I remain uncertain as to the correct name, however, it is close to the Bread which I enjoy in the 
The wait was considerable, Marg had her book. Chopping sounds came from the kitchen. Eventually a Salad and Raita (£2.00) was presented. At 
A sprinkling of Coriander sat amongst a mass of Ginger Strips and Green Chillies, that the latter were cut lengthways made them stand out even more. The photo may be misleading in terms of the amount of liquid. The Oil started to collect at one side of the karahi, the volume was appropriate, not excessive. As we made progress, so the Oil seemed to move away from the Meat and Masala. Sucky Bones stood out, as did a Lamb Chop which was definitely coming Hector’s way. The – Desi – nature of the Masala was apparent, a consistency that is not achieved by fully blended Masalas. Cooked Tomatoes, which had not totally decomposed, were a prominent feature of this Masala, Tomato-rich, a classic.
For those who have been following the ongoing debate regarding the difference between Chapattis and Rotis, Marg’s Bread was definitely a Roti. Wholemeal, an air pocket, so partially risen. The Chapattis served in Bradford the week before last, do not have these properties. 
Hector’s Bread was as requested. White Flour, again an air pocket and correspondingly risen, closer to Pitta, but well fired. Could this be the Roti equivalent of the White Naan which is also my preference? This style of Bread remains my preferred Bread accompaniment, lighter than a Naan, more girth than a Chapatti. 
Last year, when this Karahi was the cheapest kilo in Glasgow, the Meat was Lamb plus stray attachments. Today, the quality of the Meat was in a different league, no cheap cuts here. Tasty and Tender, the anticipated Flavours from the Lamb emerged. Marg was already commenting on the Spice Level as is her wont. As is mine, I declared – we have Seasoning! Consider the hundreds of reviews in Curry-Heute where the Meat has been described as being a late addition, basically, a passenger, a parasite to the Masala. To get this much Flavour into the Lamb requires skill, patience. Beautiful. The Lamb Chop was an extra bonus. 
Visits to 
During my wait, I perused the Menu at 
Starters – Rice, no Starters – Bread, is what was in Hector’s mind. Alan decided to try the Vegetable Pakora (£4.30). Having studied the menu on the train down to Dumbarton East, I resolved that if a Starter was happening tonight, it would be a Prawn Puri (£5.00). Hector ordering Prawns? Hector ordering a Prawn Puri? … unheard of in the history of this blog. Usually it’s Marg who is responsible for this appearing in Curry-Heute. 
If there’s a larger portion of Pakora served anywhere on this planet, then Hector has not been told. I counted at least a dozen pieces of Pakora,
The remaining Red Dip was called into action. We discussed if these had come from the great Cumbernauld Pakora Factory or were made on the premises. Alan found them to be smaller than the norm with a correspondingly higher ratio of batter to filling. This he did not like, – a bit stodgy – was his final observation before the white flag was raised. Seven pieces were left, one is lucky to get that many in a portion in the majority of restaurants. The abundance of raw onion puzzled.
I don’t understand the use of 
The Chapatti, obviously a traditional Chapatti, was a decent size, but Alan said it could have been warmer. The Mushroom Rice came last, the container deceived, there was enough here for two. With Mushrooms and Peas mixed through the Spiced Rice, superficially, this was what the Hector seeks. Alas, the Flavours from the Spice were not powerful enough, more Seasoning would have helped. 
Here is the opperchancity for Chef to show his might. Curry with a genuine taste of home, that’s why Hector was here and why Alan was willing to partake. What did we get?
Firstly, the quantity of Masala was such that this was definitely – Curry. I counted ten as I decanted the Meat, mostly large pieces, so as one must accept at 
Chewy – was the first realisation on both sides of the table. I watched Alan try to half a piece of Lamb with his fork, a struggle. Only one of my ten pieces would be described as – Tender-soft. The menu states – meat marinated in a special sauce. In terms of the Lamb adding Flavour, there was little to no evidence of this. A big hitting Masala could have saved the day.
Whatever triggers Hector’s occasional desire for Saag/Palak is unknown. Last Friday’s 
So much for the promised thousands Hector predicts will soon discover the wonderful Curry available in Tradeston.
A Boiled Egg (whole) and four, not particularly large, Meatballs sat in the abundant Masala. Masala, this was a Herb-rich Mash. If this didn’t sate Hector’s Spinach craving, what would? The Coriander topping would add even more Herb Flavour, sliced Green Chillies also sat menacingly there too. 
The Masala Mash was suitably Spiced, the Chillies took this to an even higher level. Testing. The Seasoning was there and, as a direct consequence, the full Flavours of the Spinach came across. This is what I was hoping for. 
The Bread had to be abandoned, else defeat would have been the outcome. The final stretch then became easier, and even more enjoyable. Spinach and Egg, the ultimate accompaniment for Meatballs? 
The Aftermath 