A food writer who specialises in Indian cuisine has revealed that your favourite curries are more British than Indian – no matter how authentic you think they are.
Columnist Mallika Basu, 40, from London, exclusively told FEMAIL that despite many takeaways being described as ‘Indian’ food, curries in modern Britain have little to do with the subcontinent.
The author, who released her new cookbook, Masala: Indian Cooking for Modern Living this summer, also shared the mistakes that many home cooks make when tackling the cuisine in their own kitchens.
Here, she explains why.
1. MORE BRITISH THAN BOMBAY
Mallika Basu (pictured), 40, from London, has shared with FEMAIL the reasons why UK curries are not remotely Indian – in fact, they’re as authentically British as sausages and mash
Indian takeaways are spin offs from the curry houses and Balti restaurants of Britain. These were the brainchild of creative immigrants, mainly from Bangladesh, who created a brand of curries that titillated taste buds and captured the imagination of Brits.
In fact, your Indian takeaway has as little to do with the food of the nation as bangers as mash.
2. INDIANS WOULDN’T RECOGNISE THE CURRY NAMES
Indian takeaways sell dishes with names Indians wouldn’t even recognise.
Balti, for example, means bucket in Hindi. Bhuna is to stir and tarka simply refers to a tempering of spices.
Expect baffled looks if you try and order the Bombay aloo, Daag, Phal or Madras in India – all popular takeaway favourites in Britain.
As for the Chicken Tikka Masala, this is a variation of the Murgh Makhani or Butter Chicken. A Punjabi classic, it is characterised by cream, butter and a smooth tomato sauce, which may also explain its enduring appeal whatever moniker it goes by.
3. APPEARANCES ARE DECEPTIVE

Mallika Basu’s Saag Paneer dish – a spinach paneer cheese curry served with homemade naan bread, which is featured in her new cookbook
When your Indian takeaway sells a dish Indians might recognise by name, chances are they won’t by appearance or taste.
The sizzling hot vindaloo (pronounced Vin-Dahl-Oo) should actually be made with pork and has a day glo appearance with the use of chillies that impart colour not heat. So it’s milder than you realise.
Meanwhile the chicken korma isn’t a sweet curry for the faint-hearted – it’s a rich curry with a definite kick.
As for the watery jalfrezi, this isn’t a curry at all in India. The word means ‘chilli fry’ so anything but a peppery sauté is not the real thing.
4. CURRY IS COOKED COMPLETELY DIFFERENTLY IN THE UK
Indian takeaways rely heavily on a ‘base curry sauce’ – a generic gravy bulked with cheap vegetables like carrots, onions and even cabbage creating the starting point for most dishes. This one-size-fits-all approach is then customised depending on what you order.
In India, every curry has its own make up. There is no such thing as a base curry sauce.
Remember Indian takeaways, like their restaurant counterparts, are geared for food service so they deploy tricks to deal with high volume and turnover. In India, every dish has its own starting and ending point. Even when these are cooked in volume, there are no interchangeable base sauces.
5. THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS ‘CURRY’ IN INDIA

Mallika also has a recipe for butter chicken curry in her new cookbook: Masala: Indian Cooking for Modern Living
Curry is a generic term that Indians use to describe a sauce or gravy. Although it is said to have originated from the Tamil word ‘kari’, it is a very British invention to label all their favourite sub continental dishes ‘curry’.
Indian food, in fact, has way more variety than just curries and the typical aloo (potato), saag (spinach) and paneer (fresh cheese) sides you’re likely to find on your Indian takeaway menu.
The nation’s vegetarian and vegan food, savoury fermented rice and lentil treats and vast range of pulses cooked both as stir fries and as dal.
Mallika’s cookbook Masala: Indian Cooking for Modern Living is out now. Follow Mallika on Instagram and Twitter: @MallikaBasu.