Ali Ahmed Aslam, an Indian-origin chef who settled in the UK, has passed away aged 77. Aslam is credited with inventing one of Britain's most popular dishes- Chicken Tikka Masala- in the 1970s. It is also known as Britain's national dish. Locally, he was popular for his curry dishes and was referred to as the 'Curry King'. He was called Mr Ali by thousands of people who dined at his popular restaurant Shish Mahal in Glasgow and tasted the rich flavours of India. Aslam and his family have been considered to have made Indian cuisine popular in the UK.
Ali Ahmed Aslam and his family's tryst with Britain's taste buds
Ali Ahmed Aslam's father Noor Mohammed opened Glasgow's first Indian restaurant, the Green Gates, in 1959. The Britishers had already tasted the Indian palette due to the British Raj. Noor Mohammed worked on making Indian cuisine even more popular locally. After Noor, his son Ali Ahmed Aslam would go on to open Shish Mahal in Glasgow in 1964 on Gibson Street. It is here that Aslam would invent Britain's most popular dish- the Chicken Tikka Masala.
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The history of Chicken Tikka Masala
Ali Ahmed Aslam, the inventor of Chicken Tikka Masala explained the story behind the most popular local dish in 2009. He said, "We used to make chicken tikka, and one day a customer said, 'I'd take some sauce with that, this is a bit dry'. We thought we'd better cook the chicken with some sauce. So, we cooked chicken tikka with sauce that contains yogurt, cream and spices. It's a dish prepared according to our customer's tastes. Usually, they don't take hot curry, that's why we cook it with yogurt and cream."
Shish Mahal restaurant, founded by Aslam in 1964 on Gibson Street, closed down in the 1980s. It was again built in the nearby Park Street, where it serves the customers till date. Aslam's recipe for the famous and mouth-watering Chicken Tikka Masala has since travelled across the world and his legacy will last long. He is survived by his wife, three sons and two daughters.
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