Curry!

[whiteswan]

Can you remember the first curry you ever had? Mine was in the 70's at the 'Hong Kong' in Cross Street Wakefield, where I also had my first glass of wine.....Mateus Rose'. Who remembers the Vesta curry?

[Norm]

I'm fairly sure I had my first curry in Wakefield Swan but I can't remember exactly which joint I was in (or smoking).

[Finnatic]

Vesta curry was my first foray into spice world
First real one was at the Karachi, a famous no-nonsense curry house in Bradford.

[Ratscoot]

Vesta was probably my first at home then a few take away but I think I was about 17 went to watch my mates play rugby away and on the way back our coach called into Freddie’s on Leeds Road Bradford and I had my first and probably last Vindaloo.

Always remember there was a TV on a high stand in the corner and I’m sure the food got passed through a hole in the ceiling to the waiters

[Byebyegeegee]

Around 1973ish in one of the original Bradford curry houses - probably the Kashmir, no choice in those days just a big vat of keema curry so a keema curry and 3 chapatis eaten on a very basic formica topped table - those were the days!

[billie1]

It was a school dinner in 1971 aged 11 . Stodgy gloopy rice , beef gristle , and currents and raisins all chucked together masquerading as a curry . It was only one step up from my most feared dish semolina which did , and still does , make me gag . It was the stuff of nightmares. Can’t think how it didn’t manage to put me off curry for life but thankfully it didn’t .

[The Subhuman]

About 2 I reckon, dad was born and raised in India and my mum cooked for a living so we started on mild curries fairly early

[Sara]

Magna Tandoori, Tavistock St Bedford, 1984. Think it's call Choudrey's now. Vegetable dhansak.

I was 18. It changed my life. It was literally the first time I had really enjoyed food. I was virtually skeletal up to that point, because I rejected everything except nuts, fruit and biscuits.

[Orange Box]

What was the one in a can which had the curry in one half and rice in the other? You had to puncture both ends of the can and boil it in a pan of water. That was my introduction.
I can’t remember Castleford having an Indian curry house, but we did have a Chinese which specialised in bulking everything up with garden peas. (and cats, allegedly)
My first attempt at making one included beef leftovers and gravy.
I would never eat a curry from a takeaway, I’ve seen the insides of too many kitchens and outbuildings to trust a single one of them.
All this sounds negative, but I love making curries at home where I have some element of control, and of course, Aldi curry sauces are delicious.

[mentalcase]

Tony, best curry we ever had, wish we had him nowadays.

[billie1]

but I love making curries at home where I have some element of control, and of course, Aldi curry sauces are delicious.

I agree . We love making curries from scratch ( making a Methi sauce right now as it happens ) and rarely , if ever , eat in a curry house . We do occasionally use shop bought sauces including Aldi . You should give Hungry Elephant sauces a go , we found them to be pretty good . Kohinoor aren’t aren’t bad either .

[White Riot]

First one would be a Vesta beef curry.

Then around 1973 we moved to Maryport, and the Hong Kong Chinese Takeaway was opened there by a family that had just emigrated from Hong Kong. The chef there was John Wong and his meals were absolutely perfect, as I grew older I was addicted to his Beef Curry, with fried rice and chips of course. But the curry was mildish and like a gravy consistency, mouth watering thinking about it.

First Indian was maybe when I was in my 20s at an Indian restaurant in Cockermouth, and I think that would be Tandoori Chicken, with mushroom rice, garlic naan bread, Onion Bhajis and washed down with a few scoops of Cobra = yummy. I had never tasted anything like it before then, a real flavour explosion with all the herbs and spices and I've loved Indian food ever since.

Once in a while the Mrs will cook an Indian chicken curry which is always delicious and gobbled down by me in about 5 seconds
I can cook them too, but she's a way better cook than me, so don't like to step on her toes in the kitchen when I can be lazing about on the sofa

[Finnatic]

Around 1973ish in one of the original Bradford curry houses - probably the Kashmir, no choice in those days just a big vat of keema curry so a keema curry and 3 chapatis eaten on a very basic formica topped table - those were the days!

Yes, it’s just round the corner from the Karachi

[Orange Box]

Yes, it’s just round the corner from the Karachi

Are you a Bradford boy, Finn? I lived and worked there 20 odd years until I prised my wife away to live up in Scotland

[Orange Box]

I agree . We love making curries from scratch ( making a Methi sauce right now as it happens ) and rarely , if ever , eat in a curry house . We do occasionally use shop bought sauces including Aldi . You should give Hungry Elephant sauces a go , we found them to be pretty good . Kohinoor aren’t aren’t bad either .

I don’t know Hungry Elephant but I’ll look out for it, thanks

[Orange Box]

Can you remember the first curry you ever had? Mine was in the 70's at the 'Hong Kong' in Cross Street Wakefield, where I also had my first glass of wine.....Mateus Rose'. Who remembers the Vesta curry?

Good thread this, Swannie, guess what we’re having for tea now?

[billie1]

Around 1973ish in one of the original Bradford curry houses - probably the Kashmir, no choice in those days just a big vat of keema curry so a keema curry and 3 chapatis eaten on a very basic formica topped table - those were the days!

I remember eating in a curry house in Bradford around 1983ish and it sounds just like that . I was visiting a friend who regularly went there . I’ll have to drop him a line and see if he can remember the name of the place . I may be wrong but I think the curry was served with no cutlery or rice either , just bread . And it was great !

[Leeds1000]

I can't tell you my first but my current favourite is a house special called: Jhal Misti Takh described as Hot, Sweet & Sour. In true Bernard Mathews fashion.... Its beautiful.

[Chilli D]

No idea when my first curry was but my dad used to make lovely lamb biryani.
I've got two curry nights coming up, one on the 22nd of this month with my ex firemen chums and then one on the 27th November with my cycling buddies.
A madras is the hottest I can manage comfortably without having a hiccup fit and snot running everywhere.
The Ballingdon Valley in Sudbury is highly recommended

[White Riot]

No idea when my first curry was but my dad used to make lovely lamb biryani.
I've got two curry nights coming up, one on the 22nd of this month with my ex firemen chums and then one on the 27th November with my cycling buddies.
A madras is the hottest I can manage comfortably without having a hiccup fit and snot running everywhere.
The Ballingdon Valley in Sudbury is highly recommended

Funny you mention that Chilli, but hottest I could manage was Jalfrezi or Madras. Many times if I tried something too hot I would get a proper hiccup fit and couldn't eat or drink anything after that. So the night would be knackered and had to leave a full meal and pints on the table