India's culinary connection with Britain

Beef marrow 

I spent a week in England and got to experience that county's version of Indian cuisine. Not surprisingly, India's connection with Britain had a strong influence on its culinary scene resulting in a diverse range of Indian restaurants, or atleast in the two places I visited: London, York and Hull. Often, there was atleast one Indian(ized) dish in the menu of regular delis and pubs that we visited in London. We also came across a store in central York that was an Indian equivalent of a "Blue Apron". They sold customized packets of Indian spices for a range of Indian curries, including the quintessential Goan dish, Chicken xacuti (smile).

I sampled the menus in several South Asian- run restaurants in London and Hull in northern England. Clearly, there were way too many Indian/South Asian restaurants (Bangladeshi/Pakistani) to choose from. These restaurants served a range of dishes from street food like pao bhaji or vada pao to its own versions of dishes like the "Balti". While I wont say that these represented the most authentic Lucknowi murg or Chicken Chettinad, it was full of flavor and delectable. What was most interesting to me (that is not seen in Indian restaurants in the US) was the integration of dishes like lamb-balti or chicken balti (meaning bucket) throughout Britain akin to the American Chinese

Chicken Balti

dishes such as the General Pso's chicken in the United States. I had a Balti dish on one occasion - it was meat served in a "kadai" dish to be had with naan or rice.

My most memorable experience was at a Sri-Lankan restaurant called "Hoppers" in London that I visited twice over three days. We tried a range of dishes from kheema (minced goat)-stuffed paratha, beef marrow (their specialty dish), chicken curry and prawn curry with appams or hoppers. Very authentic, reasonably priced. The coconut-based flavors and spices created a pleasant memory of an authentic Chettinad/Goan experience for me.