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<ul><li><strong>Chef and restaurateur <keyword id="5209571" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ali-Ahmed-Aslam" source="Orion">Ali Ahmed Aslam</keyword> was regarded as the inventor of <keyword id="265720" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="chicken-tikka-masala" source="Orion">Chicken Tikka Masala</keyword> - a dish that many consider Britain’s national dish. <br /></strong></li><li><strong>Aslam, who ran the restaurant <keyword id="15851123" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="shish-mahal" source="Orion">Shish Mahal</keyword> in Glasgow, died aged 77. He was originally from Pakistan. <br /></strong></li><li><strong>Aslam, and his restaurant Shish Mahal, played an essential part in popularising South Asian cuisine in Britain and helping Glasgow become UK’s curry capital.</strong> <br /></li></ul>Last week, Glasgow-based restaurant Shish Mahal shared on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ShishMahalGlasgow/posts/679852007048440">its Facebook page </a>that its owner, Ali Ahmed Aslam, had passed away. 77-year-old Aslam was widely regarded as the father of Chicken Tikka Masala - an Asian dish that has captured the hearts of Britishers for decades now. <br /><br />The Facebook post was accompanied by a lively photo of Aslam, grinning, with hands in the air, wearing a t-shirt stating “Eat Sleep Shish Repeat”. <br /><br />As hundreds of heartfelt messages of condolences poured in from one-time customers and regulars alike, it was hard to ignore the warmth that exuded even from his photo. The same warmth that Aslam, fondly remembered as “Mr Ali”, poured into his dishes - including his most famous creation, Chicken Tikka Masala. <br /><br />Aslam, and his restaurant Shish Mahal, played an integral role in popularising South Asian cuisine and curries in Britain, especially in <a href="https://www.shishmahal.co.uk/tikka-masala/">Britain’s ‘curry capital’, Glasgow</a>, with Shish Mahal becoming an irreplaceable part of the city’s gastronomical history. <br /><br />As journalist Norry Wilson wrote in <a href="https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/15211046.lost-glasgow-heres-one-super-ali-all-glasgow-loves/">Glasgow Times</a>, “I’ve eaten curries in every corner of the world, from America to Australia, from Birmingham’s Balti Triangle to the expensive curry clubs of London, but nothing has ever come close to that magic mouthful of my first ever Glasgow curry.”<br /><br /><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Setting up Shish Mahal" comment="subhead2" text="Setting up Shish Mahal"><span data-til="noop">Setting up Shish Mahal</span></cmsannotation><br /><br />Aslam was a young boy when his family moved from Pakistan to Glasgow. His father, Noor Mohammed, is reported to have set up the city's first proper Indian restaurant, the 'Green Gates’, in 1959 - and it was all hands on deck. In fact, his mother, Sahra, used to cook chapatis at the restaurant. <br /><br />In 1964, Aslam set up the first Shish Mahal down from Green Gates on Gibson Street, expanding on his father’s business proposition - serving a new cuisine at affordable prices. Shortly afterward, Aslam’s younger brother Nasim Ahmed joined the business. Slowly gaining popularity, the restaurant soon became a Glasgow fixture. And, if <a href="https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/15211046.lost-glasgow-heres-one-super-ali-all-glasgow-loves/">reports </a>are to be believed, at one point the Shish Mahal was even engaged in a stand-off with another Indian restaurant that stood right opposite to it, Koh-I-Noor. <br /><br />It’s not clear who won that competition, but what is clear is that under Aslam’s leadership, Shish Mahal had firmly established itself in the hearts of Glaswegians. <br /><br /><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Chicken Tikka Masala - the curry dish that catered to British taste buds" comment="subhead2" text="Chicken Tikka Masala - the curry dish that catered to British taste buds"><span data-til="noop">Chicken Tikka Masala - the curry dish that catered to British taste buds</span></cmsannotation> <br /><br />The origin story of Chicken Tikka Masala first came to light when Aslam gave an interview to <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-64055639?utm_campaign=later-linkinbio-bbcnews&amp;utm_content=later-31895115&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=linkin.bio">the news agency, AFP</a>. And it’s a story as enticing as the dish itself!<br /><br />He shared how, in the 1970s, a customer complained about the chicken tikka being “too dry” and asked for some sauce with it. Consequently, he whipped up a curry using yoghurt, cream, and spices. As Aslam shared with AFP, “It’s a dish prepared according to our customer’s taste. Usually, they don’t take hot curry – that’s why we cook it with yoghurt and cream.”<br /><br />Today, the restaurant has many noteworthy dishes on its menu and includes ‘Lamb Bhoona’ as one of its best sellers. But Chicken Tikka Masala’s origin story has now developed a life of its own, and the Shish will forever be remembered for it - especially since the dish has consistently ranked among Britain’s favourite dishes. <br /><br />In fact, in 2001, the then British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/apr/19/race.britishidentity">called</a> chicken tikka masala “a true British national dish.” According to the restaurant, a campaign to grant Glasgow legal recognition as the home of chicken tikka masala has also been launched with the backing of the city council and Mohammed Sarwar, the Labour MP.<br /><br /><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Building an army of ‘shish snobs’" comment="subhead2" text="Building an army of ‘shish snobs’"><span data-til="noop">Building an army of ‘shish snobs’</span></cmsannotation><br /><br />Located at Park Road, Glasgow, Shish Mahal is now run by Rashaid Ali–the third generation of Aslam’s family. It has multiple new dishes on the menu, and first-time customers are often unaware of the restaurant’s rich legacy. <br /><br />But that’s not the case with the veterans aka ‘shish snobs’- customers who’ve been visiting the restaurant for decades. They are also responsible for ensuring that new additions to the menu don’t change the “style of dish they were served back in the 70′s.” And they’ve succeeded, so much so, that according to Shish Mahal, “exactly the same items are still there on the menu, served in pretty much the same way they have always been.”<br /><br />In fact, as per the restaurant’s own admission, about 60% of their customers are “regulars”, with the same menu choices. For many, “there is simply no alternative to the restaurant they’ve enjoyed year after year for decades – some, we’re told, even scorn at the suggestion of going anywhere else.”<br /><br />For all these regulars, the employees and the family that runs Shish Mahal - Aslam or Mr Ali remained the restaurant’s ‘godfather’ right till the end.<br /><br /><strong>SEE ALSO: <br /><a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/avoid-travel-these-seven-countries-in-new-year-2023-as-reporting-a-spike-in-covid-cases/slidelist/96538123.cms">Planning an international trip this new year? Avoid these 7 countries reporting a spike in Covid cases</a><br /></strong><a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/venugopal-dhoot-the-man-who-went-from-making-colour-tvs-to-being-involved-in-the-icici-bank-loan-fraud-case/slidelist/96537909.cms"><strong>Venugopal Dhoot – The man who went from making colour TVs to being involved in the ICICI Bank loan fraud case</strong></a><br /><br /><br />

How Glasgow’s Mr Ali ‘created’ chicken tikka masala and left behind a culinary legacy in Britain

<p>It's a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-indian-food-tastes-good-2015-3">scientific fact that Indian food tastes good</a>, mainly thanks to the abundance of spices and flavors.</p><p>There's also quite a variety in Indian cuisine, with dishes ranging from North to South and sometimes by kitchen to kitchen. Punjabi, Bengali, Rajasthani, Goan, Gujarati, and Maharashtrian are just the tip of the delicious iceberg.</p><p>And that doesn't even take into account all of the Anglicized versions of classic Indian dishes, from curry to chutney.</p><p>Here are nine authentic Indian dishes you should try instead of the Western knockoffs.</p><h3>Instead of chicken tikka masala, order chicken tikka </h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><a href="http://www.dawn.com/news/824158/chicken-tikka-masala-claims-its-origins-in-scotland">As the story goes</a>, an Indian chef named Ali Ahmed Aslam invented chicken tikka masala dish while cooking in Scotland. The improvised mixture of yogurt, cream, spices, and tomato soup was poured over chicken after a customer complained about the meat being too dry. Wherever it originated, the dish caught on with the Western palate.<a href="http://www.dawn.com/news/824158/chicken-tikka-masala-claims-its-origins-in-scotland"><br /></a></p><p>And while the sauce does add a lot to the flavor of the dish, a much more authentic meal to try would be chicken tikka, boneless chicken pieces baked on skewers after marinating in spices and yogurt (basically tandoori chicken, but without the bone).</p><h3>Instead of eating naan with every meal, try making rotis instead</h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>Most British and American eaters will only consume their Indian food with a side of naan bread. And while the naan is the same baked fluffy flatbread that is eaten in India, it's usually only <a href="http://eatyourworld.com/destinations/asia/india/delhi/what_to_eat/breads_naan_roti_chapati%20">reserved for special occasions</a>.</p><p>Roti is the bread-of-choice in India. Roti is <a href="http://www.my-indian-food.com/IndianBread.asp">unleavened wheat-flour bread</a> that is thinner than naan, and can be paired with just about anything from honey and cream for breakfast to curries.</p><h3>Instead of dishes made with curry powder, try using a more unique mixture of spices </h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>What we think of as "curry" are dishes that have been cooked with curry powder, typically with pre-mixed flavors of turmeric, ginger, chillies, and coriander, among others.</p><p>But the word "curry" was <a href="http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1989-06-04/features/8902060491_1_curry-authentic-indian-cuisine-coriander">coined by the English</a> and is an oversimplification of Indian cuisine, which uses a variety of spices (masalas) all individually added as you cook so that the mixture is much more unique and varying depending on the region and sometimes by specific kitchen. </p><p><a href="http://www.chicagonow.com/chicagoan-as-apple-pie/2012/06/deconstructing-curry-curry-powder-versus-curry/">A few of the key spices</a> to have on hand are turmeric powder, cumin seeds, coriander power, cinnamon, red chili or cayenne powder, cardamom, ginger, garlic, and mustard seeds. Don't be afraid to branch out and experiment.</p><h3>Instead of mango or "Major Grey's Chutney," try different kinds of chutneys</h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>Chutney was a favorite among the British when Imperialism was still in its heyday. The most famous was <a href="http://www.virginiachutney.com/what-is-chutney">Major Grey's Chutney</a> with mango, vinegar, raisins, lime juice, onion, tamarind, and other spices.</p><p>But there are so many different chutneys to try, most of which are less jam-like and more runny than the Anglo-Indian counterparts. </p><p>In Indian cuisine, chutneys can <a href="http://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/chutney-recipes-indian-chutney-recipe/">range the gamut</a> from sweet to savory. Pineapple, coconut, olive, walnut, and fig are just some of the variants - it it's a fruit, spice, or herb, you can make a chutney with it.<a href="http://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/chutney-recipes-indian-chutney-recipe/"><br /></a></p><h3>Instead of eating kedgeree, try the much more authentic khichdi</h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>Though American readers may not be as familiar with kedgeree, it's a type of <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/06/british-bites-kedgeree-recipe.html">British curried rice</a> usually made with smoked haddock and hard-boiled eggs with some curry powder thrown in. Needless to say, it is a British version of an authentic Indian dish. </p><p>It likely originated from <a href="http://holycowvegan.net/2014/06/masala-khichdi.html">khichdi</a>, a rice and lentils dish that varies heavily by region. No matter what recipe you choose, it's generally considered to be comfort food and makes a fantastic side. It ranges from plain (lentils, rice, and salt) to chock-full of veggies and spices.</p><h3>Instead of ordering mulligatawny soup, try rasam over rice</h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>Surprise, surprise - another British version of a classic Indian recipe. <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/bon-appetits-mulligatawny-soup-chicken-4891">Mulligatawny</a>, loosely translated as "pepper water,"  is made with chicken or lamb broth, vegetables, and lots of spices. </p><p>It's based on a sauce known as <a href="http://www.sowpernica-samayal.com/rasam-varieties">rasam</a> that's typically eaten with rice, though it can also be eaten as a soup. It's usually prepared with tamarind juice, tomato, chili pepper, pepper, and cumin, though there are many different kinds of rasam to enjoy. </p><h3>Instead of the Anglicized comfort food meatball curry, order malai kofta</h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><a href="http://www.mayscookingclass.info/meat-ball-curry-recipe/">Meatball curry is an Anglo-Indian comfort food</a> classic with minced beef or chicken, coriander, chilies, potatoes and more all simmered into a delicious and easy meal.<a href="http://www.mayscookingclass.info/meat-ball-curry-recipe/"><br /></a></p><p>For a more authentic and still tasty counterpart, try <a href="http://www.acurryofalife.com/malai-kofta/">malai kofta</a>. It's a North Indian meal with fried vegetable balls and tomato-based gravy with coriander, cumin, chillies, cardamom, cream, and more. This is a good one for any vegetarians out there, too.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/rival-armed-gangs-fighting-in-china-video-2015-2">Watch 2 armed gangs fight on a busy road in China</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="RwcGo2czoKLZhcKYJSFEeU8bohrjYxgg" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

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How Glasgow’s Mr Ali ‘created’ chicken tikka masala and left behind a culinary legacy in Britain

Srishti Magan

7 real Indian dishes you should try instead of the Westernized knockoffs

Megan Willett

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