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NDTV
05-07-2025
- General
- NDTV
How Britain Gave Us Chicken Tikka Masala - And Why India Took It Back
By the time you finish reading this, you might start craving a bowl of creamy, tomato-rich chicken tikka masala, and that is entirely the point. But as you swirl a chunk of naan through that sunset-orange sauce, have you ever stopped to ask: Where did this dish actually come from? Is it truly Indian? In the pantheon of global comfort foods, few dishes have sparked as much debate, devotion, and delicious confusion as chicken tikka masala. Popularly known as CTM for decades now, it is a staple among British curry-house regulars. Experts have declared it a symbol of modern multicultural Britain. Even pubs in Yorkshire serve it over chips. Yet, most Indians back home might raise an eyebrow when someone says, "That's not really Indian, you know." In this article, we take a deep dive into the fascinating, flavour-packed journey of this beloved curry -from its alleged invention in a rainy Scottish kitchen to its triumphant return to Indian menus. Also Read: Anglo-Indian Cuisine: India's First Fusion Cuisine? 4 Emblematic Anglo-Indian Cuisine Recipes All About Chicken Tikka Masala: At first glance, chicken tikka masala seems like a natural extension of Indian culinary tradition. After all, it begins with chicken tikka - boneless chunks of chicken marinated in yogurt and spices, then roasted in a tandoor. But the masala, that rich, creamy, tomato-based gravy, is where the story takes a sharp turn. Unlike traditional Indian curries, which often rely on slow-cooked onions, whole spices, and regional techniques, chicken tikka masala's sauce is smoother, sweeter, and more uniform. It is a dish engineered for comfort not complexity, heat, or excess spice. The CTM Origin Story: The most widely accepted tale of chicken tikka masala's birth places it in Glasgow, Scotland, sometime in the 1970s. According to food historians, when a customer at the Shish Mahal restaurant in Scotland, complained that his chicken tikka was too dry, chef Ali Ahmed Aslam allegedly improvised a sauce using canned tomato soup, cream, and spices to appease the diner. The result? A dish that would go on to become a national obsession. But like all great origin stories, this one has its fair share of competing theories. Some historians argue the dish evolved gradually in Bangladeshi-run curry houses across the United Kingdom, where chefs adapted Indian recipes to suit British palates. Others trace its roots to butter chicken from Delhi, suggesting that tikka masala is a British remix of a Punjabi classic. Regardless of who first stirred the pot, one thing is clear: chicken tikka masala was born out of cultural negotiation. Also Read: Mulligatawny Soup: Is It India's First Soup? What Is It Made Of? Photo Credit: iStock From Curry-House Staple To British Icon: By the early 2000s, chicken tikka masala had become so entrenched in British food culture that then Foreign Secretary Robin Cook famously declared it "a true British national dish," reports the Guardian. He called it "a perfect illustration of the way Britain absorbs and adapts external influences." Indeed, its popularity soared alongside the rise of the British curry house. These restaurants, often run by Bangladeshi immigrants, became culinary lifelines for post-war Britain, offering exotic flavours at affordable prices. Today, reportedly, it is estimated that over 23 million portions of chicken tikka masala are consumed annually in the United Kingdom. Supermarkets sell ready-meal versions, and the dish has even found a home in pubs and pop culture alike. Chicken Tikka Masala's Way Back To India: Over the past two decades, CTM has made its way back to India, but this time as a foreign import. Restaurants in Delhi, Mumbai, and beyond now serve their own versions, often labelled 'British-style curry' or 'Angrezi tikka masala'. For chefs here, it is a chance to reinterpret a relocated creation through a local lens, adding more heat, swapping cream for cashew paste, or pairing it with regional breads like kulcha or roomali roti. Also Read: How To Make Railway Mutton Curry - An Anglo-Indian Delicacy Of The First Class Passengers (Recipe Inside) Bottom Line: A Dish That Defies Borders Chicken tikka masala is the perfect example of what happens when a centuries-old cuisine meets a new audience and evolves in unexpected ways. The next time you dip a piece of naan into that luscious orange gravy, remember: you are not just eating a curry, you are tasting a slice of history. And if all this CTM conversation has left you hungry, here's a recipe to help you recreate it at home. Enjoy your meal! Advertisement About Somdatta Saha Explorer- this is what Somdatta likes to call herself. Be it in terms of food, people or places, all she craves for is to know the unknown. A simple aglio olio pasta or daal-chawal and a good movie can make her day. For the latest food news, health tips and recipes, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and YouTube. Tags: Chicken Tikka Masala Britain History Of Chicken Tikka Masala Show full article Comments
Daily Record
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Record
Robin Cook internship presents pupils with opportunity of working with Livingston MP at Westminster
It's 20 years since the death of the former Foreign Secretary Livingston's MP has announced the launch of a new, high-quality summer internship in memory of the late Robin Cook. It's 20 years since the death of the former Foreign Secretary who represented Livingston for over two decades. The new Robin Cook Internship scheme to support young people is open to S5 and S6 pupils from schools across the Livingston constituency, and offers a two-week paid placement during summer 2025. Interns will be paid the Real Living Wage and will gain hands-on experience of working in Gregor Poynton's constituency office in Craigshill, Livingston, as well as in his parliamentary office on the House of Commons estate at Westminster. Robin Cook served as the UK's Foreign Secretary from 1997 to 2001. The programme has been launched to coincide with the 20th anniversary of his death, and honours his deep commitment to internationalism and local representation. Interns will assist with casework, research policy, and engage with local issues. They will also take part in a behind-the-scenes tour of the House of Commons, with plans for a meeting with UK Government Ministers and senior parliamentarians as part of the experience. Earlier this month, Gregor Poynton MP wrote to local schools inviting pupils to apply. A number of high-quality applications have already been received. To give even more young people the chance to apply, the deadline has now been extended to 6pm on Thursday, June 19. Applications will be assessed on a CV and a 1000 to 1,500-word essay on the theme 'Livingston's Place in the World', encouraging reflection on the local community's connections to global issues , echoing Cook's international focus and legacy. Gregor Poynton MP said: 'Robin Cook was a towering figure in British politics and an outstanding representative for Livingston and West Lothian. His belief in principled foreign policy and his dedication to his constituents left a lasting mark. I hope this internship will give a young person in Livingston a meaningful opportunity to step into public life and perhaps even follow in Robin's footsteps.' The internship will take place over a two-week period between June 30 and July 25. Full details have been shared with local schools, and head teachers have been asked to encourage pupils with an interest in politics, international affairs, or public service to apply.
Scotsman
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Scotsman
Livingston Constituency MP Gregor Poynton launches paid internship in honour of Robin Cook
Twenty years after the death of the former Foreign Secretary, a new scheme to support young people in Livingston will bear his name Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Gregor Poynton, Scottish Labour MP for the Livingston constituency, has announced the launch of a new, high-quality summer internship in memory of the late Robin Cook, who represented Livingston for over two decades and served as the United Kingdom's Foreign Secretary from 1997 to 2001. The Robin Cook Internship, open to S5 and S6 pupils from schools across the Livingston constituency, offers a two-week paid placement during summer 2025. Interns will be paid the Real Living Wage and will gain hands-on experience of working in Gregor Poynton's constituency office in Craigshill, Livingston, as well as in his parliamentary office on the House of Commons estate at Westminster Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Earlier this month, Gregor Poynton MP wrote to local schools inviting pupils to apply. A number of high-quality applications have already been received. To give even more young people the chance to apply, the deadline has now been extended to 6pm on Thursday, June 19. Gregor Poynton MP, speaking in the House of Commons, now represents the constituency formally held by Robin Cook. The programme, launching to coincide with the 20th anniversary of Robin Cook's passing, honours his deep commitment to internationalism and local representation. Interns will assist with casework, research policy, and engage with local issues. They will also take part in a behind-the-scenes tour of the House of Commons, with plans for a meeting with UK Government Ministers and senior parliamentarians as part of the experience. Applications will be assessed on a CV and a 1,000–1,500-word essay on the theme 'Livingston's Place in the World', encouraging reflection on the local community's connections to global issues , echoing Cook's international focus and legacy. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Announcing the internship and extended deadline, Gregor Poynton MP said:'Robin Cook was a towering figure in British politics and an outstanding representative for Livingston and West Lothian. His belief in principled foreign policy and his dedication to his constituents left a lasting mark. I hope this internship will give a young person in Livingston a meaningful opportunity to step into public life and perhaps even follow in Robin's footsteps.' Gregor Poynton MP has launched the Robin Cook Internship to mark the upcoming 20th Anniversary of his passing. The internship will take place over a two-week period between June 30 and July 25.
The Guardian
08-06-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Britain has escalated the global nuclear arms race – and is bringing us closer to armageddon
Plans by Keir Starmer's government to modernise and potentially expand Britain's nuclear weapons arsenal, unveiled in the 2025 strategic defence review (SDR), seriously undermine international non-proliferation efforts. They will fuel a global nuclear arms race led by the US, China and Russia. And they increase the chances that lower-yield, so-called tactical nukes will be deployed and detonated in conflict zones. This dangerous path leads in one direction only: towards the normalisation of nuclear warfare. These unconscionable proposals are a far cry from the days when Robin Cook, Labour's foreign secretary from 1997 to 2001, championed unilateral nuclear disarmament and helped scrap the UK's airdropped gravity bombs. They are a continuation of a redundant, inhuman, immoral, potentially international law-breaking deterrence policy that cash-strapped Britain can ill afford, will struggle to implement at cost and on time, and which perpetuates illusions about its global power status. Starmer's justification for spending an additional £15bn on nuclear warheads for four as yet un-built Dreadnought-class submarines, whose price tag is £41bn and rising, is that the world – and the threat – has changed. But in terms of nuclear arms, it really hasn't. Even as cold war tensions receded, the eight other known nuclear-weapons states – the US, Russia, China, France, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel – clung on to their arsenals. Some expanded them. Today, as the global security environment deteriorates again, governments that ignored an obligation to pursue nuclear disarmament 'in good faith' under article six of the 1970 non-proliferation treaty (NPT) are finding new reasons to keep on doing so. Britain must not compound its decades-long failure to honour the spirit of the treaty. The SDR's assertion that 'continued UK leadership within the NPT is imperative' seems disingenuous, given government intentions. The SDR concedes the NPT, up for review next year, is close to failing. 'Historical structures for maintaining strategic stability and reducing nuclear risks have not kept pace with the evolving security picture,' it says. 'With New Start [the 2010 US-Russia strategic arms reduction treaty] set to expire in February 2026, the future of strategic arms control – at least in the medium term – does not look promising.' This is a Trident missile-sized understatement. Nuclear proliferation is once again a huge problem. The US will spend an estimated $2tn over 30 years on weapons development. Donald Trump said in February he wants to 'denuclearise'. Guess what! He's doing the opposite. The White House is seeking to raise the National Nuclear Security Administration's annual weapons budget by 29%, to $25bn, while slashing funding for the arts, sciences and foreign aid. That's on top of several multibillion-dollar Pentagon weapons programmes. China's nuclear strike force has more than doubled in size since 2020, with some pointed at Taiwan. Russia's expanding capabilities include a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile, recently fired into Ukraine. And Trump's Golden Dome plan upends prior undertakings on anti-missile defence. By joining the proliferators, hypocritical Britain sends a cynical signal to Iran, Saudi Arabia and others whose supposed nuclear ambitions it opposes. One future scenario is especially chilling: the possible reintroduction by Britain of air-launched nuclear weapons for the first time since Cook scrapped them. This could involve buying US F-35A fighters and arming them with US-designed B61-12 bombs. These bombs have variable yields and could be used tactically, against a battlefield target, a command HQ or a city. They could be launched remotely, using unmanned drones. They bring the prospect of nuclear warfare measurably closer. Starmer is leaning heavily on the review's claim that Russian 'nuclear coercion' is the biggest menace facing the UK. Even if true, no amount of nuclear missiles and bombs may suffice if political will is lacking to directly confront Vladimir Putin by, for example, deploying Nato conventional forces to defend Ukraine and responding forcefully to hybrid attacks on Britain. Like the former US president Joe Biden, Starmer gives too much credence to Moscow's crude threats. Putin knows that if he presses the nuclear button, it will explode in his face. He's many things – but not suicidal. This is the conundrum at the heart of nuclear deterrence theory. Nuking a nuclear-armed adversary guarantees self-destruction (which is why India and Pakistan jibbed at all-out war last month). And hurling nuclear threats at states and foes that lack nuclear weapons is ineffective. As Ukraine shows, they grow more defiant. As a weapon, nuclear blackmail is overrated. Fear of British nukes did not deter Argentina's 1982 Falklands invasion. Nukes did not stop al-Qaida in 2001 or Hamas in 2023. So why have nukes at all? Retaining nuclear weapons at current or increased levels does not make Britain safer. Their use would be immoral, irrational and catastrophic. They are grossly expensive, consuming resources that the UK, facing painful Treasury cuts again this week, could more sensibly use to build hospitals and schools and properly equip its armed forces. It's uncertain how independent of the US the British deterrent really is in practice. Does Starmer or Trump have the final word on use? Official secrecy prevents adequate democratic scrutiny. And the idea that nuclear warfare, once the taboo is broken, might somehow be contained or limited is a fast-track ticket to oblivion. Gradual disarmament, not rearmament, is the only way to escape this nightmare. The SDR urges a government PR campaign to convince the British people of the 'necessity' of a nuclear arsenal. No thanks. As Russia again raises nuclear war fears, what's needed is public education about the dangers of weapons proliferation. People worry about everything from an existential global climate emergency to the cost of living. But what we're discussing here is the universal cost of dying. Nuclear warfare is the most immediate threat to life on earth. Worry about that first. It's a shortcut to apocalypse – now. Simon Tisdall is a Guardian foreign affairs commentator
