Bringing the taste of Yuva back to Bassingbourn

The chef at the helm of Bassingbourn’s acclaimed Indian restaurant is excited to bring the taste of his Bangladeshi hometown to the village kitchen.

Altaf Hussain, 42, who has worked at Yuva in Old North Road since it opened eight years ago, is back in Bassingbourn after single-handedly serving up popular dishes with a British twist to 800 guests at a wedding in Barlekha in the Bangladeshi region of Moulvibazar.

He says: “I got so much praise. They were a bit shocked because they are used to traditional curries, but they were really impressed.

“They liked the garlic chilli chicken, which is a fusion dish.

“I brought loads of fresh ingredients back to Bassingbourn – the shatkora, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, bay leaves and cinnamon – so guests in the restaurant can enjoy the same flavours.”

Most of those ingredients are familiar names, but if you’re not sure about the shatkora it’s a cross between grapefruit, lime and lemon which adds a citrus tang to curry dishes.

Altaf said: “It’s been a privilege to serve Royston and Bassingbourn for eight years and I am always ready to give more to my local community.”

Altaf works in partnership with his cousin, manager Amran Hussain, who said: “We love Bassingbourn. We try to get involved with the community, and put on fundraising events – we also sponsor the cricket team.

“We are inspired by Altaf’s hard work – travelling to various countries to learn and identify some tasty dishes to bring back to Yuva.”

To find out more about the restaurant, visit the website at www.yuvaroyston.co.uk.