Royston’s British Raj Express is supporting the inaugural British Curry Day today, by helping to fund meals for the vulnerable, children entitled to free school meals and NHS workers working at hospitals across the festive period.
The event celebrates the past and present of Britain’s favourite cuisine whilst commemorating the original pioneers of the British curry
industry who laid the foundations in the 1960s and 70s.
British Raj Express, located opposite the railway station is supporting the initiative, launched by Spice Business Magazine. The theme of this year’s event is #BackTheBhaji – a reminder that many popular ‘Indian’ dishes
were actually innovations, such as onion bhaji and chicken tikka masala, created in Britain by Bangladeshi restaurateurs and chefs.
Enam Ali, publisher of Spice Business, said: “The onion bhaji is one of numerous items on British curry house menus not found on the Indian subcontinent.
“Curry may have been born in India but its rise to greatness in the UK was thanks to a demand for certain styles and flavour from people here.”
Commenting on British Curry Day commemorating the founders of the curry industry, he said: “Tragically we are losing many of the country’s first curry restaurateurs, who are now elderly with severe underlying health issues, to the pandemic. “
“These people came to a strange foreign land at the invitation of the British government and through their own endeavours and willingness to work anti-social hours – built a special industry, which is now an integral part of British society.”
Safwaan Choudhury, managing director of British Raj Express, has explained how his team are celebrating the first British Curry Day, in line with this year’s theme ‘Back The Bhaji’, for every portion of onion bhaji ordered today, Thursday, aswell as Britain’s favourite dish Chicken tikka masala and the original British Raj signature dish ginger chilli chicken tikka masala British Raj Express will match in providing free meals to the vulnerable, children entitled to free school meals and NHS workers working at hospitals across the festive period.
He said: “I urge my colleagues in the curry industry and fellow restaurateurs to join the campaign, raise awareness and most importantly, back the bhaji!”
Reflecting on his family’s legacy, the 23-year-old said, “I am proud to be a third generation British-Bangladeshi continuing the journey of my predecessors. My grandfather, the late Mr Nazir Uddin Choudhury, established Royston’s original British Raj Restaurant in 1976.”
To order from British Raj Express on British Curry Day, visit their website
www.britishraj.co.uk or call 01763 244 544.
Participants are encouraged to share contributions on social media using the #BritishCurryDay and #BackTheBhaji hashtags. For those wishing to be involved with British Curry Day, details are available online at www.britishcurryday.org.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here