I had the pleasure of interviewing the wonderful and incredibly talented ‘Madhur Jaffrey’ last week. Madhur is extremely easy to talk to and incredibly knowledgeable. Madhur has just released another wonderful cookery book, called ‘Curry Nation’ but this book is totally different from anything she has written before. It is fabulous and all about how Britain has influenced and changed it’s relationship with our now favourite dish ‘Curry’. Every Friday night in our home is curry night. I experiment with different flavours, spices and textures. A great family evening.

Madhur travelled up and down the country from Edinburgh to Leeds, Yorkshire, Leicester and beyond to find out how regional Indian cooking has become a favourite in every household across the UK. How fabulous. Very similar to regional cooking in Italy, from the North to the South such big taste changes. Madhur mentioned in Edinburgh, haggis was added into curry, well that is very different. Not sure I would be too fond of that added ingredient in my curry!!

Chicken Tikka Marsala is our favourite dish in the UK. It now beats the traditional chippy! This dish is typically served dry in India, but in the UK there is a huge demand for what Madhur called gravy, so this is why most of our curries come with a sauce. We are a nation of curry lovers, not forgetting all of the added poppadoms, naan breads and other accompaniments.

Madhur learnt to cook in the UK whist studying at the RADA, with recipes sent from her mother. Very brief recipes with ingredients but not much of a method. But this is how Madhur learnt to cook and soon became her passion along with her acting. Madhur now live in New York with her husband.

Curry Nation the book includes 100 different recipes from restaurants up and down the country, along with a mix of history and stories too. An added bonus of Madhur’s new TV series which starts this Sunday 4th November on The Good Food Channel.

From coconut infused curries to kebabs and korma’s, Curry Nation is a wonderful book to add to your collection.

My interview will be on BBC Radio Northampton’s kitchen garden show this Sunday at 10am.

                       “Madhur Jaffrey is to curry what Delia Smith is to a Sunday roast”

Carmela x