>

So what were you left with after you take out three ingredients?
This man has brought so much joy to my taste buds over the years. >

This man made me fat >

You must've had it's milder cousin, butter chicken >

And how is vindaloo related to the lot? Aggressive uncle? >

Having had all three, yes >

At the same time? You culinary hussy! >

It's all very consensual I assure you. >

I always assumed this was something that has been around for centuries.
Crazy it’s fairly new. >

A surprising number of "traditional" dishes are actually fairly modern creations. Tiramisu is from the 60's or 70s, carbonara is from the 1940s, Japanese ramen is from the early 20th century. >

Same as Pad Thai, that was an organized effort by the Thai government to make a recognizable national dish >

Japanese curry was pretty much invented by their military in the mid 19th century to create a basic, non-regional "soldier chow". >

And they got it from the British instead of directly from India. >

British used to eat boiled potato with salt and pepper tbh, he was from Subcontinent >


USED TO

Sure...yeah >

Still do... But used to too >

The British really love hippopotamuses, or as they like to call them, “really cool optamuses” >

I'm the hip-hop-opatamus, my rhymes are bottomless... >

His name. A. Aslam is an anagram of masala 😵‍💫 >

Happy coincidence, though masala is an ages-old term basically meaning “spice blend”. >

Yes, I just found it so funny that his name also spells masala! He was born to make that dish! >

I figured you knew; I was just mentioning it for anyone who didn’t know! >

Invented in the 70s! I went to London in 1975 when I was 13 years old. I grew up in a small city in California and never even heard of Indian food before. We went to an Indian restaurant, where I was introduced to and fell in love with Chicken Tikka Masala.
So weird to think that dish was less than 5 years old. If we'd gone to London a few years earlier, I would've missed it! >

He invented it in Glasgow. It spread quickly. >

Thank you for your service to diners around the world, good sir. 
As an American with Desi in-laws, chicken tikka bridged the gap between tastes at most of our family meals. It’s not just a dish, it’s food diplomacy between east and west. >

Wow, I’ve never thought about it in such a way before but you’re so right. Food diplomacy is best diplomacy and chicken tikka does it very well. You may already know this, but many countries invest heavily in food diplomacy programs. Probably the most notable is Thailand, they culinary exports have greatly increased peoples view of the country from abroad and has boosted their tourism economy quite significantly. Food certainly bridges cultural gaps! >

This is why Anthony Bourdain's shows were so important >

I was a cook for years and his death still upsets me sometimes. He really, really cared about what he did, the people he met, and the entire culture around food. Truly an inspirational man. >

I only wish they would have kept filming after the food shows' footage was in the can for the day. He was a heavy drinker and you could tell he got blitzed with so many interesting people all over the world. Those conversations at 2 am over an empty liquor bottle must have been something else. I would love to hear what Anthony and a 70 year old Ramen shop owner really thought about things. >

Oh man, I love Chicken Tikka Masala. Rest in peace, culinary genius. >

I think there should be Nobel prizes for cooking and he should get the first one. >

You’d also have to change the rules where Nobel prizes can be awarded posthumously. Either that or find a way to resuscitate the legend >


Ali Ahmed Aslam’s death on Monday was announced by his Shish Mahal restaurant in Glasgow, which closed for 48 hours as a mark of respect. The eatery announced: “Hey, Shish Snobs … Mr Ali passed away this morning … We are all absolutely devastated and heartbroken.”

Authentic, I love it.
I slobber and drool just talking about getting a bowl >

I wish I had known this! I was roadtripping in Scotland for a week last year, I would have absolutely stopped in to this restaurant. I had some masala in Oxford though, and it was so delicious I ordered it twice. The masala in England tastes so different than what I've ordered in the US. Both delicious, but three restaurants in England I went to it was just slightyl different enough to notice. >

Holy shit... I've found Tom cruise's Reddit account! >

Spoons up for the goat. >

A man worth honoring, the creator of my absolute favorite meal.
I just made some wings last night to try a newly purchased hot sauce called Tikk-Hot Masala and it was absolutely wonderful. Even my oldest teen who is not a fan of hot sauces enjoyed it. >

High Desert Hot Sauce just closed :( >

Never knew that Chicken Tikka Masala is the National dish in England! 🥘 >

Pretty humorous, really. Their food is so bad that the first good dish an immigrant made on their soil was claimed as the national dish. >

I don’t get why immigrant food is used as an insult, isn’t US cuisine basically a melting pot of different cultures? There’s nothing wrong in a culture adapting, and tikka masala is no different to something like New York-style pizza being unique to the US compared to a traditional Italian style.
And it’s not like it’s a widely agreed upon national dish - fish and chips or roast dinners would be contenders. >

I don’t think it was an insult. It was more about OP joking that England didn’t have any good native dishes to choose from, and had to spotlight an immigrant’s dish instead. If anything, that’s a compliment to said immigrant. >

I think the most British more "traditional" food that's actually good would be savoury pastries.
As I understand they aren't popular in America, and basically don't exist in Europe, maybe except France?
Things like meat and potato pie.
I think Yorkshire puddings are probably a great runner up, along with scones and crumpets.
Sure none of those are mind blowing or fancy, but for a 50-55 degree latitude island nation I think we did well for food considering what we had access to. For reference, that means that the UK's lowest point is still above the US/Canada border! Also meaning most Brits are more Northern than most Canadians (iirc 90% of Canadians live in a 30 mile wide line following the border?) >

One of the US-Canada borders, but not the other. >

I will have tikka masala tomorrow in his honor. >

Literally my favorite dish in the world. I actually had it the previous two nights in a row…RIP you culinary genius. >

More of a Butter Chicken guy, myself. >

Same for me. But chicken tikka masala was my intro to Indian food, so it will always be special to me. >

Gods speed this man. I’m in Texas and I eat this. >

"inventor"? More like one of the greatest chefs to ever live! >

Thank you sir for creating one of my favorite foods in life >

Thank you sir! And RIP. I love that this dish is pretty much universally loved but every restaurant seems to have a different recipe. >

That’s how most Indian dishes are. Ask any desi aunty and she’ll tell you “no, THIS is the right way to make this.” >

Wow, I'd assume inventing that dish improved so many people's meals and life. What a great impact to have in the world. >

My first “Indian” dish. And though it isn’t really Indian food, it helped me branch out to other Indian dishes, then Thai… trying it really opened a culinary door for me. >

I didnt know the inventor of chicken tikka masala was pakistani, i assumed they would be indian. You won't find tikka masala in most pakistani cuisine. >

From what I understand, you won't find it in Indian cuisine either. It was born of the British desire to have gravy on their meat. >

True but Indian restaurants will still carry it. Pakistani ones won't though >

I have never heard of a pakistani restraunt in glasgow but know of many indian restaurants and takeaways owned by pakistani people 
I think they are just happy to keep using the term indian food as it is familiar
It is a pakistani dish made for scottish people served in an indian restaurant >

Pakistani people up until their independence half a century ago were Indian.
People are familiar with Indian restaurants so Pakistani owners will market them as Indian. Pakistani restaurants may also sound less appealing to some people so there's that too.
Some do have the dish in their menu but usually it's just the traditional dishes of which there's no shortage to choose from. >

Chinese restaurants are the same often run by other asian nationals
 who know it wont be as popular if you call it a Malaysian etc >

A fair amount of sushi restaurants and take-away places in Sydney are run by Koreans, which is a tad interesting given the history between those countries. >

Same in California. >

Hes getting buried in a tinfoil tray, with a card lid >

Never knew I loved this guy until just now. May he rest in peace. >

I happen to love chicken tikka masala. DAMN. Rest in peace, Mr. Ali Ahmed Aslam. Your contribution to existence was very much appreciated. 🥂 >

Rip to a culinary genius. Tikka masala is one of my favorite meals. >

Coincidentally, I'm reading this as in finishing up cooking a batch of tikka masala. Not chicken, though. Baked tofu, cauliflower, and chickpea tikka masala.
Edit: Here's a photo of it simmering. >


Here's a photo of it simmering.

This looks so good! >

It tastes good too. It's a bit of work, but not too much. It's well worth the effort 
Here's a photo of it served with basmati rice.
Here's the recipe. (I slightly modified this, but it's a good starting point.) >

What all did you modify, besides adding tofu?  Also 2 tablespoons of garam masala, jesus that’s a lot lol. >

I took out the carrots and peas. I also doubled the recipe, but used the same amount of cauliflower. Then I added 3 packages of diced tofu that I baked. (Recipe for that here but leave out the soy sauce since that doesn't really go with tikka masala.) I also added 3 cans of chickpeas drained and rinsed.
The double portion will serve my family of 4 for 2 days with left over for lunches. (About 18-19 bowls.) >

Imagine being known as a person who invented a dish like that? He’ll go down in history lol >

TIL chicken Tikka masala is the British equivalent of General Tso's chicken in America >

We just finished cooking and eating it. Wow. >

I owe this man a debt of gratitude. Rest in creamy, delicious peace, sir. >

Bruh i thought it was hundreds of years old >

CTM, pilau rice, keema naan, 4 poppadoms w/ mango chutney, chicken pakoras and fries.
Ulimate hangover cure in the UK. >

I had no idea it was a modern invention. >

Once i ordered a Cobb Salad at a restaurant with another couple with us...i started removing hard boiled eggs, bacon, chives
The husband was getting upset at how i was customizing the Cobb salad "The way you're customizing that salad, it's not a Cobb Salad at all now" i said: "I guess so, we can call it a David Salad" (my last name)..turns out his grandpa was actually the one who invented the Cobb Salad that's why he was taking it personal.