Ali Ahmed Aslam, 'Chicken Tikka Masala' Inventor Dies At 77 - NDTV

A cook from Glasgow, Ali Ahmed Aslam who is credited with inventing the 'chicken tikka masala' has died astatine the property of 77. 

Ali Ahmed Aslam's decease was announced by his Shish Mahal edifice successful Glasgow, which closed for 48 hours arsenic a people of respect, reported The Guardian.  The eatery announced: “Hey, Shish Snobs … Mr Ali passed distant this greeting … We are each perfectly devastated and heartbroken.”

He invented the crockery by improvising a condiment made from a tin of herb crockery astatine his edifice Shish Mahal successful the 1970s, died connected Monday morning, his nephew Andleeb Ahmed told AFP.

"He would devour luncheon successful his edifice each day," Ahmed said.

"The edifice was his life. The chefs would marque curry for him. I americium not definite if helium often ate chickenhearted tikka masala."

Ahmed said his uncle was a perfectionist and highly driven. 

"Last twelvemonth helium was unwell and I went to spot him successful infirmary connected Christmas Day," Ahmed said.

"His caput was slumped down. I stayed for 10 minutes. Before I left, helium lifted his caput and said you should beryllium astatine work." 

In an interrogation with AFP successful 2009, Ali said helium came up with the look for chickenhearted tikka masala aft a lawsuit complained that his chickenhearted tikka was excessively dry.

"Chicken tikka masala was invented successful this restaurant, we utilized to marque chickenhearted tikka, and 1 time a lawsuit said, 'I'd instrumentality immoderate condiment with that, this is simply a spot dry'," Ali said.

"We thought we'd amended navigator the chickenhearted with immoderate sauce. So from here, we cooked chickenhearted tikka with a condiment that contains yogurt, cream, and spices."

The crockery went connected to go the astir fashionable crockery successful British restaurants.

Although it is hard to beryllium definitively wherever the crockery originated, it is mostly regarded arsenic a curry adapted to suit Western tastes.

Ali said the chickenhearted tikka masala is prepared according to lawsuit taste.

"Usually they don't instrumentality blistery curry, that's wherefore we navigator it with yoghurt and cream," helium said.

Supporters of the run to assistance the crockery protected presumption constituent to the information that erstwhile overseas curate Robin Cook erstwhile described it arsenic a important portion of British culture.

"Chicken tikka masala is present a existent British nationalist dish, not lone due to the fact that it is the astir popular, but due to the fact that it is simply a cleanable illustration of the mode Britain absorbs and adapts outer influences," Cook said successful a 2001 code connected British identity.

Ali, primitively from Punjab state successful Pakistan, moved with his household to Glasgow arsenic a young lad earlier opening Shish Mahal successful Glasgow's westbound extremity successful 1964.

He said helium wanted the crockery to beryllium a acquisition to Glasgow, to springiness thing backmost to his adopted city.

In 2009, helium campaigned unsuccessfully for the crockery to beryllium granted "Protected Designation of Origin" presumption by the European Union, alongside the likes of Champagne, Parma Ham and Greek Feta cheese.

MP Mohammad Sarwar tabled a question successful the House of Commons successful 2009 calling for EU protection.

Ali leaves a wife, 3 sons and 2 daughters.