Kokova Magazine

National Curry Week 9th - 15th October was started in 1998 to promote the cuisine and to raise funds for charities concentrating on hunger, malnourishment and poverty. Now it is your turn to join in.

This year every curry lover in Britain is invited to join in no matter how you prefer to enjoy Britain's favourite dish.

During the week, curry lovers can get out and visit their local curry houses, some of which will be staging special events and fun challenges.

Now in its 14th year, National Curry Week 2011 for the first time invites not only curry restaurants, caterers, pubs, canteens etc, all over Britain but also the curry loving public who wish to dine at home with a takeaway, a prepared meal or cooking from scratch.

Both the dine in and dine out sectors are invited to celebrate the cuisine and culture this year with special dinners, record-breaking attempts, raffles, auctions and, where possible, raising contributions to help the alleviation of poverty and suffering in South Asia and worldwide.

What restaurants can do is celebrate the week in which we acknowledge curry in Britain each year and, if possible, set aside a special evening where the proceeds go to The Curry Tree Charitable Fund which, last year, focused on the Pakistan Flood Disaster Appeal.

The event is supported this year by Cobra Beer, CurriesOnline for the takeaway sector, Patak's for the dine at home fans and S&A Foods with Asda for those who prefer ready meals.

The launch of National Curry Week 2011 was announced in April with the exciting news that the event's World Poppadom Tower Challenge Record had not only been broken but almost eclipsed.

Nahim Aslam's Indian Ocean in Ashton Under Lyne achieved a massive 1075 poppadoms in a tower 1.57m high.

The record was witnessed by official judges, Tameside Councilor Bill Harrison and local businessman Jon Howarth, Managing Director at City Accident Response, Ashton-under-Lyne. Both were on hand to observe the attempt from start to finish, making sure the guidelines provided by National Curry Week and Guinness World Records were properly followed when counting and then measuring and officially recording the height of the tower.

The record was first achieved in 2004 when Matt Robinson piled 152 poppadoms on top of each other but the Indian Ocean's achievement beating the present record of 450, takes things to a new height!

National Curry Week will take place from 9th - 15th October this year leading up to World Hunger Day.

Centrepiece of the event will again be Curry Capital of Britain with seventeen cities competing to try and rest the crown from current title holder Glasgow.

The winner of the title will be Curry Capital of Britain during London Olympic year.

"What a way to start this year's event," commented organizer and founder Peter Grove. "I am sure this will be the best National Curry Week yet and hope every curry fan in Britain gets involved."

Even those who prefer other cuisines will not be left out as they can celebrate National Eating Out Week 20 - 26 November once again at home or in a restaurant

For details visit www.nationalcurryweek.co.uk.

Did you know?

Chilli - main ingredient is capsiacin and is know as a powerful pain killer and antioxidant helping to combat heart attack and stroke and even extends blood coagulation time.

It is capsaicin that makes chilli and hence curry, mildly addictive. Capsiacin has an affinity for fat so it may well be helpful for weight control

The latest attempt on National Curry Week’s World Poppadom Tower Record by Indian Ocean in Ashton under Lyne resulted in a new World Record of 1075 poppadoms measuring 1.57 metres. Had they been able to carry on stacking up to 15 million poppadoms they would have reached the height of Mount Everest.

One company in India alone, claims to sell over 2 million 6” papads a day to supermarkets in Britain to feed our demand for poppadoms. This would mean that this company's annual sales to Britain, if placed end to end, would cover the circumference of the Earth at the Equator 2.8 times.

Historians claim that the earlier Nawabs of Punjab wore a matching turban for each variety of biryani. The Nizam's kitchen boasted 49 kinds, which included biryanis made from fish, quail, shrimp, deer and hare.

In herbalist witchcraft, the essential oil of cardamom is used in magic for love and lust!