Our Indian Menus

India, Bangladesh and Pakistan are large countries, over a million square miles of varied landscapes divided into many territories. Geography and local produce have played an important part in forming their own culinary traditions. Religious groups have modified these regional cuisines even further to suit their own requirements. History has also had its influence, the British colonialists left a few dishes in their wake. For example they introduced Cutlets, which Indian cooks adapted by marinading in ginger and garlic, thus becoming Cutlis. The Moghuls, who came to India via Persia in the 16th century, introduced the milder Pillaus and meats cooked in yoghurt and fried onions.

The common denominator in all Indian cooking is the use of spices. Sometimes just one to cook a simple vegetable dish or sometimes up to fifteen to cook an elaborate meat dish. The use of spices does not make the dish hot, the `heat’ in Indian food comes from chillies, which were introduced from the new world in the 16th century by the Portuguese. The spices and seasonings mostly used are black pepper, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, cardomom, coriander, fennel seeds, mustard seeds and turmeric. These spices can be left whole and fried or roasted or ground with water and vinegar to make a paste. Each method draws out a completely different flavour from the same spice. This means that a great variety of flavours can be given to a vegetable like the potato, not only by boiling, baking or roasting, but by cooking with whole cumin, a combination of ground cumin and roasted fennel or just black pepper.

The combinations are endless as is the variety of tastes. It is this carefully orchestrated use of spices, seasonings and flavours that gives our food its unique character. The genuine and authentic dishes which are served here have been created with an exotic collection of spices and herbs, distinctively blended in the traditional way of Bengal, Punjab and the northwest of India. Each dish has its own distinctive flavour and aroma.

The premises now numbered 8-8a Quiet Street were built in 1824 to the design of Bath architect Henry Edmund Goodridge, who also designed the entrance block to the Corridor in the High Street. No 8 formed the ‘Auction Mart and Bazaar’ and contains on its first floor a large and lofty hall used for meetings and exhibitions and later as a Methodist Chapel. The two statues in the niches are the work of Lucius Gahagan and represent ‘Commerce’ and ‘Genius’. The figure in the apex of the pediment is by an unknown sculptor and represents ‘Mercury’ the god of trade and communication.