Indian recipes from the cream of British society spice up British celebrity chef Tommy Miah’s latest cookbook
By Kevin Rego
smidday@mid-day.com
As Britain continues to savour an Indian Summer, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, who is celebrating her golden ascended the throne, has decided that she does not want to be left out. No, she does not have a role in Bollywood and Selfridges with its desi makeover still does not appeal to her (she still prefers Harrods). In an unconventional move, which has raised a few eyebrows in royal circles, the queen has written a foreword to a celebrity cookbook on Indian cuisine — Favourite Recipes of the Raj — which will raise funds for the Cancer Research Society in the UK.
In tranquil Scotland, the endorsement from Buckingham Palace has given a shot in the arm to Indian restaurateur, Tommy Miah, the man behind this royal coup — actually comes from the capital Edinburgh. Arguably one of Britain’s leading chefs, Tommy Miah, is ecstatic over this major achievement. Three years ago he received a polite “No” when he wrote to her with regards to the foreword. Nevertheless his perseverance and luck paid off. The queen happened to be a patron of the cancer charity the proceeds of the book were going to. “It’s a great feeling and the first time and maybe the last, that the Queen has endorsed an Indian recipe book,” says the 43-year-old Miah, beaming from ear to ear.
Of course, it’s not his first brush with royalty. In 1991, he got the outrageous Duchess of York to write the foreword for his second book True Taste of Asia, a reflection of recipes from all over Asian sub-continent. But he is cock-a-hoop over his latest cookbook. And quite rightly so. For besides, the Queen’s foreword there’s a list of celebrities who have contributed their favourite recipes very happily for this noble venture.
Cherie Blair’s Kutchi bhindi, former actress and Labour MP Glenda Jackson’s Saag Aloo, evergreen star Tom Jones’ Prawn curry with coconut milk and former England football manager and currently Manchester City FC boss Kevin Keegan’s chicken tikka masala take pride of place in this new mouth-watering cookbook which has just been released and has got a fantastic response.
Not bad at all for a man who came to Britain in 1969 at the age of 10 along with his parents from Sylhet in Bangladesh, could not speak a word of English and hardly ever went to school. Curriculum was just not my scene,” says Miah. “I just wanted to get away from it all and do something on my own,” he adds. But at 16, he was married and had forced to shoulder additional responsibility. With his background he was forced to work in restaurants as a kitchen porter.
