From Chennai to the High Street: The Story of Madras Curry

The True Origin:
The story of Madras curry begins in the 1600s with the arrival of the British East India Company. Merchants and colonisers loved the fiery, complex, aromatic meat dishes prepared by local Tamil cooks, who heavily utilised ingredients like curry leaves, black pepper, tamarind, and fresh chilies. Unable to replicate the intricate, multi-layered spice combinations themselves, the British sought to standardise the flavour. They packaged a fiery, turmeric-heavy spice blend, stamped it with the name of the port it sailed from, and exported it globally as "Madras Curry Powder".
The BIR Evolution:
Fast forward to the 1970s UK curry boom. Pioneering Bangladeshi and Indian chefs adopted this historical concept to create a high-speed assembly line. They needed a shorthand language to help Western diners navigate a menu by heat level. Thus, the modern British Indian Restaurant (BIR) Madras was born: a dish engineered for maximum speed, using a sweet vegetable base gravy, tomato paste, lemon juice, and a heavy hand of chili powder to sit perfectly between a mild Tikka Masala and a scorching Vindaloo.

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📢 The Friday Night Takeaway Manifesto: Elevating the Takeaway Experience
Our Friday Night Takeaway pays homage to the lightning-fast BIR cooking techniques that create that iconic, smoky "curry house" aroma. However, mass-produced catering shortcuts are completely off the menu.
Here is exactly how our completely scratch-built approach redefines the classic takeaway:
No Commercial Powders: Instead of using stale, pre-packaged tins of curry powder, our Madras Mix Powder is dry-roasted and ground fresh. You will taste the vibrant difference of freshly cracked coriander, toasted cumin, and aromatic fenugreek.
The Deep South Tang: Most commercial takeaways rely entirely on cheap white vinegar or heavy lemon concentrate for acidity. We use a scratch-made tamarind extraction and fresh citrus juice, anchoring the dish back to its genuine Tamil roots.
True Heat & Colour: That gorgeous, deep-red hue doesn't come from artificial food colouring. It is achieved naturally through premium Kashmiri chili, balanced with just enough hot cayenne pepper to deliver the signature, full-bodied Madras kick without scorching your palate.
The Sizzling Madrasi Dal Finish: Our dal isn't just a side dish; it’s an event. Cooked slowly from scratch, it is finished with a traditional Tarka—hot ghee infused with crackling mustard seeds, whole dried red chilies, and fresh curry leaves poured over the lentils immediately before packing.
This Friday, experience the ultimate hybrid: the rapid, rich, satisfying texture of your favourite weekend takeaway, built entirely from scratch with the uncompromising flavour profile of real artisan cooking.

MENU for FRIDAY 13th November 2026

****Beef Madras -a recipe from a kitchen in Chennai (Madras)
15 € per person served with lemon rice

Paleron de bœuf  simmered in an onion and tomato sauce , infused with freshly ground spices as used in kitchens in Chennai (Madras), garlic, and ginger. Slow cooked for a deep, warming heat and flavours of cumin, coriander, turmeric, and chilli. Finished with a touch of tangy tamarind and fresh coriander for a bold yet balanced curry — rich, aromatic, and comfortingly spicy - served with lemon rice

****Chicken Madras -a revelation!
14.50 € per person served with lemon rice

Cooked differently to the beef, the chicken (breast) is smeared in turmeric and seared for a velvety finish. Finished in a silky onion base gravy spiked with smoky Kashmiri chili and fenugreek leaves (méthi). A signature touch of authentic tamarind pulp gives this dish its iconic, lip-smacking tang. Seved with lemon rice

****Chettinad Kai Karai Kurma (Coconut & Black Pepper Vegetable Kurma)
13.00 € per person served with lemon rice

A rich, aromatic vegetable kurma built on fresh coconut, fennel seeds, cashew nuts, and fresh green chilies ground into a beautiful masala paste. It features mixed vegetables (cauliflower florets, green beans, carrots, potatoes and green peas) finish-spiced with crushed black pepper and fresh curry leaves tempered in coconut oil. Served with lemon rice

Lemon rice 
South Indian style- mustard seeds, channa and urad dal, curry leaves, fresh lemon, cashews and peanuts

EXTRAS

***Madrasi Dal
4.00 € per person

Slow-simmered lentils in a rich South Indian spiced sauce with tomato, garlic, ginger, and aromatic spices; cumin, coriander, turmeric, mustard seeds, and dried red chilies.....
comforting, slightly tangy, gently smoky, and beautifully spiced rather than just “hot.”

***South Indian Potato and Onion Samosa, Vengaya Samsa 3 € for 2 
the people of Coimbatore call these beauties “Pupsu” while the rest of Tamil Nadu calls this a “Samsa”. Samsa / Pupsu was a nostalgic snack sold in cinema theatres till the 90’s until the popcorn took over. These are bite sized divine mouthfuls. Hands down one of my favourites. Spiked with mustard seeds, curry leaves and dried red chillies, they are sensational

***Parathas. - 5 € for two
Hand made with a lot of attention and care. Couldn't have a menu without this bread to mop up the sauce 

***South Indian fried papad - 3 € for a bag of two

***Indian Pickles and Achaar 300 g jar 6.50 €

Lime pickle 
Mango pickle 
Green chilli pickle 
Sweet mango chutney

Orders by Tuesday 14.00 hrs please, so that we have time to place our orders and get our deliveries in on time

To order and for details of collection points, collection times and payments www.fridaynighttakeaway.com