BRADFORD, U.K. - TelAve -- EGG AND BAKED BEAN MASALA?

Bradford's Crafty Indian introduces UK's first ever fusion food to its menu

A Bradford Indian restaurant is set to cause a real stir amongst regulars and foodies from across the country as it introduces a dish to its menu that it claims was the first ever fusion food in the UK – egg and baked bean masala.

The dish can be traced back to the early 1960s and the initial waves of mass migration from South Asia to the UK. The majority of those arriving were men; most of whom wouldn't have engaged in cooking at home. Faced with working long hours in low skilled jobs in a country far away from home they sought to create a meal that was quick and easy to cook and was similar to the food they were used to.

The resulting egg and baked bean masala, says Harry Khinda, owner of the Crafty Indian on Bradford Road in Shipley, was one of the very first experiments in east meets west fusion foods. It comprised scramble eggs and baked beans, was cooked with onion and garlic fried in butter, seasoned with salt, cumin seed and chilli flakes; and was served with buttered bread. The end result resembling a simple curry with a chapati.

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"In the early years, lots of South Asian's disliked British food because it was totally different in appearance and taste to the food they were used," said Harry. "Not pulling any punches, it would've been bland and tasteless compared to the spicy dishes of home."

"As a result, they sought to create dishes that suited their palates and didn't overly test their limited cooking skills – and so very much by default, the dish became the first fusion food; inadvertently sparking a culinary style that has been common place ever since."

Harry is now set to reintroduce this first fusion dish – albeit with a few additional ingredients – into his popular, Crafty Indian restaurant, which is renowned for its imaginative street food dishes and wide selection of locally brewed craft beers – and he is looking forward to the reaction of diners.

"It's definitely a dish that people will see on the menu and order out of sheer curiosity," he said. "And while it may split opinion in a way that Marmite can only dream of, I am hopeful that more people will love it, rather than hate it."

www.thecraftyindian.com.