Ali Ahmed Aslam
Ali Ahmed Aslam | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1944 or 1945 |
| Died | (aged 77) |
| Occupation(s) | Chef Restaurant owner |
| Known for | Inventing chicken tikka masala |
Ali Ahmed Aslam (1944/1945 – 19 December 2022) was a Pakistani-born Scottish chef, credited as the inventor of the chicken tikka masala dish.
Early life
Aslam was born in what is now Punjab province, Pakistan and moved with his family to Glasgow as a young boy,[1] in either 1958 or 1959.[2] His father, Noor Mohammed, opened what is considered the first true Indian restaurant in Glasgow, the "Green Gates", on Bank Street, in 1959.[3]
Chef and restaurant owner
He opened the "Shish Mahal" restaurant in Glasgow's west end in 1964.[1] and reportedly would eat lunch in his restaurant every day.[4] The establishment was considered his life's work.[4][by whom?]
Invention
Though the origin of the dish is not certain, as the proprietor of a restaurant in Glasgow, he is credited with inventing chicken tikka masala by improvising a sauce made from a tin of condensed tomato soup, and spices.[5][6] He claimed he devised the recipe for "Britain’s favourite curry" after a customer complained that his meal was too dry.[1]
It is widely considered an adaptation of the cuisine to suit Western European pallets.[4] Aslam claimed it was his gift to the city of Glasgow and later campaigned unsuccessfully for the dish to be granted "Protected Designation of Origin" status by the European Union.[4][1]
Personal life
Asif Ali, son of Aslam, spoke to The Glasgow Times about his father's dedication towards charity work in Scotland and Pakistan.[7]
He was married and had five children.[1]
A proud Glaswegian, his nephew Ahmed said he was a perfectionist and highly driven.[4]
Death and funeral
He died in Glasgow on 19 December 2022 at the age of 77.[1][8] His funeral was held at Glasgow Central Mosque a day later, with members of the public invited to attend.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Nadeem Badshah (21 December 2022). "Ali Ahmed Aslam, inventor of chicken tikka masala, dies at 77". The Guardian.
- ^ https://www.asianimage.co.uk/news/23207066.tributes-paid-glasgow-curry-legend-ali-ahmed-aslam/
- ^ One Super Ali Glasgow loves, The Herald Scotland
- ^ a b c d e Anjali Thakur (22 December 2022). "Ali Ahmed Aslam, 'Chicken Tikka Masala' Inventor, Dies At 77". NDTV.
- ^ "Glasgow 'invented' Tikka Masala". BBC News. BBC. 21 July 2009. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
Mr Sarwar claimed the dish owed its origins to the culinary skills of Ali Ahmed Aslam, proprietor of the Shish Mahal restaurant in Park Road in the west end of the city. He is said to have prepared a sauce using spices soaked in a tin of condensed tomato soup after a customer said his meal was too dry.
- ^ Godeau, Lucie (2 August 2009). "Chicken tikka masala claims its origins in Scotland". Sydney Morning Herald. Agence France Presse. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
"Chicken tikka masala was invented in this restaurant, we used to make chicken tikka, and one day a customer said, 'I'd take some sauce with that, this is a bit dry'," said Ahmed Aslam Ali, 64, founder of Shish Mahal. "We thought we'd better cook the chicken with some sauce. So from here we cooked chicken tikka with the sauce that contains yogurt, cream, spices.
- ^ "Glaswegian who 'invented' chicken tikka masala dies". BBC News. 2022-12-21. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
- ^ "Glaswegian who 'invented' chicken tikka masala dies", BBC News, 21 December 2022. Retrieved 21 December 2022
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