Special Sub-Topic: I Love Curry! Click Here To Play: I Love Curry!

Which of the following curries usually has coconut as a main ingredient?

Korma. Dhansak is a hot, sweet and sour curry cooked with lentils. Rogan josh is medium hot, and known for containing tomatoes. The methi is a delicate, aromatic curry that is flavoured with the herb fenugreek, which (surprise surprise) is also known as methi!

What is the Indian name of the vegetable side dish that consists principally of spinach and potato?

Sag Aloo. Chana massala is made from chick peas. Tarka dall consists of lentils garnished with garlic. Mattar paneer is a side-dish of garden peas with cheese. (What will they think of next?)

Which of the following Indian restaurant titles is (thematically) the odd one out?

The Darjeeling. Darjeeling is (of course) a tea, whilst the other titles relate to the rule of India. Viceroy and raj are terms associated with British rule and (before that) India had seventeen Mogul rulers.

What dish does the Collins Dictionary describe as "An Indian dish made with rice, highly flavoured and coloured, mixed with meat or fish"?

Biryani. Balushashi are sugar covered pastry rolls. Bhel is an appertiser made from puffed rice. Besan laddu is a flour based sweetmeat flavoured with pistachio and cashew nuts.

Of the four curries listed below, which would be the hottest (ie: most spicy)?

Vindaloo. Madras and pathia are both hot and sour dishes - but they don't pack as big a punch as their stronger cousin, the vindaloo. Kashmiri is a more subtle and creamier dish altogether, and is usually made with lychees or bananas - or both. (Man, I'm getting hungry just talking about this lot!)

What is a Bombay Duck?

The dried and salted flesh of the Lizardfish. The Bombay Duck has got to be one of the weirdest tasting Indian delicacies going. By the way: the cherimoya (the custard apple tree) comes from South America.

One of the following is NOT a type of Indian bread. Which one?

Matzah. The Matzah is the odd one out - as it's a traditional Jewish unleavened bread. (But you knew that already, didn't you?)

Which of these dishes could be said to be "heavy on the onions"?

Dupiaza. Yes, dupiaza is the curry known to have a lot of onions (usually fried onions). The others may come with onion in them too - but not nearly as much. In fact, the word dupiaza (more or less) means "double the onions"!

What is "murgh" on an Indian menu?

Chicken. The word "murgh" on an indian menu denotes "chicken". "Gosht", on the other hand, refers to Lamb. (Actually, "gosht" means "meat", but this will invariably be lamb - as beef and pork aren't traditionally served in Indian resturants.)

Which of these items is NOT an Indian dessert?

Balti. Balti is a curry. It is cooked until most of the liquid has evaporated, then served in the wok-like metal bowl called:- a balti. In recent years this type of curry has become very popular in the British midlands. Kerwai is a banana and almond flavoured dessert which is fried. Gulab jamun consists of dough balls that are drenched in syrup. Kulfi is a type of indian ice cream. (After you've eaten a massive curry with all the trimmings - and simply can't eat another thing - it's amazing how you can find some extra room for a pistachio kulfi!)

Naan is a type of Indian bread, which is often prepared with different fillings and flavourings. If you ordered a keema naan, what special filling would you be expecting?

Minced Lamb. I can't say I've ever tried a keema myself (it sounds a bit gross to me!). My favourite bread is the delicious peshwari naan, which is filled with succulent coconut - and quite often sultanas too. (Oh boy, am I salivating, or what!)

Which of the following is the variety of rice most associated with Indian cookery?

Basmati. Basmati Rice originates from the foothills of the Himalayan mountains, where it has been grown for centuries. Its name means "queen of fragrance" in Hindi.

Which curry is so "hot" that many restaurants choose not to offer it on their menu?

Phall. If the vindaloo is the "lager lout's special" - the phall is for brain dead morons! It's so hot you can't taste anything - and it's guaranteed to blow your socks off! Those in search of enjoyable flavours are advised to keep well away (as does many a proud restaurant owner).

What is a Tandoor?

A traditional Indian clay oven. The tandoor gives it's name to the word tandoori, which is often commemorated in the name of Indian restaurants - e.g.: "The Catford Tandoori". The most famous tandoori dish is perhaps tandoori chicken.

Which of these traditional accompaniments to an Indian meal is more of a British invention than an Indian one?

Six Pints of Lager. Now you've finished the quiz, you couldn't nip out and get me a prawn vindaloo could you? Cheers!