Ali Ahmed Aslam, the Glaswegian-Pakistani chef who is widely credited with inventing the chicken tikka masala, has died at 77.
In a post on Facebook on Tuesday, his restaurant Shish Mahal announced Aslam’s passing.
“Hey Shish Snobs…Mr Ali Passed away this morning….we are all absolutely devastated and heartbroken,” it said.
The restaurant closed for 48 hours following the news of his death.
According to US at-home curry product Sukhi’s website, Ali Ahmed Aslam invented the dish while working at his restaurant, in Glasgow, Scotland.
The story goes that Aslam created the dish in a hurry when he added mild tomato cream to his chicken tikka in an effort to please a customer who complained the meat was too dry.
The customer, a bus driver, enjoyed the dish so much that he returned to the restaurant many times over the years, bringing his friends and family to enjoy the dish.
While the theory is popular, some say that the dish was merely created as a dulled-down version of similar, spicier dishes from the Punjab regions of India.
Since its inception, the curry has gone on to become one of the most popular meals across the world, especially in the UK.
Some would argue that alongside butter chicken and vindaloo, chicken tikka masala is one of Britain's national dishes.
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