When I was a student it was a right of passage to head to some flecked wallpaper curryhouse to see who could manage to eat a phall, the legendary super hot curries created by Bangladeshi chefs in Birmingham in the 1970s. Personally I think they were just having a laugh as those dishes were simply inedible. I wept into my food when I tried, but then I always was a complete wuss.
But the memory does raise the question, what would it be like if one of the great modern Indian chefs could create a real heat seeking missile of a dish? What would it be like? Would the older, more food savvy me finally be able to cope and put the shame of rugby-club-curry-night failure behind me?
While now we are all about to find out, as things are about to get seriously hot in Covent Garden as acclaimed chef Vivek Singh brings back his infamous Bombay Burner curry – and this time, it’s even hotter. Albeit I don’t remember last time there being lots of people saying “great curry, just needs to be hotter”. Is it just me? Guys, does anyone remember saying that?
Well, he’s done it anyway and it is landing this week at Cinnamon Bazaar as part of the restaurant’s 10th anniversary celebrations, the £14 dish packs some of the world’s hottest chillies into one seriously fiery curry. Could this be the hottest curry in London? I really suspect it is.
First introduced at The Cinnamon Club in 2008 as the Bollywood Burner, the curry earned a reputation as one of the UK’s spiciest dishes, attracting attention from chilli lovers brave enough to give it a try. Now, nearly two decades later, it’s back with a new name, a new recipe and even more heat.
Inspired by a traditional Hyderabadi dish, the Bombay Burner combines lamb mince, peas, fenugreek leaves and Kashmiri chilli powder with a formidable line-up of chillies, including the notorious Carolina Reaper. Once officially the hottest chilli in the world, the Carolina Reaper averages a staggering 1.64 million Scoville Heat Units – compared with just 3,000–8,000 for your average jalapeño. The result is a curry that promises extraordinary heat without compromising the bold, aromatic Indian flavours for which Vivek Singh is renowned.
And just how hot is it? Hot enough that diners must sign a ‘You Were Warned’ disclaimer before tucking in. That’s a clue you see. A really bug in-your-face clue. Expect watering eyes, serious sweating and perhaps a few regrets along the way.
Whether you’re a committed chilli lover or simply curious to discover just how much heat you can handle, this is one curry unlikely to be forgotten in a hurry.
Think you can handle the heat? Book at www.cinnamon-bazaar.com. Good luck!
Cinnamon Bazaar Covent Garden – 28 Maiden Lane, Covent Garden, London WC2E 7JS – 0207 395 1400