In defence of chicken tikka masala

Chicken tikka masala has become something of a joke. When, in the late 2000s, it was topping lists of the nation’s favourite dishes, its popularity was seen as an indictment of British cuisine: we nick stuff from other cultures, strip out its character and call it our own.

This is all deeply unfair: chicken tikka masala is a fantastic, aromatic dish that has earned its place in British culinary history.