Highly motivated and absolutely involved in the food culture market, Faz Ahmed is one of the champions in the competitive spice business in Europe. Owner of Akash and founder of spice business Curry by Air Spices, the 36 year old entrepreneur has been primarily influenced by the culture, tradition and food of Bangladesh and his passion about bringing these tastes around the world.
The Akash restaurant has been running for 42 years and most recently went global by delivering their well known and evidently in demand dishes to France and Italy from the UK.
Faz Ahmed, a proud alumni of the University of Portsmouth, started his business in his local home Portsmouth where he feels lucky to have been born and raised. However his extensive traveling into Bangladesh cities and remote regions developed his senses and knowledge of Bangladeshi flavours.
Ahmed can talk with enthusiastic sparkling eyes about curry and other spices for hours, often invited to UK’s Tv, he made Akash the place to be for diplomats, politicians and VIPs of the showbiz.
“I have UK politicians as my clients for years previous and current ones. We have had Lords, Councillors, mayors and MPs as clients. I have a good relationship with the Embassy of Bangladesh in London who are supporting me in different ways. From my side I am helping them promote Bangladesh to the world. I did also have a Bangladesh Minister visit me around a year ago here’s the link to his visit.” Said Ahmed proudly.
Faz Ahmed, gave Diplomat Magazine his recipe for a Bangladeshi traditional style curry, an example of his commitment to sharing his beloved cultural dishes with the world.
For this piece Mr Ahmed will be sharing one of his favourite cherished traditional chicken curry dishes. The staff chicken curry is a well known treasured favourite. Spiced to perfection this slow cooked on the bone chicken will leave your taste buds tingling. The name is derived from the fact that It isn’t usually found on the menu but will usually be cooked for staff at the end of the day or behind the scenes in most Bengali or Indian restaurants. It is a joy for him to be able to share this well loved and treasured recipe with the world and even more so to complement it with the personal touch of his spices.
Ingredients
Staff Chicken Curry
- Whole Chicken cut into pieces
- 4 teaspoon of oil
- 1½ teaspoons of Garlic ginger paste
- Four peeled and cut onions
- 1½ teaspoon of salt-
- ½ pint of Water
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon of Garam masala
- ¾ teaspoonJazzy Jerra (cumin)
- 1 teaspoon Ha Ha Haldi (turmeric)
- 1 teaspoon delicious dhani (coriander)
- 3 teaspoon cosy curry (curry powder)
- Chilli chilli add accordingly (optional)
Method
Start by adding the 4 tsp of oil into a pot and heating it up. Then add some garlic and ginger paste, 1½ teaspoons to be exact as well as four peeled onions and heat it all together on a low heat.
Next step is to add some salt, use less to begin with and add incrementally as you go depending on your preferred taste/palette. Add half a pint of water and leave to simmer on a low heat for 10 minutes. Once you see the onions have caramelised and everything has simmered together add more water, remember to add water as and when you feel the need to in order to avoid burning or drying out the food.
Now time to add the spices, once you see the onions have caramelised add ½ a spoon of Garam masala, ¾ of Jazzy Jerra, 1 tsp of delicious dhani and 3 spoon of cosy curry and 1 teaspoon Ha Ha Haldi (turmeric). Add chilli chilli spice depending on your spice preference. Finally add tomato to add some colour and extra flavour. Let this simmer on a low heat for another 10 minutes. Add chicken on the bone and some water if needed.
Let the chicken cook and stir as needed as well and add more water when necessary once chicken is cooked your curry is ready.
Video recipe can be found here;
