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The concept is a simple one and has barely changed since the handful of \u2018rice and three\u2019 cafes opened over thirty years ago. A plate or takeout box, stuffed with three portions of freshly made curry, served on a bed of fluffy rice. Always incredible value, the meal is now usually six quid a pop.<\/p>\n
This n that<\/b><\/h3>\n
At one of the city\u2019s longest-running \u2018rice and three\u2019 eateries, This & That, we\u2019re joined by owner Ismail Mallu. He moved to Britain from Gujarat aged eight, taking over This & That in the mid 80s.<\/p>\n
Keen to find out how some of This & That\u2019s familiar dishes such as chicken masala and lamb korma differ from those offered by British Indian restaurants on Manchester\u2019s Curry Mile and beyond, we ask Ismail about his recipes. \u201cIn those restaurants the meat is pre-cooked dry. When a customer orders, their curry is cooked individually in a frying pan, with spices added depending on how the customers want it,\u201d he explains. For him, it\u2019s like artificial flavouring, because the spices don\u2019t have enough time to develop flavour. \u201cLike they do back home in India, we cook in more traditional large pots for an hour or more, until the spices are thoroughly cooked,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
Chapati Caf\u00e9<\/b><\/h3>\n
Family recipes are also at the heart of Chorlton\u2019s Chapati Cafe, which serves dishes such as guar, a distinctive cluster bean curry cooked with aubergine and potato. Inspired by her mother\u2019s fusion of traditional Gujarati cooking and flavours from Tanzania, owner Priti Chauhan-Hall says Chapati Cafe\u2019s dishes are curries you can eat every day. \u201cYou go to an Indian restaurant for a special occasion, for that richer dish, whereas our curry is a lot lighter,\u201d she tells us.<\/p>\n
Bangladesh, Pakistan & India<\/b><\/h3>\n
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Priti is keen to stress what sets the \u2018rice and three\u2019 concept apart. It\u2019s the commitment to staying true to the food you grew up with: \u201cIn \u2018rice and three\u2019 restaurants, you kind of get the feel for what area of India or Bangladesh or Pakistan people are from,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
Caf\u00e9 Marhaba<\/b><\/h3>\n
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Cafe Marhaba opened in Back Piccadilly in 1992. Run by father and son duo Nazir and Abdul Ahmen, the takeaway is renowned for authentic Punjabi flavours. \u201cTo set ourselves apart, we\u2019ve also got a traditional clay oven,\u201d explains Abdul.<\/p>\n
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He demonstrates how the naan dough, which consists of flour, oil, sugar and salt is rolled into a ball and flattened, before being lowered into the tandoor. Baking for a matter of minutes, our naan comes out incredibly soft, fluffy and moreish \u2013 a perfect accompaniment to the chickpea, spinach and cauliflower curries we try.<\/p>\n
Street Food Values<\/b><\/h3>\n
Despite their competitive prices and truly authentic recipes, some of the \u2018rice and three\u2019 curry cafes are suffering from increasing rents and competition, not least from popular Indian street food restaurants. Is it possible then, that the \u2018rice and three\u2019 concept might have to adapt, or face extinction?<\/p>\n
At Cafe Marhaba, change is already evident in the increasing amount of vegan options available, while Chapati Cafe are expanding their offer by serving south Indian breakfasts at weekends.<\/p>\n
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The Joy of Simplicity<\/b><\/h3>\n
For well-established places like This & That, competition is part and parcel of running the business, and Ismail has seen many a food trend come and go since those first years serving the warehouse workers. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter who opens next door to me, my customers know that my food tastes the same,\u201d he says. \u201cBecause of that, they keep coming back.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n LUCY NOONE BLAKE (Pear Comms) @lucinoone7\u00a0<\/a><\/strong> SAX ARSHAD (of Evelyn\u2019s \/ Mughli) @saxarshadHere are some recommendations from the EATMCR community<\/h3>\n
\n\u2018Chapati Cafe.. It\u2019s like a curry orchestra\u2019\u00a0<\/em>
\n<\/b>Hands down for me it’s got to be the Chapati Cafe in Chorlton. Veggie options are amazing and each curry works just beautiful on it’s own…But when you mix them together…It\u2019s like a curry orchestra\u2019<\/p>\n
\n<\/a><\/b>\u2018<\/a>Kabana..Hot Since 82\u2019
\n<\/b><\/i>I\u2019ve been hanging around here since the 80s and been eating Rice n Three since I could walk! The best for me is Kabana. My order is Karahi Lamb, Keema Peas, Bombay potatoes. Proper taste of Lahore\u2019<\/p>\n