A MOVEABLE FEAST: THE CURRY INSPIRED BY TRAINS

A moveable feast

Two award-winning restaurateurs tell Jane Common how their rail trip with LNER helped launch an exciting twist on an old Indian favourite

A GOOD meal is like a journey, according to Jay Alam, executive chef at Newcastle’s award-winning Indian restaurant Jashn. “Forget curry in a hurry,” says Jay, 51. “We offer something different – five or six-course tasting menus that take people on a journey through India and Bangladesh, exploring recipes that have been passed down the generations.” Paying a visit to Jashn to sample Jay’s dishes is certainly a good reason to hop on board an LNER service to Newcastle.

“I want to be sure that everything we serve is fresh and full of flavour”

Jashn, which he runs along with owner Mo Hussain, is a winner at the National Curry Awards – fitting success for Jay, who grew up in his family’s restaurant, washing dishes by standing on an industrial-sized vat of cooking oil to reach the sink. A favourite on the menu is railway lamb curry. It’s popular in Indian restaurants across the UK, but Jay and Mo wanted inspiration for a modern take on the classic recipe. So, going back to the dish’s railway roots, they hopped on board one of LNER’s world-class 125mph Azuma trains. Built using Japanese bullet-train technology, Azumas are designed to be more comfortable, faster and eco-friendly. If, like Jay and Mo, you plan to work on board, you can use LNER’s free seat selector so you can choose your own comfy seat in advance, opting for quieter spaces if preferred. Plus, you can even get refreshments and food delivered directly to your seat, thanks to LNER’s Lets Eat At My Seat menu – perfect for fuelling inspiration. The quiet time on board was ideal for developing menu ideas, giving them a creative space to let their imaginations work. “It’s always busy at work,” Mo says. “On the train my mind is clear – it gives you space to let new ideas emerge.” Trains are central to the history of the traditional railway lamb curry, he explains.

At the table: Jashn’s menu, featuring the signature railway lamb curry, is a twist on traditional Indian fare

“The English officers overseeing the building of the train network in India during the Raj wanted a mild curry that tasted like a traditional English Sunday roast. “So, the on-board railway cooks invented a lamb dish with coconut milk and potatoes. The officers liked the curry so much it was added to the menu for First Class passengers.” And while LNER might not offer railway curry on its First Class menu, it does uphold principles that Jay firmly endorses, like using locally sourced, top-quality ingredients in all dishes. As well as Jashn, Jay is about to open a new restaurant – Amaze Gourmet Spice – in Whitley Bay. The seaside town, ten miles north of Newcastle, is fast becoming a foodie favourite, with independent restaurants and quirky food festivals.

Travelling by train isn’t just better for you – it’s also a creative way to destress, where you can kick back, take in the scenery or do something you love. It’s also a great way to help protect the environment when you’re on the move. If, over the next year, we all used the train for half of the car and plane journeys we’re planning to take for leisure in the UK, we’d massively reduce our carbon emissions. If you want to find out more and check your carbon footprint on a train journey, LNER’s online Carbon Calculator compares CO2 emissions for journeys by train, car and plane. And LNER Green Guides help you make planet-friendly decisions when you reach your destination. The travel guides showcase the most environmentally friendly attractions in the historic cities along LNER’s East Coast route.

MAKE A RAIL SUSTAINABLE DIFFERENCE

It means Jay can buy fresh and local too. “I’ll be at Fish Quay up the road every morning, buying the catch of the day,” he adds. “I want to be sure that everything we serve is fresh and full of flavour. “Geordies really are the friendliest, most unpretentious people in the country. I love that they’re all up for a good night out, and they deserve great food!” Jay moved to Britain with his family when he was just two, and says he appreciates the cuisine of both cultures. “Colour is so important in Indian and Bangladeshi food and culture. “England’s colours aren’t as vivid, but when I travel by train, I appreciate the greens and blues. That inspires me.”

Book your next inspiring adventure at LNER.co.uk – and download an LNER Green Guide for the city you’re travelling to.

“The rapeseed in the fields I passed on the train made me think of golden saffron”

As for their railway lamb curry, designed on board, it’s different but equally delicious – railway northern spice scallops with saffron cream sauce. “The bright yellow oil rapeseed growing in the fields made me think of golden saffron,” Jay says. “And, of course, the seafood will be fresh – big, chunky North Sea scallops. Delicious!” He’s shared his recipe so you can give it a try at home. Or why not book yourself on an LNER train to Newcastle and enjoy the original at Jashn? Wherever you decide to go, book a train journey with LNER.co.uk today – all the essential ingredients are there to let your imagination soar.

Exciting departures: taking the train gives Mo (left) and Jay time to develop new menus

Tap to see the recipe

Railway northern spice scallops with saffron cream sauce

Voyage of discovery: the duo are inspired by their journeys as well as their destinations

Photography by Nick Wilson

the curry inspired by trains

The business at hand: the restaurateurs share ideas as they travel with LNER

Ingredients: 1 pinch saffron ½ cup chopped shallots 2 tbsp butter 1 medium-sized garlic clove, crushed ½ tsp turmeric powder ¼ tsp curry powder A pinch of ground cloves 1 lemon, juiced 1 cup heavy cream Scallops, ½ lb per person Salt and a pinch of curry powder, pepper to taste Instructions · Melt butter over medium heat in a pan · Add the chopped shallots and sauté until soft · Add the crushed garlic, turmeric, ground cloves, curry powder and lemon juice · Combine ingredients and add the heavy cream · Whisk until it starts to thicken · Add the saffron · Whisk the sauce and simmer until it thickens a little more · Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper if needed Then set the sauce aside while you cook the scallops. · Wash and dry the scallops · Remove the “catch” muscle attached to the side · Season the scallops with salt, curry powder and pepper and add to a hot pan · Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side Spoon some of the sauce on a plate and top with the cooked scallops.

Serves four to six