Indian food is established as one of the most popular cuisines in the UK with Chicken Tikka Masala now said to be the most popular dish on British restaurant menus.
However, there is more to a curry than a plate full of hot spicy food as medical researchers are now discovering.
As well as curries or curry ingredients this week, the beer with the bite, which one man reckons is the best drink to complement a curry.
I have often heard curry lovers extol the virtues of their favourite Indian curry in glowing terms, claiming that this or that curry was "a curry to remember."
According to medical researchers in the University of California this might not actually be too far from the truth as new research suggests that having the odd curry could help protect against Alzheimer's disease.
Turmeric, a yellow spice used to add colour and flavour to curries, contains an ingredient that helps cells in the brain fight that generative disease.
Ground-up turmeric root has long been used in traditional medicine for disorders such as epilepsy and it is also thought that turmeric can boost the body's immune system.
It is not just turmeric however, that is the only curry ingredient with health-boosting compounds. Different types of curries will use a variety of different spices such as fenugreek, coriander, cinnamon, fennel, chilli, ginger and cardamom, to name but a few. Researchers from various parts of the world claim that all these curry spices have a variety of medically beneficial properties.
Coriander, for example, which has been called the world's most popular herb, has more anti-oxidants than Vitamin C and has also been shown to have beneficial effects on cholesterol reduction.
Root ginger, which is a staple in most curry powders, apparently can lower the risk of stomach ulcers and can reduce the pain of knee osteoarthritis, while Cardamom has been used in traditional medicine for a variety of conditions including sore throats, indigestion and stomach problems.
Chilli powder, another staple in many curries, is often blamed by those who combine copious quantities of lager with late night curries for heartburn.
In fact some research shows that gastric ulcers are three times less common in countries where large amounts of chilli are eaten and that chillies burn up more calories and fat than other spices.
For the confirmed lager drinkers there is no question of what should be drunk with a curry, but for many other curry lovers there is always the question of which drink goes best with a curry.
Wine is a good accompaniment for some and there is even a white wine called Spice Trail which apparently has been produced specifically to go with curry.
One man who is convinced that he has found the perfect drink to go with curry is Lord Bilimoria of Chelsea, the owner of Cobra beer who was born in Hyderabad in Southern India. The story of Cobra beer is quite remarkable in that the good lord did not just import his favourite beer from India, but instead worked with a brewer to create a product designed to appeal to lager and ale drinkers alike and go well with spicy Indian food.
The result was the award winning Cobra, a premium lager beer. Cobra beer is now sold in around 90% of the UK's alcohol serving curry houses and in an increasing number of major supermarkets.
Predictably this week the recipe features a curry. For this recipe it is quite important to get a good quality minced lamb as sometimes supermarket minced lamb can be quite fatty as off-cuts are used without the fat being trimmed off.
This curry is very easy to make and can be kept quite mild or spiced up with additional chilli powder or fresh chillies as desired.

Methi Keema (Minced Lamb Curry)

Ingredients

1lb of good quality minced lamb. (Ask the butcher to mince about three gigot chops - bone removed of
course - for the best result!
About two tablespoons dry Methi/fenugreek leaves
Two onions, peeled and chopped
Two cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
About 2 teaspoons, peeled, crushed root ginger
Three tablespoons vegetable oil (or ghee, clarified butter if preferred)
One tablespoon tomato puree
Four black cardamoms, crushed
One teaspoon turmeric
About one teaspoon of red chilli powder or one seeded and chopped fresh red chilli or a green chilli for a milder curry
One inch piece cinnamon bark, crushed with rolling pin
five or six cloves
Half a teaspoon salt or more to taste
One small tub yogurt
One tablespoon garam masala
Quarter of a pint of water
Some freshly chopped coriander to garnish before serving

Method

Place Methi in a bowl and pour some boiling water over it. Allow to soak for a minute and then drain thoroughly.
Fry onions, garlic and root ginger in a pan with the vegetable oil or ghee till golden brown.
Add the salt, Methi and spices, apart from the Garam Masala, and cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes stirring frequently.
Tip in the lamb and cook till it changes colour.
Add the yogurt, tomato puree and water and mix thoroughly.
Cover and cook over a low heat for about 30 minutes stirring frequently.
Stir in the Garam Masala before serving.
Garnish with freshly chopped coriander and serve with a bottle of Cobra beer for that extra bite!