Masala Magic at Shola

Late night greasy takeaways have given curry a bad name for years but Aida Khan, a former banker who hosted a food show on Pakistani TV, is set to change all that. She is bringing the light, fresh recipes she discovered on trips to Karachi’s food markets to White City Place, a hip new development in west London which is so buzzing that eager diners are already queuing out the door every lunch time.

Aida says the healthy menu brings back happy memories, and it’s clear why.

First up there is a tempting selection of tasty little bites to share, all served in vintage style enamel dishes. The most popular is Kurkuri Bhindi, skinny okra fries coated with spicy, crispy breadcrumbs, ready to dunk in the house chutney of tomato, roasted onion and coriander. The Masala fries with chat masala are good too, but the okra has the edge. Just about.

Crispy nuggets of Chicken Pakora are tender and gone in a flash.

Mains come sizzling off the in-house Mibrasa oven, the lamb shoulder had an incredible smoky flavour of cardomon and cinnamon and the fluffy parathas came in handy for mopping every last drop of sauce. The tasty turmeric infused Chicken Tikka Bolti which the chefs marinate overnight in fresh herbs and yogurt before chargrilling literally fell apart in our mouths.

Side dishes include creamy spinach Palak Paneersprinkled with homemade crumbly cheese and an Aaloo Chana Chatt, a dish of fresh, crunchy chickpeas blended with tomato, potato, tomato and onion. The yellow Khatti Daal could have done with a bit more heat but it was fragrant and mellow.

We finished up with a little dish of ridiculously tasty Naan Khatai, a crumbly semolina and flour cookie, glazed and sprinkled with freshly chopped pistachios.

  • Nadia Cohen

    As mum to a pair of cheeky twin boys, Felix and Harry, Nadia is mostly very tired. And sometimes she’s grumpy and very tired, but that doesn’t stop her attempting to have a life beyond sterilising and pureeing, even if that means she has been spotted strolling through the Grazia office with a Cheerio stuck to her bottom, or accessorising her fabulous Vivienne Westwood vintage with a smear of dried porridge. She loves lounging about in the sunshine with a cocktail (those were the days) and hates smug yummy mummy types offering their unwanted opinions on her sons’ snacks, schooling and snot.

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