Q1: You and some friends are going out for a curry in the Walsall area. What sort of eatery do you decide to visit?
A nice family restaurant, perhaps on Bradford Street.
A reasonably-priced BYO booze Balti venue in centre of town.
Caldmore. No frills and shit-hot jalfrezi.
Haut indian cuisine only. Shimla Pinks or something.
Q2: How do you address the waiting staff?
Politely, in a bid to get free tandoori chicken wings between courses.
Like they're your mates. Maybe they are your mates, you go there so often.
In a vaguely slurred way.
As 'John'. No matter how much they protest that it isn't their name.
Q3: What sort of curry do you plump for?
Hottest thing on the menu. In fact, something that isn't even advertised on the menu because it's too hot. 'Have you got a Bangalore Phal mate?'.
Balti, naan, no rice. Straight up midlands style.
One with fruit and coconut in.
You eat of the english menu. Foreign muck.
Q4: How many poppadums do you order?
1.
2.
3.
10. Each.
Q5: Of these, which is your favourite dip?
Mango chutney.
The onion one.
Raita.
Lime pickle.
Q6: What's your view on cutlery?
Has to be spotless or you're sending it back.
A knife and fork would be nice, but apart from that you're not fussed.
By the time you've stumbled out of a back street boozer and into a balti joint, they could give you chopsticks and you wouldn't notice.
You eat with your hands. Like they do in India. When in Delhi and all that.
Q7: Where does the food belong?
Curry in the karai to keep warm, with intermittent spoonfuls placed onto the plate next to your rice and sundries as you go along.
All in the karai at once.
All on the plate at once.
All down your shirt, either at once or in intermittent spoonfuls.
Q8: When you're eating do you:
Take delicate little mouthfuls.
Eat all the bits of meat first (like someone's going to steal it!) and then mop up whatever's left.
Try and consume it all straight away, as if involved in a Guinness Record Book-related stunt.
Sweat under your eyes, gasp for air, weep, and take five minute breaks between mouthfuls.
Q9: Hot towels?
Use them to generally freshen up.
Use them on your hands, face, underarms, crotch, wherever.
They give you towels? What for?
Take them home, and add them to the pile. Microwave them when friends come round for a curry to mimic that authentic restaurant atmosphere. 'How do you shrinkwrap them like that?'.
Q10: Which Kulfi do you select?
The one that tastes of curry, and is inside a hollowed out orange.
The one that tastes of curry, but now in a coconut shell.
The one that tastes of curry, this time in a pineapple vehicle.
The one that tastes of curry, topped with lychees in syrup. (You wouldn't get much if you filled a lychee skin with ice cream).
Q11: Preferred Mint?
After eight.
Curry-tasting ghee mint.
Just finish off the raita, with the poppadoms off the next table where the diners have just left.
No mint thanks.