The Takeaway

     We had Indian food last night -- Tam's a big fan and there are at least three places nearby with delivery/carry-out.

     "Indian food" covers a vast sweep of culinary styles.  All I know are the local restaurants.  But based on them, India does better chicken dinners than anyone, anywhere else.

     Chicken is good stuff anyway.  Back in the 19th Century, roast or fried chicken was a luxury in the U.S.  Most people couldn't afford to cook a hen until she'd stopped laying eggs, and they were really only fit for stew by then.  By the 1960s, it was  an inexpensive food and when KFC showed up in our small town, it was a revelation compared to the dry and crunchy stuff most places served.  It was enticing; we didn't have it often but we all looked forward to it.

     Indian chicken, Tandoori baked, or various "butter chicken" versions in a spicy, tomato-based sauce, is light-years ahead of the good stuff I remember from childhood.  It's a real treat.