The owner of an Ystrad Mynach takeaway and his business partner have been fined after putting beef into their lamb curries.
Abdul Malik, 42, of Capel Crescent, Newport, and his business partner Saila Meah, 40, of Watch House Parade, Newport, were taken to Newport Magistrates’ Court on Friday June 10 after an investigation.
Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Trading Standards team received a complaint from a member of the public in July last year after they believed that beef was being used in place of lamb at Flavours of India on Bedwlwyn Road, Ystrad Mynach.
Trading Standards analysed the Lamb Biriyani and found the meat was indeed beef.
Abdul Malik and Saila Meah both pleaded guilty to an offence under the Food Safety Act 1990 when the case was heard.
Both were fined £1,330, and ordered to pay costs of £668 and a victim surcharge each of £120.
Investigations revealed that Meah was responsible for purchasing meat from a wholesaler in Newport, and that generally they purchased lamb, chicken and mutton.
It identified that on one occasion, beef had been supplied in error, and that Meah was informed of this.
He claimed that as soon as he discovered the mistake, he did not use the beef, although examinations of the business records were not able to accurately identify what meat was used and when.
In pleading guilty, both Malik and Meah told the court that they have now put procedures in place to prevent further occurrences.
So it was just a genuine mistake? On both occasions? Well, that’s all right then, carry on.
I encountered this on a visit to a,now defunct. Indian Restaurant in Caerffili. My ‘lamb’ curry was very nice but quite obviously beef. I remarked on this to the waiter who apologised and talked of terrrible problems with their supplier. Which made me wonder why it was that a chef who could make wonderfully tasty dishes could not recognise on sight which meat was being offered.
Perhaps this is a very common thing, the thick sauces masking the type of meat. Beef is far cheaper than lamb in this country, the cynical side of me whispers that maybe this was not a mistake.
Curry is just slurry. I cannot understand the fascination with it nor the willingness to eat in such establishments.
Beef, Lamb, the only difference is the meat, not even the taste alerts customers, oh, and the other difference is about 60p this is not public interest story, no health and safety or hygene issues, not even a complaint about the `quality` of the food, a real non story.
Quite correct, unless you are a Hindu of course, in which case you have been duped into eating a sacred animal.