The Curry Guy BBQ by Dan Toombs – Hardback Cookbook

The Curry Guy BBQ is a hardback cookbook by Dan Toombs, the UK's Curry Guy, with 100 curry-house and Indian street food recipes designed to cook over fire, most of them on a standard kettle barbecue. Kebabs, tikka, naan and even one-pot curries all move outside.

Your kettle, now with tandoor attitude

Curry-house flavours were made for fire, and Dan proves it. Most of the 100 recipes work on a kettle-style barbecue, so you don't need a tandoor or a fancy setup to get proper char and smoke into your tikka. It's a Sunday Times bestseller, and it reads like a mate showing you the shortcuts.

What's inside

It opens with the practical stuff: types of barbecue, fuels, lighting the fire, cooking techniques and even the basics of a tandoor oven. Then come the chapters: Starters and Snacks, Grilled, Barbecued and Skewered Mains, Pan-cooked Mains, British Indian Restaurant-style Curries, Sides and Flavoursome Extras.

Chicken Seekh Kebabs and a whole Tandoori Roast Chicken lead the charge, backed by Tandoori Grilled Calamari with fresh mango chutney, a Recheado Fish Platter, Chicken Ghee Roast and a spiced Pulled Pork Butt for the low-and-slow crowd. Don't skip the Curry-Stuffed Naan or the Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Avocado Chutney.

Who it's for

Kettle owners who want a break from snags and burgers, and curry lovers keen to add smoke to their favourites. Every recipe lists prep and cooking times, so it's friendly for beginners while still giving keen cooks plenty to chase.

About Dan Toombs

Dan Toombs moved to the UK from California in 1993 and fell hard for British curry-house food. He started The Curry Guy blog in 2010, it was named Best Food Blog at the 2016 Vuelio Blog Awards, and his first book, The Curry Guy, came out in 2017, followed by a run of titles including this one.

The Rub Smuggler's Verdict

Some call it a spice run, Darryl calls it Saturday on the kettle. Dan's book drags the curry house into the backyard, and the whole Tandoori Roast Chicken, blistered and brick-red, is the page he can't stop cooking from. If your barbecue only knows snags, this is its education, so buy it. Pair it with Tandoori Home Cooking for more clay-oven classics and Barbecue Fusion for global ideas on the grill, and keep Goan Cuisine Mango Chutney on the table for the kebabs.

Questions answered

Who wrote The Curry Guy BBQ?

The Curry Guy BBQ was written by Dan Toombs, the author behind The Curry Guy blog and cookbook series.

How many recipes are in The Curry Guy BBQ?

There are 100 recipes, from starters and skewers to pan-cooked mains, curry-house curries, sides and extras.

Do I need a tandoor for The Curry Guy BBQ?

No. Most recipes are designed for a kettle-style barbecue, and there's a section on tandoor basics if you have one.

Is The Curry Guy BBQ a hardback, and how many pages?

Yes. It's a 176-page hardback published by Quadrille in 2022.

Is The Curry Guy BBQ good for beginners?

Yes. It explains barbecue types, fuel and fire lighting up front, and each recipe lists prep and cooking times.