Hot or Not curries

Up to four chilli shots can be added at final stage

New supplier Uncle Wilbur’s is offering curry mixes that can be adjusted to suit the taste of any consumer - from chilli ‘wimps’ to those who like more fiery fare.

The Hot or Not: You Decide! curry mixes contain no chilli heat themselves, but come with four chilli ‘shots’ that can be added towards the end of cooking to customise each portion of food to suit individual tastes.

It was developed to give those who might not like spicy food, including children, a chance to experiment with foods from around the world, said Tanya Thomas, director at Brighton-based Uncle Wilbur’s - which is named after Wilbur Scoville, who developed the scale for measuring chilli heat.

The dry curry mixes are suitable for use with meat, fish or vegetables and take 12 minutes to cook, with an extra minute of cooking time required for each chilli shot used. The initial range comprises Madras, Tikka Masala, Rogan Josh, Jalfrezi, Bhuna, Dhansak, Goan, Red Thai, Green Thai and Massaman (rsp: £2.99/kit serving three to four people). Further launches, including Vietnamese and Sri Lankan dishes, are in the pipeline and there are plans to extend the concept to soups.

Following a “very successful” soft launch, the brand was ready to target mainstream retailers, said Thomas. “We have worked closely with our supplier, which works with all the major supermarkets, and they are working with us to build the brand,” she added.

The gluten-free products contain no additives, preservatives, colourings or flavourings.