BRITAIN will be going jalfrezi crazy and balti barmy when the 1999 Kingfisher National Curry Day sizzles into action on Tuesday, November 9.

Hundreds of Indian restaurants, pubs, schools, office canteens and other establishments will be taking part in the red-hot event, which celebrates the nation's favourite food, and at the same time raises money for charity.

In Britain, we tend to describe all Indian dishes as 'curry', but in reality there are many different cooking styles on the Indian subcontinent, each with its own distinctive characteristics.

The actual word curry derives from the ancient Tamil word Kari which, in fact, means a sauce or relish - not a full meal. Here, with thanks to the Real Curry Restaurant Guide, are the original meanings or derivations of some of our other 'Indian' favourites:

KORMA - originally means a cooking method similar to stewing. In Britain this describes a mild, creamy curry, but in India food cooked in this way can sometimes be quite hot!

MADRAS - named after a town in South East India, where the cuisine is hot and spicy. This popular dish was in fact developed especially for the British palate. VINDALOO - in Britain this describes a really fiery curry, but the name actually derives from the Portuguese words for 'wine' and 'garlic'. Vindaloo was originally a dish from Goa, created under the influence of the Portuguese, whereby pork was marinated in wine vinegar and cooked with garlic.DOPIAZA - another composite word, meaning 'two onions'. This literally means a dish where onions are used twice in cooking.

TANDOORI - also refers to a particular method of cooking. The name is derived from the Urdu word tandoor (an oven) and means meat or vegetables cooked in a clay oven.

TIKKA - Another great British favourite - means select pieces of meat marinated in spices and cooked in tandoor.

DHANSAK - a Parsee dish (literal translation: rice and vegetables). This is traditionally lamb cooked with lentils and vegetables in a strongly flavoured, creamy textured sauce with a hint of sweetness.

MASALA - Literally means a spice mixture, or cooked in a spicy sauce - hence the name given to Britain's No. 1 Indian favourite Chicken Tikka Masala.

Kingfisher National Curry Day aims to increase awareness and appreciation in the UK of these many different styles of Indian cuisine, as well to raise a substantial sum for charity and provide fun for curry lovers across the country!

Indian restaurants and other outlets which take part will all make a generous contribution from their takings on November 9, to this year's designated charity "Mother and Child".

Curry lovers can join in the fun and help swell the charity fund simply by buying a meal at a participating restaurant on the day.

To identify outlets taking part, look for Kingfisher National Curry Day posters and window stickers or surf through the Curry World website on the Internet www.curryworld.com

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.