Royal Bengal: Bedford Avenue, Aberdeen

STUCK with a cold, people were constantly suggesting chilli to clear my head – and obviously I couldn’t disappoint.

Taking their advice to heart, I ordered a South Indian garlic chilli lamb, which didn’t shy away from any of the main ingredients. A tangy tomato sauce with plenty of heat came topped with plenty of the good stuff and – in a unique twist – some wonderfully bitter fried garlic slices.

The girlfriend, feeling distinctly less sniffly than me ordered a chicken Royal Bengal exotica – a delicious smoky-sweet tomatoey sauce with just a hint of cream to add to the richness. Both chef’s specialities came in at £6.95, cheaper than some “normal” curries at many other take aways.

The vegetable pakora (£2.25) were crispy and perfectly spiced. My only complaint was with the saag aloo (£2.95). It was nicely flavoured but the texture was more slimy than dry. Knocked back with a fluffy, strong garlic naan (£2.30) and a plain pilau rice (£2.30), the curry certainly beat my illness blues.