Dil Se: Berrymuir Road, Portlethen

IS IT weird to emerge from a supermarket having spent a whack of cash on your weekly food shop, but with a burning desire for a takeout?

Strange or not, that’s what Mrs B and I did, adding a bulging blue bag of Indian treats, to the mountain of shopping in the boot.

Trudging round supermarket aisles works up an appetite, because we made short work of the mixed starters (£4.95).

Tender chicken tikka, juicy lamb tikka – not billed on the menu – and a spicy sheek kebab had us both salivating. My favourite was the aubergine pakora which I had all to myself as my beloved hates aubergine. Her loss, it was a fiery delight.

On the subject of fiery, my Afghani lamb (£7.90) was an eye-opener ... in that my eyes bulged wide on the first bite. After that fierce attack, this settled down to be a rich, warming dish, all tomatoes and garlic.

Mrs B yummed her way through a chicken katta mitta (£7.50). Hot, sour and sweet it was like a pathia without that cloying and sickly quality. With pilau rice (£2.25) and a garlic nan (£2.50) this was a fine treat.