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A 75-year-old entrepreneur whose nickname led to a thriving
business making curry spice kits has added four new products to his
existing range. Don Lear, who started his business cooking onion
bhajis for neighbours in his Norfolk village, is launching the new
kits with the slogan "let's cook at home."
Formerly a successful new car dealer, Mr Lear moved to England from
Sri Lanka with £7 in his pocket 51 years ago.
Now he hopes amateur chefs will turn down takeaways and introduce his
kits to the kitchen with his new chicken korma, Thai green and Thai
red curry and Goan pork vindaloo boxed spice and herb kits.
Each kit, which costs from £2.50 to £2.75, contains
separate spices to add to the curry to create an authentic taste from
recipes up to 1,500 years old.
Mr Lear had planned to enjoy his retirement with a range of hobbies
including fly fishing and gardening, but found the lure of a new
business venture too tempting to ignore.
A talented cook and keen entertainer, neighbours knew him as 'The
Bhaji Man' thanks to the delicious onion bhajis he served at
barbecues and gatherings.
"I loved the name and thought to myself that I could make my own
special spice kits which people could use at home to create their own
onion bhajis," he said.
With an initial investment of just £1,500 in 2006, Mr Lear
decided to set up a new enterprise offering a range of spice kits
complete with recipes and instructions that would allow amateur chefs
to bring the taste of India into their own kitchens.
"I wanted it to be a legacy for my grandchildren, a selection of
recipes 1500 years old which I have cooked over and over again
throughout my life and which I know to be foolproof," said the
grandfather-of-two, who lives in Great Hockham.
"I'd love to encourage people to get back into the kitchen and
cook their own fresh meals using local produce and supporting other
businesses in our area.
"Cooking is a wonderful way for families to get together and for
couples to be more romantic. It's about infusing different herbs and
spices so that at the end of the experience you have all these
fantastic flavours. It's real food."
When Sri Lankan-born Don arrived in England as a young man, he had
just £7 in his pocket. The cricket-mad youngster started at the
bottom in the motor trade and worked his way up to owning several
successful and award-winning East Anglian car dealerships.
Don became a member of the MCC and his business success enabled him
to offer financial sponsorship to his beloved sport, including
setting up Kwik Cricket in schools and funding some of the Norfolk
Youth Development Cricket Programme. His active involvement in youth
development for disabled children and those with special needs led to
him being invited to become a Lord's Taverner.
Established kits in the Bhaji Man range include onion bhaji,
vegetable pakora, chicken jalfrezi, chicken tikka masala, lamb rogan
josh, Bombay potatoes, aloo gobi and spiced dhal.
Bhaji Man products are sold at outlets across Norfolk, including
Jarrold's basement, at recipeinabox.bhajiman.co.uk and at online
farmer's market welovelocalfood.co.uk |
