so, if they're not looking for the word "tikka" they are looking at the word
masala???????

masala is a sanskrit word you can find in the RAMAYANA and it means the
ingredients used to make a sauce or powder used in a particular dish...such
as garam masala is a combination of powdered ingredients combined to make a
'whole' which can be used in dishes.

i'd say the word 'masala' is about as ancient as a cooking term can be!!



> From: Richard Wright >
> Organization: Ihug Limited
> Newsgroups: rec.food.historic
> Date: Sun, 12 Dec 2004 09:20:44 +1100
> Subject: earliest use tikka masala
>
> The OED newsletter is asking for information about the published use
> in English of the phrase tikka masala. They are looking for its use
> before 1975.
>
> It is not the use of the word tikka on its own that they are looking
> for.
>
> If anyone can cite a use before 1975 then I can pass it on to the
> editors of the newsletter.
>