Manningtree Indian restaurant hosts cook

A group of young footballers have taken part in a cook-off contest where they learnt how to make Indian food with fresh ingredients.

The head chef at The Mogul Restaurant in Manningtree, Essex, surrendered his kitchen to the seven teenagers from Lawford Football Club.

Minnar Miah said: "These days youngsters go out and eat all of the fatty food - they need to learn a good curry and good tasty rice to enjoy themselves."

The owner is organising events to raise awareness for the Colchester and Ipswich Hospitals Charity, and its Cancer Wellbeing Fund.

The restaurant is hosting an auction in aid of the charity in January.

Mr Miah, whose father died of cancer when he was young, said he wanted to introduce young people to cooking healthy food and to steer them away from takeout grub.

The restaurant is one of the football club's sponsors.

One of the footballers, Sid, 13, said he had been practising cooking Indian dishes with his mum at home ahead of the competition.

The boys cooked three dishes: lamb korai, chicken bhuna and chicken tikka pathia.

Joseph, also 13, said: "It was very fun to learn because I haven't cooked much in the past except from at school.

"It's an experience for remember."