A GLASGOW curry house which claims to have cooked the world's first ever chicken tikka masala has been named best place on earth to eat the dish.

The Shish Mahal in Park Road in the West End has been singled out for praise by Lonely Planet's new book The World's Best Spicy Food, which explores 100 must-eat dishes.

It is the only Scottish restaurant to be named in the publication.

While the roots of chicken tikka can be traced back to 16th century Pubjab, legend has it that the masala sauce was not added until some point in the 1970s, when an unhappy diner at Shish Mahal complained about the dryness of his meat.

It is said that then-owner Ali Ahmed Aslam cooked up a sauce using spices and a tin of tomato soup.

Mr Aslam's son Asif Ali, who now manages the restaurant, admitted: "People are fascinated by it and the fact that this worldwide dish started from humble beginnings in Glasgow."