I think I annoyed the waiter in a curry house the other day. In the end I apologised and told him I was only Rogan Joshing
Author: Daniel Ford
Daniel Ford is a media entrepreneur, writer, editor and publisher who specialises in launches and re-launches. He is the Publishing Director of media company Chase My Snail. He was previously Editor-in-Chief of GQ (South Africa), Editor-in-Chief of Sunday Life magazine (Independent News & Media) and CEO of the African design magazine Ogojii. He has consulted on digital media, magazines and books in England, India, the USA and South Africa, including creating a glossy print edition of the SABC's TV show Top Billing and branding for the Laureus World Sports Awards. He has written a number of books on fitness, sport and travel, which have been published all over the world, from China to Africa and from Russia to Australia. He loves carefully crafted words, digital and print publications produced with passion. And curry.
Curry tip 5
When cooking a kofta curry cook the sauce first. Place the koftas into the sauce and cover the pan with a tight lid. Only stir the dish (gently) once the koftas are browned to ensure they do not break up.
Goan Sausage Meat Recipe
Where Portugal meets India…
With my limited experience of trying sausages/chorizo from different countries, I can say in all honesty I haven’t found anything close to a Goan sausage. Maybe the Mexican El Pastor Recipe could have some resemblance. This mouth-watering pork sausage that is sun-dried, smoked and spiced with garlic, ginger, red chillies, spices and vinegar is definitely out of this world. When a Goan catholic leaves home that is one sure food they will always miss. This intense flavored sausage can be used to make many recipes including Sausage Chilli Fry, Chouriço Pao, chouriço Pulao, Feijoadaand Sausage and Potato Curry.
I remember my mom making it during her summer holidays and storing it in a ceramic airtight jar for months. She would be particular that only she would take out the meat from the jar. One thing I do remember my mother’s preserves would last a real…
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Watermelon carving.
A lot of curry lovers say they don’t even look at the sweets after a curry. But what if it was a work of art?
Watermelons are delicious. They can provide visual entertainment in a great many ways as well? Well, let me assure you that it’s the truth with these simple watermelon carvings.
Light up the BBQ
Dera, Dublin, Ireland
Lovers of the famed Lahore and Tayaabs restaurants in London should know there is a welcome bedfellow across the Irish Sea. The Dublin curry scene is generally not that good and over-priced but Dera is one that hits the mark.
Smarter and smaller than its London-Pakistan counterparts, Dera offers all the usual curries (Dhansak, Jalfrazi, Balti etc) and a good vegetarian selection (Shahi Paneer, Channa Masala, Mushroom Bhunna etc) but as when visiting its more famous friends there is only one way to go – the BBQ meats.
For anyone who has had a lamb chop or Sheehk Kebab (probably as a starter) in another restaurant, please wipe your memory. Most are just pale imitations of the Pakistani-run restaurants.
The Sheehk Kebabs (€9.99) are large and meaty, and are delicious with a bit of the creamy mint sauce smothered over them. The Lamb Chops (€9,99) are so beautifully marinated that they require little more than the odd mouthful of the crunchy salad and a tear of naan. And the Chicken Tikka (€9.99) will have you wondering exactly what it is that you’ve been eating up until now. All of these dishes are served with either pilau rice, naan or chips so are meals in themselves. Especially as the popadoms and pickles are complimentary.
Lamb Chops and Chicken Tikka. Skip the curry with the usual sauce and get stuck in.
Frankly, you should look no further, at least on the first couple of visits. However, if you are one of those people who insists that “a night out for curry” is not a curry without that tomato/onion sauce over your food then there are are starter portions of these same dishes before you tuck into the old-school favourites. Better, would be to get a group of friends together, order a couple of the meaty platters to share and add in one or two curries or side dishes. I usually go for vegetable options like Paneer Karahi (€9.99) or Bindi Bhaji (€7.99) when I go down this route, to ensure there is plenty of room for the meat. If you are really in the communal spirit there is a raised area in Dera by the entrance where you can eat cross-legged or lounge against cushions while you swap dishes.
The restaurant does not serve alcohol but the Sweet or Salt Lassi (€2) or Afghani Green Tea (€2) makes a nice change until your drift back into the Dublin air and its 1001 pubs.
Dera, 138 Parnell Street, Dublin 1, Ireland. Tel: +353 (0)1 5388-800 or (0)1 5388-900. Open: daily 1pm till late.
Scores on the Tandoors
Food 9
Service and friendliness 7
Decor 8
Vibe 6 (Tuesday night)
Value 9
Curry joke 4
The TV guys should do a sit-com on my local curry house. Some of the things that happen in there are just Phaal-sical.
Curry tip 4
Do you like cooking Saag Aloo or Lamb Saag but hate chopping the spinach? Freeze a bag of baby spinach, then while it is still in the bag simply scrunch it up and it will snap into tiny pieces. No chopping needed and after a couple of minutes defrosting it’s all ready for a delicious spinach curry.
Recipe… Coconut Laddoo
Makes about 16 balls
What you need
• 2 cups desiccated coconut
• 1 cup condensed milk
• almond slices and golden raisins for decoration
How you make it
1. Mix the desiccated coconut and condensed milk together in a bowl.
2. Make small balls from the mixture and add to a plate.
3. Decorate with almond slices and golden raisins.
Recipe… Gato patate (Sweet potato cake)
Makes 8-10 cakes
Ingredients
• 5 sweet potatoes
• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 3 tbls desiccated coconut
• 1 tbls golden raisons
• 250ml vegetable oil
Method
1. Boil the sweet potatoes in their skin until soft. Drain, remove skin and mash.
2. Mix the mash with the flour to create a dough ball. The consistency should be fairly dry. Add more flour if it is sticky.
3. Mix the brown sugar and desiccated coconut in a bowl.
4. Lightly flour a board and using a rolling pin flatten the dough to about 3-4mm thickness.
5. Use a press or mug to cut out discs about 4cm in diameter.
6. Add a tsp of the coconut and sugar mix to the centre of each disc and fold over.
7. Use the back of a fork to crimp the cakes tight.
8. Heat the oil in a large, deep pan until a medium heat. Add the cakes and deep-fry until golden.
Crimp the cakes closed using the back of a fork and deep fry until golden.
Curry joke 3
A man ate too much curry one day and the staff didn’t know if he’d gone to sleep or fallen into a Korma.
The Royal Curry Club 