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Over the years of living in different countries, enjoying different cultures, one thing that never fails to surprise me is how easily you can forget what's outside the window and feel as if you are at home.
This happened last night. What do Scots like to eat on a Saturday night? Amongst other things a curry is always popular. So an afternoon of toasting and grinding spices, all brought back from Calcutta by my husband earlier in the week, of peeling prawns, chopping onions, making pastes and sauces and included in all this, my husband was my student in the art of curry making. Not that I'm an expert, but the ability to read and follow a recipe seems to make me the best teacher he can find.
Surprisingly enough it all went very smoothly. I was patient, well pretty much, he took instruction, well pretty much, and we ended the afternoon still on speaking terms. He did however find it all very exhausting and I was thinking he might end up asleep before we had the chance to sample our efforts.
Okay, curry cooked, now into the mixture friends to share the dishes prepared. Good friends, who know I can cook, so if it was all to go wrong I knew they would come back. Lol. Have to add, friends are Scottish, so also enjoy a good curry night. Let's hope this would turn out to be a "good curry night".
On offer was a prawn, a lamb and chicken dish. Rice of course, and a curry wouldn't be a curry without naan bread, samosas and poppadoms. Have to confess a trip to a local Curry restaurant put the naan and poppadoms on the table. My friend arrived with her homemade mango chutney, onion relish and tomato relish. A dish of dahl to go with it all and we were ready to go, but not before we relaxed over a nice cold G&T, as is fitting of an Indian evening!
My main concern was that the spices had seemed a bit more powerful my existing ones, but I needn't have worried. Yes, it was hot, but not unbearably. It was, thankfully very tasty, although I think a mushroom dish, which had contained 15 different ingredients was probably a bit labour intensive for the result. It tasted good, but not sure it was worth the huge effort my husband put into it. I think I can safely say we all enjoyed it A nice bottle or three of Gewurtztraminer was the perfect accompaniment , always a favourite with spicy foods, works really well.
We finished off with some Indian sweets, and a plate of fresh fruit.
Recipe for a good night, very simple, good friends, good food and some good wine, never fails and thankfully on this occasion it didn't let me down.
Exhausted but happy we fell into bed, happy in the knowledge that however far away we are from family and friends, there is always someone who comes into your life and it's as if you have known them forever. Scotland was alive and well around our dining table last night, and it will be again I'm sure.
This happened last night. What do Scots like to eat on a Saturday night? Amongst other things a curry is always popular. So an afternoon of toasting and grinding spices, all brought back from Calcutta by my husband earlier in the week, of peeling prawns, chopping onions, making pastes and sauces and included in all this, my husband was my student in the art of curry making. Not that I'm an expert, but the ability to read and follow a recipe seems to make me the best teacher he can find.
Surprisingly enough it all went very smoothly. I was patient, well pretty much, he took instruction, well pretty much, and we ended the afternoon still on speaking terms. He did however find it all very exhausting and I was thinking he might end up asleep before we had the chance to sample our efforts.
Okay, curry cooked, now into the mixture friends to share the dishes prepared. Good friends, who know I can cook, so if it was all to go wrong I knew they would come back. Lol. Have to add, friends are Scottish, so also enjoy a good curry night. Let's hope this would turn out to be a "good curry night".
On offer was a prawn, a lamb and chicken dish. Rice of course, and a curry wouldn't be a curry without naan bread, samosas and poppadoms. Have to confess a trip to a local Curry restaurant put the naan and poppadoms on the table. My friend arrived with her homemade mango chutney, onion relish and tomato relish. A dish of dahl to go with it all and we were ready to go, but not before we relaxed over a nice cold G&T, as is fitting of an Indian evening!
My main concern was that the spices had seemed a bit more powerful my existing ones, but I needn't have worried. Yes, it was hot, but not unbearably. It was, thankfully very tasty, although I think a mushroom dish, which had contained 15 different ingredients was probably a bit labour intensive for the result. It tasted good, but not sure it was worth the huge effort my husband put into it. I think I can safely say we all enjoyed it A nice bottle or three of Gewurtztraminer was the perfect accompaniment , always a favourite with spicy foods, works really well.
We finished off with some Indian sweets, and a plate of fresh fruit.
Recipe for a good night, very simple, good friends, good food and some good wine, never fails and thankfully on this occasion it didn't let me down.
Exhausted but happy we fell into bed, happy in the knowledge that however far away we are from family and friends, there is always someone who comes into your life and it's as if you have known them forever. Scotland was alive and well around our dining table last night, and it will be again I'm sure.
1 comment:
A Moon Festival curry night? A recipe for success with you two at the cooker. Looks like Lesley and Alistair were enjoying it too.
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