Roll me in a roti and stuff me with sambals.
On Sunday we went for lunch at a little Indian gem (or should I say chilli-pip?) in Tinley Manor Beach. Impulse by the Sea smacked you in the face with authentic Indian decor, comfy chairs, lots of curries on the menu, fantastic hip-bopping music and the sweetest, most delightful waiter named Teddy.
Who even offered to give me the music. But alas, I did not have my flashstick on me. I cried.
Let me set the scene for you, as a golden oldie music lover I was in heaven, the wine is poured (Nederburg Sav Blanc with lotsa ice), your menus are opened and you are eye-boggling over the curries – albeit simple curries. You won’t find the likes of Massaman, Panang, Madras or Tikka. They’ve gone to another curry party. Finger pointing at various options and completely engrossed in what your tummy would like to consume you find yourself swaying your shoulders and tapping your foot along to “Black Velveteen” and “Sugar, Sugar”. Or, if you’re anything like me, you’ll be singing away.
Yip, I thought so too.
Teddy was fantastic. He told us about what they do at Impulse by the Sea and promptly offered us some starters of homemade mince or potato samoosas or another option of “half-moons” filled with jalapeno & cheese or chicken. Yeah dudes. The four of us ordered six potato and six mince samoosas. I would’ve fancied those half-moon jalapeno thingies but let’s not be greedy.
The lamb curry
Them poppadoms
My prawn curry – ooo lala!
Mama Bear and I opted for Prawn Curry while the other two chose Lamb Curry. The prawns that arrived were the obese kids at the party. Plump and soooooo yummy that you wish they weren’t cholesterol nuggets. But we ate them anyway. Despite having a mini coughing fit from the heat of the curry at first, it was delicious. I blame my sore throat for that not necessarily my inability to devour food-so-hot-your-lips-start-singing-the-Indian-National-Anthem.
I always taste other people’s food so OF COURSE I tasted the Lamb Curry too. It was pretty good. The poppadoms reminded me of prawn crackers and not the usual ones you make at home or buy ready-made in the land of the English. Obviously, they didn’t taste like prawn crackers. Don’t be silly.
One thing I truly loved were the divine copper dishes that our curries were served in. Elevated on a little “chafing dish” type vibey setup they kept our curries super warm. As if they needed more heat. Once I had coughed and died, I found about 6 half chillies floating around my curry sauce. Busted!
Sambals came along to the party too. Chillies promptly removed by the sister, they still didn’t touch my plate. I don’t do raw onion even if it is in sambals. Ain’t nobody got time for onion breath! So maybe I should stuff myself with something else. Coriander. I love me some coriander.
So if you’re down on the coast and find yourself in need of some yummy-yummy-tummy-rumbling curry then take yourself to Impulse by the Sea. Take a look at their menu. Let’s hope you get Teddy as your waiter.
Anddddd, if I have completely tortured you by talking about curry then here’s a recipe for one. I don’t have a set recipe I use, I adapt the “throw it in and see how it goes” approach. But give this recipe a try and let me know how it turns out.
But first, all authentic Indian curries require the spice mix called Garam Masala as their base. The mix adds a depth and warmth to the overall flavour of the curry. Here’s a recipe I took from the GoodFood Magazine website :
Garam Masala
- 2 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp cumin seed
- 2 tsp black peppercorns
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon or ½ cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp cardamom seeds (seeds from about 20 pods)
- 1 tsp fennel seed
- ½ tsp whole cloves
- 4 dried bay leaves
Method
- Toast the whole spices in a small pan until they are aromatic and have turned a shade or two darker. Don’t be tempted to skip this stage, as it really enhances the flavours.
- Tip into a spice grinder (or use a pestle and mortar), then add the ready-ground spices and dried herbs if required, and crush to a fine powder. Store in a sealed jar for up to six months.
Recipe from Good Food magazine, June 2013
And now for the Prawn Curry recipe, also a la GoodFood.
Prawn & Tomato Curry
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- large piece ginger, crushed
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- ½ red chilli, finely chopped
- 1 tsp golden caster sugar
- 1 tsp black mustard seeds
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp garam masala (aren’t you chuffed I gave you a recipe – don’t be lazy & buy!)
- 2 tsp malt vinegar
- 400g can chopped tomatoes
- 400g raw king prawns
- small bunch coriander, chopped
- basmati rice, yoghurt, mango chutney and Carrot & cumin salad, to serve
Method:
- Heat the oil in a deep-sided frying pan and cook the onion for 8-10 mins until it starts to turn golden. Add the ginger, garlic and chilli and cook for 1-2 mins. Stir in the sugar and spices for 1 min, then splash in the vinegar and tomatoes. Season with salt and simmer for 5 mins, stirring, until the sauce thickens.
- Stir in the prawns, reduce the heat and cook for 8-10 mins until cooked through – if the sauce gets really thick, add a splash of water. Remove from the heat, stir though most of the coriander. Serve straight from the dish scattered with the remaining coriander and the rice, yogurt, chutney and salad in separate bowls.
dollopedgoodies 