The Curry Cup 2012

We hold this every year - it's where a bunch of friends get together at the previous years winner's house, and eat a lot of curry. Then we vote on which one we liked the best.

Last years Curry cup and what Lloyd cooked ( you will note that I don't enter!)

This year he has cooked a  Indonesian hot and sour prawn dish.  He did a practice run a few days ago and even though the recipe said to eat immediately, we discovered it was actually WAY better the following day. So last night when Lloyd came home from work he set to it in the kitchen and got all the sauce part made.  We'll take a wee camping stove over to Danny and Paula's to complete it there.

I can't post the recipe. Not because Lloyd won't let me, but because he sort of makes it up as he goes along and I didn't take any photos of the process. But, because I did the shopping for it I can tell you what was on the list!
Fresh coriander, raw prawns, tamarind paste, coconut milk, tomatoes, spring onions, shallots, chilli salt, fresh ginger and garlic, turmeric, fish sauce. There could be a whole heap more stuff, who knows! All I know is that I got the last jar of tamarind paste in Kerikeri and it was hidden - and I mean completely hidden - behind a whole lot of other jars! I think the other competitors got there before me! heehee!

 Anyway, here's what it looks like.

It was rather a nice day when we left home to head up to Te Ngaere where Danny and Paula live. There was a good turn out with the old faithfuls who have been at the Curry Cup since it began.

We really do eat well!

Nick decided he would enter a Watties tin of curry! Unsurprisingly he didn't win. Surprisingly, he got some votes :)

My plate of food - a wee taster of everything. I have to admit to going back for seconds of some!

We have all this lovely food to enjoy while we look at this stunning view of the Cavallis. Can it really  get much better than this?

 Well it did, because after four years of being runner up this year Lloyd won! He was so happy. Next year, the curry cup is held here. Should be fun, and I'm looking forward to it already!

Edited to add - the recipe! A few people that were there yesterday asked for the recipe, so Lloyd wrote it out and here it is! It's LONG.

Ingredients:

1kg raw king prawns, peeled & deveined but with tail still on.
200g peeled & chopped up shrimps
2 tsp Chilli salt (or crushed chillies and salt)
1 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Coriander powder
1 tbsp Fish Sauce
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
small can coconut milk
1/2 tin chopped peeled tomatoes
4 diced small onions
3 finely  chopped cloves garlic
1 tbsp finely  chopped ginger
1 tsp finely chopped lemongrass
1 tsp brown sugar
glug dry sherry
Big bunch fresh coriander
3 shallots
3 spring onions

Mix the king prawns, chilli salt and turmeric together in a bowl & set aside for 30min. Then fry on a high heat for 2 min (so that they are not cooked through, but crisped and browned on the outside. Remove and put onto kitchen paper to absorb some of the excess oil.

Fry the onions in the same, uncleaned pan until softened & starting to turn golden, then add the sugar, garlic, ginger chopped shrimps and lemongrass & cook slowly for 30min. Add coriander powder, worcestershire sauce, fish sauce, and sherry. Once this has simmered for 5 min, start to taste and, if necessary, add salt, chilli, fish sauce and sugar to balance those 4 flavours as appropriate. Keep simmering until any bitterness from the alcohol has disappeared.

Add tomatoes and coconut milk, and simmer and reduce until a thick sauce is achieved.

Ideally now, leave for sauce to mature for a few hours or overnight.

Fry thinly sliced shallots to brown and crispy, then drain and dry on kitchen paper. Slice spring onions. Chop coriander finely.

20 min before serving, heat up sauce again to simmer, and add cooked king prawns. Simmer for 20min, mix in coriander, and serve, sprinkling fried shallots and raw spring onion slices on top.

and there you have it!
 

P.S. A massive than you to all the people who commented on the bread post - I've got so many ideas of how to make the bread better. I'll need to work through them all and get back to you and tell you how I get on!