Saturday, June 23, 2012

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!

26 comments:

  1. Can I move in with you guys?

    xx Susan

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  2. Alan and Penny10:44 pm

    Mazeltov!! We are both (I HAVE to say "both" but dad's gone into Ilkley early to have his hair cut; I'm going in soon with Pat-from-up-the-road!!) delighted at Lloyd's success on a plate. At last, and not before time. Next time we come over to see you will Lloyd please make a curry for me? Thanks in anticipation!

    Dreadful weather here-storms, gales, everything in the garden blowing over and not at all summery, and the river is very high. That I like to see, as long as it does'nt flood!

    As ever, Laura, we love your "blogs", they are always interesting and really make us feel we're with you!

    Fondest love to you both. Keep well.

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    1. he will Penny!! And this one was absolutely lovely - and I'm not biased honest!! Our weather is actually not too bad and we have a lovely helpxer here just now. ALSO thank you so much for the jubilee tea towel - you're right the design is lovely!!

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  3. Anonymous11:16 pm

    Oh yum, what a good idea...I love curry...and what a view!

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    1. I know, we are so lucky to have friends with a view like this - I never tire of it! And we think every group of friends should have a curry cup ( or some sort of food cup!) it's such fun!

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  4. Wow. What a great idea. It sounds like a wonderful way to catch up with friends. The outlook was stunning.
    Congrats to Lloyd!
    I can't wait to see how the bread comes along. I haven't tried another fruit loaf yet.

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    1. I'm thinking it's time for a loaf today!!!!

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  5. Congratulations Lloyd xxx

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    1. thank you, Joanna!! He's a very happy bunny! :)

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  6. OH my! All of those dishes look so good! Curry is one of my favourites! Good pictures too!

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  7. Yes, I have a real soft spot for a curry, I'm more of a Thai, Indonesian curry person though.

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  8. Thank you so much to all those people who have written lovely things about the curry cup! It's great fun, and next year we have the additional delight of getting everyone over here to cook and eat!

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    1. I'll be hoovering for years to get rid of the Bob hair - better start now!

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  9. Wow, this is the third curry cup recipe I've coppied form you. Has it really been two years of following your blog? Must have been. Congratulations to Lloyd!

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    1. Have they all worked ok? Did you like them? xx

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    2. Sorry for the delayed response Laura; I’ve just flown back to England for a few months. (Preparations for leaving Vancouver are getting to be a nightmare) All the curry recipes I’ve tried and also your yummy muffin recipes have been terrific. I’ve got a Cordon Bleu degree but absolutely love collecting ideas from lovely people like you and Lloyd.

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    3. Sorry to hear your preparations aren't going totally smoothly - do they ever!? Glad you've liked everything. I have to admit that lloyd's currys are rather brill! My cooking - more hit and miss :) Hope things get a bit easier x

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  10. You guys have so much fun! I can tell.

    This is a brilliant idea. Curry Cup. I love it. (and that someone entered pre-made curry) Congrats to Lloyd!

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    1. We're very lucky to have such a group of lovely friends. When we moved here I was so worried about missing family and friends I never actually considered the fact that we'd have to make new ones - but we have and I love them!

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    2. I might have to organize my friends and have a Montana Curry Cup? Would you all mind if I outright stole the idea? I suppose I could think outside of the box and have some other food cup, but really, curry is so wonderful and so diverse!

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    3. Oh you should absolutely go for it!! Hey we could even have them on the same day and get a computer guru to set up a live streaming so we could all be together virtually!!! A round the world curry cup!! How cool would that be!

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    4. That WOULD be fun. Even if we didn't stream it it would still be cool to know we were sharing in the experience together a world apart. Thanks for letting me steal your group's brilliant, fun idea.

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    5. It would wouldn't it. Lloyd thought it was a great idea, then started to try and work out the time difference!!

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I love it when you leave me comments, it lets me know there are folk out there reading my ramblings! Thank you, I appreciate them loads and loads
Laura x