If you have never tasted food
flavoured with curry leaves then you have not tasted food. I am addicted to the stuff. My neighbour introduced me to this flavour
and I cant get enough of it. She doles
it out carefully – telling me that eating curry daily in this heat is not good
for the body. Well, on a mission today,
I went to Jusco – no curry leaves; then on to Tesco, and after squeezing and
sniffing all the various leaves available in the produce section I found the
delightful leaves I so wanted to have.
I bought two bunches – one for me and one for Yeet. Now, in hindsight, I probably should not have
got one for her. She will know that I have begun making things with it and will
scold me for consuming too much.
I did not stop there, I asked
anyone who would listen to me – where
might I buy a curry tree plant for my garden? The consistent answer was you cannot buy them; you must get a piece of
one from a neighbour or friend. Now
if you want to know how hospitable the people are in this country are, read
on. Every one of them invited me to
follow them home to take a part of the root of their curry tree. As much as I wanted one, I just was not in
the mood to follow some car through a maze of little alleys and streets and
then find my way out again. I was
convinced that I could find my own.
I drove homeward through a
blinding monsoon, stopped for petrol, and decided I was wet anyway, so carried
on to the plant nursery that I frequent.
I pulled out my little packet of curry leaves so I would not have to
play charades asking for something I was sure they did not call by the same
name as I was using. Yes, yes, can,
can. Mom, sending the sweet little girl
who always helps me presented me with a curry leave tree ( a wee one) and also
insisted I stand under her umbrella while we waited. Two bags of soil, AND a pandan plant too, and
a pot for the pandan, I headed homeward to plant the new babies. Not sure what I will do with the pandan. But
I was on a roll.
Yes, the curry is brewing. I
managed to snag 2 lamb shanks at Jusco. I first brewed the shanks in some water
laced with the bundle of curry leaves. Then when the meat fell off the bones, I
diced it up and began cooking all the veggies. The pungent aroma in my house is
enough to make me drool. I also sawed up
a few sticks of lemongrass and tossed them in the pot. Adding Thai basil, Thai curry paste,
asparagus, shredded carrots, and slices of leeks I think I have made a feast
fit for a queen. Too lazy to wait to
cook rice, I just tossed some into the pot at the end of the cooking. It is
going to be together anyway, right?
Bon Apetit Queen Frannie
next on the block - Pandan Chicken!
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