Sanduni's not so curry curry

     Since my significant other has never been the biggest fan of oriental food, I didn’t really have a chance to cook it often. Why? My better half was sure, that this kind of food must be hot as hell, aromatic as toilet refresher and contain spices, that will give you a week long diarrhea. Thanks god, I’ve proved this beautiful creature wrong, so that we can finally have Thai, Indian, Chinese, Vietnamese, or Sri Lankan dishes on regular basis!

     I know, I know, that was pure ignorance to put so many cuisines under one umbrella (ela, ela, ela) – but hey, my sweetheart is a mastermind in technology, graphic design, architecture and I’m like… well, ok, I’m not that bad in any of those science fields either, so never mind, the most important - everything is clear now.

      While I was sniffing tomatoes on my local farmer’s market yesterday, I thought of Sanduni, amazing woman from Sri Lanka, who was a mother of Chocko – boy I took care of while working in an hose for young adults, who needed a bit more attention, than some of us. By the way – one of the best experiences of my life, that taught me more, than all the years I’ve spent in different educational institutions.

     Anyhow, she used to cook for us every now and then. Actually, she would bring us thousands of billions of tons of food, everything homemade! There was always some for her soon, who loved it, but there was much more for us, and it was just like heaven on earth cubed! I swear to God (any God), I’ve been exited just like before my first time, when I knew Sanduni was on the way!

     She taught me a lot about their culinary culture, such a great pleasure to learn from someone so gifted and talented as she was. But back to the reality. Sniffing those goddamn beautiful plum tomatoes I was blessed with the vision of curry! At least my creation of it, under the influence of Chocko’s mom.

     No worries, you don’t have to convert to Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity or Islam - main religions in Sri Lanka according to the only source I trust – Wikipedia - to cook this amazing and refreshing meal. What will you need? I’ll tell you, know my good heart:

·        500g/18oz black tiger prawns – use more if you like, I found them in Selgros for less than €10/$13 per 1kg/35oz –I can eat the whole lot myself, because I love them so freaking much to be very honest with you

·        5 ripe plum tomatoes finely chopped (if you won’t find them, use any you can get, even in a can, I can’t care less)

·        2 cloves garlic crushed and finely chopped – I used 4, couldn’t resist

·        2 tbs grated ginger

·        2 tbs garam masala – don’t use the ready curry mix you can buy in Tesco or other Carrefour… be like Alexis, give yourself the luxury of real spices

·        1 tbs grounded turmeric

·        sunflower oil – like 2-3 spoons (the one you use to eat soup in the restaurant when everyone’s looking and you can’t sip it),however  I never measure it that way… I’m not a doctor or pharmacist, unfortunately to my parents idea for me

·        one medium onion thinly sliced

·        parsley – I used it, as I couldn’t find coriander leafs anywhere, I walked like to Nebraska and back, and nada, niente, zero…

·        juice from one lemon or lime

·        one chili pepper finely chopped

·        one small Greek-style yogurt – I use light one – I don’t want to look like an overweight capybara

·        one green bell pepper sliced

·        basmati rice – for this dish it is just perfect

·        sea salt and freshly grounded black pepper

·        spring onions finely chopped for garnish

     First of all, prepare a marinate in a bowl big enough to hold the prawns. It is simpler than you would think. Just mix 2 tbs grated ginger, chopped garlic, chili pepper and half of parsley/coriander leafs, some sunflower oil (up to 1 spoon), lemon juice and some salt and black pepper. Leave them covered for like 15-20 minutes, they are easy to marinate, not like venison or your jogging socks. Make sure they are defrosted and drained, otherwise you won’t have curry, but some watery curry soup that tastes like water from Laccadive Sea!

     Chop tomatoes, slice onions and green pepper. Just cut it longwise in half, get rid of seeds and all the white film, simply slice it across and voilà!

     Preheat some sunflower oil in a wok or frypan on a medium-high (I use high, I’m inpatient) heat. Add onion and fry for couple of minutes, just to lose the tenderness. We don’t want them to go all brown, it’s not a Brazilian beach and the onion's not on holidays god dammit!

     Add prawns with all the goodness of the marinate and stir fry for 2-3 minutes maximum. Be ready to remove them from the wok or frypan when they’re ready and keep them on the side – just the little fellows, live onion, ginger, garlic and all the rest in peace. Meanwhile, cook the rice according to packet instructions. Cover and keep warm.

     Reduce the sauce that’s left and add green pepper and spices. Sanduni told me to use garam masala instead of some shitty supermarket mix of curry. I buy my garam masala in my local eco-geeko food shop, that is always flooded with hipsters and weird people living in the forest, or other places forgotten by god and civilization – and I don’t write this as an insult! I used to be a scout, and I love nature, naturism and freedom… so help me god! At least my herbs and spices are really full of flavor, not some production leftovers. If you can manage to find a really good quality curry mix, go for it, best bought in India I guess…

     Also - ok, I sound like a smartass - turmeric is well known for its extraordinary care and health-promoting properties in ayurvedic medicine – alternative medicine created long, long time before your great-great-great grandmother was born in India. Bioactive compound, which gives turmeric its sunny color, accelerates wound healing, cleanses the blood, support liver function, skin care and relieve stomach discomfort! According to Dr. Saraswati Sukumar, turmeric also helps in the fight against diabetes and inflammation. It also reduces the risk of cancer! Hello! I’ll be adding it everywhere! And mixing it with garlic, which is also a health-bomb – priceless!

     Finishing the educational deduction, so that no one will fall asleep, add this poor pepper and spices, fry for a minute, then just throw the tomatoes with the rest of parsley/coriander leafs and stir fry it for like up to 15 minutes. We want all the flavors to fully penetrate the sauce, and tomatoes to be cooked.

     Last, but not least, add shrimps and yoghurt at the very end of the cooking. How not to curdle yoghurt in the sauce? Nothing simpler. My grandma Pélagie was always telling me to add some hot liquid (soup, sauce) to the yoghurt/cream we are planning to actually pure into the hot sauce/soup, mix it and then add. She called this – cream tempering.

     Reduce the heat, stir it all well and serve with basmati rice – one of the finest. Normally I use brown rice to show everyone how healthy I am, but with this dish it would be too vulgar. Like Santa Clause in sadomasochistic latex costume… some like it, but it would ruin my childhood. Serve it sprinkled with chopped spring onions. Bon appétit! 

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