Popadom your diary

Catherine’s Summer Curry Fest
Last year we were invited to Catherine's Curry Night of Note. It was also the only occasion in probably the last 20 years that I forgot my camera at home so this spectacular event went undocumented. So? I hear you mumble belligerently (thank goodness for spell check on that one). YOU didn’t see the magnificent spread of food at this mega-dinner. However, the camera-forgetting-trick did work well, as they were forced to invite me back this year to take photos. The worrying thing is, am I now going to be invited back next year??

Chick pea and Rice Balls

Last year saw a French-wanting-to-learn-English-from-moi-student in tow at the party. Sebastian was, and still is, the only French person I have ever met who REALLY likes to eat hot food. And by hot I obviously mean spicy, but not just mouth-burning-flavour-destroying-hot (which I also love, but that’s a whole other issue), I’m talking spicy AND tasty. This year we had Pierre with us and he was very brave and too enjoyed the food. Chapeau, as they say in France (means “hat” in English…no, not quite the same effect).

My student Pierre

I am going to have to repeat myself continuously in this post, but the food was just awesome. There were 17 (YES, that's seventeen) different dishes prepared by Catherine and Steve. That’s more than most people produce in a month and she (sorry Steve, but I think she did the mostest work here) did it all in a couple of days. And they both had funny tummies to boot the week before. Hey, quieten down at the back there – they hadn’t eaten any of the food yet, you plonker.

Getting stuck into the beef satay

I actually don’t know where to begin – there was just sooooo much. And it just kept coming. And because I was the local news reporter for the evening, I was allowed to photograph everything first and get the first bite (also middle bite to test for continued goodness, and last bite to test for…okay, so I’m a pig) of everything. I am going to turn this into a fulltime profession. If my hips will hold out.

My very full plate

Each dish was accompanied by a name card which also had a saying appropriate to the food. I am still in awe. And I am still full from all I ate a month ago. Pierre tried about 3 different dishes and I tried them all. All (…) of them. And not just once. I am ashamed. And full. And happy. Please feel free to put in good words for me to Catherine just to be sure I’m invited back in spite of my gluttonous behaviour.

Onion Bhaji

Here is a (an awesome) list of what we (were lucky enough to have eaten) ate.

1. Chickpea and Rice balls: “Jeeperes Jeeves, I’ll be damned if Cook hasn’t completely lost the plot.”

Chick and rice balls

2. Onion Bhaji: “Goodness gracious, great balls of fire!” enthused the enflamed Mainwaring.

Onion Bhaji

3. Nan Bread: Furtively Caruthers slipped out the back, nervously clutching his chapattis.

Nan bread write up

4. Beef Satay: Hetherington had this trick with skewers that wasn’t always opportune at parties.

Beef Satay

5. Chicken Tandoori Kebabs: “Time for a spot of action chaps – remember Agincourt” urged Stokes mischievously.

Chicken Tandoori

6. Balinese Seafood Curry: Singleton was a tad partial to a dip into deeper waters on occasion.

Balinese Seafood Curry

7. Chicken Xacuti: “Guess ten nifty spices in this number and you’ll still only have half” smirked Snodgrass.

Chicken Xacuti

8. Khatte Chhole – Sour Chickpeas: “Three cheers for the Raj – Hip Hip” piped up Sapper Jenkins.

Sour Chickpeas

9. Turmeric Dhal: “By Jove, Caruthers, it’s going to be (a) long night if my digestion doesn’t deceive!”

Turmeric Dhal

10. Baigan achari – pickled aubergine: Not content to stop at the sloe gin, Davenport took his pickling most seriously.

Pickled Aubergine

11. Baghari phool gobi – cauliflower: “Better colly than cabbage-looking, what!” chortled Flowers.

Cauliflower

12. Raita – cucumber: “I recommend this fresh little number from Deirdre, M’Lord” dared Ffiened cockily.

Cucumber

13. Lamb Rogan Josh: “This ‘Rojasthani Rogue’ is most highly commented” exhorted the Colonel.

Lamb Rogan Josh

14. Pork Vindaloo: “It’s mighty hot chaps, but we’re going in” encouraged the whimsical Smythe.

Pork Vindaloo

15. Fruit Platter (forgot to photograph words! But was beautifully made by Steven)

Fruit Platter

16. Raspberry Tart: supplied by guest.

Raspberry Tart

17. Two types of homemade ice-cream!! Mango and cinnamon I do believe. (Forgot to photograph…reason to be re-invited one hopes.)

More guests!

Share this

Popadom your diary | A Cook on the Funny Side


I don't even know thee way I enmded up rioght here, howver I thought this
submit was great. I don't recognise who you are however
definijtely you are going to a famous blogger in case you
aren't already. Cheers!

Post new comment
The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
  • Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically.
  • Allowed HTML tags: <a> <em> <strong> <cite> <code> <ul> <ol> <li> <dl> <dt> <dd> <img> <div>
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
  • You may use [inline:xx] tags to display uploaded files or images inline.

More information about formatting options