4th Annual Curry Cook-Off

If you’ve been a regular reader on Safari of the Mind, you’ll know that we usually host a Curry Cook-Off during the winter, just so we can get friends together, chase away the winter blahs and get a competition going.  Theme inspired parties are so much fun aren’t they?  We have friends who started a “Chilli Cook-Off” in the Fall, so I guess we thought why not get a Curry Cook-Off going in the winter, and that’s how this theme was born.  The first one was a huge success as were the succeeding ones, so the tradition is here to stay.

This was the 4th Annual one, and might I add, probably the best we’ve had so far. There are no hard rules, no stiff judging, no fancy awards, just friends getting together for a good time.  The banter starts a few weeks prior, always fun receiving texts, talking about the curries from the different countries, and checking out the entries as they arrive.  I was just recovering from cataract surgery, so did not attempt to make any dishes, although my husband did make Jamaican Curry Goat.  We got in touch with a caterer this time who delivered some appetizers – vegetable samosas with a tamarind and mint chutney, and some chicken kebabs with various sauces.  We also ordered an Indian pulao with cashews and raisins and red beans and rice.  Below are some of the entries.  There were 9 entries in all.

 

Just some of the wide assortment of dishes.  There’s a lot of effort and thought that go into the making of these dishes.

 

Quite a few countries were represented: Thailand, Malaysia, India, Jamaica, Sri Lanka and Ethiopia.   Mostly, people have tried making these dishes for the first time.  Some practice at home before presenting on the day itself and others just wing it 🙂

 

You have to believe me when I tell you that every single entry was scrumptious.  Guests went back for second and third helpings.  But of course we had to choose a winner.  After tallying the numbers it was evident that the Thai Seafood Green Curry won the prize and deservedly so.  Luke and Sallie won the lantern.  Luke carefully carried the jumbo shrimp, scallops and mussels in separate containers in an ice chest.  I had to give him the heads up on when we were to start eating.  When I did, he dropped the seafood and the baby bok choy in the pot – it was a lot of work hauling all those individual containers I’m sure, but it was so perfect that way.  Click on “Thai Seafood Green Curry” to get the full recipe.