Blow the raindrops on roses – lobster and curry are my favourite things…

I am delighted to present you with another brilliant recipe from our favourite California resident and guest blogger Pete Russell pictured to the left  in a typical pose, accompanied below by the lovely Lynda again indulging in one of their favourite pastimes. Oh, sorry we couldn’t print that one but had to show them wine tasting instead…..Anyway, the last time I had lobster curry was on a beach in Mauritius (pretentious, moi?) and it was a brilliant combination, so I am very excited to try this recipe. Give it a try and leave us a comment! Over to you, Pete.

I was a seventeen yr old student living in North London in the mid 60s, my upbringing was working class, my tastes were pedestrian. I had just started visiting pubs on a regular basis with some new found friends most of whom had cars (I didn’t), which meant I was no longer confined to the local pubs (3) and the local chippy (1). One of the delights was the visit to a Chinese restaurant either before or after the Saturday night dance; trad jazz or rock ‘n roll depending on the venue, and there was plenty of good live music available to young people within a 20 mile radius of where I lived. For the princely sum of about 7/6d (about 40p in new money), I could have a pint of lager and my favourite lobster curry. Looking back it probably wasn’t lobster and the curry sauce – a light brown sauce stuffed with slightly undercooked onions, a dopiaza if you will, the same in all the Chinese restaurants we visited – wasn’t what I’d call a curry sauce today. No matter, to my untutored palate, it was a kingly delight. 

Fast forward forty five years or so (gasp! is it really that long ago?), and you’ll find me often as not preparing a quick version of the “lobster curry” at home, but now with a much more authentic taste. And it’s quick and easy!     You’ll need to start about a hour before you wish to eat, but don’t worry, the prawns need 30 minutes of marinating in the fridge.  My recipe serves 4-6.   Gather together the following:  600g of raw tiger prawns, shelled and de-veined, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, a dash of fish sauce, ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder, vegetable or olive oil, 1 large onion, peeled and chopped, 4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped, ½ teaspoon chili powder, 1 fresh green chili, deseeded and finely chopped, 2 ½ cm fresh ginger, peeled and grated, 4 tomatoes, chopped, handful of chopped fresh coriander leaves, plus some for garnish, salt to taste, 200g of basmati or long grained rice

I learned the basis of this recipe from the much-loved and missed Keith Floyd, who also taught me that meal preparation should be partnered with a drink of your choice. So pour a glass of wine, gin and tonic, cocktail of your choice or a cool beer and get started.   Mix together the prawns, soy sauce, fish sauce, tumeric and a little salt, cover and leave in the fridge for at least 30 mins. While the prawns are marinading, you’ve got time to prep the onions, garlic, chili, ginger and tomatoes, and talk to your guests, if you’re confident enough.  About 20 mins before you wish to serve, remove the prawns from the fridge and ensure the other ingredients are to hand.   Most rices you can buy will take about 20 mins to cook, so put this on now. If you’ve chosen a rice that takes longer, adjust your time accordingly.  From now on you need to concentrate, take a sip and:

Heat a little vegetable oil in a frying pan and fry the onion, garlic and chilli powder for a couple of minutes.   Add the prawns, fresh chilli, ginger, tomatoes and chopped coriander, and cook for 5 minutes.   Add a small amount of water and simmer, covered for 10 – 15 minutes until the sauce is quite thick.  Serve garnished with coriander leaves, over rice.

And that’s it! Easy eh? I partnered mine with a bottle of 2008 Navarro Sauvignon Blanc, from the Anderson valley in Northern California, medal winner at the California State Fair, and under $20.

Apologies for the photo, I was enjoying myself just a little too much. (Don’t worry, Pete this is how we know and love you best!)