The world loves curry. The British love it so much, they not only made it their national dish, but they’re home to almost 10,000 curry houses - in fact, there are more curry houses in London than there are in the Indian metropolis of Mumbai!
In South Africa, curry is as much part of our lives as boerewors and braai. Whether it’s a delicious chicken tikka masala or a succulent and spicy lamb vindaloo, curry is enjoyed by numerous cultures across our beautiful land.
The spice reached our shores more than 250 years ago, and Durban is said to boast the largest single population of Indians outside India. It’s from this part of our country that we celebrate the origins of bunny chows and the eponymous Durban curry.
The Spruce Eats - an award-winning digital media company dedicated to all things foodie - sang its praises earlier this year saying that many curry enthusiasts believe that the best curries in the entire world come from the city of Durban. So what is it about a Durban curry that makes it so special?
Heat: Durban curries are said to be much hotter than other curries and will often incorporate the use of hot and spicy cayenne pepper, or a very hot spice known as curry masala.
Red Colour: The use of tomatoes, tomato puree or concentrate in Durban curries is another feature which sets it apart. This will normally result in its lovely red colour.
Sweet Spices: You will often find the use of garam masala in Durban curries is very popular. But the real sweet spices you are trying to get at are either cinnamon, cardamom or cloves, or a combination of all three spices.
Curry Leaves: You will not find a Durban curry recipe which has not incorporated curry leaves into the dish, either by adding the leaves whole, or grinding them along with other curry masala spices when creating a homemade spice blend.
If you’re salivating at the thought of a delicious Durban curry, why not make your own - TASTE has a delicious recipe for Durban-style Indian lamb curry. But as with so much else, it all starts with great quality meat which is where N1 excels. As leading Cape Town meat wholesalers, we pride ourselves on supplying only the best quality Halaal and non-Halaal meat products - everything you might need to make the best curry imaginable. So call us today! And if you’re in the Cape Town CBD, Atlantic Seaboard, Southern suburbs, Northern suburbs or in the Boland, we’ll deliver at home, right to your door!
