A Saturday night, and Hector is having Curry at home courtesy of Praveen Kumar (Unit 1, Islay Place, Perth PH1 3FU). Curry cooked in an industrial estate, it has been a while since I knowingly had one such. But then how many have I unknowingly had? Beware of – chains.
100% Handmade – I would love to see this in operation.
A frozen, pre-cooked Curry, quite a departure from the norm, and a Railway Curry to boot. This could be anything in terms of style and interpretation, however, the packaging gives full disclosure as to what is in the box –
Slow cooked Scottish lamb with potato and Basil.
What’s this with the almost random capitalisations, who does that?
The back of the box gives full disclosure of every Spice which went into this Curry. Quite an array, the usual suspects and more, Fennel is one I could do without.
The cooking instructions gave the option of reheating in oven or microwave. The Hector is wary of putting Curry in a microwave, the Salt goes mental.
What to have with the Railway Curry? Some leftover boiled Rice, and some large Mushrooms which need using – Mushroom Rice, quelle surpise!
Time to try out the latest piece of cooking equipment: high sided woks are being advertised all over a certain social medium, the Hector has succumbed.
A modest portion, but as it turned out, well judged.
Of the 350g in the box, over 50% are solids. Whether this is better or worse than average is a complete unknown. Packet food is pretty much an undiscovered country in Hector’s House, until today.
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Railway Lamb Curry
The Thick, and not excessive Masala, impressed in terms of appearance. Finely chopped Onions (10%) were visible. Two pieces of Potato, skins on, so – New Potatoes – were thankfully outnumbered by the seven pieces of Meat. Seven, I thought, one less perhaps than a standard portion. As I found myself halving three of the larger pieces, there was the semblance of this being a decent portion.
Potato first, the big giveaway. There was but the merest hint of this tuber having absorbed the Spice, so what chance the Meat? Chewy Meat, would forty five minutes in the oven have improved this? Microwaving, no chance, so this is how it is.
The Meat was giving next to nothing back, even after lengthy chewing. Yes, the Seasoning was way below what the Hector considers to be a necessary level. This was further highlighted by the home-cooked Mushrooms, which despite being close to the edge of being chucked, were exemplary. Yes, Hector, yours is no disgrace.
With limited Seasoning, it was a case of let’s identify the Spices contained therein. Cumin was the only Spice I could definitely detect. Had the rest simply been waved over the pot? Underlying everything, was a Flavour I did not like, the Fennel?
The plate was cleared. Without Mushrooms in the Rice, the overall Curry experience could have been a somewhat brief encounter. Not the tasty Curry I had hoped for. Maybe their Lamb Bhuna will be better? Still in the freezer, one day I’ll find out.
The Bill
Purchased at the end of September, I did not record the price.
The Aftermath
And so to settle down to watch Scotland try to qualify for the World Cup. What could possibly go wrong?