National Curry Week

From 9th to 15th October, the nation is celebrating the 20th National Curry Week! The main purpose of this week is to embrace all things curry, as well as raise money for malnourishment and poverty focussed charities.

There are a variety of ways to get involved in the celebration, from hosting your own curry night at home to getting involved in various fundraising initiatives. This year it’s set to be second-to-naan!

Curry Facts

• The origin of the word ‘curry’ comes from ‘kari’, which is the Tamil word for ‘spiced sauce’.
• The earliest known curry was made in Mesopotamia in around 1700BC.
• The first English curry recipe was in Hannah Glasse’s Art of Cookery, published in 1747.
• Spices used in curry can help combat heart attacks and strokes. They can extend blood coagulation times, preventing harmful blood clots.
• Over 70,000 people are employed in over 9,000 Indian curry restaurants throughout the UK. There are more Indian restaurants in London than there are in Bombay and Delhi combined.

Kirthon

With two thirds of Brits opting for an Indian as their takeaway meal of choice, it’s hardly surprising that National Curry Week is a popular celebration in the UK.

Kirthon, located at 60 The Pantiles, is the perfect venue to satiate curry cravings this week! With innovative menus using the highest quality ingredients, their food offering serves traditional Indian food in a contemporary setting.

They also provide a takeaway service and an online ordering system.

Chef’s specials at Kirthon include:

Moglai Murgh – Pieces of chicken breast marinated in yoghurt, ginger and garlic and cooked with whole garam masala and ground cashews, almonds, fresh cream and saffron.

Goan Fish Curry – Fish cooked in coconut milk with red chillies and garnished with coriander.

Kashmiri Rogon Josh – Succulent lamb in yoghurt with tomatoes and spices cooked in a Kashmiri style.

Bhatak Massala Vindaloo – Breast pieces of duck cooked in southern Indian spices with ginger and red chillies.

Kirthon’s restaurant in The Pantiles is open Sunday to Thursday from 6pm – 11pm and Friday to Saturday from 5.30pm – 11.30pm.

Homemade Curry

If you like the idea of making your own curry this week, head to The Pantiles to stock up on all you need to make a mouth-watering dish.

Chegworth Valley has a selection of fresh and local vegetables, along with herbs and spices, that can be added to any curry meal.

And Trevor Mottram’s cookware shop is a haven of heavenly delights for curry cooks! From pans to pepper grinders and aprons to tableware, making a curry in a hurry is a cinch.

Chicken & Sweet Potato Curry

If you want to make a simple curry, that’s mild enough for the whole family to enjoy, try out this Chicken & Sweet Potato idea via BBC Good Food.

This Indian spice pot flavoured with korma paste is great for all palettes, including those of children.

Ingredients

1 Tbsp Sunflower Oil
1 Onion, chopped
450g Chicken Thigh, boneless/skinless and cut into bite-sized pieces
165g Jar Korma Paste
2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
500g Sweet Potato, cut into small chunks
400g Can Chopped Tomatoes
100g Baby Spinach
Basmati Rice to serve

Method

Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion and cook over a low heat for about 5 mins until softened. Increase the heat slightly, add the chicken pieces and brown.

Stir in the curry paste and garlic, cooking for 2 mins before adding 100ml water, the sweet potatoes and chopped tomatoes.

Simmer for 20-30 mins until the chicken is cooked through and the sweet potato is tender – add a splash more water if it starts to look dry.

Season to taste and add the spinach, removing the pan from the heat and stirring until the spinach has wilted. Serve with basmati rice.

We hope you enjoy National Curry Week, and be sure to post up any of your curry creations to either our Facebook or Twitter pages!