Curry Day!

Woke up late yesterday, at about 11, then lazed in bed for a further 2 hours, while I thumbmashed my PSP.

At about 2pm my mum suggested we go get some Banana Leaf Rice at our usual place in TTDI. My body didn't want to go (Sundays are for lazing in lah!)  but my hungry tummy growled a resounding YES! Off we went, my mum and I to Jaipur Curry House in Taman Tun, near the old Jaya Jusco building.

There is another similarly themed restaurant literally 2 shops away but I am in love with this one, the service is noticeably faster (albeit not necessarily is it any easier to communicate with their non-Malaysian staff). I like the way that their vegetables are not always overdone, and the fact that 2 of their veges are often whatever the cooks feel like whipping up, so I get this suprise everytime I visit.

Anyways they also have a secret weapon that keeps me coming back for more - their salted fish curry! I am a huge fan of Indian or Mamak styled fish curry through and through, the malay variant is invariably too tame or too lemak  for my tastebuds (melayu kalau masak, suka sangat guna santan seperiuk!). This magic fish curry is redolent with chunks of salted fish (mackerel, I think), cubed potatoes, black-eyed peas, slivers of carrot, some dhal and triangles of eggplant, all delightfully cooked to a thick gravy. This curry does it for me everytime, it is so so good. Carefully balanced heat from the chilli powder and spices with the sweetness of the added pulses and vegetables taming the overt saltiness of the preserved mackerel. And this time, I found another secret ingredient, I found some crab in the pot of gravy. Booyah!!

According to the Curryman, this is their famous Kari Keetam!

A large helping of rice was scooped onto my prepared banana leaf and lashings of this yummy curry was poured over, to be accompanied by small mouds of crunchy beansprouts, cool chunky cucumber raita, mustard ajwain yard-bean and turmeric cabbage. Add to this some crispy fried ubi kayu (cassava) chips and poppadums. Bring it on!

Black-eyed beans in curry!

We ate in almost total silence, neither wanting to chat, for fears it will somehow negatively affect the enjoyment, savouring each mouthful. And as much as I hate eating with my bare hands, this is the only way with banana leaf rice.

Hours later, my mum was bitching about her headache, no doubt brought about by the one-two punch of spicy food and all that salt (she has high BP you see). Hehehe, and to think she was the one who suggested lunch here.

innie or outie?

Does one fold the the leaf inwards (towards the body) or outwards (away from the body)when dah habis makan ek? I wouldn't want to insult the jovial Currymen. Help, anyone?