Lands of the Curry Leaf

Watakolu vanjanaya — Ridged gourd curry. One of the many gorgeous recipes in Lands of the Curry Leaf by Peter Kuruvita.

‘A culture of food and friendship flows through my veins. This is the culture of the subcontinent, where a curry leaf tree grows in the garden of just about every home,’ writes author, acclaimed chef and TV presenter Peter Kuruvita of his flavour-filled vegetarian and vegan journey through the subcontinent and beyond — from Bhutan, Nepal and Afghanistan to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and his home country of Sri Lanka.

Watakolu vanjanaya — Ridged gourd curryThis is a beautiful and unique curry, using an equally unique vegetable that is surprisingly easy to grow. In Sri Lanka, this is one of the curries you would have in your rice and curry selection. On a recent trip there I tasted this curry after many years, and it took me straight back to my grandmother’s smoky black kitchen, where one of the house girls would meticulously clean the gourd, ensuring that the skin on the hard outer ridges was removed, but the skin within the concave dips retained.

If the gourd is in perfect condition, the seeds will still be white and edible; otherwise, it’s best to remove the seeds if the gourd is a bit old. There is no real replacement for ridged gourd in terms of

flavour and texture, but any member of the gourd family will work in this curry.

Vegans and pure vegetarians can omit the Maldive fish.

INGREDIENTS:

2 ridged gourds

1 onion, diced

2 Indian green chillies, halved

lengthways

½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds

1 fresh curry leaf sprig, leaves picked

1 teaspoon Maldive fish (optional), finely

pounded using a mortar and pestle

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

2 teaspoons raw curry powder

½ teaspoon chilli powder

Salt, to taste

300 ml coconut milk

200 ml coconut cream

Juice of ½ lime

A pinch of dark roasted curry powder

METHOD:

Take the gourds and peel the skin from the ridges, leaving the skin on the concave inner dips of the gourds. Cut each gourd in half, and then on an angle into 4 cm (1½ inch) pieces.Place all the ingredients, except the coconut cream, lime juice and roasted curry powder, in a heavy-based saucepan, stirring until well combined.Bring to the boil over medium–high heat and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the skin of the gourd is tender.Stir in the coconut cream and bring to the boil, then immediately turn off the heat.Stir in the lime juice and serve garnished with a sprinkling of roasted curry powder.REGION: Sri Lanka

SERVES: 6

PREPARATION: 25 minutes

COOKING: 20 minutes

DIFFICULTY: Easy

Spiced with life and travelsAll the dishes in this deeply-personal collection, spiced with the flavours of Peter Kuruvita’s life and travels, reflect the diversity of the regions, their legendary hospitality, their energy and excitement, extraordinary landscapes and rich history.

In Lands of the Curry Leaf, Kuruvita explores a goldmine of plant-based flavours in recipes for street foods; pulses and legumes; salads; dairy-based dishes; curries, stir-fries and stews; rice; soups; chutneys; and sauces. They are supported by detailed glossaries of ingredients, as well as advice on setting up a subcontinental pantry, tempering and blending spices, and adapting authentic regional cooking methods for the home kitchen.

This book is a reflection of the changing dialogue about what we eat, as the world embraces the idea of a meal where flesh is not the main event. Lands of the Curry Leaf is a celebration of all things vegetable and their growing prominence at our tables. Showing that vegetables, grains and pulses can be culinary stars, Kuruvita takes simple, honest, health-giving ingredients, adds a host of exciting spices, and transforms them into a complete and joyous meal.

Born in London to an Austrian mother and Sri Lankan father, Kuruvita spent much of his childhood in Sri Lanka before moving to Australia with his parents. Here he began his career as a chef.