My disasters. Let me show you them.

As you know, Jim, I am cooking Big Curry tonight. Except that I'm not, because of course the secret of cooking Big Curry is to do almost all of it beforehand; curries mostly lie within that family that improves for a day of keeping and a quick reheat.

Mostly.

So the pork curry was actually made weeks ago, and has been improving slowly in the freezer, and mirabile dictu, I remembered to take it out last night and set it on top of the fridge to defrost.

The duck curry I made yesterday morning, and went into town with my shirt and jeans all besplattered for I am a sloppy cook; and on my way to buy coffee in the market I bumped into a friend, who wondered if I had time for a coffee. I raised her a glass of wine, and we went in pursuit of it.

But of course we are not capable actually of drinking wine by the glass; and the first bottle led inexorably to the second bottle, and then something to eat alongside the third. And lo, I came home not sober, and not perhaps thinking entirely straight, for then I made the meatballs.

With a cream sauce.

Which has split overnight.

Actually, I'm quite resentful about this, because I did use a tablespoon of gram flour to stabilise it, and I adhere to the principle that it should not have splut.

Nevertheless, there it is. Splatted.

Also splatted is the pork curry, because one of the cats has been adventuring on the fridge overnight, and has knocked it to the floor, and the container is besploit and the kitchen floor is all covered with meltwater. Which I must now go and mop up. Happily the curry's okay, because it was only starting to defrost, so it is pretty much just water that's oozed out. I am hoping, at least, that the flavour remains within.

If anyone knows a magic method for bringing a split cream sauce back together, now would be a really good time to divulge it.

Just sayin'...

Because you don't have half enough to read:

here's Guy Gavriel Kay on writing and reading fantasy;

and here's M John Harrison on the same subject.

Needless to say, they are not entirely compatible; needless also to say, I agree entirely with both of them. I'm like that.

Curry: a list

Okay. This is what I have ready:

Boiled rice (to be fried with black mustardseeds, turmeric, curry leaves, asafoetida; the lemon to be forgotten, as usual)

South Indian pork curry

Duck curry

Courgette curry

Meatballs in (split) cream sauce

Tadka dhal

Raita


I have had the obligatory panics (see earlier entry), and seem to have recovered therefrom. I might still make a fresh apple & mint chutney. But what have I forgotten? Once I'm gone, there is no coming back (it's a long walk over to Gail's, where the meal is to be eaten).

Obviously I need to pack up the spices for the rice; but what else? I know damn' well there's something.

I have to take a wok. Right. What else?

I want to put some cardamoms in the cream sauce. Right. What else?

I was going to make a side dish with okra, but that may not happen now. Right. What else...?

ETA: a portion of Chaz'z Pickled Chillies, yes, and a jar of the peach & chilli chutney. Nice. Thanks for the reminder. Right. What else...?

Mac says...

Like a motion to adjourn, Sitting on Chaz is always in order and cannot be debated.

ETA: Purring may or may not occur.