Part of the fun of serving an Indian curry is having all the fun little condiments that go with it. Will it be a 3 or 5 (or more?) boy curry? Rumored to have been called a “boy” in reference to the servinf staff, each “boy” represents a condiment providing an additional note of flavor. And in this area things are pretty free form: it’s all about you and your tastes. You can add a little more fire with things like hot lime pickle, or cool the heat off with a bit of raita or plain cucumber. Add some sweet like with golden raisins or bananas, or a bit of salt with the addition of lightly salted nuts. Chez Spice Mogul, one of us tends to like the salty, savory accompaniments that add a bit more heat, while the other prefers the sweeter, fruit based additions. No arguments though: The great thing is everyone can tweak their dish their own way, without hassling the cook! Here are a few of the very simple condiments to a add to a traditional curry meal:
- Diced cucumber
- Banana slices
- Shredded coconut flakes (unsweetened)
- Golden raisins
- Raita (or plain yoghurt)
- Chopped hard boiled egg
- Chutney, such as Major Gray, mint or mango
- Indian pickles such as a lime pickle or radish pickle
- Cashew nuts
- Roasted chopped peanuts
- Diced tomatoes
The best way to envision your curry is like a canvas on which you get to paint a vivid picture of flavor, so do as we do chez Spice Mogul: experiment, have fun and report back. Serve them with all the “boys”, or serve only a few, but they are guaranteed to make a good meal into a really great one.
