Sunday 11 September 2016

#164 Curry

"Dhansak?" the waiter asked, completing the order that I couldn't quite seem to get out of my mouth. It was about nine o'clock and the couple of extra hours I'd spent staring at a screen could've been taking their toll but I also had my reasons for being hesitant. For one thing, Lime curry house on the Isle of Dogs doesn't have a great range of hot dishes on its menu.

No ceylon, no naga, nothing unusual. It you weren't up for a madras or vindaloo, you inevitably end up in boring old medium lentil city, so that was where I was headed. Or so I thought. The first thing I noticed when the food arrived was its colour. The chicken sat in a dark, heavy orange sauce, unlike the yellowy mixtures of other dhansaks I'd had. Curious, I took a forkful and started the meal.

Fire and sorcery. The peppers danced around my mouth, creating a simultaneous urge to reach straight for the lager and straight for another forkful. Beads of sweat formed around my brow and my attention turned to the other customers, to the waiters. Had they noticed? Would my battle with the chillies disturb them as they mindlessly consumed their tikka masalas, while talking about Trump and house prices?

I looked back at the dhansak. "Well nobody else is going to eat this" I thought to myself. I gave a nod to the waiter as he passed to show everything was ok. Dinner had been served.

2 comments

Running on empty said...
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Running on empty said...

Very brave.