Well if Kevin Joseph , Chief Executive Chef of Oyster Box Hotel, Umhlanga Rocks does it, it's indisputable but here is a simple recipe which gets it pretty close.

If you like curry, you will agree, damn good.

https://youtu.be/W5LNTJrzv_A

Have you tried Mother-in-Law Hellfire Curry?   Real HOT stuff.

I remember this blend at the Indian Market...a Kenyan mate of mine loved it...too hot for me but Gerry being from Kenya, the hotter the better.

Durban Curry to me has the best aroma and taste and you can always up the "temperature" in any combo by simply adding more chillie (powder or chopped red's).

I can remember when living and working in Durban how people - who left SA and live in the USA and UK  wanted to buy items like Curry, Mrs Ball's Chutney, flaked chocolates - even a tablecloth for seating 8 guests at dinner and things like that  - to take back with them when they leave, since items like that were  just not available in their new countries,

One Canadian Judge - an Indian - came back to SA every year on holiday - he even had a  house built in Tinley Manor Beach.   He would get gold jewelry made by Indian jewelers in Durban and then sell it off in Canada,   The profit he made covered the cost of construction of his House and for the trip for him and his family - as well as a healthy extra income for him i Canada.   In the 1970's the exchange rate between  SA and  US dollars was R1 equals US $1,50 those days.    

I can remember that in 1973 I went to Europe for nearly 6 months and live well from my R250 a month salary as well.   I travelled all over Europe and stayed in hotels and guest houses and that also covered travel and residential costs.    

Those days are gone forever and the Rand is worthless at present.    .          

   ,    

This is one of the meals that I enjoyed and ate regularly while living in RSA.

Sure miss that Durban Curry.

No other curry I have tried elsewhere comes close.

I prefer Pakistani food in general over Indian food, but the Bunny Chow was good especially after surfing and being totally famished.

My favourite food in the UK is cooked by Pakistani restaurants. 

We have a guy (ex Pretoria) who established a company called Serengeti in Langley about 30 Km's outside Vancouver that imports a ton of SA foods and makes biltong etc in his store.

We are regular customers for some of the foods and fish paste which he has recently stop ordering from SA but many ex Saf's support his business as do some Canadians who have got the Biltong taste.

He has been operating for many many years and has expanded to some inland cities which he supplies as well.

Biltong, Castle with Rugby on TV (at home) is like being at Kings Park.

"We are regular customers for some of the foods and fish paste which he has recently stop ordering from SA "

He didn't stop ordering,  it's no longer available..."Wedw ow" is no longer available. 

My late father told me in the 1950's the fish carts in Cape Town used to sell 4 crayfish for a "bob".

They used to come down the road with their mulecarts loaded and announcing themselves by blowing the fish-horn.

All line fish, including red roman, snoek,white steenbras, kob, geelbek, yellowtail etc, depending on their size were 1 to 2 pennies each...can you believe it...a land of milk and honey.

Now these types of line fish except kob and yellowtail are not for resale. Seafood today cost more than good beef or lamb.

I can remember snoek selling for 25 cents and koosisters from the motjie for 1 cent each.

Coffee and Koosisters for brekkie on a Sunday morning made an English brekkie look silly.

How can you knock dem days.

Ja it's swaar to beat mutton curry but hey ek se vir jou it's a cardinal sin to forget the perfect condiment....Packo's mango pickle.

Lekker!

Denny

This is one topic where I agree 100% with you.   I still think that the curry we get nowadays in packets is not the same-    I have a Jewish  lady doing my cooking and she recently added some picles to amke it more tasty.   Love it though.    By the way I am watching Australian racing and so far this morning backed two winners out of three bets placed,     Help would eb appreciated.   

Cape Malay/Cape Dutch dishes are mouth watering. Their curry flavours are different but nevertheless very tasty.

Mike, old Mrs Purcell used to make the most delicious Babootjie...old recipe passed on.

My late Grandfather you farmed Rooibos tea in Pakhuis Pass, Clanwilliam, was a friend of Dr Louis Leipoldt who apart from many things had the most amazing recipes of Cape cooking, He wrote a book on them.

Mike winter racing is dreadful our tracks are soggy your best bet is to follow the jockeys and stable...here's some pointers

Sydney

Jockey - James McDonald/ Trainer Chris Waller

Jockey - Hugh Bowman

Jockey - Tommy Berry

Trainer - James Cummings

Melbourne

Jockey - Jye McNeil

Jockey - Jamie Kah

Jockey - Damien Lane

GL

Thanks Denny

In SA  the two top jockeys I follow  are  Fourie (especially when he rides for  the Justin Snaith stable) and Gavin Lerena.    . I backed a horse the other day written by Gavin Lerena at 10/1 opening and horse was backed down to 5,5/1  - I came on when it was 9/1 and the horse won easily.

A few weeks ago I found  G Schofield was riding a horse - apparently he does not ride much anymore.   Out of loyalty I backed  the horse and it won easily.   I understand Chad Schofield is ding in Australia - but he is on "holiday".   How long was his banning for? 

By the way really good jockeys know how to get the best out of  and win on mediocre  horses anyway.        .  

I know Chad is back but I didn't know he's banned.....sure you don't mean suspended? I can't keep up with him had a mile of suspensions before he went overseas, ridden a few wins since he's returned but he's not fulfilled the high hopes expected of him.

Have a look at today's Rosehill results....wat het ek vir jou gese van Chis Waller/ James McDonald/ Hugh Bowman?

Denny

I gave you a hint about a winner in Durban as well.   Watch out for  the Combination of Justin Snaith and Richard Fourie as well.   In the ra ce before the Gold Cup the two won a major race with generous odds availablee.       

Denny

I gave you a hint about a winner in Durban as well.   Watch out for  the Combination of Justin Snaith and Richard Fourie as well.   In the ra ce before the Gold Cup the two won a major race with generous odds availabl e.       

I lived in Morningside when I was growing up just up the hill from the Old Newmarket stables.

The horses used to go to the Country Club beach in the mornings for a canter and made a real mess of the beach which we surfed at.

Eventually when Summervelt was built we won our beach back and had many a great surf and fun times.

I have only backed twice on racing once on Sea Cottage and once on Tiger Fish in the July Handicap.

A win on Sea Cottage and a place bet on Tiger Fish.

Won and got out before I got hooked with the gambling curse.

By the way these two horses ran a dead heat in winning the Durban July Handicap at the time.

Strange but true.

By the way these two horses ran a dead heat in winning the Durban July Handicap at the time.

Sea Cottage was an amazing horse and has an equally amazing history, hotpot favourite for the July  a conspiracy took place to take him down 6 weeks prior to the big day. He was shot in the upper leg but by a miracle Syd Laird the great trainer nursed him back into the race. It was touch and go whether he'd recover enough to take his place but he did and finished equal first with a horse by the name of Jollify. This all happened a long, long  time ago so I hope my memory has served me well.

Denny you are correct and thanks for the correction.

I was talking to my grandson who is a Fishing Guide and has just returned from Africa after taking a group to ZIM. to catch Tiger Fish.

Getting old and forgetful I guess.

Oh and before anyone else says anything....confused.

Jammer.

Denny

You know when you get old you tend to forget names - Sea Cottage  shooting was engineered by a bookmaker.   He was banned  from bookmaking and ten operated a gambling joint for years.   When they rauded his home they found and that was in the late 1970's  he had direct broadcastin on any race he had a number of phones installed and had R160 000  in cash - even the bookmakers were betting with him.   I met the guy a few times aat a  rummy club  he operated,   

I went regularly with friends of mine the Barendse family to racing and always got a badge from them.   Going into course it was like a magnet drew all the rogues to me - all wanted to know what I knew.    One day I had muy normal R30  with me and was told that an owner had 2 horses that would win.   I backed the irst one and put R20 on the horse.    It duly one nd I got back about R30 in profit.   In the next race I backed a horse by th name of Red Bikini at 6/1 and I then put R20 on again.   So back came  the  R120 - my salary those days was R550 a month - so R120 was an awaful amount of money for me.    The next reace I backed 2 horses putting R20  on each.   The one at 5/2 won the race and the one at 5/1 came second.   Objction and the second horse was declared the winner.   So come the fourth race and there was a horse from Johannesburg in the race.    So by then I had a bet R1000 at R160  with Hugh Freeman - my favorite bookmaker.    I told Hugh that he should put his odds down on the horse from 6/1 to 4/1   - he looked at me in amazement - I never before put R160 on  horse.   He apparanntly followed my advice.    After the race I collected my R1 000  and was happy to go home - but I went to look at the horses and decide there was another good bet going on.   The horoses name was Blazing infeno 0- another 6/1 shot,   Another R160 bet to win a R1 000.    I went to sit downn and noticed that the odds on the horse went up to 10/1.  I then got up and went to each bppkmaker (there were 14 of them) and I put R50 on the house with each of them.   The horse duly won and I had a real problem     My pockets were all full of money R29 000 plus.   The next Race was the Clairwood Handicap - the horse was Ocver the Air at  9/10 - so I wnet up to Hugh and asked him if he would give me even money,   He agreed and I took at a R1000 and gave it to him.  He was amazed again - but gave me the bet - Over the3 Air won and I went home a very happy customer.     That Monday I bought a flat and paid for it in cash.   R32 000 was a lot of money for a flat on the beach-front those days.     

I stopped going to the races after that for quite a while and then started going again.  We normally set in the members and owners lounge where we had lunch - a full three course meal for R10.    I was there on one Saturday and we sat at our usual table.   Syd Laird  died the Tuesday before training a horse when he had a heart attack.    The race was about to bee run in Cape Town and i got up from the table to go and watch it on TV.   When returning to the table Syd Laird's sister - the wife of the trainer Sivewright asked me which horse won?   I answered and the tears were streaming when Mrs Laird made a classic remark - " I wonder what odds St Peter gave Siddy on that one"

.         .         .                      

Sid Laird's brother was a close friend with my in-laws until his death in the 70's and not once did he ever forward or suggest a winner or talk horse racing to them.

Plus they never asked him either even when having a drink or two.

Yes, he did make money playing the horses.

Now that is what is called good, honest real classy friendship.

Friend of mine told me a story about how he and a friend dropped off a gift at Syd Laird's house. Story goes that they drove up from Cape Town to Durbs and were sitting in his lounge room when he appeared still knotting his tie in preparation for a big night out  before the race. So he said "You guys up for the race(Durban July)"? ....he went on "Give me your card" marked off a few races with crosses next to the names, had 5 crosses next to a horse called Colorado King who was his entry for the big race. He also marked off the Jackpot. The King as you know won and the jackpot horses all got up. As I recall Laird said " They don't believe that my horse (Colorado King) will win."

Durban Mutton Curry is awesome and left over curry the next day, tastes almost better.....with garlic naan bread and Basmati rice, man what a dish....close second for me, is Tika Chicken Masala....lekker!

I love the Solid Brass Pan the Lady cooked in.