Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

An ode to the curry punch

A new flavour

Thiruvananthapuram: Ever heard of the curry punch? It is one item, or should one say a composite item, which makes the taste of Onam linger literally for days after the festivities are all over. It owes its origin to lavishness of the Thiruvonam feast. There will almost always be surplus rice and many curries after the feast as they are prepared taking into consideration exigencies like heavy demand for an item or two or the unexpected presence of one or two members of the family for the feast.

Preventing the surplus dishes from going waste was a challenge which many a granny faced in the past. Hats off to the person who had the idea of putting all the surplus curries in a single earthen pot. When it was tried the next day, it tasted good. On the second day, when heated and served piping hot, it tasted even better. By the third day, there was demand for the dish but no supply. The idea then took wings. That was how the curry punch was born. Almost all the curries other than the sweet ones such as ‘pachadi’ and the hot ones like pickles can go into the curry punch. They include ‘parippu’ (dal curry), ‘sambar,’ ‘pulisseri’ and ‘koottukari’ (potato dish), ‘aviyal,’ ‘thoran,’ ‘olan’ and ‘kichadi.’ Even today, many keep the concoction in an earthen pot. It is deliberately not put in the refrigerator. The sourness increases by the day and it is that quality which many enjoy in the concoction. By the time it is sour enough for the connoisseur and too sour for the ordinary palate, the dish is no more.

The curry punch is used as any other curry with rice. It can also be an excellent accompaniment for a breakfast of not only ‘idlis’ and ‘dosas,’ but even ‘puttu.’ It tastes good with ‘chappathy’ and ‘paratha’ too. If you are not already a member of the curry punch club, why not join it? The members will welcome you with burps.

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