Khao Sway

A large bowl of thick yellow curry forms the centerpiece,and by its side sits a plate of moist tossed noodles. A third tray holds accompaniments in tiny bowls — including fried and dried garlic,spring onion,fried onion,chillies,crispy noodles and finely chopped coriander. Khao Suey is thick,creamy,rich and delightfully warm. The noodles,cool and bland,add a nice contrast to the gravy. And for those who like to experiment with textures and flavours,the accompaniments can be used to add heat,crunch or zest to the recipe.

Ajeet Kalbag,the chef at Miniwok,says the essence of his recipe is “the right amount of acidity”. “The lime gives Khao Suey its acidity. We also use curd,” he says.

Kalbag says that while the restaurant used to serve Khao Suey the traditional way earlier — in one bowl — they began to serve the noodles and curry separately because the noodles would get soggy in takeaway meals. “We are basically a takeout restaurant. That is why we serve it separately. This way,people can even mix and match the noodles,curry and accompaniments as they like,” he says. Miniwok is among a few places in the city known for their Khao Suey. Kalbag says that the dish is,in fact,one of the restaurant’s hot sellers.

God’s Own Curry,a new restaurant in Aundh,too,has introduced Khao Suey on its predominantly South East Asian menu. Again,the components are all served separately,even when guests decide to dine in. The dominant flavour here though is coconut milk,which adds its distinctive scent and sweetish milky taste to the curry. The curry also has chunky bits of vegetables like zucchini,mushroom and carrots,giving the dish more bite.

Among the places that serve Khao Suey in the city,The Secret Chef’s Khao Suey has garnered great popularity. Chef Sajjini Nair,who runs the restaurant and cooks on order-and-deliver basis only,spent her early growing-up years in the Far East where she picked up several recipes such as Khao Suey.

“I have a very special spice mix. I can’t say what’s in it but it is all organic and nothing is pre-bought or from a packet,” she says. It is one of her signature items,she says,and is the most-ordered item on her menu. “Even on days I serve a special menu,people request for Khao Suey and no matter what they order on regular days,they usually add Khao Suey to the list,” she adds.

Nair says that the Khao Suey share

some elements with the Indian,especially the Malayali cuisine. “The coconut milk base is similar in both cuisines. But otherwise,the aromatics and herbs used are completely different,” she says.