Some like it hot
The secret of happiness is variety, but the secret of variety,
like the secret of all spices, is knowing when to use it
– Daniel Gilbert
I grew up in a KFC, ‘fish n chips’ and St. Michaels foods kind of home. I don’t remember much home cooking. My parents were both busy, working full time. My mother might have made an Anglo Indian curry about once a week, but I wouldn’t eat it, believing that I didn’t ‘like it hot’.
Spice came into my life later. I’ve learned to love spice.
We’ve visited Sri Lanka several times, and every time we dine on bold breakfast curries. My favourite breakfast on the planet is Sri Lankan; hard-boiled eggs in a mild coconut sauce, coconut and potato in a kind of soup, thick, fragrant dahl, and various spicy, sambols with shredded coconut. Then there’s hoppers, amazing pan shaped pancakes, made from a batter of rice flour and coconut milk, filled with an egg, some coconut or maybe more curry. Sometimes there would be string hoppers, maybe with a young, jackfruit curry. And we would often finish breakfast with something sweet, Pani Pol (pancakes) made from wheat flour, coconut milk, egg and turmeric with fresh, grated coconut, jaggery (a type of cane sugar) and more spices.
In South Africa we’ve enjoyed bunny chows in Durban, though often a bit too hot for my palate. In Kenya and Zanzibar, Swahili spices combined together perfectly with coconut milk, served up with cool, Indian Ocean sea breezes.
We crave something spicy, almost everywhere that we travel.
And today we enjoyed some exceptional Indian food, in a small South African town in the Klein Karoo. I had heard of The Kombuis before we travelled along Route 62. We knew that we wanted to go and booked a table, (just one of three) for lunch.
We were welcomed to the house by the host and chef. Pieter has worked as a jewellery designer and he is now producing unique culinary creations too. Pieter lived in India for 12 years. He has developed a passion for the flavours of the sub-continent and he is a self taught chef.
The Kombuis can be found near Calitzdorp’s church, on a side street. The front of the building lacks all pretension. But the interior of this home is a wonderful surprise.
We were ushered towards the large, indigenous garden, where there are two outdoor tables for diners. We are the only ones there. There was no printed menu. There was certainly no QR code to scan. Instead Pieter talked us through the day’s fresh dishes.
Dining at The Kombuis is a really unique slow food experience. The food presented was of a high quality. Vegetables used are local and seasonal. Each dish is freshly prepared while you wait. Everything was savoury, with the right amount of spice.
Our appetisers were Masala Papads, served with fresh salad. Alongside there was a tiny jar , filled with some delicious, piquant apricot chutney. The apricot tree on site was harvested recently, giving over 20 kilograms of fruit.
Our main courses followed: Nadal Beef Curry, and Dal Tadka, lentils tempered with spices and ghee. Both were served with Basmati rice. Then there was an extra portion of Bombay Aloo, side potatoes in a tomato and onion gravy.
We suddenly felt very full. We paused while Pieter joined us at the table. We talked of life in other countries, while he shared tales of his time in Delhi and London.
We finished with Gajar Halwa, a North Indian dessert made with carrots, ghee and cardamom.
It took us over three and a half hours to eat lunch at The Kombuis and about the same amount of time to digest this luscious lunch. It was a privilege to meet Pieter. It is such a special setting. The garden is exquisite, and we were visited by many birds. It was a memorable part of our route 62 journey and a perfect journey into spice.
Have you been somewhere recently, that you would recommend to other travellers?
© Maggie M / Mother City Time