B&T Curry Week: an interview with Ralph
This week we are thinking about all things curry. We are kicking this off with an interview with Ralph Mascarenas – a W3 resident and great friend of lovely Nina who works in the shop – and he shared his favourite curry recipe with us.
Ralph, 29, was born and raised in Mumbai but his family are originally from Goa. He moved to London seven years ago to do his masters at UCL and is always in the kitchen cooking up a storm and hosting people.
So Ralph, what got you interested in cooking?
I have always loved food, but especially the way it makes people feel when they get together and enjoy a big pot of something. I often make curries when I have people over because they’re really easy to make in large batches and are just made for sharing. Not to mention extremely tasty. I’ve found London can be quite a lonely place at times, so if I’m able to reach out to people and invite them over for food, it’s a win-win.
What would you say is the most important component of a curry?
Definitely the puree or curry paste (this forms the base of any curry you make). It’s almost always more satisfying to make your own if you can – but obviously if you are short on time there are some good ones you can find that don’t compromise on the taste.
Why have you chosen this recipe to share?
Even though Palak Paneer is a little more effort than lots of recipes you’ll find online, this is one of my favourite curries from back home. It can be made vegan if you substitute tofu for the paneer (cottage cheese), coconut oil instead of ghee/butter and coconut milk instead of cream. It’s just a taste of home for me really.
Thanks so much for chatting to us Ralph!
It was a pleasure, thank you. I hope everyone likes the recipe.
Click here to see the full recipe on our recipe blog.
