CURRY DEVIL — HOTPLATE WITH CHRIS & JOE AUGUSTIN Estimated cook-along recipe: serves 6–8 with rice These are practical estimates from the prepared ingredients and cooking shown in Episode 38, not measured quantities supplied by Chris. Times are guides: use the texture, aroma and tenderness cues. Water/stock and optional vinegar below are adaptations because the film does not identify the poured liquid. INGREDIENTS Rempah (spice paste): 4 small red onions, about 300g, peeled and roughly chopped 8 garlic cloves, about 30g, peeled 50g fresh ginger, peeled and sliced 8–10 dried red chillies, about 15–20g, stems removed; remove seeds for less heat 3–6 chilli padi, to taste; start with fewer for a milder curry A little water, just enough to blend Curry: 4 tbsp neutral cooking oil, plus about 1 tbsp for roasting potatoes 700g cooked roast meat, cut into bite-size chunks 250g cooked bacon or ham bones with some meat attached 2 carrots, about 250–300g, cut into slim batons 150g pickled cucumber, drained and sliced 4 cooked sausages, about 200–250g, thickly sliced 2 tbsp prepared yellow mustard 600g potatoes, cut into roughly 3cm chunks and pre-roasted 500ml water or unsalted stock to start; up to another 250ml if needed (adaptation) Salt only if needed after tasting Optional: 1–2 tbsp mild vinegar, added gradually to taste (adaptation) Rice, to serve METHOD 1. Prepare the potatoes and chillies. Heat the oven to 200°C. Toss the potato chunks with about 1 tbsp oil, spread in one layer and roast for 30–40 minutes, turning once, until golden and tender. Meanwhile, cover the dried chillies with hot water for 15–20 minutes until softened, then drain. Have the cooked meat, bones, carrots, pickled cucumber and sausages ready before heating the wok. 2. Blend the rempah. Blend the onions, garlic, ginger, soaked dried chillies and chilli padi to a thick paste. Add water a tablespoon at a time, only as needed to keep the blades turning. A very wet paste takes longer to fry down. 3. Fry the paste thoroughly. Heat 4 tbsp oil in a large wok or wide pot over medium-low heat. Add the rempah carefully and fry, stirring often and scraping the base, for roughly 10–15 minutes. It should lose its raw onion smell, darken slightly and become glossy, with little beads of oil separating at the edges. Reduce the heat if it catches; add a small splash of water if necessary and cook that water away again. 4. Add the cooked roast meat and bacon/ham bones. Turn through the paste for 2–3 minutes so that the pieces are evenly coated. This version uses cooked leftovers, not raw meat. 5. Loosen the curry. Pour in 500ml water or unsalted stock, scraping up the paste from the base. Bring to a gentle simmer. The gravy should be loose enough to move around the meat; add more liquid in small splashes if necessary. 6. Add the carrots and pickled cucumber, following the order shown in the film. Simmer gently for about 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are tender and the flavours have come together. Avoid a fierce boil that breaks up the meat or dries the sauce out. 7. Add the sliced sausages. Stir gently and simmer until hot right through, usually about 3–5 minutes depending on their size and starting temperature. Add a splash of water if the sauce is too thick. 8. Stir in the prepared mustard. Taste before adding salt: the bones, sausages and pickles can already be salty. If the curry needs more tang, add optional vinegar a teaspoon at a time; you may not need the full 1–2 tbsp, or any at all, depending on the pickles. 9. Fold in the pre-roasted potatoes last. Turn gently to coat without breaking them up. Simmer for about 3–5 minutes until everything is hot through. Adjust with a final splash of water for a spoonable gravy. Serve hot with rice. BRIEF HISTORICAL CONTEXT Portuguese ships first reached Malacca in 1509, seeking access to its trading networks. In 1511, Afonso de Albuquerque's fleet captured the port. Over generations, contact between Portuguese and local communities contributed to the Portuguese-Eurasian community and its culture. Kristang is the Portuguese-based creole language of Malacca's Portuguese-Eurasian community. The name also refers to the community and its culture. In Kristang, debal means “leftovers”. This connection does not mean that the curry was invented in 1511; family recipes developed over time. Historical reenactments are illustrative, generated with LTX Fast; they are not archival footage. Historical references: NLB BiblioAsia, Portugal's Linguistic Legacy in Southeast Asia (1 April 2023): https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/all-sections/vol-19-issue-1-apr-jun-2023-portuguese-legacy-southeast-asia/ Macau Cultural Affairs Bureau, Documentary Anthology, Chronicle of the Discovery and First Conquests in India by the Portuguese: https://www.icm.gov.mo/rc/viewer/20032/1242 National Museum of Asian Art, Encompassing the Globe: https://asia.si.edu/whats-on/exhibitions/encompassing-the-globe-portugal-and-the-world-in-the-16th-and-17th-centuries/ NLB BiblioAsia, Meeting with the Sea (4 April 2017): https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/all-sections/vol-13-issue-1-apr-jun-2017-meeting-with-the-sea/ Original HOTPLATE Episode 38: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DO1V0xQs-o