Sunday, July 24, 2016

THE SPICE MUST FLOW!

This blogger is obsessed with Koon Yick Wah Kee Curry Powder (冠益華記咖喱粉). The jar I bought about a month or two ago is empty, and no replacement can be found in any of the usual places.
Which is peculiar, and disconcerting.
I wish to buy two more jars.

Part of my obsession is because it comes in glass jars with red plastic tops, which are quite perfect for tobacco samples after a thorough rinse.
In the past mayonnaise also came in such jars (blue lids), and since they switched to plastic containers I have consumed far less mayo.

I hope Koon Yick Wah Kee does not switch to plastic; turmeric bleeds right through that material and leaves a stickiness on the outside.


冠益華記

This is what Koon Yick Wah Kee manufactures: 豆豉, 咖喱, 芥末, 醋, 辣椒醬, 海鮮醬, 蠔油, 沙茶醬, 蝦醬, 醬油, & 痲辣醬。
Fermented black beans, curry, mustard, vinegar, hot sauce, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, satay sauce, shrimp sauce, soy sauce.
And sesame paste.

As you can see, all the building blocks of civilization.

So why has their curry powder disappeared?

It is a very good powder.


MISC. DATA

Koon Yick Wah Kee Factory,: 26 Luk Mei Tsuen Road, Ho Chung Village, Sai Kung Peninsula, New Territories, Hong Kong.
冠益華記廠: 新界, 西貢, 蠔涌, 鹿尾村26號。
Northeast of Kowloon, just beyond Horse Piss Water.
Before you get to the Fox's Head.

I should not spend a moment longer without my curry powder.
It is an intolerable hardship.



AFTERWORD

Yes yes, I know that Indians NEVER use curry powder, nor do South East Asians. Everything is prepared to suit specific dishes, by mom in the kitchen, lovingly, every day. No exceptions.

Nor do you have to inform me that curry powder was a strictly English invention (it wasn't, being actually more like the Malay and Indonesian mixture of spices), OR that it's a variant on garam masala (which is also not true; garam masala doesn't have turmeric, and does have several aromatic dark spices which curry powder lacks).

Think of it instead as a distant relative of bottle masala.
Very well suited for cooking beef.
Or pork.


I do not have a tjobek.
In case you wondered.



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6 comments:

E-kvetcher said...

It is by will alone I set my mind in motion.

The back of the hill said...

Curry powder!

Paul Atreides said...

Do you, he asked, snort curry powder like it was some drug?

Unknown said...

Did you find the curry powder? It's the best curry powder I've used and I can't seem to find it anywhere.

If you did find it could you tell me where to purchase it?

Thank you

The back of the hill said...

To unknown at 11:35 AM:

Gum Sing Market [金城平價市場]
774 Pacific Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94133. at Stockton Street. Next to the New Asia Restaurant.
(415) 989-4836

When it's available, it's available there.

kathleen.gillis@gmail.com said...

I’m desperate to find the koon yick wah kee curry PASTE. Which has also disappeared. I tried calling the number of the market listed at the previous post and could not find anybody who spoke English I don’t even think it’s the correct number. I live in Toronto but have relatives in the states it would be easy for me to have something delivered there. I found the product on the park and shop website which is groceries in Hong Kong but I can’t find it anywhere else. This is like a bad addiction I ordered a case of it 10 years ago and now I’ve run out and I’m beside myself trying to find it Any news please let me know thank you

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