Friends and Curry

Here's the thing about living with your sister: it's easy to fall into a comfortable pattern of spending lots of time at home, talking in weird voices to each other and shunning the outside world. As Kelsey prepared to fly to sunny California, I prepared for a cold, lonely week. And then I got an email from dear Nicole saying, "I am going to come over and rescue you from complete reclusion. And we're going to cook." Or something like that.

She brought Emily and Jamie Oliver.

We made chicken korma using these (which Jamie totally would have done):

We added chicken, vegetables and chickpeas. Megan and Melanie, inevitably drawn downstairs by the Indian aroma, made a pescatarian pot with tilapia. 

Nicole whipped up some fancy cilantro-lime rice.

Then we filled our styrofoam plates and feasted as a family.

And for dessert: pomelo. (As coincidence would have it, when I googled pomelo to check the spelling, the second webpage on the list was for a 'Very Popular Neighborhood Restaurant in San Francisco serving Global Cuisine revolving around Noodles, Grains and Beans.' Should have recommended it to Kelsey.)

This exotic fruit also got rave reviews at our table, and the medical students thought its thick skin would make a great eco-friendly alternative to foam for, say, a coccyx donut cushion.

I love my friends. Thanks for intervening on a sure path to hermithood.

If you don't have India Palace nearby and would also like to make Jamie's chicken korma, here is someone who did it by the book and took the time to share details. Although, I will say our shortcut method was pretty alright.

With love.