.png)
The weather is getting colder and the nights are getting longer. Winter is just around the corner and that means cosying up with a fluffy blanket, getting started on the Christmas shopping, and dining on festive food. One of the most popular festive flavours is pumpkin spice, made famous by the much-loved pumpkin spice latte.
Every year, coffee lovers await the release of the pumpkin spice latte, so they can add this warm flavour to their favourite hot drink. But, in the UK, October/November usually means carving pumpkins rather than eating or drinking them. So, at Calcutta Club, we’re taking full advantage of autumnal flavours, seasonal ingredients, and unique dishes, by putting our own spin on the pumpkin spice trend.
The Calcutta Club team is proud to present October’s exciting chef’s special: kadu prawns. There’s definitely nothing scary about this rich and elegant pumpkin combination. Want to know what goes into this brand new dish? Read on to find out exactly how our culinary team created this scrumptious special.
Introducing Kadu Prawns
As you may or may not know, each month at the Calcutta Club brings new specials to the menu. The menu includes four never-before-seen dishes, developed over the past month by our expert chefs. When it comes to kadu prawns, the main ingredient is an autumnal staple - pumpkin, also known as kadu in Hindi.
Behind the scenes in Calcutta Club’s kitchen, locally sourced pumpkins are pureed into a paste, along with a selection of traditional aromatics and fresh garlic. Next, the paste is roasted with our chef’s homemade pumpkin spice mix, for an added burst of the ever-popular flavour. After adding a touch of fresh cream to balance the taste, the sustainably caught king prawns are slow-simmered in the sauce for the perfect melt-in-the-mouth texture.
The result is a unique king prawn blanched pumpkin masala, with just a hint of nutmeg, cinnamon, roasted garlic and ginger, finished off with a touch of fresh cream for the award-winning Calcutta Club taste and presentation. The dish is packed full of homely and inviting flavours, brought together with a cross-cuisine blend of techniques and ingredients that you won’t find at any other Indian restaurant in the UK.
The Inspiration Behind Kadu Prawns
The story of Calcutta Club’s brand new kadu prawns begins with our beloved Suraj. As the son of owner John Dhaliwal, Suraj has played a big part in taking the Calcutta Club to the top of Indian restaurants in the UK. This means he’s always on the lookout for ways to enhance the dining experience for Calcutta Club’s customers. In this case, it was the fantastic idea for kadu prawns.
Suraj’s fiancé is a proud American, who adores the festive dishes that US restaurants serve during the holiday season. Every year, when Suraj and his fiancé head across the pond she makes him try the holy grail of seasonal food, the world-renowned pumpkin spice coffee. Unfortunately, Suraj hasn’t quite become a fan of the innovative hot drink quite yet. In fact, he hates it. But that didn’t stop him from noticing that almost everyone else loves the spicy yet comforting taste.
Brimming with possibilities, Suraj bought the idea for a pumpkin spice dish at the Calcutta Club to our chef, Agnes. Agnes’s chef senses began tingling. Kadu is a popular ingredient in a few different curries, but never before has it been combined with the tried and tested pumpkin-spice mix made popular in the States.
After some experimentation in the kitchen, Agnes had perfected the first October special. He put the unique dish up for the ultimate test; a sampling by the discerning tastes of Suraj’s family and the team of Calcutta Club staff. It was a huge hit! Not just with the team, but with Suraj too, who is very thankful that he can get his pumpkin fix this autumn without adding it to his coffee. Oh well Suraj, maybe next year we’ll turn you into a pumpkin spice latte lover like the rest of us.
Nevertheless, kadu prawns have quickly made their way onto October’s chef’s specials board. Just like Suraj, you can enjoy the fine flavours of pumpkin spice alongside the traditional delights of Indian cuisine. While we’ve taken the best of both worlds to create our savoury kadu prawns, we couldn’t pass up the chance to offer you pumpkin spice coffee as well. If you simply must have your pumpkin-spiced coffee fix, why not try out our tantalising pumpkin spice espresso martini alongside your meal?
Ready to Taste Kadu Prawns for Yourself?
Unfortunately the Kadu Prawn dish has now expired however we have a plethora of dishes you can try instead including our brand new November chef specials.
Simply head over to the ‘Reservations’ page on our site, where you’ll be able to fill out a booking form. If you have any special dietary requirements, celebration requests, or questions about Calcutta Club, please don’t hesitate to give us a call on 0115 941 4441.
If you don’t feel like getting dressed up for the full restaurant experience, you can enjoy all the delicious delights on offer at the Calcutta Club, from the comfort of your own home. Order scrumptious curries for collection or once again, you can give Calcutta Club a call and place your collection order at 0115 941 4441.