Palate House Special: Curries In A Hurry With The Editorial Team

When deadlines pause and aprons come out, our editorial crew trades keyboards for ladles to see who can turn Kerala-inspired sauces into lunch magic in under ten minutes.

After weeks of back-to-back stories, photo shoots, and media mayhem, we decided our first Palate House Special needed a splash of fun and a dash of spice. So, when Kayra sent us their new ready-to-cook sauces and pastes—Kerala Fish Curry paste, Prawn Mango Curry paste, and Moilee Curry sauce—we swapped deadlines for a lunch gathering. The challenge: transform each packet into a full-fledged meal in just ten minutes.

Some of us played it safe. Others went rogue, sneaking in extra steps to elevate the dish but racing the clock all the same. The result? A lively cookout in the Palate kitchen, perfumed with coconut, curry leaves, and a little competitive spirit.

Kerala Fish Curry Paste: Tengku Zai’s coastal classic

Editor-in-Chief Tengku Zai dove straight into the Kerala Fish Curry paste, pairing it with meaty slabs of king mackerel. This mix—rich with tomato, coconut milk, tamarind, onions, ginger, garlic, mustard seed, and a bouquet of warm spices—delivers a deep, coastal punch. Her verdict? A tangy, roasted blend that tastes like the Malabar coast in a bowl. The dish came together fast, with each spoonful carrying that unmistakable Kerala tang.

Prawn Mango Curry Paste: Patrick’s sweet-and-spicy twist

Deputy Editor Patrick tackled the Prawn Mango Curry, a recipe that marries the sweet brightness of raw mango with the briny richness of fresh prawns. Not one to follow rules quietly, he toasted mustard seeds and curry leaves in coconut oil before adding the paste, because extra aroma never hurt anyone. The outcome was an irresistible balance: juicy prawns in a sauce that’s sweet, tangy, and tinged with just enough chili heat to keep you reaching for more.

Moilee Curry Sauce: Colin & Vanessa’s creamy collaboration

Features Editor Colin teamed up with Writer Vanessa for a tilapia rendition of Kerala’s iconic Moilee Curry. Built on coconut milk, green chili, ginger, and a whisper of lime, their dish bloomed into a delicate, aromatic curry that was as pretty as it was comforting. Served with steaming rice and pillowy roti canai, it had us scraping the pot for the very last drop.

The final ladle

By the end of the evening, three empty pots sat proudly on the stove—a testament to how far good ingredients and a little teamwork can go. Each dish was distinct: Zai’s tangy coastal fish, Patrick’s mango-kissed prawns, and Colin and Vanessa’s gentle, coconut-rich Moilee.

Kayra’s pastes proved their point: restaurant-level Kerala flavours don’t have to take hours. Sometimes they only need ten minutes and a few willing hands. As we wiped the last bits of curry from our plates, we agreed on one thing: this friendly kitchen face-off might just become a Palate tradition, because nothing bonds an editorial team quite like spice, laughter, and the shared triumph of an empty pot.

Kayra