You know what it’s like, it’s Sunday evening, it’s been a hard week and an even harder weekend, you’re knackered and all you’ve got in the cupboards is a tin of sweet corn, pumpkin puree and some baking powder.
Thoughts turn to an Indian take away. It being Sunday, Merlin’s is closed, so you have to look further afield.
We had a take away menu for Maharaja Indian Restaurant in Shanklin, so looked through their comprehensive, but confusing menu, made a selection and called to order.
The initial impressions weren’t great. Trying to get what seemed like a simple question answered was frustrating. It wasn’t helped by unexpectedly losing the attention of the person answering the phone, as they go off mid-conversation and have a jolly minute-long chat to someone at the other end of the line, only to return as if nothing had happened.
OK … let it go. I placed the small order, checked the prices and found that they’d all gone up. Some, like the House specials which were £6.96 on my fairly recent menu, had raised to the dizzy heights of £9.95 in the space of two months. Luckily I wasn’t ordering those.
Order placed, I’m told it will be a reasonable 30 mins for the food to arrive.
30 minutes later the phone rings and we’re told that we have to go and pick up the food as they don’t have a driver! Yes – this is at the point that the food was supposed to be arriving.
Clearly we cancel the order.
Fear not Maharaja, we will not darken your doors, or phones again.
As a result of all this, let me introduce you to Sopaipillas, adapted with a side order of sweet corn.
Sopaipillas (eaten in Chile, Camino Austral and Central valley)
1 cup cooked pumpkin puree
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon margarine
1 tablespoon baking powder
corn oilIn a bowl mix pumpkin puree with the sifted flour, baking powder, margarine and salt. Form into a ball, without kneading. Spread the dough with a rolling pin to 1 cm thickness. Cut the fritters into 5 cm circles. Prick with a fork.
Fry in hot oil until golden brown on both sides. Drain them on a paper towels. Serve warm with green or red pepper sauce or with sweet syrup.
I didn’t really make the Sopaipillas :)
Restaurant critics Matt and Cat have received far better service in the past.
Phone: 01983 867083
