Balboa Island is where both Grandma Joyce and Great-Grandma Mary spent their summers. They would sit on the tiny little patios and watch walkers pass by on the boardwalk, boaters sail through the channel and grand kids dig in the sand.

Over the years their weeks on the island evolved to include family and friends. They had a serious crew that knew how to throw spontaneous dinners and happy hours.

The best part of this recipe…the notes.  Grandma Joyce made her curry on the island on August 13th for the Morrises, Laynes, Cramers, Donna and BZ.  The Laynes are like an extra set of grandparents to me so I love seeing these notes and imagining the dinner table filled with so many fun people. The second note: gloxinia. I had to look it up, but that is the name of a flower, one that I’m sure was growing in one of the beautiful patio gardens that the island is known for. I told you, she was always the note taker!

Balboa Island Curry Sauce

1/2 onion, chopped*

4 Tbsp butter*

5 Tbsp curry powder (yellow)*

9 Tbsp Flour*

6 cups liquid- 4 cups lowfat evaporated milk, 1 can cream of celery soup, 1 cup milk**

Optional: cooked chicken, tofu, assorted vegetable, rice

 

Saute the onion in the butter, then add flour. Stir and cook for 30 seconds-1 minute over medium heat and then add curry powder. Once curry powder and flour mixture are well blended whisk in liquid. Sauce will thicken as you stir, it will only take a few minutes.

After it has thickened add cooked protein or vegetables, if desired until warm.

Serve over rice or with a flat bread, like naan, for dipping.

 

*Grandma Joyce did the work for us so I thought I’d relay her notes.

3 Tbsp flour-2 cups liquid-2 Tbsp curry- 1 1/2 Tbsp butter

6 Tbsp flour-4 cups liquid-3 1/2 Tbsp curry- 3 Tbsp butter

9 Tbsp flour-6 cups liquid-5 Tbsp curry- 4 Tbsp butter

 

**Don’t feel locked in by the liquid breakdown. If you don’t have the soup, or you need to round up on the evaporated milk, go for it.  Just make sure the liquid to flour ratio is correct!

Butter and onions…the best way to start a meal.

In the recipe I recommended adding the flour first. It worked this way too so you won’t mess it up. Either way, the flour needs to cook for a minute to get rid of the flour taste and the curry needs a minute to release its flavors.

Some dishes are prettier than others…

This is not one of those dishes. Once you add the liquid it’ll get better…promise!

 

See!

My family always made a recipe like this with leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Do you have any favorite curry add-ins?