Almost 100 people raised £1,500 by choosing the ‘Jersey’s best curry’ made by ten amateur cooks at an event in support of Hands Around The World Jersey.
The chefs were invited to cook their signature curry and bring it to the festivities, which were recently held at St Thomas’s Church Hall.
The event became a ‘Festival of India’ with the venue full of Diwali-style decorations and supporters wearing traditional costume.
Seven dishes were eventually presented at the Jersey ‘Chef de Cuisine’ Curry night – including prawn, chicken rogan josh, chicken and red pepper satay curry, chickpea masala, paneer tikka masala and malai kofta – with the best overall winner being Geetika Gupta for her chickpea masala curry.
Other winners included Surekha Pokharkar for her prawn curry, which picked up the ‘Mild but Mighty’ award, and Sangeeta Upadhyay for a ‘Best Presentation-winning’ malai kofta curry.
As well as the curry competition and eating – with guests making a donation to raise funds for the charity, which supports schools in Bugarama in south-west Rwanda, there was also a curry-themed quiz and a prize for the best-dressed guests in African or Indian theme.
Hands Around The World Jersey chair Mike Haden said: “We were delighted with the outcome of our Curry Competition. It was the idea of Narendra Bisht, one of our trustees who has visited Bugarama as a volunteer. His wife, Neha, also provided expert assistance and advice on good curries.
“The response from contestants was immediate but initially, we struggled to attract guests. Just a week beforehand we were considering cancellation due to lack of numbers.
“The difference came about largely due to the contestants talking to friends and family and many of them signed up almost at the last minute.
“In the end, St Thomas’s Hall hosted a real ‘Festival of India’. Narendra and his friends decorated the hall with Diwali-style decorations contributing to a brilliant atmosphere.
“There were lots of colourful Indian dresses and shirts. Inevitably the competition was dominated by Indian contestants. A number of Indian guests commented that they lacked this kind of Indian-themed event and hoped for more of the same.”
With the support of Jersey Overseas Aid, Hands Around The World Jersey has contributed to the development of new classrooms, school kitchens, toilets and sports facilities at nine schools over the past 16 years.
Recent achievements include the establishment of dedicated girls’ hygiene facilities and the distribution of ‘dignity bags’, helping to reduce stigma associated with menstrual periods and boost girls’ confidence and attendance.
Its current focus is on supporting the establishment of inclusive education for children with disabilities.
