As a self-confessed kitchen dictator, I’m notoriously bad at following recipes... so the idea of doing a meal kit made me slightly dubious. However I'm also a massive fan of Spicebox, I've been to their restaurant and frequently watch their YouTube tutorials, so I was willing to put my ego aside for one night to try the Family Curry Night Kit. With a box full of ingredients, some cooking instructions and a few glasses of wine (not included), I had a crack at creating their signature Korma with the hope that I could make it just as good as the original.
The Spicebox at Home kit arrived packed with fresh veggies.
My main concern? I was nervous to see how a signature Spicebox recipe would translate when it’s me, not Grace the founder, behind the stove. Each Family Curry Night Korma Box (£45) comes packed with all the ingredients you need, including fresh green beans, sweet potato, mushrooms and spinach, cashews and coriander, pre-made sauces and chutney, four samosas and kachoris, two naan and a small tub of rice.
The recipe card itself seemed pretty simple to follow and there’s videos online with Grace taking you through each step, which is good if you need a little extra help (by that I mean my partner and I had a small debate over what taking something off the heat means).
Whether you're cooking for family or just the two of you, this is sure to fill you up.
My first impressions? There was a lot of food. Served with a sweet yet spicy date and tamarind chutney, the samosas and kachoris were practically inhaled before we even had a glance at the mains. The tarka dhal (which had just needed to be reheated and topped with coriander), complemented the creamy korma sublimely with its depth of flavour and slight spiciness.
As for the main event... the korma itself didn’t quite turn out as thick as I hoped, but it was all cooked nicely and the sauce was deliciously creamy. The soft sweet potato complemented the coconut well, and I really liked the contrasting crunchiness from the cashews, which is something I’m definitely going to try when cooking Indian food in the future. I’m also very grateful to Grace for finally teaching me how to cook rice properly. I'm proud to say I’ll never make gloopy basmati ever again.
Choose from the classic korma or a tikka masala.
The DesignMyNight Digest
I’ll never live up to Spicebox's restaurant standards myself... but this comes pretty darn close. Combining fresh ingredients, delicious sauces and an easy-to-follow recipe, this meal kit is a fun cooking experience with the ultimate Indian feast to reward your efforts.
Fancy having a crack at some DIY kits for yourself? Explore our guide to some of London's finest here.
