A taste of Kolkata in rural Wales

When I was growing up my father bought a holiday property near Machynlleth, mid-Wales (unfortunately in the news recently because of the abduction of five year old April Jones).  I had only been a couple of times since my father’s passing but last April it felt the perfect time to make a fresh visit with Sue and her son.

We were unsure what supplies would be available locally so stocked up in particular on the essential wine from London to take with us. But we needn’t have worried, the local Co-Op had almost everything we wanted. There was a nearby swimming pool, some golf and other activities to keep us entertained. However, despite all the books and papers (and video games) we brought with us we were at a loose end occasionally.

I remembered that the town hosted a market each Wednesday. We spent too much time and money in local bookshops and bakeries. We were on our way back to our car dodging the wind and rain when I noticed to my surprise a kitchen trailer emblazoned with “A Taste of Kolkata”. We stopped more out of curiosity than anything else and ordered a couple of the house specialities: vegetarian kathi roll.

Initially I was unsure whether the woman cooking had any connection with Kolkata. We engaged in some small talk about the weather and then I told her my parents were from Kolkata. I even managed some words of Bengali to prove my bona fides. I think Sue was quite surprised at my Bengali. It transpired that the chef had grown up in Kolkata the daughter of an Indian father and a German mother. She spoke German, English, Hindi and Bengali. I believe her parents met when her father was studying in Germany.

We had ordered an aloo dum (potato curry) kathi roll together with a paneer roll. Each was delicately spiced and well cooked. The aloo dum consisted of potato, tamarind, lime, and amchoor (mango powder).  Each roti, however, was individually cooked and this took a little time which may be too long for impatient London customers but time is not so relevant in mid-Wales.

Sue was so taken with the kathi roll that she ordered books on Bengali cooking on our return to London and tried to replicate the dishes although she believes her dishes are not as good. I for one will certainly ask my cousins the next time I am in Kolkata where the best kathi rolls are available.

We are already planning our next trip to Wales and we hope the chef with her “Taste of Kolkata” kitchen will be there. Regrettably we did not take her name or contacts. (I thought she could be found on the web. She apparently lives about 6 miles from Machynlleth).  We hope we will find her again on market day in Machynlleth no matter if it’s wet and windy. If you live nearby it’s worth making a special trip. If you know who she is please send us her details in return for Gold Points.

February 2013 update: We found her website today, which can be found at http://urastreetfood.co.uk/.  The chef's name is Shirley Bose - she says she can be found in Machynlleth every Wednesday on market day.  We are planning another visit to Wales in March / April so will certainly visit her street kitchen again.