by The Great Foodini
Curry Express just off of Hwy 90 in Biloxi is now what I would consider a culinary treasure that should be supported. Not just because it is the most delicious and authentic Indian food I have had since I was in Sunnyvale California recruiting Hindu language teachers for the Defense Language Institute, but because the owner deserves our respect.
More than 25 years ago, Zima immigrated to Canada from New Dehli to strike out and start a new life. After 22 years of chef work in Canada and a stroke, Zima moved to Mississippi to be closer to family. Continuing to struggle and strive, she reinvented her life again six years ago on the Mississippi Gulf Coast working in various jobs in the restaurant industry.
A doctor friend on the coast became aware of her talents and began helping her set up a catering business. It became successful. Zima was able to get money together from the extra work and opened the Curry Express.
For more than two months, Zima has toiled in the kitchen to perfect the menu daily to offer the best of traditional Indian dishes, which has proved successful due to the amount of acclaim she has received by her followers.
One of my favorite dishes, other than the beautifully crafted butter chicken is the rich and tender beef vindaloo. This savory and meaty curry-based dish is worth it. Zima claims that her beef vindaloo’s quality is better than most due to the angus ingredients. She says that the higher quality beef will set her vindaloo apart from other Indian restaurants. She also serves it with chicken as well.
Zima’s steak masala is better than I have ever tasted. This dish is filled with steak chunks with a type of mushroom sauce. I enjoyed eating the steak, then sopping the sauce up with a big warm piece of nan.
The samosas were so fresh and crisp with seasoned-smashed whole potatoes and peas. I used a homemade sauce that Zima gave me that was a sweet tamarind base.
My favorite side dish was the Cauliflower. This cauliflower was stir fried with ginger, garlic and red chilis. It was so good with just a little bit of heat to it.
Indian rice pudding, also called, Kheer Badam is filled with slivered roasted almonds and raisins. A great dessert to top off the meal.
As I was finishing up, Zima heard me cough and brought me out some masala tea with cinnamon, ginger and cardamom with tea leaves milk and sugar. I told her thank you and I could tell that the mother in her was trying to cure me. Well, I don’t know if my chest cold is cured with the delicious tea, but my soul is cured with this delicious food.
