It isn't all that often that you find, written in small print, at the bottom of a well known fish and chippery cafe menu board "Massaman Curry" Massaman curry is a rich, Thai curry that is an interpretation of a Persian dish. As such it has a swetnes, a sour, a bite and then the rich depth of perfectly cooked beef. Massaman or matsaman is not a native Thai word. It is generally thought to refer to the Muslims, with earlier writers from the mid-19th century calling the dish "Mussulman curry"; Mussulman being an archaic form of the word Muslim. Due to its Muslim roots and therefore Islamic dietary laws, this curry is most commonly made with chicken, however there are popular variations on this dish using beef, mutton, goat and duck. The black board at the River Cafe, Nelligen offered burgers and fish and chips along with all the other typical options of a south coast eatery but the "Mussaman Curry" stood out like a neon sign. Chef Prasert makes a delectable Massaman Curry. Nelligen residents and those in the know are drawn to her very popular Thai Nights which will now return in February 2017 after the holiday season is over. So, next year, if you happen to be passing Nelligen and feel like a taste of authentic Thai remember Prasert's Massaman Curry, out on the deck of the River Cafe as you take in the passing parade of the Clyde River.
