If there’s one thing you can count on as a traveller, it’s this: you’re going to have a good time at an Irish pub. For many, it’s a home away from home; a place to stop for a warm welcome and hearty refreshment.
Considering the number of Irish among us, it’s surprising that the Gold Coast has only a handful of established Irish bars. Fiddlers Green is one of the most central of these, the only Irish-owned bar in town, located in the heart of Surfers Paradise.
Named after the mythological Fiddler’s Green afterlife where everyone is happy, the fiddle never stops playing and dancers never tire, the name rings as true for travellers to Surfers Paradise as it does for sailors.
There’s a section of Fiddlers Green’s menu entitled ‘Taste of Home’, housing several mains which reflect true Irish fayre: Irish stew, the best-selling Beef & Guinness pie, and an Irish-style Chicken Curry.
Yes, it seems that curry is Irish, at least it has been since McDonnells started making curry sauce in Drogheda in the 1980s! Now it’s one of Ireland’s favourite dishes. Reminiscent of Japanese-style curry, the tasty Irish version is served on top of chips and rice.
Here’s an even healthier version of the dish with vegetables added – a one dish tasty meal:
Irish Chicken Curry
Ingredients
8 heaped tbsp (125ml) McDonnells Curry Sauce Mix (purchased from supermarket)
390ml water
5 chicken thighs, sliced into strips
1 tbsp butter or oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 cup of frozen peas (or peas and corn)
1 clove of garlic, crushed
100 ml cream (or coconut milk)
Method
- Prepare the McDonnell’s Curry Sauce as per instructions on the packet.
- As the sauce is cooking, heat the butter in a frying pan, then stir fry the chicken strips for 5 minutes until cooked through.
- Add the vegetables and allow to cook for 5 minutes.
- Pour in the sauce and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Just before serving, gently stir in the cream and allow the flavours to infuse for 2 minutes.
- Serve on a bed of brown rice (or traditionally with rice and chips). Serves 4.
NOTE: Fiddlers Green has now CLOSED.
We bought McDonnell’s Curry in a major supermarket chain on the Gold Coast.
This article was published in The Sun community newspaper on 6 June 2018.