Creative Indian cuisine – a surprising combination of chicken liver, curry, and sweet peaches!

Text and photos byKUNI

(Joseph’s new dish: Chicken Liver Salad)

I've always wanted to try Joseph's spinach curry – it's not common in Taiwan. In the past, if I wanted an authentic version, I had to go all the way to the famous store Saffron in Tamsui. Recently, I ordered from Joseph a few times, but because he couldn't find spinach leaves that met his standards, it never happened.

Saffron and Think Kitchen are completely different in flavor direction. For me, the former is an elegant, classic North Indian style, while the latter is full of the vibrant colors of South India. But Joseph would definitely deny this if he heard me say it.

There are many versions of how North and South Indian cuisines are divided. Aside from differences in flavor, there are also differences in cooking techniques – such as when spices are added, and the fact that the North mostly uses chicken and lamb, while the South features more seafood and vegetables. There are many opinions on the matter, but sometimes it’s best not to worry too much – what matters most is whether you personally like it.

Under the bright midday sun, I returned once again to Think Kitchen near Itō Park. This time I sat inside, but I was surprised to find the air conditioning wasn’t great, so it felt a bit stuffy.

What we ate:
Today’s soup of the day (NT$120)
Scallop & Mango Curry Hotpot (NT$680)
Chicken Liver Curry Salad (NT$450)
Soft-Shell Crab with Green Mango Enzyme (NT$450)
Lamb & Spinach Curry (NT$550)

Except for the scallops and the soup of the day, none of the other dishes were on the menu – they were all inspired by Joseph’s recent creativity. These will probably appear on the next new menu. The first dish to arrive was a chestnut-squid soup I’d never had before – one word: amazing. As soon as it entered my mouth, I could sense the smoky aroma of chestnuts from the back of my nasal cavity, followed by a hint of bitterness and curry, and then suddenly a touch of cilantro.

(Chestnut-Squid Soup)

The scallop & mango curry hotpot was probably the least satisfying dish of the day. The portion of scallops was small, and their aroma was somewhat lacking. Whether eaten alone or with the sauce, the scallops didn’t really stand out. Upon closer tasting, the sauce was actually quite interesting – rather than curry with mango, it was the reverse: “the sweet and sour flavors of mango bringing out the aroma of curry and a barely-there spiciness.”

Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough sauce, just a thin layer, so it didn’t envelop the scallops in a comforting curry bath like a chocolate fondue would. It turned out later, after I mentioned it, that there had been an internal kitchen mistake – they hadn’t given enough sauce.

(Scallop & Mango Curry Hotpot)

(Semi-cooked scallops)

(Coated with mango curry sauce)

The chicken liver salad? Simply genius. Chicken liver, sweet peaches, and curry – three ingredients that don’t seem to go together at all. The contrast and potential clash were unimaginable, but in reality, they became instant friends. Amidst the rich chicken liver and curry, the peaches gradually emerged as sweet and fragrant. I loved it!

Speaking of which, today’s naan bread was almost like an Indian version of Neapolitan pizza – less rugged, and more refined. Next came the soft-shell crab, which was also special, mainly because of the enzyme dipping sauce. After the heavy and intense flavors of the previous curry, suddenly came the refreshing sweetness of plum, which was really interesting.

(Joseph’s new dish: Chicken Liver Salad)

(Probably my favorite dish of the day)

(Soft-Shell Crab with Green Mango Enzyme)

(Soft-Shell Crab dipped in sauce)

(Then wrapped in lettuce to eat)

Finally, it appeared – the long-awaited spinach curry. Simple yet unpretentious saltiness, with a subtle aroma. For a moment, I thought I was sitting in Saffron, but the gradually intensifying spinach flavor gave it away. The lamb was in large chunks, slightly gelatinous, and most importantly, very, very tender – or rather, delicate, to be precise. It also had a bit of bounce to it. Absolutely delicious!

At this point, Joseph had a moment to come over and say hello. I complimented him on how great the lamb was, and he smiled and said it was made using low-temperature cooking – the shoulder part of the lamb. But instead of using a sous-vide machine, he put the meat in the naan oven before heading home from work, letting the residual heat slowly braise it overnight until opening time the next morning – about six hours.

(Oh my god, you sleep so little!?) I thought to myself, wow, this place insists on making all its sauces and spices in-house, and now they’re even using the residual heat from the oven in such an ingenious way—combining chicken liver, sweet peaches, and curry into one delicious dish. What on earth can’t Joseph come up with!?

(The long-awaited spinach curry)

Think Kitchen Joseph Bistro
Address: 1F, No. 13, Lane 69, Songjiang Rd., Zhongshan District, Taipei City
Phone: (02)2508-1329
Hours: 11:30–14:00, 17:30–21:00 Tue–Sat

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