Distance driven: 147km
Time: 3.5 hours
Author: Mr A
We packed up this morning and tackled the 2 hour drive out of the Mornington Wilderness, reflecting on what a great experience it had been to stay there. A quick top up of diesel at the Imintji Road House, $2’s a litre (ouch – but cheaper than they last fill! Two apples and a pallett of strawberries were procured, as our first fresh veg we’ve seen for weeks), and we were soon pullling up at the Slient Grove campground. This was where we left the van and headed up the short track to Bell Gorge, a short walk/rock hop (Kimberley classic walking track) and a climb down to an amazing swimming hole complete with a perfect waterfall framing the view.
We are privileged to be in these wonderful places. I can’t help but always wonder for how long humans have been swimming here and feeling the same simple pleasure. The latest estimate would say from the last Ice Age, around 50,000 years. Have we changed that much over those years in how we feel about taking a plunge in such a beautiful place?
Back at the van its a lovely shower in the en suite and a vodka, soda and fresh lime al fresco, with the left over garlic damper from last night. Dinner followed…how about this…a chicken jalfrezi with a “Kimberley Aloo”. Now you might not find that on your local curry house menu, but after 3 weeks down the Gibb and no access to fresh supplies one needs to improvise. So the only fresh veg left at this point was kumera, and the freezer had some frozen peas, so in a unusually inspired moment I suggested a variant on Bombay aloo (peas and potato in a curry sauce). Mrs A being the wonder cook that she is, excited on this grand design and there it was on the plate…awesome. A Chocksotne Shiraz from the Grampians stood up nicely to the power of the spices. Dessert will be the strawberries bought today and some dairy free ice cream from the freezer. Who could want for more?
Interjection from Mrs A:
Kimberley Aloo Recipe (serves 2-3)
Kumera (sweet potatoes) x 2
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
1tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp chilli powder (more to taste)
1 tsp cornflour
2 bay leaves (fresh, dried or frozen ok – we had frozen)
250 ml/1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
- Boil a pan of water and add potatoes. Cook for about 10 minutes
- Meanwhile mix up spices, stock and cornflour in a separate bowl
- Drain potatoes
- Add spice mix and peas
- Cook up, stirring regularly
- Once sauce thickened, serve.
