Backyard cooks now duck curry champions
Stabroek News
July 7, 2004

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It started in their backyards but the Carib Boys Crew went national with their flavour last Sunday winning themselves first place and $100,000 among other prizes in the local category of the third annual Duck Curry Competition.

"We always [have] weekend cook-outs in the backyard, so we decided to compete [at the regional level] in Anna Regina and we won there...then, at the finals, we won again," leader of the group, Ganesh Jaigobin, told Stabroek News yesterday.

Jaigobin, who is the proprietor of G&P Jaigobin and Sons, said he and the members of his group, which comprises nine other men, would get together on weekends and cook in one of their backyards and have fun.

"It's a regular thing...so when the [duck curry] contest came to Anna Regina, we just decide to enter," Jaigobin said, adding that it was a pleasant surprise when the judges' scores revealed them to be the winners of that segment of the competition.

Asked what he thought might have put his group ahead of the others, Jaigobin said his recipe is a simple one that includes the use of seasoned pepper and lots of cubes.

He said that based on his observation, some of his competitors used too much curry powder.

The group, which travelled from Essequibo by speedboat at 6:30 am that day, dubbed themselves the Carib Boys Crew since Jaigobin is a retailer of products of Ansa McAl, one of the sponsors of the competition.

Twenty-seven other teams participated in the event, which was held at the National Park and comprised two categories: national and international.

The second and third-place winners were Nalo Indira Nalo and Friends and Fantasy Duck Curry Crew, respectively.

The third-place winner was also adjudged the group with the 'Most Innovative Fireside'.