Showing posts with label Exclusive Books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Exclusive Books. Show all posts

Wednesday, 02 September 2026

No crumbs left behind: A spot-on review of Pravasan Pillay's Curry and Bread!


An excellent, glowing review of Pravasan Pillay's Curry and Bread has appeared in the new online literary journal Babas and Brasse. You can read it here.

Curry and Bread is published by Dye Hard Press, and is available at select Exclusive Books outlets, madeindurban.co.za, Love Books in Melville, and Clarke's in Cape Town.

Friday, 10 July 2026

Chops chutney with curry and bread




The dish at the top is called Chops Chutney, which was also the title of one of the stories in Pravasan Pillay's debut collection, Chatsworth, which was published by Dye Hard Press in 2018. Dye Hard Press also published Pillay's most recent book, Curry and Bread, which is available from select Exclusive Books outlets, Love Books in Melville, Clarke's in Cape Town and madeindurban.co.za.

It will also be on sale at the upcoming Durban International Book Fair.  



Sunday, 28 June 2026

Curry and Bread is still on the boil!

Pravasan Pillay's latest book, Curry and Bread, was published in 2025 by Dye Hard Press. It is still available from selct Exclusive Books branches, Clarke's in Cape Town, Love Books in Melville, and madeindurban.co.za.

 

Sunday, 10 May 2026

Curry and Bread still available at Sandton City

Pravasan Pillay's Curry and Bread is still available at Exclusive Books, Sandton City. Curry and Bread is also available from madeindurban.co.za, Love Books in Melville, and Clarke's in Cape Town.


 

Thursday, 16 April 2026

A year ago today ...


It was a year ago today that we were proofreading Pravasan Pillay's new book, Curry and Bread!

Curry and Bread is available from Exclusive Books, madeindurban.co.za, Clarke's in Cape Town and Love Books in Melville, Johannesburg.

Friday, 10 April 2026

A list of Durban Breyanis -- from Curry and Bread

 

A page from Pravasan Pillay's new book Curry and Bread -- a list of Durban breyanis!


Curry and Bread
is available from Exclusive Books, madeindurban.co.za, Clarke's in Cape Town, and Love Books in Johannesburg.

Sunday, 08 March 2026

Curry and Bread still available at Exclusive Books Sandton City!


Good to see two copies of Pravasan Pillay's new book Curry and Bread at Exclusive Books, Sandton City! If you are in the area, pop in and buy a copy!

Curry and Bread is available from other Exclusive Books branches, as well as from madeindurban.co.za, Love Books in Melville and Clarke's in Cape Town. 

Tuesday, 17 February 2026

Look out for Curry and Bread in Umhlanga!


 

Diarise for the Umhlanga Book Fair, where Pravasan Pillay's Curry and Bread will be on sale!

Curry and Bread is also available at Exclusive Books, madeindurban.co.za, Love Books in Melville (Johannesburg) and Clarke's in Cape Town.


Monday, 09 February 2026

Curry and Bread in England!


Good to see that artist Paul Warren in England has received his copy of Pravasan Pillay's Curry and Bread -- the first copy to land in the UK!

You can buy Curry and Bread from Exclusive Books, madeindurban.co.za, Clarke's in Cape Town, and Love Books, in Melville, Johannesburg.

Tuesday, 02 December 2025

Christmas is coming with Curry and Bread


Christmas is around the corner, so why not buy a copy - or even two copies - of
Pravasan Pillay's new book Curry and Bread as a Christmas gift? It will definitely bring the reader(s) joy and laughter this festive season!

Curry and Bread is available from Exclusive Books, Clarke's in Cape Town, madeindurban.co.za, and Love Books in Melville, Johannesburg.

Monday, 10 November 2025

Curry and Bread at the Books & Chai Festival




Pravasan Pillay's new book, Curry and Bread, will be on sale at the Books & Chai Festival in Umhlanga, on Sunday 30 November.

Curry and Bread is also available from Exclusive Books in Gauteng, Love Books in Melville, madeindurban.co.za, and Clarke's in Cape Town.

Monday, 03 November 2025

Adding curry spices to canned pea soup, and other tales from a Durbanite abroad

 


A warm and enthusiastic review of Pravasan Pillay's new book has been published in Daily Maverick.

Curry and Bread is available from Exclusive Books, Love Books in Melville, Johannesburg, madeindurban.co.za and Clarke's in Cape Town.

Thursday, 23 October 2025

Curry and Bread at News24


In his latest book, Curry and Bread, Pravasan Pillay explores, among other things, a georgraphy of pickles and lists his six favourite South African breakfasts. You can read these extracts at News24.

There is a paywall, but you can sign up for a free 14-day trial.

Curry and Bread is published by Dye Hard Press, and is available at select Exclusive Books branches, Love Books in Melville, Johannesburg, Made in Durban, and Clarke's in Cape Town.


Wednesday, 08 October 2025

Curry and Bread at Exclusive Books Sandton City


Pravasan Pillay's new title Curry and Bread on display at Exclusive Books, Sandton City, Johannesburg.

Curry and Bread is also available from other select Exclusive Books branches, Love Books in Johannesburg, Made in Durban, and Clarke's in Cape Town.

Sunday, 28 September 2025

Curry and bread on sale at Exclusive Books Hyde Park, Johannesburg


Pravasan Pillay's new title Curry and Bread on display at Exclusive Books, Hyde Park, Johannesburg.

Curry and Bread is also available from Love Books in Johannesburg, Made in Durban, and Clarke's in Cape Town.

Wednesday, 24 September 2025

6 Things You Should Know About Eating a Crab Curry: an extract from Curry and Bread by Pravasan Pillay

 6 Things You Should Know About Eating a Crab Curry

 

1. A crab curry – given the per kilo price for crabs – is one of the most expensive Durban-style curries to make. It’s also an intimate dish that involves using your hands and mouth a lot, what with all the loud biting and crunching of shells and the sloppy chiselling out of crab meat with your thumb – i.e. it’s not exactly a first-date dish. So, if someone cooks this curry for you or invites you over to share one, you can be sure that they really like you and are super comfortable around you. You should probably marry this person.

2. Eating a crab curry is, apart from working on an oil rig, one of the messiest activities known to humankind. Crab juice and curry squirts everywhere, into your eyes, onto the person sitting opposite you. It dribbles down your chin, arms, and it stains your clothing. Crab curry stains are harder to get out than an in-form Hashim Amla, so it’s strongly advised that you purchase a special T-shirt, to be used only for eating crab curry. Of course, you could also use a bib or napkin but those items are best left for amateur crab curry eaters. After several years, your crab- eating T-shirt will be a beautiful patchwork of built-up curry gravy stains, a sort of abstract impressionist painting of poor table manners.

3. Warning: no matter how proud you are of your crab curry T-shirt, never ever show it to visitors to your home. It is not, as this author has sadly learnt, the conversation piece you think it is.

4. A perfect crab curry is brown-red in colour and its gravy is thin yet deeply rich in flavour, both sour and spicy at the same time. In fact, a good crab curry is so hot that it should cause your eyes to tear, your nose to run, and your scalp to sweat. Tip: if your wife, husband, or partner is emotionally distant, feed them crab curry every day and they will be bawling their eyes out in no time. That’s right, crab curry could very well save your relationship.

5. In terms of etiquette, it’s acceptable, and indeed expected, to stick a crab leg into your mouth and to loudly suck out the delicious, curried juices. However, it is not acceptable to blow into the crab leg, pretending that it’s a saxophone and that you are John Coltrane.

6. After you have eaten a crab curry, its gravy will have, crab T-shirt or not, left its mark and odour on your body. Thus, it is strongly advised that you take two showers. The first shower should be taken in conjunction with a powerful sheep dip as a disinfectant to get rid of any trace of the curry. Once dried off with a towel, you should take a second shower to rid yourself of the poisonous sheep dip which has now likely seeped into your skin. A little sheep dip poisoning is par for the course when eating crab curry, so ignore the retching and think fondly of your next crab feast.


Curry and Bread by Pravasan Pillay is available from Made in Durban, Clarke's bookshop in Cape Town, and select Exclusive Books branches in Gauteng and Durban.

Sunday, 17 August 2025

Excerpts from Curry and Bread published in Johannesburg Review of Books


Three excerpts from Pravasan Pillay's Curry and Bread have been published in the latest issue of Johannesburg Review of Books. Click here to read.

Curry and Bread is available from Made in Durban, Clarke's in Cape Town, and will soon be available at select Exclusive Books branches.

Sunday, 10 August 2025

What Google's AI Overview has to say about Curry and Bread


Here's what Google's AI Overview has to say about Pravasan Pillay's new book,
Curry and Bread:
Curry & Bread is the name of a book by Pravasan Pillay, which explores South African Indian cuisine and culture, particularly focusing on Durban's food scene. 
The book is described as a blend of memoir, humor, and personal stories, centered around food experiences and childhood memories. It includes narratives about dishes like bunny chow and baked bean curry, and reflects on the nostalgic aspects of food and its connection to South African Indian identity. 
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
  • Pravasan Pillay's Curry & Bread:
    The book is a collection of essays and stories, not a cookbook, that delves into South African Indian food culture, with a particular emphasis on Durban. 
  • Durban's Culinary Identity:
    The book explores the unique flavors and dishes of Durban, a city with a strong Indian community, and their influence on South African cuisine. 
  • Nostalgia and Reflection:
    Pillay's writing often evokes a sense of nostalgia for childhood and earlier times, while also examining the loss and changes that come with time and migration. 
  • "Bunny Chow" Connection:
    The book touches upon the popular Durban dish, bunny chow, a curry served in a hollowed-out loaf of bread, highlighting its cultural significance. 
  • Beyond the Recipes:
    "Curry & Bread" isn't just about recipes; it's a literary journey into the emotional and cultural landscape of food, according to The Post. 
  • Durban Curry:
    The book also explores the unique characteristics of Durban curries, which are known for their use of chili and tomatoes. 
Curry and Bread is available mainly from Made in Durban, but will soon be available in select Exclusive Books branches and Clarke's bookstore in Cape Town.

Curry and Bread at Exclusive Books


Pravasan Pillay's new book, Curry and Bread, will soon be available at Exclusive Books Gateway  (Umhlanga), OR Tambo International Airport, and Centurion branches.

Curry and Bread is also available at Clarke's bookstore in Cape Town. It is not on the store's website yet, but it is definitely in stock. I will share the link as soon it as it available on the website.

The book's main seller is Made in Durban.




Sunday, 03 August 2025

Curry and Bread in Makhanda


Good to see that Anton Krueger in Makhanda has received has received his copy of Pravasan Pillay's Curry and Bread, the latest title from Dye Hard Press.

Curry and Bread is available from Made in Durban, and will soon be available from Clarke's in Cape Town and select Exclusive Books branches.