Al-Qalam 
Well-known Durban personality Nazir Malek has devised a “curry in a hurry” idea that has become a hot topic in many homes, writes Ismail Suder
When Durban entrepreneur and community leader and chef extraordinaire Nazir Malek gradually lost his sight in both eyes two years ago, he didn’t sit back – he was determined to live life as normally as possible.
He devised a culinary concept where anybody could enjoy a curry in a box. The product known as “The Spice Genie” has every spice ingredient, right down to the oil, onions and tomato paste to make mutton/chicken curry, karahi, kalya, fish curry, and many more – all within 30 minutes. All you have to do, he says, is to drop the oil in the pot, add the meat of your choice, empty the spices provided, add water and it’s done after a few stirs of the pot.
The concept has taken off with distributors selling the products in major centres across the country.
Malek, a well-known community leader, chef and travel agent, recently lost his sight in both eyes caused by retinal detachment, which led to partial blindness. He underwent 12 procedures to save his sight, but unfortunately, none were successful. In January last year, he went completely blind, however this has not deterred him from pursuing his business, and at the same time, his community projects and charitable work.
During an interview at his home in Durban North, Al-Qalam asked him how he came up with the innovative concept. Malek, who operated a travel business specialising in hajj and umrah travel – and was also a chef for 40 years, cooking for mass events – said he had always provided meals for the hajees.
“So, cooking has always been a passion. I love cooking, I love feeding, so one night, by the Grace of Allah, the thought just came in, ‘why don’t I create something like The Spice Genie, which makes life easy for everyone, where you don’t have to be an expert in cooking. It is a perfect solution for the man or woman who wants to cook a tasty meal in no time. With this product, you’ll be able to feed between five and seven people. All you have to do is add 1kg of fish, mutton, beef, or chicken, then add the spices and tomato paste and let it cook on slow heat for about 30 minutes and you will have the perfect Durban-style meal for your family or guests. The recipe has been perfected, so there is no margin for error.
He said the motivation behind the idea was also meant to sustain his family.
“If you have The Spice Genie in your cupboard, you don’t need anything else, just add the contents and you will have the best original Durban style curry in a matter of less than 30 minutes”, he said.
Malek says there are 21 dishes that are available on the market. He is now working to produce sweet dishes that would take 15 minutes to prepare.
Malek told Al-Qalam a full gift pack would make a perfect wedding gift for the new bride who is just starting off – it was bound to also make her mother-in-law proud. It could also work well for the bachelor who needed to make a delicious curry – even though his culinary expertise is boiling an egg, he said with a smile.
