Curry Recipes Online
Curry Chat => Talk About Anything Other Than Curry => Topic started by: Ghoulie on November 20, 2014, 12:44 PM
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Chicken version -Marinate boneless chick thighs in a creamy yogurt mixed with a dash of cinnamon, black lime powder, olive oil and salt to taste. Grill till crispy brown. Wrap in warmed pitta bread with fresh tomatoes, onion and a swish of garlic mayo
Lamb version ( my preference)....marinated and cooked the same....Wrap in warmed pitta bread with fresh tomatoes, onion , mint, garlic except a swish of Tahine sauce....Yeeeeaaahhh. The tahine sauce makes all the difference with the lamb version.
To make the Tahine sauce :-
Tahini sauce for shawarmas
Try this method, 150 ml tahini paste. 150ml water. 80ml lemon juice. 2 crushed garlic cloves. 1/2 tsp. salt. 30gm flat leaf parsley, finely chopped. Whisk tahini, water,lemon juice,garlic & salt until creamy & smooth. If it's too thick add more water. Stir in the parsley. Whisk again.
black lime powder = dried limes which are then grated to a powder
All the best
Ghoulie
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Cheers Ghoulie
Had one in Rusholme for the first time a few months ago and always thought id like to have a go at making them
Cheers
Ed
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Ghoulie,
Xmas is clearly early this year.
You must be quite a foodie.
Been wanting to explore tahine for a while. Will need to find some black lime powder.
Never eaten shawarma although the rusholme post had put it down as a firm to do.
Defo going try this out. Much appreciated making the effort.
Best wishes
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Will be trying this recipe tomorrow, thanks again Ghoulie.
Jerry... bought some black lime powder today... will give you some next time I see you (i.e. very soon ;))
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I made something similar last week,only i replaced pitta bread with happys naan bread recipe,i rolled the dough out paper thin then i cooked one side in a hot pan then moved it to a very hot oven for a couple of minuets,i think they make a real good wrap for anything really.
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If you can't find the black lime (i.e dried whole limes) - use the juice of a lime instead - still quite tasty.
if you are wanting to try a shawarma in Rusholme that is near to the real middle east taste as you can get - go to Jaffa. i have tried the rest and they are not as good as those found in Dubai. At the Atlas shawarma the guy was a little taken aback when i spoke arabic to him and asked where I had heard of shawarmas ( I was the only white face in the queue). When I said Dubai - he responded 'these are better than Dubais'. My response to him was - 'if you see me back here ordering, you know they are'.
Suffice to say, I haven't been back to Atlas.
Jaffa are the best in Rusholme.
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Thanks for posting Goulie. At least it will be appreciated here ;)
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Rshome123,
Well pleased on your find I guess in pak world Warrington. Love the new owners.
I am there Saturday to get dry Kashmiri if possible. Fingers crossed.
See you very very soon. Best wishes.
Might need to think over members trip to rusholme for anyone interested.
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Cheers curryhell - say no more ;) - no exactly what you mean - won't make that mistake again.
Must be totally blinkered there not to see just how out of kilter they are - not all of 'em mind you - but the @rseholes stand out by a mile
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Hi Ghoulie, will be trying your Shawarma recipe tomorrow (chicken). Looking forward to it. I got sidetracked today by a Jamaican so didn't get round to trying it (but that's another story).
Jerry... Yes I got the Lime powder from Pakworld yesterday, but on inspection of the packet discovered it had a Best Before date in 2013. Took it back for refund today, but not before taking a small sample out to test (smells fine), and there's enough for you also.
Dry Kashmiri chillies... they sell them and lots of them if my vision serves me right. If not, try Continental Bazaar or FAZ opposite. Worst case scenario... I have a fresh bag which I can share.
Trip to Rusholme sounds good... count me in.
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Trip to Rusholme sounds good... count me in.
Now that does sound good
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Great shawarma/shoarma's in Amsterdam. As with homemade tikka though, the meat really needs a charcoal flavour to make it special, regardless of the recipe. Imo
Regards
ELW
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Ghoulie,
Many thanks for the shawarma recipe :D
The best shawarma I've eaten was in Abu Nawas in Al Khobar, Saudi.
A huge plate with moist succulent lamb, beautiful sauce, coriander and pickled vegetables.
I've tried several shawarma in uk restaurants but nothing matches the food in the ME!
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Made this recipe tonight, using chicken. Very tasty. Thanks again for the recipe... will be making this again.
Wrapped in hot roti bread with tomato, onion, fresh coriander, garlic mayo AND the tahini sauce.
Made a scaled down version of the tahini sauce, but added a little ketchup, worcestershire sauce, chilli sauce, sugar, and extra lemon juice. Made it more tangy to compiment the garlic mayo. Delicious.
The garlic mayo I made from regular mayo, but mixed in some garlic powder, and added a tadka of finely chopped garlic in olive oil. Also delicious.
This recipe would be even better with Lamb.
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Lamb is the better version imho
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Sainsbury's have the tahini (sesame seed paste) at 1.75 ish 180g jar.
Just need the lamb and black lime.
A trip to know what we are aiming at got to be next. Sounds like 3 to go so far.
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I'll give you some lime powder when I see you next Jerry ;)
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shawarma related ;)
A New Lebanese place opened beside me, So a try out was called for.
Went for a Mixed Shawarma Meal, 10quid on Take Out.
I always feel its best to be drunk as a skunk, when you order this type of food.
Unfortunately I was sober, needless to say, it tasted nearly OK but nothing to write home about
and most of it was recycled into the wheelie bin.
Might try again when I
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Hilarious, CT! Best belly laugh today! Commiserations about the takeaway, but I like your style! :)
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I've been there before with late night kebabs (haven't we all). Taste so much better when you've had a few/loads beers. When sober, best to cook it for yourself. But the smell coming from the takeaway smells SOOO good.
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Chewy - that style of shawarma 'serving' is like a diy version. You need to make it into a wrap with the pitta / bread served - & adding the white tahine sauce is a MUST to bring out the flavours.
Eaten on a plate 'as is' will taste nothing like the whole shawarma wrap experience - and that assumes they have made it right as presented to you. Not all shawarmas in uk are up to the mark and never confuse a shawarma with the doner kebabs so often downed after a boozy night - tastes are worlds apart.
Middle Eastern restaurant near me serves lamb shawarma as just a plain sliced / shredded plate of lamb meat sliced off the correct style vertical rottiserie with a pot of delicious Tahine sauce - nowt else. I ask them for extra tabouleh and pitta breads - and much to their amusement and other diners make up my own wraps at the table. Tastes great though.
Try my lamb recipe as above - as a wrap
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It seems nobody is interested in bir anymore,the last 3 topics being shawarma,pizza and roast pork.
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I now have a sample of black lime powder (rshome123)
This is a real find for me. I put in my special ingredients box ( obviously not for curry). The box includes sun dried tomato, saffron, Spanish paprika
I can't describe other than it is a lime taste that's got a much greater depth of flavour.
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It seems nobody is interested in bir anymore,the last 3 topics being shawarma,pizza and roast pork.
Variety being the spice of life. ;D
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Chewy - that style of shawarma 'serving' is like a diy version. You need to make it into a wrap with the pitta / bread served - & adding the white tahine sauce is a MUST to bring out the flavours.
Eaten on a plate 'as is' will taste nothing like the whole shawarma wrap experience - and that assumes they have made it right as presented to you. Not all shawarmas in uk are up to the mark and never confuse a shawarma with the doner kebabs so often downed after a boozy night - tastes are worlds apart.
Middle Eastern restaurant near me serves lamb shawarma as just a plain sliced / shredded plate of lamb meat sliced off the correct style vertical rottiserie with a pot of delicious Tahine sauce - nowt else. I ask them for extra tabouleh and pitta breads - and much to their amusement and other diners make up my own wraps at the table. Tastes great though.
Try my lamb recipe as above - as a wrap
Hi Ghoulie
LoL ;D ;D Thanks, you
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Grill n Chill lebanese site looks good chewy. You're right my intentions were well meant - some people would think a shwarma presented like that was a knife & fork nosh do!
You clearly know better
re Bhuna Naanwhich - sometimes the naans aren't quite right' - too thick and it spoils the taste effect. Hope theirs are good.
In middle east days, I would take hot lime pickle spread in pitta bread for a quick tasty lunch if I was out and about working away from the chance of a food source.
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I now have a sample of black lime powder (rshome123)
This is a real find for me. I put in my special ingredients box ( obviously not for curry). The box includes sun dried tomato, saffron, Spanish paprika
I can't describe other than it is a lime taste that's got a much greater depth of flavour.
Great find JerryM
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Finally got lamb marinating aimed at Thursday to cook.
The marinade is quite a difficult challenge. The Cinnamom will take time to get it's taste into the yogurt - making judging the amount very difficult.
It's also difficult on 1st go to judge the strength of the black lime powder.
This is what I went with:
1) creamy yogurt - 6 tbsp
2) dash of cinnamon - fine grate sprinkle over surface of yogurt x3
3) black lime powder 1 tsp
4) olive oil 1 tbsp
5) salt 1/4 tsp
Following chat with butcher ended up with shoulder. Aiming to BBQ it in medium thk (25 mm ish) slices then slice thinly for serving. My norm would have been to cube and skewer.
Also could not decide if a bit of bashing might tenderize or even if I should resort to Ausi Micks kiwi fruit method. In the end left both out for the next go
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JerryM - make sure you have crispy surface meat effect. Be interesting to hear your view on this.
Re yoghurt effect - don't know if you saw prog with Heston doing Chicken Tikka for Butter Chicken dish where he queried himself for the need for yoghurt in tikka marinade - so in typical Blumenthal style he hired an MRI scanner to see if the yoghurt had a positive effect. Result? MRI scan proved that the yog did indeed take the marinade flavours deeper into the meat than without.
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Ghouli,
Appreciate heads up on the crispy. Am expecting the shoulder cut will help make this happen better than say for a leg piece.
Was not aware of the Heston yoghurt. It's an area I'm nervous on - the 6 tbsp disappeared into the 1 kg very quickly. Had made mental note that might need more on next make.
Ps I also felt I wanted to add a small amount of mustard oil ~1 tbsp. I haven't for this go needing to understand the taste 1st. The thought being the extra oil would tenderise more and just add a hint of an agreeable flavour.
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Made this again today (chicken version) & the tahini sauce.
Adjusted recipe slightly adding a squire of ketchup in the tahini sauce, and added some pan fried mushroom/garlic/red pepper.
Delicious. Waiting to hear your results with lamb, Jerry.
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rshome123 - you'd probably like ANY shawarmas in Rusholme judging by the amount of other jollop you lace your tahine sauce with! LOL :o
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Tea tonight felt like a restaurant meal. As Ghoulie says it's the combination that works.
Must admit not normally a fan of Mayo. However putting it together in the pitta with the tahini changed all that. I put garlic powder and garlic salt in normal Mayo to make the garlic Mayo.
I dont know what the rusholme offering tastes like but I'm sorted as is.
Will add photo of the lamb when on desktop.
Used the toaster for the 1st time to heat the pitta and worked a treat - have ditched the pan warming method
I was real concerned at putting parsley into the Tahine yet it transformed the taste. For info the tahine without tastes a tad like humous (which I love).
I made half portion of the tahine using 1 off lemon which gave 5 tbsp of juice.
There are a few things I'd change:
1) maybe try leg in place of shoulder - shoulder has a tad more fat giving extra crispy and meat itself tasted brill. I was unable to spot gristle during the meat prep and did not like ending up in the pitta. The crispy from the shoulder was perfect though. Maybe need to skewer it next time ie smaller pieces easier to remove gristle
2) would up the amount of marinade x2 could not detect the cinnamon so that certainly needs more. I think even the lime powder could go up too as the taste was quite subtle
3) made the tahine 2 hrs before - would make day before
Well pleased - ghoulie's effort in posting much appreciated.
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Ghoulish, give me a pitta bread, grilled meat and sauce/salad and I'm happy, regardless of recipe, but this shawarma hits the spot. A habit I have (good or bad) is to fiddle around with recipes... I like a bit more tang in kebab sauces. Do you have a chilli sauce recipe that would go well alongside the tahini?
Jerry...good to see feedback on the lamb version. I agree on the cinnamon & lime powder amounts... Don't be shy with them. (I assume you are using cinammon(cassia) powder and not whole bark).
Tha tahini paste, as you said, tastes surprisingly like hummus. I didnt have fresh parsley, so used a little dried, but added fresh coriander, and made sure there was enough lemon juice for some tang, as well as a squirt of tomato ketchup (hey... Nobody is perfect).
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Any recommendations for pitta bread? I've not found a variety yet that compares favourably to the takeaway ones.
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SS... The LIDL (UK) ones I've found to be favourable, as well as ones I buy from the local asian grocery. I think the key is to warm them well in the toaster, without turning them crispy.
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Great stuff guys - glad the taste (with all the personal additional variations to suit palate!) met expectations. You can't beat a good shawarma.
In the Trafford Centre @ 3 years back there was a kiosk in the lower food hall that di chicken or beef shawarmas - they weren't bad either. Sadly after a year it had gone
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Secret Santa,
I too found it impossible to get top notch pitta. Those that split evenly and easily.
Aldi are what I buy.
The toaster amazingly made a huge difference with them splitting easily albeit not evenly down the middle.
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pic of lamb shoulder
(http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/imagehost/pics/dcadbed4219594e6885742ac1bee77f1.jpg) (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/imagehost/#dcadbed4219594e6885742ac1bee77f1.jpg)
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Hi
I have been trying to do these and souvlaki,s and gyros for a while and not been happy with the dry, cut pittas, so i found a greek deli that did greek pittas, not cheap 80p each, and bought a bag of 10 and these were deelish, just warmed in the micro or wrapped in foil and warmed in the oven. They are pliable, slightly thicker, absorbent and are lovely right at the end when the juices have soaked in rather than the anaemic and dry usual pittas
ED
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great pic JerryM - looks delicious - I can taste it !
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Just a bump to this thread to say thanks for the tip-off about black lime powder, Ghoulie. I haven't tried the shwarma yet for reasons of Christmas / in-laws staying, but I plan to have a go this weekend.
I did order some black lime powder though and it has transformed several things that I have cooked. Just one example: on Xmas Eve we were invited out and asked to bring a "salad with no lettuce or tomato". I finely sliced fresh fennel with very thinly-sliced lime and lemon juice and good olive oil; tossed in some pomegranate seeds and diced walnut; seasoned with salt. Hmmm...good but not quite....so I tried a sprinkle of black lime powder and it went into orbit. Three people have asked me for the recipe. I have warned them not to try it without the black lime.
Cheers,
Tim
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Hi
I think it is really worth the effort to hunt down a slightly thicker, softer and pocketless pittas that dont split as they soak up all the lovely meat juice and sauce.
They should look something like this
http://homecookingmemories.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/greek-pita-bread-pizza-1.jpg (http://homecookingmemories.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/greek-pita-bread-pizza-1.jpg)
http://homecookingmemories.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/greek-pita-flat-bread.jpg (http://homecookingmemories.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/greek-pita-flat-bread.jpg)
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Marks and Spencer pittas are the best shop bought I've tasted
Elw
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Thanks everyone for the pitta suggestions. And Jerry that lamb shoulder looks superb!
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Just a bump to this thread to say thanks for the tip-off about black lime powder, Ghoulie. I haven't tried the shwarma yet for reasons of Christmas / in-laws staying, but I plan to have a go this weekend.
I did order some black lime powder though and it has transformed several things that I have cooked. Just one example: on Xmas Eve we were invited out and asked to bring a "salad with no lettuce or tomato". I finely sliced fresh fennel with very thinly-sliced lime and lemon juice and good olive oil; tossed in some pomegranate seeds and diced walnut; seasoned with salt. Hmmm...good but not quite....so I tried a sprinkle of black lime powder and it went into orbit. Three people have asked me for the recipe. I have warned them not to try it without the black lime.
Cheers,
Tim
Well done Tim - glad you found yet another use for black lime - thank the arabic cusine world for this one.
For diy shawarmas my daughter uses (and very successfully) fillet of neck of lamb - an often overlooked cheaper lamb cut.
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Hi
I think it is really worth the effort to hunt down a slightly thicker, softer and pocketless pittas that dont split as they soak up all the lovely meat juice and sauce.
They should look something like this
http://homecookingmemories.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/greek-pita-bread-pizza-1.jpg (http://homecookingmemories.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/greek-pita-bread-pizza-1.jpg)
http://homecookingmemories.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/greek-pita-flat-bread.jpg (http://homecookingmemories.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/greek-pita-flat-bread.jpg)
For me, if the pitta type bread is too thick, takes away some of the tastiness of the wrap effect and becomes a little 'stodgy'. This was the problem I found with the Atlas Shawarmas in Rusholme - bread just that little bit overthick & enough so to spoil an otherwise good shawarma filling such that I haven't been back to sample theirs again - which fortunately led me to try the shawarmas at Jaffa - excellent - albeit served as a diy for you to wrap.
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Hi
I think it is really worth the effort to hunt down a slightly thicker, softer and pocketless pittas that dont split as they soak up all the lovely meat juice and sauce.
I'm with you on that one EC.
I much prefer them to the oval pitas (pocket bread) that you mostly find with a doner kebab shop.
Much tastier and less faffing about especially when they're either dipped in olive oil or meat juices just before wrapping into a gyros etc.. :P
p.s. never seen a shawarma in a pocket pita.
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Ed
Just make your own simple Pita, a few pence and better than any Supermarket version.
This is a DIY thread ;D ;D
cheers Chewy
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Hi CT
Have you a recommended recipe as I really like the cypriot etc type but would rather not pay 80p each if poss
I agree Dalpuri, lovely soft juiced up pitta is lovely right to the end where as the last bit of normal pocket pittas is a bit naff
Cheers
ED
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I made Gyros earlier. :)
Used this recipe for the pitas.http://www.melskitchencafe.com/homemade-flatbread-greek-pocketless-pitas-with-a-simple-tutorial/ (http://www.melskitchencafe.com/homemade-flatbread-greek-pocketless-pitas-with-a-simple-tutorial/)
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In Israel or Lebanon Shawarma is made with many more spices than in the first post. I particularly enjoy the lebanese or palestinian style.
An easy way to prepare it is to simply use 'Baharat' spice mix (the curry powder of the middle east). If you can't find it then you can try to make your own:
http://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gulfbaharatingredients.gif (http://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gulfbaharatingredients.gif)
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An easy way to prepare it is to simply use 'Baharat' spice mix (the curry powder of the middle east).
I would be willing to try to bring some of this back from Abu Dhabi in early February if anyone would like to order some at cost + P&P ?
** Phil.
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Hi Dalpuri that recipe looks great and easy, what flour do you use, could i use normal flour?
Ed
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I just used what I had in the cupboard, strong white bread flour.
I was quite impressed with the breads, a keeper for sure. But missed the graininess you sometimes get with a pizza base.
I might dip the balls in semolina next time prior to rolling out. See how that goes. :)
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Hi CT
Have you a recommended recipe as I really like the cypriot etc type but would rather not pay 80p each if poss
Absolutely loads of similar recipes and uTube
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Cheers Dalpuri and CT!!
Ed
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Managed to get some whole black lime from rusholme. Will post pic when I get chance. The idea being to grind yourself.
Also picked up on tasting the Atlas lamb shawarma that green cardamom is used. Thought it worked well with the black lime and will adopt.
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last go changes:
1) used dry parsley 0.5 tsp per tahine portion - not as good as fresh but good enough
2) served bought humus - a real find from atlas in rusholme
3) Added green cardamom 4 off to the lamb marinade (again a find from atlas) -too little will try 8 off next
4) used lamb leg boned and sliced 10 mm thk by butcher - worked a treat sorted
5) used half a black lime 1.5 tsp ground - real McCoy stuff well pleased. Might try full lime on next go
Was well impressed with this make - feel I'm almost sorted ie in heaven
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pic of the black limes
(http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/imagehost/pics/fd80d9cae5f3f329c81205a1d6773b22.jpg) (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/imagehost/#fd80d9cae5f3f329c81205a1d6773b22.jpg)