Thanks for the welcome everyone, sorry its took a while to respond but I am currently working in Sechuan Province in China. The things one has to do to earn a buck.

Thanks for the info about the coriander and okra. I have very occasionally come across coriander but its been very poor quality. I have never seen okra anywhere though. I am just a little too far north for the shops to be influenced by the wonderful North Africa cuisine. And living 60km from the nearest supermarket does not help. I tend to shop once a month so what I buy needs to keep and if it does not I need to grow it. I'm determined to have another go next year.

My stock Chilli is the Korean. Its very productive and dries well. I grow Aji Panca for salads, I also grow Thai, Thai Super Hot, Thai Dragon, Thai Demon and Lantern and Caribbean Habanero. I use them fresh and dry the surplus. I also grow Pusa Jawala which I use fresh and Naga Jalokia which are marvelous little things and freeze wonderfully well when green.

I start them off in individual 6cm pots of seed compost on a Beer Making mat. When they are through they get moved to an electric propagator then on to light boxes. Most years something fails but I harvest enough seeds to keep me going.

Hello there,

I stumbled across your site researching Basmati rice, and decided to join as I cannot live without spicy food. I am originally from Birmingham and lived just a short walk from what is now known as the Balti Triangle untill I was 22. Then the restaurants were very simple places with simple fayre. And rediculously cheap. How times were to change. Supplies were easy to find although I began growing chillies and peppers in my little greenhouse at least 20 years ago.

I now live in the South of France, and France being France if it isn't French you cant buy it so I have a food parcel sent over every few months to keep me stocked up with the essentials. I still grow chillies from the very mild to the incandescent. They are quite happy outdoors with my peppers and aubergines. This year I only have 52 chilli plants, its usually about 80 but I work in UK and China a lot and was very late starting them off this year and they not not well established when I went off on my voyages again so lost quite a few.

But how I miss okra and coriander! its just not obtainable down here. Every year I try to grow them and every year the seeds fail. I have put ginger in the garden for the first time this year. I hope it survives the drought.

I have a several reliable recipes that I fall back, on but am always on the look out for something new to try.

I have been toying with the idea of a tandoor and a bread oven on the terrace. They are on the back burner though until I have finally prevented my 280 year old hovel from falling down.

Anyroadup...thats a bit about me and looking forward to learning new ideas and perhaps passing a few on.

Allez ciao.