Topic: Newbie

[anglais]

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.

[Naga]

...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...

You can always buy large bunches of coriander in Grand Frais for 1.99

[Gav Iscon]

Welcome anglais. For the first time ever I actually saw coriander in E.Leclerc this year whilst in France. Times are changing, I remember paying 6 euros for some chili powder after going to 5 supermarkets trying to find some not that many years ago. 

[fried]

I even saw coriander in Lidl in Paris last week, so it depends on how far you are from a big town. I know when I visit friends in the south, the biggest difficulty is finding fresh green/ red chillis. Unless there's a significant African/ Arabic population, some stuff is difficult to find, okra is plentiful in Paris for example. Things are changing, but changing slowly.

[Garp]

Welcome, anglais.

Have you tried many FIR curries, and what are your thoughts?

I go on holiday to France almost every year, to a different city where possible, as I like exploring cities rather than lying on beaches/sitting by pools etc. I have had quite a few FIR curries and they are different. Not better, nor worse, just different.

One thing I have noticed is that you get smaller portions, but that may be something to do with the French culture of eating: lots of courses of smaller portions (correct me if I'm wrong). If you're a fat English bloke in a Sunderland football shirt, going in for a curry in a French Restaurant, you are more than likely to be heading for Quick as soon as you get out.

I suppose if you live in France, you will eventually yearn for a good old BIR curry.

Enjoy the mountains of information on here and please feel free to share your recipes/experience/knowledge with us.

Garp

[Madrasandy]

Welcome to the forum anglais.

What chillies are you growing in the superhot range?

[Stephen Lindsay]

Bienvenue anglais, welcome to the forum and a great first post.

[anglais]

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.