Topic: Glasgow Red Pakora Sauce

[gazman1976]

does anyone know how to make the famous Glasgow Red spicy pakora sauce

[bickerton]

I have made this a couple of times by guessing but I dont have a good recipe.
My main ingredients were Ketchup and vinegar in equal measure pluss a little salt, lemonjuice and sugar to taste. as they say 'it's close but no cigar'

[Stephen Lindsay]

hey gazman

not sure if this is just onion salad without the onions - here's my recipe for the above, if you take out the onions it might be what you are looking for?


4 medium onions (approximately 1 lb)
4 oz caster sugar
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup tomato ketchup
2 tbsp tomato puree (paste)
3 tbsp dried mint

[JivyJ]

This is my recipe for pakora sauce:-

4 tblsp Tomato Sauce
2 tblsp Vinegar
1-2 tblsp Water
1 teasp Mint Sauce
1/2 teasp tandoori paste (or kashmiri paste its hotter)
1/2 teasp sugar
sprinkle red food colouring (optional)

I use powdered food colouring.  Another Glasgow variation is to use equal amounts of the above sauce and yoghurt and thin down a bit with a little milk.

[Razor]

Hi Jivyj

It's an interesting post this because I don't think I've ever come across something specifically called 'pakora dipping sauce'!

From what you guy's are describing, I don't think I've had anything similar either.  Whenever we order poppadoms or starters here in Manchester, we are usually presented with an array of pickles or dips such as, mango chutney, mint sauce, Hot mint sauce, chili dip, hot lime pickle (mmm)  and Manchester red onions.

Just a word of caution on Kashmiri masala paste, it does state on the jars 'not to be consumed uncooked'!

Don't think small quantities would do any harm, just don't scoff a jarful lol, ;D

Ray

[gazman1976]

yeah razor its more of a Glasgow thing pakora sauce, i have been in england and even scotland where you get the pickles and other stuff with poppadums, but this red sauce is to die for

Garry

[Razor]

Hi Garry,

So would you say that Jivyj's recipe would come close.  I'd like to give it a go I think.

Ray

[bickerton]

Im pretty certain that JivyJ's recipe will be spot on. As I've said earlier I've tried to make this a few times but never quite got the mix right. This looks like the one!  Cheers JivyJ

[JivyJ]

Hi Razor never noticed that on the jar before, about not consuming paste if  uncooked, good to know. I looked at the ingredients and could not see anything that looked a bit dicey,  so I looked up Pataks site and it is the very first FAQ,  which explains that their pastes are used from fresh spices and they do not heat treat or irradiate their spices, because it affects the flavour of the spices.  It is because of this they have to put a warning on their jars just in case  people use them mixed with other ingredients ie., mayonnaise for sandwiches for example and they are left at room temperature for  four hours or more there is the chance that bacteria will form.  They suggest that if you consume the uncooked paste alone or  blended with other ingredients shortly after prep you should not suffer any ill effects.  But it is all good to know, also I think that the fact that the spice is mixed with vinegar there is even less chance of bacteria

[JivyJ]

I also forgot to mention in my previous post that if you make the pakora dipping sauce and do not add the water you will have a thicker version of the sauce, if you dice an onion, salt it and leave it for ten minutes and then add the thicker pakora sauce to it you have what  they serve in Glasgow restaurants a very popular starter called 'spiced onions' which they serve with poppadums.