Topic: Blade of mace?

[Tommy Timebomb]

I have been viewing a Rogan Josh recipe here which specifies "1 blade of mace". How would I come across a blade of mace, do they come in packets. from what i have read it is the outer coating of nutmeg. Do i have to buy whole nutmeg and strip it.
Would I buy a whole packet just to use one and then have the rest stuck in my cupboard for years until I find another recipe that requires it??

There is a local halal butchers close to me that does what is described by them as "Curry Mix"

[h4ppy-chris]

i use mace when making sausages got it from the same place i buy my other spices.

[PaulP]

Hi TT,

Mace is indeed the outer covering/sheath of a nutmeg. You either get mace whole or ground to a powder, just as you can buy nutmeg whole or powdered.

So if you buy whole mace you will have a bag or jar filled with mace blades. Here is an example:

http://www.spicesofindia.co.uk/acatalog/Indian-Food-TRS-Mace-Whole-Javantry.html#aISW032_2dp

I would say go very easy on the mace/nutmeg direction, I don't think they are prominent BIR spice flavours.
I know I've ruined a few traditional curries by following the instructions to add a half teaspoon of mace powder near the end of cooking.

Cheers,

Paul

[Tommy Timebomb]

(Javantry) Thanks very much i think I can track it down in this TRS form.

[Geezah]

If you just want a few blades, pm me an address and i'll send you some f.o.c

[Tommy Timebomb]

Geezah I really do appreciate that mate.
At this point I'm trying to work out what I want to do with the lamb on the bone mix that I have in the freezer. So far I have only viewed one recipe and tonight I will be hunting down a few more suitable ones.
If I decide to go for the original one I may well take you up on your offer mate!
Thanks once again.

[Tommy Timebomb]

This is what I have been considering from way back in 2005...
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=52.msg95#msg95
But from what I can see a Bhuna is also suitable?

[chewytikka]

Hi Tommy
Why not try a Staff Curry, this is a good one
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=5958.msg65987#msg65987

or you could precook the lamb and use it in any curry.
cheers Chewytikka

[Peripatetic Phil]

If you have mace blades left over, you can always use them to make a bread sauce (to accompany a roast chicken); to my taste, mace is the most important spice in bread sauce, and I regularly add a little (plus some cinnamon, and maybe a clove or two) to packet bread sauce (even the so-called "luxury" mixtures).

** Phil.

[Tommy Timebomb]

Chewy that seems to be exactly the sort of thing I'm looking for. I read a thread which mentioned the staff curry but never  understood what it meant. I'll be doing this early next week.

I pre cooked some the other day for madras, it wasn't too bad but the the meat on the bone seem's more suited to something else.

Sorry Phil I wouldn't know a bread sauce if it was staring me in the face, I would like to get around to other types of cooking at some stage but learning how to make a nice curry as in second nature is paramount at the minute.

I'm still at the stage of legging it between the kitchen and front room like a lunatic to read the instructions off the PC... I really must take a few notes down!