Dahl is a favourite of mine and so therefore is dansak. Not many places seem to do a decent dahl but there is one local T/A that has it spot on. It has an open plan kitchen but the dahl is usually pre-made so until recently I'd no idea how they did it but a couple of months ago I had to wait while he made me a portion.
Simplicity is the key apparently. He just boiled some red split lentils, added a little turmeric and when done the tarka was just hing (the resin) melted into butter, not ghee, ordinary unsalted butter (the chef said Lurpack gives the best taste). Asked why not ghee he said it gets too hot and can burn spices too easily so it's best to use butter for a tarka, add the spice into the pan with the butter and slowly melt it the add to the dahl and that's it. Dead easy to do at home and tastes great, just don't overdo the hing a little goes a long way.

Cheers
CoR

Curries always taste better late on because

a) the base has had longer to marinate.

b) you (if you're anything like me) have had longer to marinate, in some booze!

Cheers (hic)
CoR

No thong there now, come own up, who bought it!!!

LoL
CoR

There is a stall on one of the markets round here that sells dried bull's penises, at least that's what they say they are, personally I think it's a bit of a cock and bull story.....

I'll get me coat...
CoR

Hi BB

You can buy garlic (and ginger) peeled and frozen in little blocks. Have a look in the freezers in the your local Asian supermarket, they all have it round here so should be generally available.

Hope this helps
CoR

Hi

Here we go again, try using mustard oil.

50/50 garlic and ginger in the blender with enough veg (not mustard) oil to make a fine paste and a little salt.

Quickly fry the paste in mustard oil, with 1 or 2 tsp of brown sugar, until just fragrant. Keeps covered in the fridge for ages.

Cheers
CoR

Hi all,

Apparently the potato thing originated in the early BIR days when the chef would put half a boiled potato in the very hot (vindaloo) curry so the waiter would know which was which, sod all to do with the recipe, I for one can live happily without it.

Vindaloo is indeed originally a Portugese dish and does mean wine (vin/vino) and garlic (galou) and was a means of preserving/pickling meat before the days before refrigeration. Proper pork vindaloo or Goan pork is fantastic, loads of recipes on the net, give it a try sometime, amazing dish.

Cheers
CoR


p.s. not at all sure of my Portugese spelling!

Bloody 'ell, JerryM, don't mention Bangladesh in the likes of Bolton you'll probably start a riot or maybe even another war, it's predominately Pakistani in this neck of the woods, makes a big difference!

Regards
CoR

Hi Axe

It's the mustard/nutmeg/coconut mix, if you try it keep the spices to a minimum first and if you like the idea build them up little by little, especially the nutmeg.

Goes great with bbq ribs and makes a nice change from a 'soggy saag' asa a side dish.

Cheers
CoR

Spicy yorkies, could be good, going back to the sprouts ever tried them thinly sliced, spiced up and stir fried?
Spice some oil with mustard seeds (or use mustard oil) throw in some sliced onion and g/g paste, bung in the sliced brussels (or a mix of sprouts and green cabbage) a little spice mix and a pinch of nutmeg, stir fry for a few minutes until they wilt a bit, finish off with a slug of stock/water/thinned down base and a teaspoon of coconut powder, cook till tender, et viola, spicy stir fried sprouts, wonderful.

Regards
CoR