Maybe it's a North West thing, not being able to find the Asian ones. For years I couldn't find them then a new Asian supermarket opened and they had them in stock so I bought loads of packs of them (TRS brand) as I think they are essential in plain and pillau rice and in base gravies.
Since I cleaned them out they have not had the real thing back on the shelves, they stock East End but only the European variety and when I've asked about the Asian ones they come over all 'no comprende'.
I'm well stocked up for now but as soon as I see any more I shall be bulk buying again.

Cheers
CoR

I thought black cumin was used in garam masala in place of ordinary cumin. Got a packet of it somewhere, never used it, will dig it out and give it a try.

Regards
CoR

Hi lardman,

Try some of this stuff



You might have to go to an Asian grocer for it or try online HERE.

Great stuff, gives everything a good colour, goes well in marinades as well, has nice flavour too.
When Asian chefs mention 'paprika' it is usually deggi mirch they are referring to.

Hope this helps
CoR

The average chef in a BIR or T/A must do between, say, 50 and 100 dishes per shift which is probably all I do on average in a year so it's no wonder they get the techniques off to a T while we end up striving to find the elusive 'secret'.

Regards
CoR

Have a look at the e-numbers WIKI.

Very enlightening, turmeric is E100, E101 is vitamin b2, vitamin c is E300, annato and beetroot are also listed, in fact it's probably easier to list things that aren't E numbers.

(E700 through to E717 are anti-biotics, so if they are listed on the back of your frozen chicken packs probably best avoided!)

E110, Sunset Yellow, is banned and a lot of the red colours are suspect so could be worth checking just what you've got in the cupboard, if you're like me some of the little tubs you've got will be years old.

Regards
CoR

Quote from: PaulP on March 30, 2010, 12:31 PM



Sometimes I wonder if any of these celebrity chefs are any good.

Rant over.....

Paul.

I very much doubt that any of the telly chefs have actually cooked anything in years.

A old colleague of mine reckoned he was a bit of a foodie so his misses decided to treat him to a few days away and a meal at the Fat Duck for his birthday a few years ago. He really was looking forward to it for months and when he came back after the 'big do' he was strangely quiet about it. Turned out it was the biggest let down imaginable. HB wasn't there, most of the dishes on the menu were 'off' and they ended up being charged about ?90 each for a very ordinary steak 'n chips and the portions were so small they had to get a kebab on the way back to the hotel to fill themselves up!

As for Ramsey, I'll bet he wouldn't know a decent Ruby if he fell over one.

Yours in rant
CoR

Did I miss something or did they not put any base/gravy in it?



Confused
CoR

There are different grades of doner meat, apparently. CLICK HERE

Regards
CoR

Quote from: Cory Ander on March 27, 2010, 12:41 AM


Nah, something's not quite right, I'm afraid, Chris....I smell a fish 

Strictly speaking, if it has potato in it, it's a pakora, not an onion bhaji.  I suggest that, if you're looking for "the perfect onion bhaji", that is "traditional BIR", you lose the potatoes  :

Only my opinion, of course 

Mine too, and my local T/A and they really do 'know their onions' so to speak. According to them it's onions in a bhaji and spuds etc in a pakora, can't get any info out of them about how they make them though all they say is 'years of experience', then give you that condescending grin!

Regards
CoR

Quote from: billycat on March 26, 2010, 11:34 PM
You can buy a 10 kilo donner kebab from Dales in liverpool for 24 quid

How many portions would you get out of that, do you think?

Cheers
CoR