Cool find indeed DP! Thanks

Quote from: Phil [Chaa006] on February 06, 2013, 09:07 AM

Quote from: DalPuri on February 06, 2013, 12:53 AM
Here's an easy to make South Indian savoury doughnut recipe

Crikey, if that is "easy to make", I'd hate to try one of their more difficult recipes.  Or do they think that everyone just happens to have a dhal grinder lurking in their kitchen ?!

Or perhaps they assume everyone you will buy ground dhal, if a grinder isn't available! ;-)

Heat-wise, what are the advantages? It looks interesting, but I don't see the advantage (I didn't watch the whole video)

Quote from: DalPuri on February 05, 2013, 04:17 PM

Quote from: gagomes on February 05, 2013, 04:02 PM
to be quite honest, I must've picked this while searching for star anise -- I don't quite know whether I picked it or someone left it behind and it came into my bag. Either that, or it was on the counter and I brought home accidentally (i.e a previous customer left it behind)

Quoteit came into my bag

Like drugs at customs? (whispers "yeah, yeah, that dude. check him out at till. you slip it in, and we'll get it on the other side")  ;D ;D ;D

haha, in fairness, I think the reason may have been the fact that I came in on a Friday around 7:50 and I was rushed at 8 by the staff at the counter to get my shopping done. So either I picked the wrong thing or someone left their thing in the counter and I inadvertently shoplifted it ;D

Quote from: Phil [Chaa006] on February 05, 2013, 05:58 PM

Quote from: gagomes on February 05, 2013, 03:07 PM
So, I accidentally checked out the asian store with a package of ganthoda (heera) which I must have picked by accident. From googling, it appears it is similar to ginger and has health benefits (joints pain, sleeping problems, etc) and used in indian and chinese cuisine. I can't find any recipe or video about it, but I was wondering has anyone else used this before?

If it's real ganthoda, then it's also know as "long pepper", and Dr J S Pruthi devotes two pages to it, which I could scan and send to your for your personal research.  If it is Tagar ganthoda (Valeriana spp.), then Dr Pruthi makes no mention and I have to refer you to Wikipaedia.

** Phil.

Thanks Phil, sadly, I think it may be the latter. I will confirm whenever I get the chance. I might forget tonight as I'm quite busy and will be home late!

Quote from: martinvic on February 05, 2013, 04:23 PM
I've blended and sieved (yes get rid of those horrible pips and bits) a tins of toms before, but it seemed like too much hassle.
Especially as Lidl do the small cartons of passata, really cheap, so the job is already done for you.

I found you had to use a little more of it because I felt you didn't get the intensity of the watered down puree.

Nowadays I use them both mixed together. In a tub, 2 heaped Tblsp puree mixed with 5 of water, then add whole small carton of passata and mix.
I will use about half of it for 2 large curries and freeze the remainder for the next curry session.

Best of both worlds and works well for me.

Martin

Thanks Martin! I will give that one a try too, as it seems simpler to get done (though in the process of blending, I already include a tsp of tandoori massala, so the blending works out as a mixing process too)

I guess at the end of the day, you use what makes sense to you and whatever works. I've been happy with my blended plums, but that doesn't mean I'm sticking to "what works", as I ideally, I will want to replicate my favorite restaurants food! :-)

I'm sure there is much discrepancy between BIR TAs, from north to south, so I guess the key is to experiment :-)

Quote from: DalPuri on February 05, 2013, 03:27 PM

Quote from: gagomes on February 05, 2013, 03:07 PM
So, I accidentally checked out the asian store with a package of ganthoda (heera) which I must have picked by accident. From googling, it appears it is similar to ginger and has health benefits (joints pain, sleeping problems, etc) and used in indian and chinese cuisine. I can't find any recipe or video about it, but I was wondering has anyone else used this before?

What had you meant to buy?

(sorry bad grammar?, minds gone blank)

to be quite honest, I must've picked this while searching for star anise -- I don't quite know whether I picked it or someone left it behind and it came into my bag. Either that, or it was on the counter and I brought home accidentally (i.e a previous customer left it behind)

So, I accidentally checked out the asian store with a package of ganthoda (heera) which I must have picked by accident. From googling, it appears it is similar to ginger and has health benefits (joints pain, sleeping problems, etc) and used in indian and chinese cuisine. I can't find any recipe or video about it, but I was wondering has anyone else used this before?

Welcome from the emerald isle!

Quote from: Unclefrank on February 05, 2013, 02:47 PM
Why would i say that i had tried blended tinned tomatoes instead of puree if i didn't, bit of an odd thing to say. I don't know what you are trying to accuse me of here.

Not at all, no one's trying to accuse you of anything and apologies if I came across as accusatorial! I just didn't understand from your previous message if you tried it in an actual curry or if you were just speaking of the consistency at a visual level. Let me quote:

Quote from: Unclefrank on February 05, 2013, 11:20 AM
This is what i mean you are not going to get the same results from just using blended tinned tomatoes instead of tomato puree, you will lose the intensity which the tomato puree brings when fried in oil plus the spices. Blended tinned tomatoes are a little too watery.