Register

What's everyone eating this week?

Chill out and chat with the foodie community or swap top tips.
NOTE: THE CURRENT CHATTERBOX IS IN THIS FORUM
User avatar
Posts: 427
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2015 4:50 pm
Location: Whitefield, Manchester

Re: What's everyone eating this week?

Postby WhitefieldFoodie » Wed May 02, 2018 4:00 pm

Sakkarin wrote:
I wonder if a more "fishcakey" fried fish ball would work in a pitta kebab too.


Sakks - I do a fish "Shami". Works great with pollock! I dust it in half rice flour and half chickpea flor spiced with some whole spices coarsely grinded and fried till crisp.

Site Admin
User avatar
Posts: 4191
Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2012 1:56 pm
Location: Bushey

Re: What's everyone eating this week?

Postby Sakkarin » Wed May 02, 2018 9:22 pm

I'll give that a try.

The "ovening" was for two reasons: the original chicken version is baked, and also I was trying to avoid frying as I had run out of oil (used up the last on the jalebi). I'm not precious about frying though.

Making some rasmalai tonight, and had a strange dodgy-feeling shopping trip to get ingredients.

I bought some mustard oil, which always has "external use only", as there was some importation reason it isn't sold as a cooking oil. I asked the guy if it was OK for cooking and he pointed to the "external use" label, I presume because he didn't want to be drawn into saying it was OK.

They also had curry leaves, which were banned not so long ago. The third dodgy product was that I spotted "maida" flour, which I also understood was not allowed because of the chemicals used to bleach it ("atta" is the flour you can buy in normal shops).

User avatar
Posts: 4357
Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2012 5:58 pm
Location: Clayton-le-Woods

Re: What's everyone eating this week?

Postby Renée » Wed May 02, 2018 10:26 pm

This article explains why mustard oil shouldn't be used in cooking:

https://www.spicesofindia.co.uk/acatalo ... ement.html

User avatar
Posts: 393
Joined: Thu Jan 14, 2016 6:07 pm

Re: What's everyone eating this week?

Postby Badger's Mate » Wed May 02, 2018 10:36 pm

I'm sure the fishcake ball would work, like the Chinese ones but with Indian spicing. There's a recipe in the BBC Ken Hom book, and various ones are freely available in Chinese supermarkets.

Another way with the Pollock might be to lightly salt the chunks first. It would firm it up and clean up the flavour a bit.

Site Admin
User avatar
Posts: 4191
Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2012 1:56 pm
Location: Bushey

Re: What's everyone eating this week?

Postby Sakkarin » Thu May 03, 2018 12:51 am

I'll dig the Ken book out, and that salting might work...

Renee, that is coincidentally the brand I bought, and answers my question perfectly! It would seem that the bottom line is that there are no "approved" brands of mustard oil. I have halved the amount I use in my favourite Achari Tikka recipe coincidentally, not for health reasons but just because it seemed too much, at 100ml for 4 portions.

Site Admin
User avatar
Posts: 4191
Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2012 1:56 pm
Location: Bushey

Re: What's everyone eating this week?

Postby Sakkarin » Thu May 03, 2018 9:53 am

Rasmalai!

Was it worth the effort? As a one-off, yes, but probably never again. It's bad enough kneading bread dough, but kneading milk sludge for 10 minutes feels absolutely perverse. The balls are basically homemade paneer cheese with a tiny bit of cornflour, kneaded for 10 mins, then simmered in sugar syrup for 20 mins. Meanwhile an additional pint of milk is reduced for 30 minutes, with 4 tbs sugar, then saffron and cardamom added at the end.

Three pints of milk made two portions this size. Lucky that I always have too much milk in the fridge.

Image

User avatar
Posts: 4139
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 2:02 pm
Location: Stoke Newington, London

Re: What's everyone eating this week?

Postby Stokey Sue » Thu May 03, 2018 11:15 am

Re curry leaves
My understanding is that it is not curry leaves as such that are banned, but the import of curry leaves from certain places, due to the risk of them bringing in certain plant diseases
Import of curry leaves from other locations has never been banned, and the amount available seems to be increasing exponentially, presumably as the plantations in "clean" locations mature.

User avatar
Posts: 923
Joined: Sat Aug 19, 2017 6:19 pm
Location: Barcelona

Re: What's everyone eating this week?

Postby Alexandria » Thu May 03, 2018 11:37 am

Good Morning, :thumbsup :thumbsup

Since, all of Spain had been on Bank Holidays for 4 days plus one day, now it is back to work .. :lol: :lol:

So, it is restaurant Thursday and Friday ..

In process of deciding .. Today we shall opt for Passeo Maritum on beach and Friday, either Greek, Italian or Japanese ..

So, have a lovely lovely day .. :wave :wave
Barcelona, soulful & spirited, filled with fine art, amazing architecture, profoundly steeped in culture & history, and it engages all your senses, and food fancies.

User avatar
Posts: 916
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 12:33 pm

Re: What's everyone eating this week?

Postby Pampy » Thu May 03, 2018 1:02 pm

You can buy curry leaf plants in the UK which reinforces Sue's explanation.

User avatar
Posts: 4357
Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2012 5:58 pm
Location: Clayton-le-Woods

Re: What's everyone eating this week?

Postby Renée » Thu May 03, 2018 4:13 pm

Those do look good, Sakkarin, but I won't be making them! :mrgreen:

User avatar
Posts: 4357
Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2012 5:58 pm
Location: Clayton-le-Woods

Re: What's everyone eating this week?

Postby Renée » Thu May 03, 2018 10:12 pm

I made Alexandria's Urta a la Requena today and it was well worth the effort!


Image

User avatar
Posts: 923
Joined: Sat Aug 19, 2017 6:19 pm
Location: Barcelona

Re: What's everyone eating this week?

Postby Alexandria » Thu May 03, 2018 11:20 pm

Renée, :clap :clap :clap

Absolutely exceptionally extraordinary, Renée ..

Thank you so much for preparing my recipe ..

Amazing job .. :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup

Have a lovely evening .. :wave :wave
Barcelona, soulful & spirited, filled with fine art, amazing architecture, profoundly steeped in culture & history, and it engages all your senses, and food fancies.

User avatar
Posts: 923
Joined: Sat Aug 19, 2017 6:19 pm
Location: Barcelona

Re: What's everyone eating this week?

Postby Alexandria » Thu May 03, 2018 11:23 pm

Thursday: Today I had some Nigriri and Sashimi over at a lovely Bistro on a few metres from the beach ..

Friday: My husband and I are flying down to Madrid for weekend as we have some business there .. So we will go to a fave Italian Restaurant for lunch at 14.00 ..

Be home Sunday 16.00 ..

Have a lovely weekend .. :wave :wave
Barcelona, soulful & spirited, filled with fine art, amazing architecture, profoundly steeped in culture & history, and it engages all your senses, and food fancies.

User avatar
Posts: 923
Joined: Sat Aug 19, 2017 6:19 pm
Location: Barcelona

Re: What's everyone eating this week?

Postby Alexandria » Thu May 03, 2018 11:23 pm

Thursday: Today I had some Nigriri and Sashimi over at a lovely Bistro on a few metres from the beach ..

Friday: My husband and I are flying down to Madrid for weekend as we have some business there .. So we will go to a fave Italian Restaurant for lunch at 14.00 ..

Be home Sunday 16.00 ..

Have a lovely weekend .. :wave :wave
Barcelona, soulful & spirited, filled with fine art, amazing architecture, profoundly steeped in culture & history, and it engages all your senses, and food fancies.

User avatar
Posts: 4139
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 2:02 pm
Location: Stoke Newington, London

Re: What's everyone eating this week?

Postby Stokey Sue » Fri May 04, 2018 12:30 pm

I went to Andi Oliver's restaurant last night
Very good, reasonably priced for London but a few glitches
I had plantain croquettes with chipotle mayo, followed by grilled mackerel with some small amount of potato and a lovely homemade horseradish sauce, and shared the excellent house white wine, and some buttered greens seasoned with a little chilli All good
But my friend had the charcuterie, which she wasn't impressed with - while I think I would probably have rated the meat more highly than she did, it was supposed to come with accompaniments to make it into a dish, and these weren't much in evidence, and the home baked crusty roll could have been used for construction work, under proved and baked too long and slow - I tasted a scrap and it was also rather salty, (which might explain why it hadn't proved in the expected time
All other dishes were good, except a side of garlic roasted potatoes which came with that weird texture I though only school and army catering could manage - like leather

Will return, but will pick my dishes carefully

User avatar
Posts: 923
Joined: Sat Aug 19, 2017 6:19 pm
Location: Barcelona

Re: What's everyone eating this week?

Postby Alexandria » Fri May 04, 2018 4:46 pm

Had flown over to Madrid early early this morning and for lunch we went to the best Italian Ristorante in Spain, in our opinion, owned and operated by an Italian from Sardinia ..

Had an incredible 3 hour leisurely lunch ..

Have a wonderful weekend .. Chilly in Madrid but sunnny sunny and dry 646 metres above sea level .. Very very breezy .. None the less, a fabulous city and amazing shopping too ..
Barcelona, soulful & spirited, filled with fine art, amazing architecture, profoundly steeped in culture & history, and it engages all your senses, and food fancies.

User avatar
Posts: 1773
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 1:40 pm

Re: What's everyone eating this week?

Postby karadekoolaid » Fri May 04, 2018 8:18 pm

Well I´ve just had another plate of pasta - this time with tomato sauce. Yesterdays´was with pesto; Tuesdays with Salsa Isabelita. Who said I don´t like pasta? :gonzo :gonzo

In an hour or so I´m off to a Tasting Session. We´ll be tasting a dozen different hot sauces and some craft beers. What could be better to finish off the week?
I´m taking my latest creation - a Mexican inspired sauce called Popocatepetl ( try saying that quickly with a mouthful of peanuts :o ) which includes some smoky chiles ( Mora, Chilhuatl) and a touch of coffee. Then I´m going to give them a Sambal Oelek and a Brinjal Pickle. If that doesn´t spice up some jaded palates, I don´t know what will!
A splendid way to start the weekend.

User avatar
Posts: 923
Joined: Sat Aug 19, 2017 6:19 pm
Location: Barcelona

Re: What's everyone eating this week?

Postby Alexandria » Fri May 04, 2018 8:42 pm

Good Evening, :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup


There are over 150 Italian Tratorrias in The Madrid Capital ..

The best Italian Trattoria / Ristorante in Madrid in our opinión is:

Da Giuseppina
17 Calle Trafalgar
Neighborhood: San Bernardo / Quevedo
Metro: Lines 2 & 4
Reservations: Highly Recommended ..

Our lunch ( menú del dia ) was: 16 Euros per person ..

We shared the following:

Ravioli stuffed with Burrata and Black Truffles
The Risotto with seasonal veggies and Ricotta

The main was Stuffed Squid ( seppia ) for two people

The bottle of wine was not included, however, a glass of wine to begin our meal was included ..

Sincé we know the owner well, we received an amazingly sublime exquisite Sardinian Port with our dessert, which was a Tiramisú, our fave .. We shared the masterpiece .. :lol: :lol:

Of course the Sardinian Owner, also has an Italian Market, at Number 5, Calle Trafalgar, just a few doors down from the Trattoria ..

Needless to say, we have a shipment of some Carnaroli Risotto rice and pastas coming to the office next Tuesday ..

The name of the shop is: Lauricca ..

If ever in Madrid, these 2 establishments are highly recommended ..

All the products are imported from Sardinia and are natural or Bio ..

Have a lovely weekend .. :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup :wave :wave :wave
Barcelona, soulful & spirited, filled with fine art, amazing architecture, profoundly steeped in culture & history, and it engages all your senses, and food fancies.

User avatar
Posts: 4357
Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2012 5:58 pm
Location: Clayton-le-Woods

Re: What's everyone eating this week?

Postby Renée » Fri May 04, 2018 10:12 pm

I do enjoy reading about all the wonderful meals that you all have!

KK, that sounds like a wonderful tasting session and your new sauce sounds amazing. Speaking of coffee, it was an ingredient in a rub for steak that I saw this morning.

Alexandria, I will never visit Spain now, but you are so lucky having such a variety of wonderful restaurants. I love to hear about all your restaurant visits.

User avatar
Posts: 923
Joined: Sat Aug 19, 2017 6:19 pm
Location: Barcelona

Re: What's everyone eating this week?

Postby Alexandria » Sat May 05, 2018 10:08 am

Renée, :wave :wave :wave

Firstly, thank you for your lovely compliment ..

It is always a pleasure to hear from you ..

Secondly, coffee: 11 Michelin Star Martin Berasategui, of Restaurante Lasarte, in San Sebastian, and in Barcelona, is renowned for utilising coffee in his dishes, rubs, marinades etcetra ..

Very fascinating ..


I am a grand fan of the aromas of Espresso and high quality coffee ..

Have a lovely weekend .. :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup
Barcelona, soulful & spirited, filled with fine art, amazing architecture, profoundly steeped in culture & history, and it engages all your senses, and food fancies.

PreviousNext

Return to Food Chat & Chatterbox

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 14 guests