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Cooking Ingredients You Were Introduced To





pastafarian

Well-known member
Sep 4, 2011
11,902
Sussex
Had never used harissa paste.
My brother made some homemade kebabs, rubbed the inside of the pittas with a generous smudge of harissa

Beats chilli sauce every day of the week
 


Cheeky Monkey

Well-known member
Jul 17, 2003
22,953
Had never used harissa paste.
My brother made some homemade kebabs, rubbed the inside of the pittas with a generous smudge of harissa

Beats chilli sauce every day of the week

I made some a few years back and it was so disgusting I can still recall the taste now. I imagine I messed up the (albeit basic) recipe somehow.
 


Doonhamer7

Well-known member
Jun 17, 2016
1,277
Adding high percentage dark chocolate to Mexican dishes - seems to surpress the chilli at the start then boom it hits you
 


The Clamp

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jan 11, 2016
24,278
West is BEST
Cambozola is lovely. Not really an ingredient but I discovered Creme de Brie a couple of years ago. It is simply stunning. And works well in mash. Hmmm. I need some now. Water biscuits, scrape of pate, spoon on the Creme de Brie, onion marmalade, in the mouth, swig of tea. Absolute heaven.
 




Sussex Nomad

Well-known member
Aug 26, 2010
18,185
EP
How many is that intended to serve?

I've just cooked one of these bad boys, smells great. Don't forget curry is essentially a spicy stew so you can add anything to it, within reason. I've added cauliflower chopped up small, it'll soften in the cooking process, but I did fry it with the other stuff. We had a take away ruby last night, one Murgh, one Vindaloo and the Bombay Aloo left overs have all gone in. Looking forward to lunch/dinner later. I forgot to add in my initial post is to add a good chicken stock, like the Knorr stock pot.
 


BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
I've just cooked one of these bad boys, smells great. Don't forget curry is essentially a spicy stew so you can add anything to it, within reason. I've added cauliflower chopped up small, it'll soften in the cooking process, but I did fry it with the other stuff. We had a take away ruby last night, one Murgh, one Vindaloo and the Bombay Aloo left overs have all gone in. Looking forward to lunch/dinner later. I forgot to add in my initial post is to add a good chicken stock, like the Knorr stock pot.

When chicken stock is required I bone the thighs and cook up the bones with a chicken stock cube.,
 














Simon Morgan

New member
Oct 30, 2004
6,065
Oxford
Sardines. Especially the ones with chilli. At least once a week I fry garlic with breadcrumbs in olive oil and set aside before frying garlic and chilli in the sardine oil, adding the sardines and adding oregano. Put it all together with brown pasta, a top meal.
 








Harry Wilson's tackle

Harry Wilson's Tackle
NSC Patreon
Oct 8, 2003
49,337
Faversham
Most of my secrets I have stumbled over by myself, but I shall salute my old flamate Chris (who now owns a hotel in Brighton - and its a cracker) who introduced me to cooking curry with caraway seed.

Regarding the olive oil controvery, the trick is to not burn it. Frying asparagus, for example, should be done without making smoke. Medium heat and as soon as a bit of browning begins, take it off the hob!

My favourite ingredient at the moment is grated turmeric root. My favourite main veg is roasted beetroot. My favourite meat/fish is, this month, Barnsley chop. I recommend going to a decent store and experimenting.
 


marlowe

Well-known member
Dec 13, 2015
3,898
Slightly OT my wife made a chilli for a party at my sons that included BBQ and jacket potatoes and had some left. My son put it in the freezer some 8 months ago. He took it out this week and put it in the microwave for his dinner and he said it had got so hot he couldnt eat it not even by adding yoghurt to bring it down. How did it get hotter being frozen?

When you freeze anything the water content evaporates gradually over time so after eight months there would have been quite a bit of evaporation. Consequently the chilli content would have been more concentrated and therefore stronger.
 


W.C.

New member
Oct 31, 2011
4,927
Just watching Saturday Kitchen and it reminded me of ingredients that I use but hadn't until somebody introduced them to me.

Olive oil - would never use any other after a mate cooked a meal for me using Extra Virgin olive oil. I'd used the cheapy old sunflower oil until then and even when short of money I always made sure I bought the olive oil.

Lentils - my mother made the most delicious ham and lentil soups which she treated me with when I called on her in the winter months. I'd never be without lentils in the cupboard.

Remember reading an interview with Delia Smith where she said at the time her first cook book came out, olive oil could only be got at chemists in Britain!
 


Tom Bombadil

Well-known member
Jul 14, 2003
6,024
Jibrovia
Its a strong spice so can increase intensity of others, I wouldn't call cumin hot but I add it to tandoori mix, for example, and it does give a stronger taste.

Why dont you just put more cumin in your spice mix to begin with?
 






Seagull

Yes I eat anything
Feb 28, 2009
775
On the wing
Umbalakada - strongly spiced, made from cured fish, used in Sri Lankan cooking (also called "Maldive Fish"). It will change you, hopefully in a good way.
 



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