Hi,

Just attempted this recipe and it seems something is missing. Is it important what kind of oil is used? Also how important is it to use sweet paprika rather that normal paprika?

I've never worked out what the different "paprika's" are to be honest... where I live and as far as I've seen.. Paprika is Paprika... it looks like chilli powder (usually slightly darker) and isn't in anyway hot... but I've seen mentioned hot paprika, sweet paprika etc etc and I think they might be other names given to slightlt different things??..(like chilli powder might be called hot paprika in some places??)...

as for whats missing?.. any idea what?.. maybe the onion/galic flavour?.. or maybe a sweetness?... a kick of vinegar?.. more of the sweet spices like star anise, fennel, cloves?...

To be honest Gavin, this is not something I fancy and I wouldn't make it as a routine! I would much rather make a proper curry sauce, if I fancied it with my chips :-).

As you can see, all three recipes belong to other people who make it, including one by Steven Lister (AskCy). I note that he has already replied to you.

Mamta

Just a quick response to Stephen's observations on paprika.

I used to think just the same thing as tou, Stephen: that all paprikas are much of a likeness.

That was until I had a Belgian girlfriend (now my wife, as it happens)

who lived in a wonderfully multicultural district just off the centre of Brussels. Among the colourful mix of ethnic groups was the Turkish community, who had grocer shops there, and that's where I found three distinct types of paprika. The one we went for is called 'pul biber' in Turkish (the 'biber' is the same word as 'pepper', and I think the 'pul' denotes the way it's produced).

Pul biber has a special taste, and is rather different from the kinds of paprika one finds in British and French supermarkets (I write from France). Apparently, it's waxed, and the form it takes is flakes, rather than powder. It's dark red in colour.

We can only find it in the Turkish community in Brussels or the Cypriot community in London, which has a mix of Greek and Turkish Cypriots.

Whether this would work in the Chinese curry recipe, I don't know, but I'd recommend that people have a go at it for other dishes requiring paprika.

I suspect that the Hungarians also distinguish between types of paprika, but I may be wrong about that.

Cheers

Phil

Thanks for that Phil, I'm going to Cyprus shortly.. I will keep my eyes out..

How can the ingredients begin to bubble in such a small amount of oil?