Hi

Not sure if I am in the right place but here goes anyway...

I am from the UK originally but now reside in sunny Tenerife. I love an Indian meal but its just not the same here as it is back in the UK, So I have decided to attempt to make my favorite curries myself.

I am used to average UK Indian restaurant style dishes such as Bhuna, Dopiaza, Madras and Jal Frazee. I have tried posh expensive Indian Restaurants such as the Cinnamon tree in Cardiff, but prefer the more down to earth average ones found in every town in the UK. Tenerife Indian restaurants just are not the same and vary in quality greatly.

OK. So I am now back in the UK for a summer visit and want to stock up on all the spices that i need to make the above curries. In Asda they have a range of "Raja" spices in packets. Are these sufficient to give me the authentic flavour?

I have read how to make a base curry with onions, oil, spices and tomato passata, then blend it to make a base but can any of you nice people tell me how to do the above dishes - inc Pilau rice? (i have a rice steamer and can get basmati in Tenerife)?

What do I need to buy and how do I do it authentically?

Sorry in advance if this forum is not for the purpose of my request.

Hi Expat...where do we start?..

ok ingredients.. if you are stocking up go to an indian grocers and get big bags rather than the tiny stuff in supermarkets..

As for what you need, it depends on what you are making... but the basic basics would be -

Cinnamon

Green and Black Cardamon pods

Clove (either whole or powedered)

Cumin Powder

Corriander Powder

Chilli Powder

Black Pepper

Garlic (if you can't get it in Tenerife)

and Fresh Corriander if possible (maybe grow it)

Turmeric (for the yellow colour)

The recipes you require are all on this site, just click on Search along the red menu buttons near the top and type them in.

(I'm taking a breath now)

Pilau rice ... well I have a slant on it ....

Adapting Mamta's own Biryani Recipe I now make a "plain" rice to go with other things......

start off by softening about 3 medium onions until deep golden brown.

While they are cooking away you need to cook some basmati rice but only about 2/3rds done, while its cooling stir in about 1 tsp of dried mint leaves.

once the onions are well cooked add the following spices and cook for a few minutes -

Cinnamon, Clove, Cumin, Green Cardamon, Black Cardamon, black pepper, paprika and garlic.

After a minute add a table spoon of tomato purée, cook a little longer (1/2 minute) and then take off the heat.

In a large bowl (that you can cover - I use a big lasagne tray and cover with foil), put a layer of rice, spead some of the onion mix out, another layer of rice, more onion and continue (making sure there is a little onion left for the top)

Now heres the interesting bit, mix about 2tsp of turmeric powder (Mamta's original recipe used saffron but turmeric is cheaper and easier to source) and mix with about half a cup of water, pour this in drips and lines around the rice so you leave some of the rice white, but generally get some yellow around evenly. Then you need to add a red/orange colour I do this by getting the juice from beetroot and with a teaspoon just dropping it in small spots around the white rice.

Cover and bake in the oven until fully cooked (doesn't take too long)

sounds complicated but once you've done it once or twice it becomes almost as easy as putting rice in a pan..

Welcome to mamtaskitchen:-)!

If you hover your mouse on 'Advice' button on the top of this, or any other page, it gives you options, It tells you about what to buy, where to order by post etc. You can go through it and see what you already have/can find in Tenerife. Then make the shopping lest accordingly. Steven (AskCy has given you fairly good suggestions.

For a minimum, basic kitchen, you will need:

Cumin Seeds

Cloves

Peppercorns

Cinnamon sticks

Black Cardamoms

Green Cardamoms

Bay Leaf

Coriander seeds/powder (you can grow fresh coriander from seeds. Buy small ones for growing.

Turmeric Powder

Chilli powder

Dried Whole Chillies

Sweet Paprika Powder

Ground Cumin (you can grind your own from seeds)

Roast Cumin (make your own from seeds)

Asafoetida powder

Garam masala , make your own

Dry Fenugreek Leaves or Kasoori Methi (you can grow your own in hot climate, buy a large packet of seeds)

Saffron Strands (you will get cheaper where you live)

Gram flour

Chapatti Flour

Rice, Basmati

A few Lentils and beans of your choice

White Chick peas (Kabuli Chana)

Kidney Beans

Ghee, make you own from butter

Raja brands are okay but you are likely to find larger packets of spice cheaper from an Indian grocer, if you can locate near where you are staying. I have tried the supplies from 'Spices of India' (look under Advice section again). They are pretty good and reasonably priced. You might consider trying them. I am sure they supply to Tenerife.

Hope your Indian cooking goes well. Keep in touch and let us know.

Best wishes

Mamta

Wow!

Many thanks for your replies.

I will get a suitcase full of the listed ingredients to take back with me. For now I have been out and bought some little packets from my local Indian stockists / Supermarket.

Garlic is easily available in Tenerife (as you would imagine), and we can buy Saffron for only €1 a large tub in the Spanish Supermarcardo's - V Cheap. Maybe I should import it?

I'm going to give one of your recipes a go tonight, I'll let you know how It turns out.

Again many thanks for the replies.

Sorry I forgot to mention this.

Surprisingly Tenerifians are not great lovers of Spicy food. Therefore their chillies are not widely available. I notice some of my neighbours grow their own chillies and peppers in their gardens. (we have year round sunshine in Tenerife)

1) If I cant get fresh chillies will powder do?

2) Which variety of chillies should I grow myself?

That is a diffinult question. In India, chillies are not recognised by their name. I often grow them from seeds of whole red chillies that I buy from Indian shop. I have grown 'Pusa Jwala' from India in the past, very good. You can also see at garden centres when you visit UK or mail order. Cayenne Long Thin Chillies are hot. See http://www.readytogrow.co.uk/seeds/c_chillis.htm

There are some good, hot chillies on this site ;http://www.chileseeds.co.uk/hot_chili_pepper_seed.htm

If you want to make things like stuffed chillies, you need larger, finger sized chillies, you need something like Anaheim Chilli or Bermuda Chilli see http://www.readytogrow.co.uk/seeds/c_chillis.htm

Once you have grown them you never need to buy the seeds again. You can collect your own.

Powdering your own chillies is not a very good idea, they are highly irritating to the body's mucous membranes and get in every where! You will be bettr of getting a supply when you visit UK.

Hope this helps.

Mamta

I'd add that, since you're stocking up on spices for long-term use, don't buy ground spices. Buy them all whole and get a coffee grinder solely for spice grinding. Grind them each time you need them. Make sure the grinder has a blade which sits close to the base of the grinding bowl, otherwise stuff like cumin will pass below the blade.

I agree with Steven: get big plastic bags of spices, not little tubs. They're good value and will keep you going over a decent length of time, especially if whole and not ground.

We've cooked Indian on Fuerteventura many times, so we know it's do-able.

Good luck!

Phil