Old fashioned curry powder

[Stokey Sue Profile]

I looked at Sharwood’s “Madras” today - includes brown sugar and dried coconut

They all seem to contain onion and garlic powder now, which I’m sure is new

Don’t think I’ve ever had chip shop curry sauce, perhaps it’s different to the curry they used to do at the (chip free) Chinese takeaway. Not a thing in Hampshire in my youth, curry sauce or gravy with chips. Or mushy peas come to that.

[Lusciouslush Profile]

You haven't lived 'till you've had chip shop curry sauce over chips Sue

A big left over from a misspent youth - don't know if I could face that now - depends how many I've had I s'pose…………!!

I haven't used curry powder for centuries - preferring paste - my own usually, or emergency shop bought - but now think I'll get some in & experiment with it a bit - any recs apart from S'pore noodles...?

I once knew a chap who made a brilliant onion soup who said his 'secret' was a bit of curry powder!

[Badger's Mate Profile]

The chips shops of my youth in N9 & N18 were likewise free of mushy peas, gravy and curry sauce. The odd one might have served pease pudding to go with faggots or saveloys. You couldn't get gravy in pie and mash shops either, solely liquor.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

I’m glad you said that Badger’s Mate

Because I don’t remember those additions in Camden or central London which is where I ate chips after Hampshire. Chips if not from Gigs or other Anglo Greek places around Fitzrovia were from trad chippies around north London

[Sakkarin Profile]

Here's the Vietnamese Cari Ga recipe I like Lush, Googling throws up dozens of variations, everyone does it differently, but I like the Street Cafe recipe, it's the one in yellow. I've compared it to recipes in some of my other Vietnamese recipe books.

Hardly groundbreaking, it's more comfort foodish. There was a Korean recipe too that used curry powder, I'll see if I can find it.

www.sakkarin.co.uk/foodforumpix/cariga-comp.gif

[smitch Profile]

I used to love chips and curry sauce but sadly I’ve developed a mustard allergy so can no longer have it

[Sakkarin Profile]

Aaaaw, my condolences

20 quid for a pack of Vencat curry powder!

EDIT: It's clearly very old, as it hasn't got an ingredients list on it...
EDIT 2: Quick Google says that it was 1990 that listing became mandatory, so may be fairly recent, not 60s/70s.

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/Vintage-Packagi ... 3d74524d3f

[Badger's Mate Profile]

It's probably not that new, because of the pack being in dual units, ounces and grams. Not unlike the dual pricing system around 1971, I've got a bird guide priced 25/- and £1.25.

Also the 'e' mark that you see on packaged goods (but not this tin) was introduced following a Directive of 1976. It wasn't compulsory but was pretty standard by the early 80s

[Sakkarin Profile]

An elevenpence ha'penny pack here!

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Oh that’s a good find Sakkarin, really interesting


I wonder why Sharwoods went to making their own and dropped Vencat? My searching round for the ingredients led me to think Vencat was available in the USA within the last decade, but not here

Sharwoods was the main brand for exotic foods in my childhood, and considered a guarantee of quality, but not sure how the make living in the face of Cofresh, Natco, Patak’s, Rajah, TRS et al. I tried some Sharwoods mango chutney recently - it’s just syrup with a bit of flavour, horrible. Geeta’s is in a different league. And my favourite chutney in a jar is Patak’s Brinjal (aubergine) Pickle. Can eat that on an Indian bread as a snack

[Joanbunting Profile]

Absolutely with you on Sharwoods mango chutney Sue. It is awful these days. I had a consignment of Geeta's Premium Mango delivered yesterday. I also like their mango and ginger.

[Sakkarin Profile]

If you trace back those "brands", you'll probably find most of them belong to Tesco anyway, if I recall some research I did a few years back.

Just looked at Rajah Mixed Masala Curry Powder in Tesco, it only has five ingredients! NO fenugreek, and paprika is chilli lite anyway...

Chilli, Cumin, Coriander, Turmeric, Paprika

https://rajahspices.co.uk/product/mixed ... ed-masala/


Edit: my fabourite mango chutney is my own homemade, but sadly I've not seen green mango on sale locally for years. All the Asian shops used to stock it.

[Badger's Mate Profile]

Another Geeta's fan here.

Also Patak's Brinjal, though we have 'his and hers' aubergine pickle in our house - Mrs B likes the Waitrose one. I also enjoy Patak's garlic pickle and used to love their prawn balichow. Both that and the brinjal were eaten with any sort of bread as a snack. For some reason they no longer do it. A friend once described it as 'fishy jam', maybe it was a niche product...

The closest I've found to it is the unfortunately named Ghanaian paste, but that's not sweet. Ferns used to do a balichow that wasn't sweet also. I wonder if it went the same way as the Bombay duck.

[Sakkarin Profile]

unfortunately named Ghanaian paste

By coincidence they were selling off jars of that Poo-o paste cheap in Tesco just now! I can't remember what it tastes like, but I'm pretty certain I didn't like it, as I ditched the jar long ago.

[Badger's Mate Profile]

I quite like it, we used to have a number of Ghanaians working in the factory and they were surprised to see someone like me eating the stuff.

[strictlysalsaclare Profile]

I currently work with a Ghanaian chap, who is lovely, and has the best laugh I have ever heard.

[Lusciouslush Profile]

Badger - Asda sell that paste - I love it, straight up or mixed in when cooking - it's v good with any dried cooked beans - makes a good marinade & mixed with mayo in a sandwich/dip, it's that extra 'smokiness' in it - I've never been sure how to pronounce it tho'!

Just reading back - I didn't know Tesco sold it Sakks - I'll look out for it, not so easy for me to get to Asda.


Years ago I had a Ghanaian friend whose mother used to send him soup thro' the post - don't ask!

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Rajah also do a Madras curry powder withe full range of spices, quite similar to the old style ones, currently 50p a sachet at Morrison’s

I note with amusement that Amazon US states it is imported from England! Rajah is based in Enfield.

Ingredients
Ground Coriander, Ground Turmeric, MUSTARD Powder, Ground Chilli, Bengal Gram (Black Chickpea), Ground Cumin, Ground Fenugreek, Ground Black Pepper, Garlic Powder, Iodised Salt, Ground Fennel.

[Amyw Profile]

Absolutely with you on Sharwoods mango chutney Sue. It is awful these days. I had a consignment of Geeta's Premium Mango delivered yesterday. I also like their mango and ginger.

I grew up thinking I hated all chutneys after tasting Sherwood's, when I was little. Luckily this has now been rectified and I've had some amazing chutneys , not necessarily just mango , but as part of a Ploughmans etc

[Sakkarin Profile]

I went to make my Cari Ga, and settled on the Asda curry powder in my cupboard, rather than the Natco or the East End packs, which were not very fragrant. However I spotted the use by date was 2015, and the other two were 2016! I couldn't be bothered to go back to Tesco, so I ended up making my own from scratch, using the most old-fashioned-currylike ingredients. Cooking it now, it smells fab.

EDIT: I will finish off with the kulfi I made earlier this week and some mango puree which I bought in a sale for a quid for a huge tin.