Mak Tok

[Renee Profile]

Did anyone watch Dragons Den the other day? There was a delightful young Malaysian man who really missed his family's curry pastes, so started making them here. It was such a lovely story and I can't wait to buy his products which are on sale in Booths in the northwest, Farmers markets and online. All the Dragons loved them.

https://www.maktok.com/

[cherrytree Profile]

I’ll be in Keswick Booths soon and I’ll have a look. Thank you

[Renee Profile]

I can't wait to try them all cherrytree!

Here is Will!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HZftd5F0L0

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Another item to watch out for, thanks Renee.
I like the personal touch in his marketing. Satay = inspired by his sister who is nutty.

[jeral Profile]

The shop link say 10% off four jars or more and free delivery. Can't see how long the offer lasts but useful if chilli bellies move quickly?

[Sakkarin Profile]

A long time ago I did a lot of research "Felicity Cloake style" on making the best satay sauce. The final one took forever, hours of gentle simmering, everything from scratch, no ready-made peanut butter.

However in the end it tasted EXACTLY the same as the jar of satay sauce I had bought off the shelf from my local oriental cash & carry, which was £1, so it all seemed a bit of a waste of time!



Was yummy though.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

I find a lot of things are like that aren’t they?

I use bought Teriyaki marinade, the alternative is to buy 3 bottles from the same manufacturer and mix the contents, only worth it if you really think the balance is off

I had one of those charity cookbooks, in it Lucian Freud described how he’d spent all morning lovingly cooking a tomato soup from scratch then adding cream and tasting to discover he might as well have opened a can of Heinz!

[Renee Profile]

I once spent a long time making tomato soup, but my two boys didn't like it and preferred Heinz! I suppose that it had a more bland taste.

[Badger's Mate Profile]

Lucian Freud described how he’d spent all morning lovingly cooking a tomato soup from scratch then adding cream and tasting to discover he might as well have opened a can of Heinz!

That was exactly my experience, maybe thirty years ago. Since then I've stuck to making cream-free tomato soups

[karadekoolaid Profile]

Sakks: same experience with satay sauce. Hours and hours grinding, chopping, slicing...and then I finally chucked peanut butter, onions, garlic, ginger, lemon peel and chiles in the blender. Easy peasy.

Tried the same with tomato ketchup - Heinz is easier.
Made my own pappadums once - bought are easier!
My version of tahini is ok, but it´s too thick. Damned if I can work it out.
Teryaki is not hard, though. I´ve just made 1 lt, and that should last me for a year.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

My version of tahini is ok, but it´s too thick. Damned if I can work it out.

Some of the commercial brands are best served using a hammer and chisel

I think the rest contain a little extra oil, sesame or neutral veg

My experience is that the dark one made from roasted seeds is more fluid, so possibly the drying during roasting helps, water thickens the emulsion

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

What do you all do with your tahini? Don't answer that, I should start a thread, as mine is in the fridge taking up valuable real estate with only one tablespoon removed after all these months years.
In fact, it will be well past its date.

I do like to be corrected when I'm being precious about bought things.
Like making your own mayonnaise. I was a slave to it, and yoghurt, the quicker I made yoghurt, the quicker Tony ate it. I just buy the damned things now.

Smash used to get me twitchy too.
Until an Italian on the Beeb board said they use it all the time = dried potato. So why am I getting all hot and bothered about some products.
I feel that about Asian/ Oriental bottles.
Just buy it, we are lucky to have it available.

[Binky Profile]

I thought I was the only one to have made cream of tomato soup, only to find it tasted just like Heinz. Now I know I'm in good company

My tahini is for making hummus. I make this regularly and so a jar doesn't last too long in the fridge.

[karadekoolaid Profile]

I do make my own tahini because it´s often difficult (or extremely expensive) to buy.
I use it for hummus, sometimes for babaganush, tarator sauce and to add some oomph to veggie burgers.
That´s about it, really - Mine stays in the cupboard. No need for refrigeration, with all that oil floating about.

[Binky Profile]

Kara, you won't need oomph in your veggie burgers if you make these - we have nearly all the Moosewood cook books, and have made these burgers regularly for over 20 years. Don't miss out the oats as these give texture (and I always use kidney beans as they're squishier than black beans)

https://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe- ... ipe=896926

[karadekoolaid Profile]

Thanks, Binky!

Actually that recipe is not far from the one I use - but the oats sound far better than the breadcrumbs. I´ll have to give it a try.

[strictlysalsaclare Profile]

I had one of those charity cookbooks, in it Lucian Freud described how he’d spent all morning lovingly cooking a tomato soup from scratch then adding cream and tasting to discover he might as well have opened a can of Heinz!

That reminds me of one accoasion in catering college when we had to make Spaghetti Napoletana - the results of mine tasted just like Heinz Spaghetti Hoops! IIRC the sauce was made with mirepoix, bacon bits and tomato puree and possibly some stock. I wasn't impressed.