Tag: The Spice Card

Curry Guide… Madras

On By Daniel FordIn Curry Guide3 Comments

If you walked into a restaurant in Madras (now called Chennai) in India and ordered a “Madras” you’d almost certainly be met with a blank look. It’d be the same as walking into a restaurant in the English capital and asking for a “London”.

The Madras is a British invention and its connotations with “hot” stem from the traders and soldiers who were in the city from the time the British arrived in 1640. Not only do South Indians love spicy food but the city is extremely hot and humid, with temperatures usually over 30°C (86°F) and frequently reaching 40°C (104°F).IMG_1359

Those early ex-pats would have brought back the tastes of India when they returned home with their pots of spice mixes, or early curry powders. As there were no standard for these spice mixes (just as not all curry powders are the same today), it’s possible that the mixes with a little bit extra zing were called “Madras” to acknowledge their extra heat.

The early Indian restaurant owners in Britain carried through this thinking by adding their own hotter mixes or more chilli powder to their standard curry to create the Madras Curry and why today many people are able to order virtually any dish on the menu and ask the chef to make it “Madras hot”.

 

The Spice Card offers savings on curries, including on takeaways at many venues. You can get your Spice Card here.

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Recipe… Handi Chicken

On By Daniel FordIn Recipes1 Comment

Handi Chicken.jpg

Handi Chicken
Serves 4

What you need
• 3 tsp ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp coriander seeds crushed
• 3 whole chillies
• 3 onions sliced
• 2 tsp ginger paste
• 5 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp dried fenugreek
• salt to taste
• 750g chicken cut into bite-sized chunks
• 5-6 tomatoes chopped
• 1½ cup plain yoghurt
• 1 cup cream
• Handful of fresh coriander, chopped

How you cook it
1. Heat ghee in a pan.
2. Add the cumin seeds, crushed coriander, whole chillies and fry for 20 seconds (to test if ghee is hot enough put in one cumin seed. It should sizzle immediately).
3. Add the onions and fry until they are golden brown.
4. Add the ginger paste, chopped garlic, turmeric powder, coriander powder, chilli powder, dried fenugreek, salt and stir well.
5. Add in the chicken and cook until all the pieces are white (but not fully cooked). This should take about five minutes.
6. Add in the tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes.
7. Add in the yoghurt, cream and most of the fresh coriander (keep a small bit for the garnish), stir well and cook for 2-3 minutes. Ensure that the chicken is cooked through.
8. Once ready put into a serving bowl and garnish with the remainder of the fresh coriander.
9. Serve with rice, chapati and a yoghurt and tomato raita.

Kedar
Recipe by Kedar Chandra, chef at Pakbo restaurant in Flic en Flac, Mauritius.

 

 

The Spice Card offers savings on curries, including on takeaways at many venues. You can get your Spice Card here.

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Curry Guide… Dosas

On By Daniel FordIn Curry GuideLeave a comment

Pathiri (dosa)
Dosas are a type of pancake and are particularly popular in South India, which is where they originate from. Ingredients are simple enough, with rice and black gram soaked in water, then ground to form a batter but the skill is in the creation because the perfect dosa will be paper-thin like a crêpe. They can be eaten plain, coated in ghee or stuffed with other ingredients like potato. Dosas make a great starter or snack and are usually served with chutneys.

 

 

The Spice Card offers savings on curries, including on takeaways at many venues. You can get your Spice Card here.

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Recipe… Gateaux Piment (Chilli Cakes)

On By Daniel FordIn RecipesLeave a comment

 

Gato Piment 4 Low Res

Gateaux Piment (Chilli Cakes)
This is a popular street-food snack in Mauritius, which is sold in small shops or from homes of people looking to earn a bit of extra income. It is particularly popular at breakfast time. You may also see these advertised as Gato Pima, which is the Creole spelling of the snack.

Enough for about 15 pieces

What you need
• Half a cup of yellow split peas (soak in water overnight and drained)
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 2 spring onions chopped
• Pinch of cumin powder
• 1 or 2 chopped chillies (to your taste)
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 tbls cooking oil

How you cook it
1. Grind split peas to a paste. Use a little water if necessary.
2. Add all the other ingredients (except the oil) to the peas and mix.
3. Form the mixture into small (about 2cm diameter) flat pancakes. Use a little water in order to bind the pancakes, if necessary.
4. Heat oil on a medium heat.
5. Add the pancakes, turning occasionally, and cook until golden brown.
6. Drain the pancakes and remove any excess oil with kitchen paper. Serve with bread and butter or your favourite chutney.

Gato Piment 1Gato Piment 2

Gato Piment 3

 

The Spice Card offers savings on curries, including on takeaways at many venues. You can get your Spice Card here.

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Greenwich Curry Club Awards 2018

On By Daniel FordIn Curry News1 Comment

We are delighted to announce the winners of the Greenwich Curry Club Awards 2018  sponsored by the Spice Card and supported by the Greenwich Visitor.

Favourite Restaurant: Gurkha’s Inn (Greenwich)
Favourite Dedicated Takeaway: Mogul Home Kitchen (Greenwich)
Outstanding Service: Kesar (Charlton)
Outstanding Value: Pathiri (Greenwich)
Favourite Newcomer: King of Punjab (Isle of Dogs)
Special Award (for Oustanding Vegetarian and Vegan Food): Panas Gurkha (Lewisham)
Md Afizur Rahman Award (for Contribution to the Curry Community): Karri Twist (New Cross)

GV98.CurryAwards.jpgThis article appeared in the December 2018 issue of the Greenwich Visitor newspaper.

Charlton (Kasturi)

On By Daniel FordIn 1. Reviews (London)Leave a comment

LalMaas_2880x2304 Low Res

10 The Village, Charlton, SE7 8UD

Tel: 020 8319 3439 or 020 8319 3436
E-mail: info@ kasturi-restaurant.com
www: kasturi-restaurant.com
Open:
Sunday–Saturday 5.30pm to 11.30pm
Monday closed

Where is it? In Charlton Village near the historic Charlton House.

How do I get there?
Buses: 53, 54, 422, 380 and 466 all stop nearby.
Train: Charlton train station is a stiff 10-minutes walk up/down the hill of Charlton Church Lane.
Parking: The smallish Village car park is in Torrance Close, a couple of hundred metres away.

What’s their story? Kasturi opened in the City of London in 2002 and was part of the Kohinoor Group os restaurants. It relocated to Charlton a couple of years ago and was named “Best Newcomer” in the Greenwich Curry Club’s Awards 2017.

What’s the menu like? You’ll find all the curry favourites but Kasturi specialises in Pakthoon cuisine from the North-West Frontier state of India. Think influences of North India, Afghanistan and Pakistan around the famous Khyber Pass area so hearty meats, breads and dairy products cooked in style.

Oh, please tell me more…
Popadoms: 60p each and 60p per person for chutneys.
Starters: Lamb Adraki Chops (£5.95), Onion Bhaji (3.50)
Mains: Hyderabadi Lamb Biryani (£10.95), Chicken Tikka, Shahi Gosht (£9.95), Butter Chicken (£8.95), Chilli Pudina Murgh, Keema Mator, Chicken Korma (£7.95)
Sides: Bombay Aloo, Saag Aloo, Mushroom Bhaji (£3.95)
Rice: Pilau Rice (£2.95), Mushroom Pilau (£3.95)
Bread: Peshwari Nan, Keema Nan (£3)
* You will enjoy a 20% off these prices with your Spice Card

Kasturi PDF Menu

Tell me something about one of the dishes… Shahi (meaning Royal) and Gosht (meat) would traditionally be cooked with mutton (sometimes on the bone) but chunks of boneless lamb are now commonly used. The lamb is cooked in a rich, thick gravy and is delicious when eaten with a buttery nan bread. A dish like this was made popular by Bhupinder Singh, who was the Maharaja of Patiala at the turn of the 20th century.

What about drinks? The rather snazzy bar in the middle of the restaurant has a good selection of wines and spirits as well as the popular Cobra in the 660ml bottles

What they say… “Kasturi will accommodate the popular palette with its own Kasturian interpretations as well as providing dishes for the culinary purist.” – Bashir Ahmed, Director and Manager.

What we say… “This restaurant has brought a touch of the class to South East London that is usually only found in the top Indian restaurants in the centre of the capital. We love the food in this stylish restaurant.” – Greenwich Curry Club

What can I enjoy at Kasturi with my Spice Card?
YES 20% Discount • Sunday to Thursday • Eat-in, Delivery & Collection • 12 diners per Spice Card • Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day
NO Friday and Saturday, 20 Dec to New Year’s Day
Minimum for delivery: £25 (after discount)

Isle of Dogs (King of Punjab)

On By Daniel FordIn 1. Reviews (London)Leave a comment

Lamb Chop Curry

26 Ferry Street, Isle of Dogs, E14 3DT
Tel: 020 7537 7813 or 07902 389870 if landline is busy
E-mail: king-of-punjab@hotmail.com
www: kingofpunjab.com
Open: Tuesday to Sunday 5pm to 11pm

Where is it? At the tip of the Isle of Dogs, a short distance from Canary Wharf and central Greenwich (via the foot tunnel).

How do I get there?
Walk: Coming from south London the best way to get there is to walk through the foot tunnel near the Cutty Sark
DLR: Island Gardens DLR station is a short walk away.
Buses: they generally loop round the Isle of Dogs and the 135, 550, N550, 277, N277 and D7 all stop near the bottom of Ferry Street.
Parking: There is some street parking and Zipcar bays are right outside for car sharers. Taxis: There are plenty of taxis outside Canary Wharf and Heron Quay stations for the short hop to the tip of the Isle of Dogs where the restaurant is situated.

What’s their story? Owner and chef Tony opened King of Punjab in 2017 and he is passionate about providing authentic Punjabi cuisine. Apart from the odd old-school favourite like Chicken Tikka Masala this is a Punjabi menu, with many of he recipes he uses handed down through his family for generations. The restaurant is above the Ferry House pub and you access it through the pub. You can eat your curry downstairs in the pub if you choose.

What’s the menu like? Punjabi! It’s meaty, hearty, rich and tasty but there is also a decent selection of vegetarian options.

Oh, please tell me more…
Popadoms: Two plain popadoms with chutneys (£1)
Starters: Keema Samosa x2 (£2.95), Jeera Chicken Wings (£4.95), Punjabi Lamb Chops x4 (£7.95)
Mains: Methi Chicken (£6.95), Muttar Keema, Karahi Lamb (£7.95)
Sides: Chaana Aloo Masala, Daal Makhani (£4,95)
Rice: Pulao Rice (£2.50)
Bread: Tandoori Roti, Plain Nan (£1.50)
* You will enjoy a 20% off these prices with your Spice Card

King of Punjab PDF Menu

Tell me something about one of the dishes… “The Lamb Chop Curry has been enjoyed in the Punjab for many years, and was made popular when the Sikh Empire ruled India.” – Tony Chahal, Owner.

What about drinks? The restaurant offers various beers and Orchard Pig Cider on draught, plus a good bottled beer range, including the Indian favourites. There is also a a selection of wines, including sparkling options, as well many of the popular spirits. Tony is pretty relaxed, so if you were enjoying a drink in the pub downstairs before coming up to restaurant you are welcome to finish it off while you are looking at the menu.

What they say… “Too many Indian restaurants in London serve up the same old dishes. I want to provide an authentic Punjabi exprience when it comes to cuisine.” – Tony Chahal, Owner.

What we say… “This is a fantastic addition to the local curry scene. Great food and great views looking across the Thames too. We love strolling through the foot tunnel from Greenwich, enjoying a pint in the pub then going upstairs for some of Tony’s delicious Punjabi food.” – Greenwich Curry Club.

What can I enjoy at the King of Punjab with my Spice Card?
YES 20% Discount • Tuesday to Thursday • Eat-in & Collection • 2 diners per Spice Card.
NO Mother’s Day • Father’s Day • Valentine’s Day • 20 Dec to New Year’s Day
Please note: discount only applies when diners order three courses each (ie. a starter, a main and a desert or side dish)

Where do curry fans like to eat?

On By Daniel FordIn Curry NewsLeave a comment

In a recent survey we asked: “Where do you get your curries?”

Eating out is still the number one when it comes to getting the spice fix it seems, with 72% of people saying they go to a restaurant for their curry. Some 21% of home birds like to order a takeaway for delivery, although no-one said they’d pick up a takeaway themselves. Lazy, lazy, now. A few (just 7%) said they’d cook their own.

The Spice Card is a discount card that offers savings on curries, including on takeaways at many venues. Get your Spice Card here…

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What do curry lovers really like to eat?

On By Daniel FordIn Curry NewsLeave a comment

In a recent survey we asked: “What’s your choice of protein when you order a curry?”

Baaaa. Good old lamb proved to be popular with 48% of people, with chicken, somewhat surprisingly, trailing with 26%. Vegetables or lentils options – and there are certainly some good ones on Indian menus – were the choice of 20%, while fish or prawns mustered just 6% of the vote. Price was no doubt a factor here, with king prawns outstripping most menu items by a fair whack.

The Spice Card is a discount card offers savings of curries, including on takeaways in many venues. Get your Spice Card here…

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What’s the most popular drink for curry lovers?

On By Daniel FordIn Curry NewsLeave a comment

In a recent survey we asked: “What do you drink with your curry?”

An overwhelming 93% said they’d drink beer, while 7% said they’d stick to water or soft drinks. No-one plumped for wine or spirits. Maybe hoping for that complimentary brandy after the meal, eh?

Spice Card holders can enjoy a 20% discount on curries, including on takeaways at many venues. Get your Spice Card here…

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