Sorry I don't have any to share but I would like to get some of your best recipes! We've had Yorkshire Pudds, sausage rolls (in fact, I *could* look that up and share that one from Sukie...) etc on here...but thought it might be fun to have all of "ours" in one place. I would LOVE some curry recipes or tips from those of you in the know...and anything else you have! I've been looking up English cookbooks on eBay, Amazon,etc. but haven't gotten anything yet. Maybe I'll ask my lovely Mum-in-law to send one over next time she asks what I want.

Anyway...would be happy for any and all recipes you'd like to share! ...and thanks Amanda for the spice sites...I added them to faves too...will have a look later! M.

Ooh!! Great thread idea.

I'm not much of a culinary genius... but for anyone who wants to cook curry, this book is seriously great. Much less impressive-looking than a lot of indian cookbooks (it's just a small paperback without any mouth-watering pictures to be seen) but it's full of stuff you can actually make (without setting aside an entire day/week) that tastes like 'proper' indian food. Most other books I've seen either a) go on at great length about how you have to grind your own spices and make up vast quantities of your own spice mixes, pastes, pureed this, that & the other (all far too much faffing if you just want to make one meal now and again rather than run your own restaurant), or b ) are rubbish ('add one teaspoonful of curry powder and a pinch of chili powder' - yeah right). I saw this one recommended on another forum and bought a copy for about 20p from Amazon (last of the big spenders, me) and have loosely followed a ton of the recipes in there - am always so pleased with myself when I make something that tastes like proper curry! There's another book with more 'restaurant' style stuff, by the same people (or in the same 'series', I forget), which I got too, but everything in that book looks like far too much effort.

I'm going to bed soon, but will copy out a couple of the recipes on here tomorrow, if anyone wants! (Oh yeah - it definitely helps to have a hand blender or something that you can whizz up your curry paste with, it makes the sauces turn out much better!)

Will be watching this thread for recipes, 'cos I don't know how to cook ANYTHING!

"I'm not much of a culinary genius... but for anyone who wants to cook curry, this book is seriously great. "

Ordered! Thanks. I've been living out of a Madur Jaffry BBC Indian Cookbook I found in Ross for $5, but the recipes are getting a bit old and I'm a good enough cook that I don't need large photos to show me what to do.

I would post a recipe here, but they're all in my head. I made a nice Shephard Pie tonight, which is basically beef, peas, carrots, onions, water, cornflour, oxo cubes, some herbs and mashed potatoes. Turned out a treat.

ooooo *I* want! Anything curry..tips,tricks..would be great! Craig can make his own..he makes it the same way each time...but I would like to learn how to make a proper Indian curry with spices I can get here...I may have to get some online, but would love to try to make something with just 'general' spices....but then, it may not turn out right....so, will do what I have to do. I hope all the good UK cooks will have some goodies to share! M.

PS..I'll be looking for that book to order too..thanks!

and dr. lha..don't forget the cheese on top! Shepard's Pie is actually one thing I can make...and it *is* scrummy! M.

I didn't forget the cheese! I just forgot to mention it in my post.

(of course I had to mention the highest-fat ingredient!)

Here's a cooking tip: When you buy ginger, keep it in the freezer. That way it keeps for ages and doesn't turn fiberous. Also when its frozen its way easier to grate, grated ginger is a basic staple of all curry recipes, along with onions and garlic.

I have to admit I have 3 levels of curry making. 1 which is just meat plus sauce in the jar (they sell Patak's at my local supermarket). The second involves using the paste and mixing everything else from scratch, using milk to make the sauce. The 3rd level is grinding all the spices and making things from scratch. I probably do this once every couple of months. Curry otherwise is at least a once a week affair at our gaff, although sometimes its twice in one week when I alternate between Indian and Thai.

English Shepherd's Pie
Serving Size : 6

5 large Potatoes
Salt
2 tablespoons Butter/margarine
1 dash Milk/whipping cream
Pepper
1 pound Lean ground beef
1 large Tomato chopped
6 Sliced mushrooms
2 tablespoons Chopped parsley
1 tablespoon Tomato paste
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
1 cup Brown gravy
1 package (10-oz) frozen peas or 1 lb -- peas shelled


Cook potatoes in salted water to cover. Drain, cool and peel. Mash in large bowl with butter, milk and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside. Saute beef until browned, stirring to keep meat crumbly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add tomatoes, mushrooms, parsley, tomato paste, Worcestershire and gravy. Stir to mix. Add peas and cook about 5 minutes. Turn mixture into casserole.
Spread potatoes evenly over meat. Bake at 400 degrees 40 minutes until top is crispy brown.

I'll second that Indian cook book. It really is quite good. There is always good old Madhur Jaffrey - she has several good books. And this one is my new bible at the moment:

http://www.amazon.com/Indian-Cooking-Pleas...8035&sr=8-1


As someone who has worked in publishing for donkey's years, it is illegal to copy & paste recipes from a book on to a public forum, so please do it in private if you have to do it at all. It really is annoying when you see this -- these authors don't really get much money from writing a book, you know. There are endless recipe and copywrite free sites out there to gain a wealth of information. Even Delia has a flurry of her recipes for free online!

My tip for curries would be to use curry leaves and to grind your own spices - not buy a premixed spice. They really do make a difference. Cooking meat on the bone adds lots of flavour, and ghee or coconut milk add that essential fat!

Oh great thread!! Learning to cook for a Brit is a tad difficult when alot of what he eats, I've never had or even seen for that matter!!
I have a question however, I desperately wanted to make him a Fruit Cake for Christmas (he was here) and I tried to find all the ingredients for it. When it came down to it, I wasn't able to find the right fruits. Apparantly our nasty fruit cake here "IS NOT" real fruit cake. Any tips or hints from some Brits already living here would be greatly appreciated

Thanks so much!!

Hi, if you miss the old British curry and are into cooking these 2 sites are fantastic with ideas, pics and videos of all your fav dishes.

http://www.cr0.co.uk/curry/index.php

http://www.realcurryrecipes.co.uk

Regards Scotty

I like to use this website for cooking, then convert some items to the american equivalencies etc.

http://www.greatbritishkitchen.co.uk/


I know that golden raisins are the equivalent of sultanas (not as nice as sultanas mind).

caster sugar = Superfine Sugar (well hard to find, but found in a local Harris Teeter, Dominoes? brand does carry it in certain locations)

I make the best roast beef and roasties (I personally think Russets Idaho? are best for roasties) with the help of bisto powder for the gravy.

A good beef joint that I would recomend is "a Sirloin roast joint" (usually costs around $11-$18 for good joint)

You're basically out of luck in my experience. You can't get currants or sultanas that I've found, or the candied peel either. Maybe in an import shop, but nowhere else.

I do agree with your Brit though, US fruit cake is gross. The funny thing is most Americans I know also think its gross also. Why would this country persist in making bad fruit cake that even its citizens don't like? Weird. Its almost like Fruit Cake in the USA is just for decoration and not for eating, whereas in Britian Christmas Cake (Fruit cake with marsipan and icing) is one of the true guilty pleasures of Xmas.

I can get currants and sultanas in my local co-op. Candied peel can be bought at an Italian deli if you have one near you. I don't, but I know most delis sell it. If you're still out of luck, buy them online. I'm sure plenty of places sell them. The secret to a decent fruit cake is to soak the fruit in booze. And lots of it.

Interesting. I've never been able to get them anywhere. That said I don't have a "co-op".

LOL....To which my irish hubby says 'more booze to wash it down with....just to make sure'.