Who likes to cook ?

good god, impossible; it's just for the wife!

Bachelors curry rice, tin of Morrison's chickpea Dahl and three eggs. Cook the rice as per instructions then mix all the ingredients together and bake in the oven at 180 for half an hour or so...........curry loaf, simples Oh yeah  lightly grease oven dish

I cook quite a lot.....good to get off the Mac and do something physically creative.....best meal  : Steak and kidney casserole with Yorkshire puds, 2 veg, mashed and roast potatos.

Katya's not much good in the kitchen !

OK, cracked the egg so now moving on to a cheesy pasta bake (mince/bacon/etc) this weekend. Trialling it on a (current) friend whilst watching the Spurs match

Watching a Spurs game will leave a sh1t taste in your mouth

Watch a YT video yesterday on how to chop up an onion... easy when you know how!

*Watched....surely !

uh oh, caught by the grammar police. Guilty as charged

If we all started using the wrong tense.....it would be armageddon in no time at all !

This lunchtime, I chopped up 3 leftover sausages and one mushroom and put them in a tupperware container with a tin of beans.  Microwaved for a couple of minutes.

Put a slice of bread in the toaster and had the lot on toast.

5 minutes.

There was a "Hell's Kitchen" episode where this useless chef had things on his expensive menu he'd never even made ONCE in his life!
Ramsay said .. "so what if someone asks for it"? Chef's reply: "I'll go on the internet and see how to make it"
So Ramsay asks for one, chef is in the kitchen on his mobile trying to understand what the hell to do from a youtube video :)

i could eat that now, Jack

uh oh, caught by the grammar police. Guilty as charged 


Tbf Leopard, Aspro was probably crying at the time having chopped said onion

Recipe of the day for you simpletons out there.............Must pea curry.

One tin chopped tomatoes
One tin baked beans
Two tins of mushy peas
Two tablespoons of curry powder
One onion

Dice the onion (one for you Aspro) then fry. Once that's done add all the ingredients together and heat up. Cook some rice and there you go.

Recipe of the day for you simpletons out there.............Must pea curry. ?

I suppose you have to drink a lot beforehand ?

Cooking is an essential skill, and always satisfying, and therapeutic.

Aside from making a so called "Full English" breakfast, that was me before having my very first Chinese lunch!

I liked it so much, that I just had to recreate Fried Rice, which was a totally new experience.

No internet to search for inspiration, but just by trial and error, and I got satisfyingly close, and that's where it all started for me.

Many years later I was introduced to Indian food, by a rep that had lived there for some time, and he recommended a "Mixed Meat Biryani"
as a good introduction.

Now that was sensational to me, at the time, and again I just had to try to recreate it, but without the help of any recipes or advice!

Find a simple recipe, or several for inspiration
                                                                             
Keep it simple to begin, and don't initially buy all the spices, but just get a jar of curry paste, such as "Madras" (you don't need to use much,
and it keeps for a long time)!

You will have to be seriously cr@p for it to be inedible!

Main thing is to use "Basmati Rice", and not to over cook it!

Typing this, I'm reminded that there was a member on here, who had an excellent, and well supported cookery thread, that ran for quite a long time.

Might be able to recover it if anyone can remember who it was.

Jamie Oliver ?

I really like cooking and preparing food properly. I'm not good chef/cook by any means but I always use the best ingredients and most importantly I never overcook things and most people seem to say that I do a fair job of producing tasty grub.

Recipe of the day for you simpletons out there.............Must pea curry. ?

I suppose you have to drink a lot beforehand ?

It does help to eat this sh1t Mushy pea curry. Fxxking spellcheck

its great to cook but i never bother with curries . just can't match what these boys do in the take aways with seemingly 3 pans , one oven and an old bloke gradually chopping his way through a sackfull of onions . nothing short of genius .

Jan 8, 2019 -- 11:54AM, ufcdan wrote:

Recipe of the day for you simpletons out there.............Must pea curry. ?I suppose you have to drink a lot beforehand ?It does help to eat this sh1t  Mushy pea curry. Fxxking spellcheck

You called us all simpletons....it was a joke btw !

To cook a decent curry is not as difficult or cumbersome as one might envisage - the key ingredient is the base ie finely chopped onions (and browned). Then add a tablespoon of ginger and garlic paste each; a couple of tablespoons of Patak's korma and tikka masala paste (or a pot each) and 5/6 cardamons pods; finally, add just a touch of honey. Bring to a simmer before adding the meat eg chicken thighs, lamb or beef; 20/30 mins - longer for lamb - it will be done.

If cooking a larger quantity for 6 (or more) or freezing a slow cooker (low setting) is another marvellous way of making a tasty curry especially meaty ones with bones; cook for about 4 hours (2 hrs more for lamb) - the meat will fall off the bones. If adding sweet potatoes/potatoes add after 2 hrs; a tin of sliced pineapple with juice will give it a tangy flavour.

I use the above method every time and it has served me well. It's also healthier, cheaper and tastier than takeaway or shop-bought; no preservative or excessive salt or sugar.

Ive had loads of home made curries...and those from supermarkets...and they just dont taste the same as take aways or restaurants.....

I've just fryed up some left over chippy chips from yesterday , i then addded some Heinx curry sause and i then poured a chicken pot noodle over the top if it . I think i excelled myself because it was delicious . For desert i had a rhubard yogurt with some Lyles golden syrup . Master chef , here i come .

That was some main meal Culvin. Think I'll give it a miss though.
My wife used to make a great curry but without the onions, she doesn't like them.

I can cook 'proper meals' quite well (so they tell me) but sometimes like tonight I had a breaded chicken breast (tesco 100% breast) and a packet of bbq super noodles (love 'em)
It just hits the spot every time

Onions are lovely . Are you an onion man ?

Don't have much chance to be Culvin, the wife never buys them.

It's quite easy to shop , you know .You just go in one with money and say " I'd like a big onion , please" . As long as you go in the right shop , like . You don't wanna ask for a big onion in a chemist's .

Not quite sure what I would do with it though Culvin.
Beans on toast, boiled eggs, porridge and tinned soup my limit.

You could use it as a cricket ball , if don't know how to cook it . I like to eat it raw , with a pickle and cheese .

I once knew a Romanian who thought nothing of eating a raw white sweet onion as if it was an apple. If onions are not to one's taste use more ginger and garlic paste or replace it with leeks; finely chopped and after cooking for several hours one can barely taste it.

The restaurants and takeaway curries are mainly made from freshly ground spices (fried) and ingredients eg ginger, garlic, fennel seed, cumin, chillies, cinnamon, cardamon, etc; these ingredients form the base of any curry. As it is cooked to order and eaten straightaway it does have the edge over shop-bought bulk-produced ones.

As curry tastes better overnight I usually cook more than for one meal, and sometimes freeze if necessary.

impossible123 , You are definitely a man of taste and culinary education .

I received a cookbook through the post this morning, 'Nigella Express' which I just found out my sister bought for me. I think she's taking me seriously, for once

Talking about curry's. I made one last week (admittedly from a jar) and froze half of it. After defrosting two nights ago it was so much tastier than the freshly cooked one. Surprised me that.

The flavour in overnight or frozen curries increases as the spices continue to marinade the meat after it's been cooked thus it is so important to slow cook meaty curries; if seafood is used, it's best to add new ones to it after defrosting (and 1/2 heated) than cooking loads and freezing.

I left my comfy home at the age of 17, and lived on cod steaks (£1.99 2 per packet) and takeaways for 18 months; I'd even put orange juice on porridge instead of milk - that was how incompetent I was. I'm no big eater, but enjoy simple home-cooked food not ponsy ones; one meal a day person; fish is fav especially steamed rainbow trout with veggies.

Two things to mention here....

The old adage "N'er a savoury without an onion make"....

For frying ingredients for a curry it is necessary to use Ghee aka Clarified Butter.

Easy enough to make, and it keeps, and will also freeze....

I can't stand onions, mushrooms or garlic which restricts my choice a bit. Give me unadulterated Beef or Venison Steak and fresh vegetables.

I'm not a fan of fried onions (or onions in salad) either eg on buggers (caramelised or not) as they are pungent, but used in curry as a base when finely chopped and cooked for a long period will turn it into a paste and dissolved into the curry as liquid; could use fennel (costly) and mushy sweet potatoes instead. I think a rich base is the vital foundation for a good tasty curry; some curries are very light-bodied which resemble a broth eg Chinese curry.

I haven't had beef for a very long time; lamb curry about 12 months ago for a friend on a visit. I might have lamb (boneless shoulder) in the near future when it is on special offer.

If you haven't tried it yet, Sainsbury's buttery mash (nuked) is as good as anything I've ever tried to do. I've already booked my next order and after the pasta bake this weekend I'll be trying my hand at a sausage casserole, from scratch, with just the mash as a cheat.

Btw I123... why is it that the curry taste so much better but for some reason the bolognese just doesn't hit the heights after freezing?

Chili con carne improves overnight in the fridge. Right simpletons

One pot Muller light.
40gms porridge.
Blueberries.

Mix ingredients and put in fridge overnight, ready to eat in morning or bake in oven until risen. Be aware cooked fruit will have a higher sugar content.

Tonight at 6 , I'm having a 3 course meal . My starter will be one pickled egg , with a slice of cucumber , half a tomato and some french cheese . My main meal will be a vegetable curry that my father made two days ago , and i will ravish that with some bread that i bought yesterday from the pound bakery . My desert will be a fairy cake , topped with some golden syrup and custard . I'm liking this cooking lark ,.

Mash is nice,...a bit of an effort to make though given the small quantity I consume; freezing is not an option either for me.

I'm no food scientist, but I'd hazard a guess. I think because bolognese is minced meat ie it does not need much cooking thus unable to absorb further flavour post cooking whereas a lamb or beef (big chunks) curry will retain/continue to absorb the goodies from the curry -further marination; microwaving (low to medium)/steaming will allow the chunky meat to release the goodies absorbed which gives it the extra intensity in flavour, I believe.

Similarly, minced meat with pasta (nature of ingredient), and seafood curry. They do not taste as good post freezing, I noticed, unless further ingredients added to enhance flavour.

'Culvin', your dad...you sad individual. What you just described resemble what I'd see outside a greasy spoon window.

Probably a bit above the level of most on here, but this Masterchef clip may give you some ideas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSaAQ352mnA

impossible123 , My mouth is watering and my taste buds are all a tingle at the prospect of what i'm putting in my gobb tonight .

Jan 10, 2019 -- 6:11AM, sageform wrote:

I can't stand onions, mushrooms or garlic which restricts my choice a bit. Give me unadulterated Beef or Venison Steak and fresh vegetables.

I just cannot stand garlic either sageform, nor coriander for that matter or any creamy dish like beef strogonoff for example.
My favourite 3 course meal would be lobster ravioli, followed by beef wellington and then a cheese board with a glass of port and jobsagoodun.

I've saved that video to favourite Jack... one can never stop learning

Slippy , That sounds absolutely delicious .

Enjoy your 6pm meal-of-a-life-time 'Culvin' - I'm salivating (or not).

I love steamed lobster in light soy and ginger with leafy veggies eg pak choi and fennel as the sweetness in ts meat is wunderbar. But no creamy sauce though.

Enjoy your 6pm gourmet meal 'Culvin',...my mouth is salivating (or not).

My first pasta bake and possibly first ever home cooked meal of repute... I'm up and running!

A whole onion, finely chopped and 4 small cloves of garlic, gently fried before adding 500g of (5%) mince, followed by 8 smoked bacon rashers, chopped into small pieces. A 1/2 pint stock of Bovril (cube), 1/4 teaspoon of mixed herbs and oregano and 1/2 teaspoon of rosemary, poured over the mix on a medium heat followed by a 3rd of a tube of puree. Meanwhile, 300g of pasta (penne) that surprisingly cooked in the same time it took the stock to absorb/evaporate. Once drained all of it mixed together and then poured into a baking dish with a layer of grated cheddar, a layer of grated mozzarella and finally a topping of parmesan. Oven baked for 15 minutes until nice and brown and voila!

Shared with a friend who had come round to watch the footy and a very agreeable response from him, even if the football sucked Suffice to say it was too much for just the two of us and could easily feed three if not four!

Next stop... sausage casserole

Respect 'Aspro'! Sound jolly delicious, may I say. I've never cooked a pasta bake, only ever had it at my sister. You know what, I might use your recipe and instruction to attempt one soon. Will update.

Thank you I123, kind of you to say. I'm sure I don't need to tell you but to clarify the cloves of garlic were also finely chopped and the bacon (all fat removed) was added after the mince was starting to brown and then fully browned before adding the stock/herb mix... oh and I did add a little black pepper to the mix too. I look forward to your update in due course.

Well done sir....

One dish meals are the way to go when getting into the swing of things....

Have a bash at Lasagne, seeing as you can make a bolognese sauce (you will learn how to make a Roux as a thickener for the cheese sauce),
and of course "Spag Bol"....

A tip whilst browning the mince, is to add a splash of cream/creme fraiche or yoghurt before it is finished.
This prevents the mince from being "gritty" and makes it creamy, as you might expect.

Not sure about "Rosemary" in the sauce though, but I like to add Chicken Livers....

"Spaghetti/Pasta Carbonara" is another simple, but delicious dish, which adds egg yolks, and can be on the table in fifteen minutes.

The most simple of all is "Pasta Gorgonzola", served with crusty bread, to mop up the delicious sauce....
If you want the ingredients, and method, give me a shout....

The rosemary (and recipe) was from my sister; I just done what I was told after she sent me the details, but I may tinker with it in future.

As a beginner I will always listen to advice from more experienced cooks and appreciate anything you lot can give.

If you have any recipes, methods, ingredients etc please post them LFV... This is a perfect thread for that.


As posted, sausage casserole next and maybe liver and bacon in the not-too-distant future. I'm retired, a little bored and learning to cook is certainly one outlet to pursue

Cooking is brilliant, Aspro. You get a sense of reward from all the work you put in, when it comes out lovely.

I can give you my method of Liver & Bacon (casserole). It's very much spelt out, as much for me as you, so I haven't missed anything and so as to explain some of the little basics of cooking, I hope you don't mind.

Get a Frying Pan, a med/large size Casserole dish, Saucepan (for potatoes). Masher for potatoes, 2 shallow med sized bowls or deep plates. Ordinary dinner plate

About 1lb (450gm) Sliced Lambs liver (less strong than Pigs),
6 (preferably thick cut) unsmoked back bacon,
a largeish onion. Some plain flour,
a (beef - though it doesn't matter) stock cube, in a pint jug or receptacle to add water when ready
1/2 a pint or so of milk (semi skimmed, or even skimmed is fine),
Worcester sauce, butter (Just have a block ready),
A little cooking oil (olive oil is fine, but any other will do)
OPTIONAL - red wine.
Potatoes (about 2 med size per person).

1st. Put liver in shallow bowl/deep plate, cover with milk. leave it for an hour or so in the fridge. This reduces any bitterness in the meat and improves flavour.

1 hour later....
Pour milk down sink, leave sliced liver on plate, pat liver dry(ish) once, with a bit or 2 of kitchen roll.

Put oven on (gas 4, 180 deg), then while it's reaching temperature...

Peel Onion, slice into rings, put on dinner plate. (Always remove "core" [the hard dense bit near the bottom of the onion])
Get frying pan, on med-high heat, fry the bacon in a little oil. Just a few minutes until cooked, put on dinner plate for later, take the onion off the plate and fry the onion in the bacon fat/oily pan, just leave the bacon on the plate.
Fry the onion for 5 minutes, until at least translucent, but not burnt and blackened. Once done. Sling it in the casserole dish.

Add a reasonable dollop of butter to pan, which is still over a medium heat.

The on the other deep plate, put some flour,(a couple of big spoonfuls or so) a little salt and pepper (quick mix with your finger will do).
dip each piece of liver, both sides (lightly coat) in flour then fry for 2 minutes or so each side... chuck liver in the casserole dish with the onions.

Add a pint of boiling water to make your pint of stock while the liver has its 4 minute cook... once liver is in casserole dish, add a little of the (stirred cube fully melted)stock (about 100mls ish - enough to cover bottom of pan) to the oily, buttery, bits of flour stuff in the pan which is still on med/high heat. Stir well (wooden spoon is good for this) to remove any lumps for a minute or so, then chuck it in the casserole dish, chuck the rest of the stock in the casserole dish.
Turn pan off now.

Add biggish splash of Worcestershire sauce to casserole dish, add optional Red wine to casserole dish (about a big glassful, if you do add it).

Put lid on casserole dish and put it in the oven.

Peel the potatoes, cut quite small (about 1 to 2 inch cubes, if mashing - this makes them cook slightly quicker and less lumpy for mashing - put them in a saucepan of cold water as you do them, then when done, change water for fresh, enough to cover potatoes, in a pan with room for water to still boil without boiling over, add some salt (about a teaspoon) to water, put on heat. Bring to boil, when it reaches boiling turn it down to fast simmer (bubbling quite vigorously without boiling over).

While potatoes cook, take casserole dish out of oven (it should have been in 20-25 mins by now), stir gently, leave lid off, put back in oven.

After about 12 - 15 minutes of simmering, potatoes should be cooked. You can tell by putting a fork in a couple of them and the fork going in easily, if the potato disintegrates when you fork it, it's over cooked. Drain potatoes (either by colander, or using pan lid, but leave them in the pan, not on heat.

Open oven and add previously fried bacon to casserole dish with everything else and stir gently. Leave in oven until potatoes are mashed and on plates ready for liver and bacon to join them.
Put pan of potatoes on a very low heat, add some milk (a splash) and some butter (about a sq inch) and mash, over the heat. once mashed, put on plate(s).
Then get casserole out of oven, put liver and a slice (or 2 if you want) of bacon. Spoon some onion and gravy over it all....

Enjoy.

One other thing I make to go with this is Green beans (frozen). Just add a handful to some boiling salted water in a small pan, bring back to boil, simmer for 2 mins and serve.
Doing a 3rd thing at the same time is a real sign of cooking improvement imo.


As a guide, if things get out of sync. The casserole should be in the oven for about 40-45 mins.

Any liver and bacon left will be OK for many days and will microwave well. Not the potatoes though, they don't microwave well (except Jackets and even they aren't great).
It should freeze OK as well Just allow to thaw and nuke - again not the potatoes.

Sorry if this is a bit basic, Aspro. If it works I'll tell you about the easiest to make and best apple pie/cake thing which would be a superb dessert and is lovely.

I enjoyed writing that out and will be making this dinner in the next few days too.

* should read - obviously - 6 RASHERS of bacon.

Do you care much for spicy foods, Aspro?  Chilli, curry, etc?

Love spicy foods trilby even up to a take-away vindaloo! - Post it mate, let's see what you've got.

Thanks for taking the time out to post that Study, I will definitely be doing this in the near future after my sausage casserole (next few days), sounds lovely (I love liver & bacon). I was looking up liver yesterday. I noticed you mentioned lamb or pork but what about beef liver? What's the difference?

I've been building up on my kitchen equipment over the past few years and I think I have all I need for now but if not, I'm sure Amazon would deliver it the next day, however; in saying that there is always something missing when you try new recipes and the proof came at the weekend where I bought a new ceramic dish (for the pasta bake) and scratched the surface using metal spoons to scoop out. Today, I bought a few nylon spoons etc from Sainsburys (which will come with the delivery today) all £1 each; much cheaper than anything I found on Amazon. This should prevent further scratching of delicate surfaces. Because I've never really cooked before I was void of many necessary tools, bowls etc and have spent several hundred pounds building it all up. Although I've got knives, they were cheap and I've been advised that a good set of knives should be #1 in the kitchen... maybe after my next accumulator comes in.

YouTube has been invaluable too, especially highlighting the ease at which one can finely chop an onion; so easy when you know how, amongst other useful cooking tips.

For those of you who cut off both ends of an onion before finely chopping try this method... I've tried it now and it is so much better and it takes just seconds AND it saves buying/using gadgets that are a pig to wash-up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCGS067s0zo - Mr Ramsay explains

I'm sure experienced cooks know this but for those new to cooking (like me), tips like this makes cooking even more fun

We are all animals . We need to realise this . We share and we will forever share , a bond with all our fellow animals and every other living thing on earth . We are connected to Ants and Elephants , Robins and Eagles , Goldfish and Blue Whales . ..I've very recently become aware that it's very , very important to eat plenty of raw food .I feel this truth deeply within myself , i feel it in my blood . For my breakfast , i've just had , two raw eggs , which i whisked and then added a little pepper , pink salt and half a teaspoon of soy sauce . I'm now having a black coffee with two spoonfuls of honey . No other living thing on earth eats cooked food .The advice my blood gives to myself is eat as much raw food , as possible . We should all avoid processed food as much as possible . We shoud never eat food in which chemicals / additives , have been added . Make your own jam , condiments , eat raw garlic , onion , pickled onions , beetroot . Drink only , drinks that are pure . Drink vodka . This is also important to myself , when i eat food , i try to eat it under natural light , candlelight , moonlight or i even eat it in the dark . I believe too much electric light is harmful . I could say much more , but i now need to go out to meet the Flowergirls .

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Should have added previously that having made satisfactory Bolognese Sauce you are one step away from Chili Con Carne!

Simply wash, and add  Red Kidney Beans and Chili Powder, or actual Chilis, being of course careful with the amount,
and tasting as you go......

Alternatively, put some sauce in a suitable sized dish,and top with mashed potatoes, and a few slices of tomato (not  essential)
and cheese of your choice (cheddar and Parmesan are good and,voila, you have Cottage Pie!

Excellent LFV... amazing what you can make from just one recipe. A great addition to this thread.

I just love cookery threads, as much as music threads!

Aspro, I just skimmed your Bolognese recipe, and you need to add a splash of red wine, after browning the meat!

OK, will keep that in mind, although I do have a question for you?

I found the mix a tad salty, although not over-bearing at all. My friend thought it was ok and not too salty at all so I guess its a matter of taste. Should I cut down on the smoked bacon a bit (e.g 6 slices instead of 8)?

*rashers

I absolutely love this curry and have tweaked the recipe to my liking.
I have also used this recipe with chicken, and it works just fine, but more water is needed as the chicken obviously takes longer to cook.
An idea that works very well is to make the sauce as the method below, and leave over night, this isn't essential.
You can also make a large pot of the sauce without the meat/peppers/spring onions and freeze in batches for use for another day.
If doing a large batch, it is worth noting that the spices/garlic/chillies/lemon juice would need to be reduced in quantity as this would overpower the flavour.

Fish Curry (1 portion)

Ingredients.

Oil - tbl spoon
Onion - 1/2 (thinly sliced)
Garlic/Ginger paste - 1 tbl spoon - (freshly grated may be used)
Tomato - 1 large (chopped - tinned may be used)
Fenugreek leaves - Pinch of (Optional)
Green Chill (to taste) - 1 whole (sliced lengthways)
Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 tbs
Coconut Milk/Powder.
Lemon Juice - 1 tsp
Salt (to taste)
Water - 1/2 Pint.
Fish (firm flesh) - Frozen Cod steaks for me - Thawed and cut into chunks (coated with additional Turmeric - optional).
Red Pepper - 1/4 - Sliced lengthways
Spring Onion - chopped
Coriander - Fresh

Method:
Heat oil - medium heat
Cook onion until just soft (do not brown)

Add.
Garlic Ginger - cook for a few seconds
Tomatoes - cook until starts to break down. If tinned - until starts to boil
Fenugreek Leaves (optional)
Green Chilli
Cumin
Turmeric
Cook for a few seconds (if the masala paste is too dry, add a little water and reduce down.
Coconut Milk
Lemon Juice
Salt to taste
Water

Bring to the boil and reduce heat to low and cover.
Simmer until the sauce starts to thicken slightly (20 mins roughly) - check regularly
Place the Fish chunks into the sauce and cook for 5 minutes.
Place the sliced red pepper into the pan and cook for a further 3-5 mins until the fish is cooked through (do not over cook the fish)
Add chopped spring onion - stir and serve.
Garnish with Fresh coriander

Smoked Bacon is saltier than unsmoked. Stock cubes/Bovril etc are very much salt, cheese contains salt.
I tend not to use very much salt in anything as it's easier to add than take out.

If you ever have a very salty "wet" dish, (casserole, stew, possibly curry, chilli, etc) putting a peeled potato in the pot to cook for 20 mins or so, is supposed to extract some of it, the potato has to be discarded once used. Personally, I've not found that to be tremendous, but it might help.

Alternative, (more basic than STATSMAN'S) fish curry...

An onion,
curry paste (in a jar of your own buying - I prefer pataks to sharwoods)
450ish gms Tilapia (my fish of choice),
1 tin coconut milk/cream (not the diluted type).
A little oil (not olive oil)

1 large wok type or frying pan.

Chop onion small, fry in some oil on med heat until translucent and cooked.
Add 2 dessertspoons curry paste fry together with cooked onion, for a min or so. not too hot (add a little more oil if necessary.

DON'T EVER LET CURRY PASTE OR SPICES BURN, YOU'LL RUIN YOUR CURRY.

Cut fish into very approximately 1-1.5 inch squares put fish gently into pan with onions and curry paste.

Fry for a few minutes, turning gently a couple of times - don't stir fish curry too hard, you'll break up the fish.
Once fish is cooked, (completely white - cut 1 piece to check) pour the tin of coconut milk over it. Stir gently, allow to reach a decent bubble, no need to boil.

Dish it up on some rice, with some green leaves on the side, imo.

Big rice recipe (for curry), and a how to cook basic rice easily to follow later.

Aspro, I'm not thinking that your smoked bacon is going to contribute much salt to the dish but you could always try to reduce the actual salt
and as always to taste whilst you add more...

I use very little salt and I'm struggling to remember when I last did use it!

What I do use is MSG which is a flavour enhancer....widely used in Chinese cooking.

If you ever had a Chinese Foo Yung (which is just an omelette, with added Prawns or Mushrooms) you may have wondered why your own
is nothing like as flavoursome!

The answer is MSG, with approximately 1 teaspoon, to a three egg omelette.

Try it in all manner of dishes and be surprised!

As with everything else, it's important not to overuse, as it may then be negative, so taste, taste, taste....

A good chef even tastes the water, having added salt, or whatever else......

I didn't add any salt at all LFV, I didn't need to so was wondering how I could cut down otherwise. I'm aware of the salty ingredients (bacon, cheese etc) but wasn't so aware of the Bovril mix, perhaps I could use something else

I like to cook.

Tip to you Young Guns particularly the ones who are tight and are saving to buy a car and pay for insurance and don't like spending money on anything, particularly women.

.... Cooking for an attractive young lady is a good way to get into her pants. Now I am from Gillingham so a Vodka and lemonade used to do it and occasionally one would have to splash out for a kebab. I digress!

If you have your own place and I guess most of you miserable Millennials do not and will not...ever. Sorry I have done it again.

So say your parents have gone away for the night, probably to stay at an hotel overnight so they can bonk in peace without you sitting downstairs disapprovingly. Oh man I'll get there soon!

So like I said a good way to get into a girls pants is to invite her round and cook a meal for her. I assure you they will be delighted for the invitation.

The tactics are to buy all the food in advance. Tell her to dress classy. This is very important not sexy or slutty. The age old tactic of ply them with drink comes into play. Personally I like to perch them on a high stool so I can get a good look while preparing the meal. Cocktails are good as there is plenty of hard alcohol on an empty stomach and they don't notice. Voddy I guess is always good for a bird or wine. Birds these days can drink a lot of wine.

Chop all the vegetables in front of them slowly and deliberately. Chat and try and be entertaining. The most important point here for you young'uns is to remember don't be yourself! Dont tell them you are saving all your money for a car and in all likelihood will never own a property till your parents die.

Add the spices and other ingredients and get that pan on the stove. Boil the rice or pasta. Don't get too smart. Even a simple Bolognese will get you doing the horizontal tango if you play your cards right and make them feel special. Always remember they like chocolate so dipping some strawberries in melted white chocolate should probably seal the deal!

Eh , Whisperingdeath , i wish i was a girlie and i knew you .

A Berni Inn on the second date Culvin No expense spared

Average age on chit chat is about 58 (we tested this a while back) so one extra ingredient might be of help here... viagra

Eh , Whisperingdeath , i wish i was a girlie and i knew you


Careful culvin, your starting to tread on moisok's toes

MSG is a flavour enhancer used to be extremely popular in Asian cooking particularly the Chinese community; its usage is lesser and lesser these days in food production as it could induce health problems such as headaches and allergic reactions for some consumers. MSG is also an economic substitute to sugar as it's much cheaper and more potent eg only a tiny amount necessary to replace many table spoons of sugar. It's also no longer used in most Chinese households.

To answer your earlier question Aspro. I don't think I've ever seen Beef liver, so I couldn't say what it's like.

Only mentioned beef liver after looking on youtube on how to cook it. They used beef on that clip.

Beef Liver is generally sold as Ox Liver.  It is slightly stronger than Pigs Liver but similar.  Both are much stronger than Lambs Liver and Calves Liver; the latter being the mildest and most expensive of all.  My favourite Liver is Roe Deer, but all Venison Liver is excellent.

For those of you who like Liver and Bacon, may I point you to the excellent Hairy Bikers recipe on the net. Foolproof recipe for not overcooking the liver. I use Lambs liver if venison is not available. You do need proper dry-cured bacon though. My butcher cures his own and smokes it himself.

Mum would only ever buy / cook lamb's liver and when I think about beasts' lifestyles, I can fully understand why.  The exception being calves and venison, as per blackburn's post.  Never tried calves but I used to get venison regularly from the farmer when I lived up the road.

Re spicy recipes, Aspro, they're ten a penny and Google is your friend.  More important, imo, are fresh ingredients and a good imagination.  Once you have a decent base, as in those above, simply add a wee bit of this or lose a touch of that.

Fresh essentials (which can be frozen for future use - and hence worth looking out for in the supermarket "sell-by" fridge) - include chillies, root ginger, turmeric, garlic, lemon grass, lime leaves and basically anything else curry / chilli / etc related.

A good selection of spices is also required and large supermarkets have a fairly range these days - though I always stock up at my nearest Chinese cash 'n' carry whenever I'm passing.  Both powder and seed versions of jeera (aka cumin), black pepper & coriander, powdered turmeric & paprika, cloves, black mustard seeds, green cardamom pods, crushed (and whole) dried chilli off the top of my head will get you off to a good start and the secret here is to keep the contents airtight once the packet is opened.  I used to keep all my old coffee jars but I switched to smaller jars, such as honey, jam etc as the contents are less and don't get exposed to so much air every time they're opened.  I put so much in a jar, wrap the original packet up tightly and keep in a cool, dark place for future reference.  Same works for instant coffee, btw

I always dry cook my rice and add a few bits and pieces like cloves, green cardamom pods, chopped lime leaves, whole dried chillies (the wee, red, hot Martha Ferkers), etc.  Two large parts white rice to three parts water (after rinsing a few times), bring to the boil, simmer for ten minutes and leave to stand for another ten for perfection.  Essential to keep the lid on the pan to prevent evaporation and keep an eye on to prevent boiling over - and stir a few times to distribute the additives just as it's coming to the boil.  Once cooled, separate into portions and freeze for future use.  A few minutes in the microwave from frozen is fine.  Use caution though and don't leave it sitting more than a day as freshly cooked white loves bacteria which can't half upset your stomach.

Likewise with curries, stews, soups, etc.  I'll cook a large pot full and freeze portions for future.  As someone mentioned, leaving a freshly cooked batch with various herbs, spices, etc at room temperature overnight does no harm and greatly enhances the taste.

Bis später, guten appetit!

Almost forget, get yourself a pestle and mortar for fresh ingredients and a coffee grinder for dry.

Aniseed & cinnamon - both whole and powdered - are two more essentials for the spice cupboard.

I think it was Study who said NEVER overcook or burn your spices!  Easiest way to avoid this is to add them after you're fried your base and added water.

Tinned and block coconut - a whole coconut if you're confident & adventurous, fresh coriander and peanut butter are more essentials, as are almonds & dry roasted peanuts.

My taste buds a dancing happy dance , reading all this cooking stuff . Mmmm

interesting how offal has gradually disappeared from our diet. There are some religious groups that won't eat it but the majority of people under 40 have probably never tried it. As a child growing up in a farming family, liver for breakfast, sheeps hearts for lunch were normal. kidneys, sweetbreads, tongues and other internal bits were prominently displayed in most butchers shops. They are now homogenised in sausages, pate etc so that the public don't know what they are eating.

All that talk of liver, how abouta nice bit of tripe? My Mum used to cook it French style with cream & brandy and when I lived in Sheffield I seemed to remember a stall in the market where it was served raw & you sprinkled salt, pepper, vinegar & ate it, like you would do whelks, mussels, cockles etc.

The hotel me & my wife return to every year in Lanzarote have calves liver on the show cooking on the griddle once or twice a week. On the one hand I think to myself they're penny pinching, but I always have some with some fried onions and really enjoy it. Predominantly German hotel, I wonder if liver is their thing?

Regarding curry, I wondered as someone I think said earlier on the thread, why do ready meal curries or pastes etc never taste like curries you get from the Indian restaurant?
On investigating further I bought this: The Curry Guy: Recreate Over 100 of the Best British Indian Restaurant Recipes at Home by Dan Toombes

The key, is creating a base sauce that is more or less used for every curry made in restaurants. It's been a bit of trial and error but I've made a couple of Chiken tikka Masala's that have been pretty close to the real deal

BIR recipes is the way to go.

I've been doing it for years and have in the past done Curry nights at my local.

It goes down a treat

Liver is the most nutritious part of an animal that you can eat. The body uses it as a store of proteins, vitamins and minerals which can be returned to the bloodstream if they are in deficit. It is crazy that most of it probably ends up in petfood or even landfill theses days.

Nice one, STATO.

Googling your suggestion took me here

https://www.realcurryrecipes.co.uk/

Can't beat lamb's liver fried in chilli, ginger and garlic!  Well, perhaps doe's

Sageform - Heston Blumenwotsit call Kidneys "The last great cheap luxury food"   He is right!.   My favourite kidney recipe is very simple but very rich - Lambs Kidneys, Cream, White wine and Tarragon on toasted brioche.  Don't do it as a starter; they won't eat the main.  I think, surprisingly, that it is a Rick Stein recipe.

Those real Indian base gravy recipes sound good.

Looks like you need to make it in bulk.  You probably need 20 different ingredients - many of which will sit in the cupboard once opened.

BIR recipes from the curry guy

http://www.greatcurryrecipes.net/

Check out Julian Voigt on Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/user/leviteish

Restaurant gravy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5x4oIVzfQZ4

After hearing the crazy advice on diet by the so called experts around the world today, I am pleased that I ceased to be a Livestock farmer in 2000 and none of my family are involved in agriculture. If the advice is followed, thousands more farmers will leave the industry. Many of the ingredients suggested in the ideal diet are imported from very distant countries. What does that do for the planet? The only solution to global warming is less human beings and all Government policies should bear that in mind. Nothing drastic, just less incentives to have children.

Just get good curry pastes (not sauces) eg masala and massaman from Asian supermarkets; add additional ingredients to enhance flavour if necessary eg chillies (extra heat), fresh ginger/garlic (freshness), coconut cream/milk, cumin, cloves (restaurant taste, only keep small quantity) and one another - there is no need to have the whole shebang of spices.

The diet advised today is barmy, and not for humans, I firmly believe, even for an occasional meat eater like myself; just fly everything especially people and food around the world less to reduce air miles and pollution.

No need to use a sledge-hammer to crush a peanut!

If you've got the spices to enhance the flavour of a paste, why buy a paste in the 1st place?

The bought pastes will have preservatives/salt in. I prefer not to indulge.

I for one would definitely not buy a paste, but that is only my opinion.

Enjoy, however you make them

Very true, unless they do not have any preservatives.