In Bradford, when you arrive as a student having heard all about Bradford's reputation as a curry capital, one of the first and most obvious things to do with your new friends is to try a curry house. But, not knowing which are the good ones, many of us see Omars on Great Horton Road. Omar's offers 15% student discount, and for many students coming from more affluent areas, the prices look pretty good (when I moved here, you could still get curry and rice for £3.50).
The biggest thing though (and whoever had the idea to implement it there was a business genius), is their loyalty card. The loyalty card is very generous, and so so many of the students when they arrive have a curry at Omar's, get a loyalty card, and so always end up going there with their mates. I did the same, until I moved away to York for a year. In that year, the portion sizes went up, the quality down, and the prices drastically up. Although I have been a couple of times since getting back to Bradford again, and it has got better quality again, I decided it was time to seek out the decent curry houses in Bradford.
You know the ones I mean: the magical ones that you can buy authentic curry at cheap prices from, where all the locals eat. The first on my list therefore was one I only found out about at the weekend. It was recommended to me by the absolute sweetie who owns Nomad who, it turns out, studied in Bradford. As he cooks fabulous curries himself, even on a field in a tiny van, I trusted his judgement, especially when I found out it is featured on tonight's Gordon Ramsay's Best Restaurants. When my brother emailed me last night to say he was driving by Bradford, and did I fancy a curry it was the first my mind jumped to.
Prashad is on Horton Grange Road, about 5 minutes from University (at the speed I walk anyway). It's a tiny little restaurant - basically its a converted end of terrace with the front room now the take away and the back a 20 seater restaurant, with the kitchen in the middle. The decor was simple, modern and bright, and in good condition, the chairs comfortable, and despite the small size of the room it did not feel cramped (although there were only about 10 customers eating in). After scanning the menu we both decided to order the Special Thali, which was £11.50 each. Forgive me for not being able to name the dishes: the waiter had quite a thick accent and I didn't catch all he said, but I shall describe them as best I can.
So, let's begin at the start (as someone once said - a very good place to begin). Forget those pale, flat, slightly greasy things you get at most Indians - the poppadums were indeed crispy and melt in the mouth, but they were also somewhat more flavoursome, and a slightly brown colour. Not being an expert, I have no idea if this is down to the type of flour used, or whether it is a regional difference or what. All I know is they were some of the most delicious poppadums I've ever had. The dips were the usual lime pickle, mango and chilli and mint yoghurt dips, but also a delicious bright green paste that had corriander, mint and chilli in it.
The Thali itself was what I have been told is a more traditional way of eating Indian food-lots of different dishes on the table at once, with sweet and savoury alike. There was another poppadum, perectly light, soft, fluffy plain rice, three delicious rotis, obviously fresh made. Some kind of bargee type thing that had vegetables and potato in it and was soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside like a dumpling (Tom had a bright yellow ball of spiced and fried lentils - we assume this was because he is allergic to nuts and that it was a replacement, although I didn't actually taste any nuts in mine). There was Daal like I've never had it - a thin broth type soup rather than the thick lentil curry I've always had before, a really spicy potato curry and a pepper curry that was a little sweeter. All were beautifully balanced and seasoned - enough heat for me, the regular curry eater, but not so much that Tom, who claims he has lost his ability to cope with large amounts of spice since moving north, was still able to clear his plate quicker than I could.
The real highlight for me, however, was the dessert. In Britain we have this idea that there isn't really much in the way of Indian deserts, butI rather suspect we are wrong about that. Certainly, the dessert on our plate this evening was an absolutely fabulous mango shikand. The sweetness and creamyness was the perfect palate cleanser to end the spicy meal. It was as thick and smooth - almost glossy feeling in the mouth - as really good custard should be, and filled the last little corner nicely, without leaving me feeling bloated.
All in all, it is by far the best curry I have yet had in Bradford, for a very good price. Omar's, you now have to give me a very good reason to go back.
I will leave you with Tom's comment though:
'That was really good. We should do this again. Next time though, take me somewhere they serve meat.'
Tuesday 21 September 2010
Monday 20 September 2010
York Beer Festival
I spent the past week working at the York beer festival. Fool that I am, this meant camping the entire week too, (although of course it was fully made up for by the excellent beer.)
I refused to give in to the idea of spending money on breakfast at Tescos and dinner out every day - I'm a poor student, I couldn't afford to! Also, a childhood camping with my Dad and in the Guides has meant I am a somewhat proficient cook with open fire and trangia, so the trangia was again my weapon of choice for when the food tokens ran out.
Breakfast most mornings was a fry up of some variety - you need it in the cold and when you're working that hard. But Saturday's was by far the best - Bacon and mushrooms fried in an excellent draught American beer from Stone in San Diego called Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale. Put in a bun. The beer is sweet and rich and malty, and the bacon was salty and, well, bacony, and the mahoosive flat mushrooms were meaty and earthy.There are two things to learn from this experience:
Firstly, that Americans are excellent brewers - assuming you can find the beer. (Pivni in York, the Sheffield Tap, and the soon-to-be-open Euston Tap are good bets in this country and indeed supply and manage the foreign beer bar that was where I could be found most of the week.
Secondly, that just because a drink tastes fabulous as is, does not mean that it is "wasted" by cooking with it (although care should be taken and respect given to the alcoholic beverage of choice when cooking with it.)
So, here is my recipe for the week:
Beer Bacon and Mushroom Butty
Serves 2
4 rashers bacon
1 large flat mushroom (or similar amount of meaty mushroom)
2 cheap white rolls
Heat frying pan to a medium heat. Add bacon and cook for a few minutes until it's about 2/3 original size. Add chopped mushrooms. Stir every so often, keeping bacon touching the bottom of the pan as much as possible, until most of the water has reduced from the mushrooms. Add about an inch of a pint glass of beer (if you can't get hold of Stone, and let's face it, it's going to be rare that you do, use a strong porter or stout - something like Old Tom from Robinsons would work nicely). Let the beer reduce until there is no liquid left and the bacon and mushrooms are crisping and browning nicely. Stick in a butty. No need to use posh bread - you only really want it so you can pick up the bacon.
Enjoy as a late brunch or early lunch with a couple of mouthfulls of the beer you cooked with.
I advise making enough for two - then when the other person has fallen at your feet in a haze of adoration, you can extract a promise of washing up from them.
As I have not yet sorted out a digital camera to photograph my food etc, here is a gratuitous picture of the foreign bar at the festival (with thanks to Chris who took it and hasn't yet been told I've borrowed it:
I refused to give in to the idea of spending money on breakfast at Tescos and dinner out every day - I'm a poor student, I couldn't afford to! Also, a childhood camping with my Dad and in the Guides has meant I am a somewhat proficient cook with open fire and trangia, so the trangia was again my weapon of choice for when the food tokens ran out.
Breakfast most mornings was a fry up of some variety - you need it in the cold and when you're working that hard. But Saturday's was by far the best - Bacon and mushrooms fried in an excellent draught American beer from Stone in San Diego called Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale. Put in a bun. The beer is sweet and rich and malty, and the bacon was salty and, well, bacony, and the mahoosive flat mushrooms were meaty and earthy.There are two things to learn from this experience:
Firstly, that Americans are excellent brewers - assuming you can find the beer. (Pivni in York, the Sheffield Tap, and the soon-to-be-open Euston Tap are good bets in this country and indeed supply and manage the foreign beer bar that was where I could be found most of the week.
Secondly, that just because a drink tastes fabulous as is, does not mean that it is "wasted" by cooking with it (although care should be taken and respect given to the alcoholic beverage of choice when cooking with it.)
So, here is my recipe for the week:
Beer Bacon and Mushroom Butty
Serves 2
4 rashers bacon
1 large flat mushroom (or similar amount of meaty mushroom)
2 cheap white rolls
Heat frying pan to a medium heat. Add bacon and cook for a few minutes until it's about 2/3 original size. Add chopped mushrooms. Stir every so often, keeping bacon touching the bottom of the pan as much as possible, until most of the water has reduced from the mushrooms. Add about an inch of a pint glass of beer (if you can't get hold of Stone, and let's face it, it's going to be rare that you do, use a strong porter or stout - something like Old Tom from Robinsons would work nicely). Let the beer reduce until there is no liquid left and the bacon and mushrooms are crisping and browning nicely. Stick in a butty. No need to use posh bread - you only really want it so you can pick up the bacon.
Enjoy as a late brunch or early lunch with a couple of mouthfulls of the beer you cooked with.
I advise making enough for two - then when the other person has fallen at your feet in a haze of adoration, you can extract a promise of washing up from them.
As I have not yet sorted out a digital camera to photograph my food etc, here is a gratuitous picture of the foreign bar at the festival (with thanks to Chris who took it and hasn't yet been told I've borrowed it:
Wednesday 8 September 2010
Custard
This evening I attempted to make custard. Not from powder, as normal, but properly. I failed. It curdled.
I tried to make it using a modified version of the recipe in Cook with Jamie by Jamie Oliver, but quartering the recipe and using all milk rather than the mix of milk and cream listed. Unfortunately, I a) didn't read the recipe properly and used the whole egg rather than just the yolks and b) managed to curdle it when reheating. Sieved it, which got the big lumps out and ate it anyway on some stewed rhubarb - tasted good, although obviously the texture was off and it was too runny.
I shall attempt it again sometime. It tasted good enough that I think if I can get it right it will be worth making from scratch. Until/even then, however, both Birds Custard Powder and tins of Ambrosia will keep their alloted place in my cupboards and cooking.
I tried to make it using a modified version of the recipe in Cook with Jamie by Jamie Oliver, but quartering the recipe and using all milk rather than the mix of milk and cream listed. Unfortunately, I a) didn't read the recipe properly and used the whole egg rather than just the yolks and b) managed to curdle it when reheating. Sieved it, which got the big lumps out and ate it anyway on some stewed rhubarb - tasted good, although obviously the texture was off and it was too runny.
I shall attempt it again sometime. It tasted good enough that I think if I can get it right it will be worth making from scratch. Until/even then, however, both Birds Custard Powder and tins of Ambrosia will keep their alloted place in my cupboards and cooking.
Tuesday 7 September 2010
Adventures for Blackberries
How do I introduce my blog? Well, I love food, I think it is entirely possible to eat really well on a small budget, and most importantly of all, I think that good food can, is, and should be the cornerstone of any social gatherings, from meeting up with a friend you've not seen for ages, through to huge parties celebrating important occasions.
Anyway, on Saturday four of us decided to find our way into the wasteland that our houses back on to to pick blackberries. It's the site of an old, now demolished mill factory, and, we think, owned by the university. It's seperated by a wall that is at least 6 ft down from the back yards, but there is an open gate at one side which was the way we went in this time. We had to fight through some huge patches of nettles and climb around the trees to get to the brambles, but boy was it worth it.
I love blackberries. Seriously love them. And the ones on the wasteland are magnificent specimens. Away from busy roads - so not full of pollution, and on truly uncultivated land, so no pesticides. There are masses, just begging to be picked. Four of us within one hour had picked more than enough to make a load of Blackberry wine (which I left Joe in charge of as I have never made wine before). I can't give you a recipe for the wine, although I do know it required 1.8 kg of backberries and 900g of sugar. The rest Vic turned into blackberry and apple crumble. The wine is now bubbling slowly away, and should be ready to bottle on Wednesday afternoon, and ready to drink in a few months.
Cat and I (but in fairness, mostly Cat) turned our hand to a risotto made from whatever we had in the fridge. As it happened, we had a fine selection of ingredients, and the following was born:
Cat's Smoked Salmon, Rocket and Parmesan Risotto
Slice an onion and a couple of cloves of garlic. Fry gently in olive oil. Stir in enough risotto (arborio) rice for four people. Meanwhile, make at least a pint and a half of vegetable stock. I like Marigold Vegetable Boullion powder, which most supermarkets have these days. Add the water about half a pint at a time, and simmer, stirring regularly so that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Add more water as it gets absorbed. Add a handful of sliced green beans and a large handful of sliced button mushrooms. If the rice is still hard, continue to add more boiling water a little at a time until it is tender.
My tip at this point is to turn the heat off, place a clean tea towel over the pan and then put the lid on. The towel seals the pan and keeps the heat and steam in. Leave it for about 10 or 15 minutes, and the rice will have absorbed a little more liquid (the bit that always just seems too thick and sticky and starts burning if you carry on cooking without constant vigorous stirring) and be less sticky. If you really don't like sticky risotto you could rinse the rice before cooking as well (but drain it really well) to wash off some of the starch.
Once the risotto has stood for a while, remove the lid, season with plenty of black pepper, stir in 2 huge handfuls of rocket, plenty of fresh shaved parmeson and a little sliced smoked salmon. Dish up immediately, before the salmon cooks. We served it with a little more rocket and salmon on top. Gotta make it look pretty.
Enjoy.
Anyway, on Saturday four of us decided to find our way into the wasteland that our houses back on to to pick blackberries. It's the site of an old, now demolished mill factory, and, we think, owned by the university. It's seperated by a wall that is at least 6 ft down from the back yards, but there is an open gate at one side which was the way we went in this time. We had to fight through some huge patches of nettles and climb around the trees to get to the brambles, but boy was it worth it.
I love blackberries. Seriously love them. And the ones on the wasteland are magnificent specimens. Away from busy roads - so not full of pollution, and on truly uncultivated land, so no pesticides. There are masses, just begging to be picked. Four of us within one hour had picked more than enough to make a load of Blackberry wine (which I left Joe in charge of as I have never made wine before). I can't give you a recipe for the wine, although I do know it required 1.8 kg of backberries and 900g of sugar. The rest Vic turned into blackberry and apple crumble. The wine is now bubbling slowly away, and should be ready to bottle on Wednesday afternoon, and ready to drink in a few months.
Cat and I (but in fairness, mostly Cat) turned our hand to a risotto made from whatever we had in the fridge. As it happened, we had a fine selection of ingredients, and the following was born:
Cat's Smoked Salmon, Rocket and Parmesan Risotto
Slice an onion and a couple of cloves of garlic. Fry gently in olive oil. Stir in enough risotto (arborio) rice for four people. Meanwhile, make at least a pint and a half of vegetable stock. I like Marigold Vegetable Boullion powder, which most supermarkets have these days. Add the water about half a pint at a time, and simmer, stirring regularly so that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Add more water as it gets absorbed. Add a handful of sliced green beans and a large handful of sliced button mushrooms. If the rice is still hard, continue to add more boiling water a little at a time until it is tender.
My tip at this point is to turn the heat off, place a clean tea towel over the pan and then put the lid on. The towel seals the pan and keeps the heat and steam in. Leave it for about 10 or 15 minutes, and the rice will have absorbed a little more liquid (the bit that always just seems too thick and sticky and starts burning if you carry on cooking without constant vigorous stirring) and be less sticky. If you really don't like sticky risotto you could rinse the rice before cooking as well (but drain it really well) to wash off some of the starch.
Once the risotto has stood for a while, remove the lid, season with plenty of black pepper, stir in 2 huge handfuls of rocket, plenty of fresh shaved parmeson and a little sliced smoked salmon. Dish up immediately, before the salmon cooks. We served it with a little more rocket and salmon on top. Gotta make it look pretty.
Enjoy.
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