Bipin's Masala

Eating curry has become very popular in many British households over the years, but not many people make it from scratch. Preparing it using all the component spices can be time consuming, leading many people to resort to using ready-made sauces or pastes for ease and speed. I often make my own curries from raw ingredients, as so far I’ve been disappointed with the results from shop bought mixtures – this means that I only make them when I have more time.

When I was given the opportunity to try a spice mix from Bipin’s Masala, I was keen to give it a go, as the masala is made from entirely fresh ingredients.
Based in Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire, Bipin takes pride in creating authentic masalas, using a blend of Gujarati spices, that are tasty as well as healthy – there’s no need to add oil or salt. They are are gluten and dairy free and completely vegetarian, unless you add meat to your curry of course. Having no colourings, flavourings, additives or preservatives, they are completely fresh and natural and this very much appeals to me.

Five varieties are available; Surti, Jeera, Methi, Machi and Garam, I used the Surti Masala.
It certainly looked appetising in the pot, a deep red, flecked with green coriander leaves. As soon as I opened the lid a gorgeous aroma wafted out – it smelled as if it had been made just moments ago. My pot contained enough for a four person meal, it didn’t look like much, but the masala is so concentrated you don’t need a lot.

I used chicken and a little sautéed onion and mixed them together with the masala in a heavy casserole and put it in the oven. There’s absolutely no need to brown the meat and cooking it this way allows the beautiful flavours to infuse the meat fully. No water is required either, as during cooking, moisture is released from the meat giving the right amount of liquid.
Towards the end of cooking some cream or yogurt can be stirred through, I chose to use yogurt as I like its zingy flavour. Some roughly chopped coriander leaves are a nice addition too.

The end result was a revelation and the flavour definitely authentic. It was good and spicy with just the right level of chilli heat – not tongue-burningly so, but a pleasant lingering warmth. The other spices revealed themselves in layers of taste, so that each one was discernible and readily appreciated. A well balanced curry indeed that left me wanting more.

For more information visit Bipin’s website: www.curryfusion.net
Read Bipin’s blog for news and recipes: bipinscurrypot.blogspot.com

It's in the bag!

I've created myself the latest must-have food festival accessory – the Cheeky Spouse shopping bag. It's not for sale (not yet anyway).
So, to all you food producers at the shows, if you see the bag you'll know I'm on the look out for people to be "Tried and Tasted"... I wonder what'll end up in those bags?

Have You Been Tried and Tasted?

Over a period of time I have put together a series of blog posts reviewing various products, book recipes and even the odd restaurant that I've tried and I'm looking to reviewing more.
I'm particularly interested in championing my local producers, mainly from the Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire area, but of course I'd be interested in covering other areas too.
I try to attend many of the food festivals in my region and London, so I generally meet people at the events and go on to cover their products in my blog.

If you are a local, specialist or artisan food producer and would like me to sample some of your wares and promote your business (particularly useful if you're just starting out), please drop me an email and I would be happy to review your product and you can become Cheeky Spouse Approved!

Drop me a line here.
To see my previous reviews click here

National Honey Week – 3rd-10th May and recipe for Persian Honey Cakes

The sun is shining, spring flowers are in full bloom and the warm air is already buzzing with the sound of industrious bees – what a perfect start to celebrate Britain's National Honey Week.

Now in its 12th year, the celebration, originally held in February has a more appropriate date in May, which seems much more fitting, as this is the time when the bees can really get to work, making that delicious sweet sticky stuff.

For thousands of years, man has gathered honey to use in food and medicine, it was also held in such high regard, that the ancient Egyptians offered it as a gift to the gods.

Throughout history it had long been used as a sweetener in cooking, until sugar took over. Because honey has a more complex flavour than sugar, I think it imparts quite a special taste to food and is particularly good in baking as the recipe, later on, demonstrates.

When we eat honey, we should always remember the bees that made it – they are the only insect that produce a food that we consume and they are very important to the survival of our planet and the human race. That sounds like a lot hanging on a seemingly small creature, but without bees, it would be very difficult to grow food, as we rely on them to pollinate our crops. Just think about it for a moment…

Currently, bees are under threat from viruses, parasites and the mysterious colony collapse disorder, which could prove devastating to their species. Sorry if this sounds all doom and gloom, but it's something that I care strongly about. Have a look at The British Beekeeper's website to learn more.

Bad news aside, I have decided to include a recipe from The Josceline Dimbleby Collection cookbook, for Persian Honey Cakes, that really celebrates the beauty of honey at it's best. I used Scottish heather honey, which is extremely fragrant.

It's an adaptation of an old Persian recipe. The nutty orange-flavoured cakes are left to absorb a scented honey syrup. You can serve them either for tea, with coffee, or as an after-dinner sweetmeat. As a dessert they are excellent with natural yoghurt.

Persian Honey Cakes

Makes approximately 16

Ingredients

8 oz fine semolina

2 oz icing sugar, sifted

4 fl oz sunflower oil

grated rind and juice of 1 orange

2 oz self-raising flour

half teaspoon baking powder

half teaspoon ground cinnamon

for the syrup

4 oz sugar

4 tablespoons honey

5 tablespoons triple strength orange flower water

quarter pint water

Method

Put the semolina and icing sugar in a bowl.

Heat the oil in a saucepan and pour it over the semolina. Stir well and mix in the orange rind and juice and then the flour sifted with the baking powder and cinnamon.

Heat the oven to Gas 3 / 325F / 170C.

Take up pieces of the mixture about the size of a ping-pong ball and form short sausage shapes, about 2 inches long. Arrange slightly apart on a large oiled baking sheet.

Bake in the centre of the oven for 35-50 minutes.

While the cakes are baking, make the syrup.

Put the sugar, honey, flower water and water in a saucepan.

Dissolve the sugar and honey over a low heat and then boil fiercely for 4-5 minutes.

When the cakes are baked, lift them out with a spatula and arrange closely together in a large shallow dish. Pour the syrup over them and leave for several hours, spooning the syrup over them occasionally. Then carefully pile the cakes on a plate, scraping up any remaining syrup and spooning over.
Product image from Rowse website