The cookery thread

[Carbomb]

On 4/4/2021 at 3:43 PM, deathrey said:

Thanks @Carbomb, much appreciated. I have noticed the similarity in the food but Mauritian food seems a bit 'fresher' if you know what I mean? And the ingredients slightly more exciting - though I may just be bored after a lifetime of Indian food. Interesting that there isn't much South Indian influence because you would think it would fit quite well with Island ingredients. 

Yeh, a big part of that is that Mauritian food tends to use fresh herbs instead of dried ones, but, more importantly, where dishes originally called for oil or ghee, it's replaced with water. Also, we use a lot of fresh tamarind, minced garlic & ginger, and fresh chilli. Not to mention that a lot of the dishes are seafood- or fish-based, like octopus curry or fish rougaille (which is a sort of creole dish with French influence - the sauce is based on bouillabaisse, tomato with onions, garlic, ginger, and thyme, with a bit of jeerah thrown in).

That said, there is a section of Mauritian cuisine that's deep fried - the aforementioned gateaux brenzel, because it uses gram flour in the coating batter, can soak up a fair bit of oil, so it's important to make sure it's place on racks to drain instead of straight in a dish. Same with the falafel-type chilli cakes, the gateaux piments. And a fair bit of the Mauritian Muslim dishes, like kalia or halim, use a lot of meat fat or ghee. 

It's always mystified me as to why there isn't much South Indian influence, especially as the second-largest community in Mauritius is Tamil, predominantly from the Malabar Coast and Chennai/Madras.

I've recently been on a bit of a "change it up" vibe with my own cooking. My dad and aunt taught me all the Mauritian recipes I know, especially curry, so I've started adding things that Mauritians wouldn't normally add, like coconut milk or holy basil or kaffir lime leaves. 

Quote

I understand what you are saying about not ever feeling the need to go to a Mauritian resteraunt, an Indian resteraunt would be my last choice of somewhere to eat as we make most of it at home. The only time I want to eat Indian is when it is things like chaat and gol gappay (or pani puri as indian restaurants seem to call it) which is either a lot of work or you just can't make as well at home.

My primary reasons for going to Mauritian eateries are for either snacky stuff, like chicken/lamb cutlets, which you have to make in big batches and just aren't worth it at home if it's just you and the family, or for the more laborious ones that take time and lots of ingredients to make, like kalia, which is a very rich meat curry with a load of whole boiled eggs chucked in. Another one's bol renversé (upside-down bowl), which is based on a Chinese dish - I don't know the Chinese name, but the Japanese call it Ten-shin-han. Stir-fry whatever ingredients you like, usually with chilli, onions, garlic, ginger, various spices, stick an omelette or fried egg at the bottom of a big bowl, put the ingredients on top of that, then pack the rest of the bowl with stir fried or steamed rice, and turn it upside down on to a plate so you get a dome of rice with a tasty topping. Here's a pic (EDIT: just changed the pic because the previous one was HERETICAL, putting layers of rice!):

 

Anyway, my mate got back to me - the restaurant he recommends is called Mauritian Delights, in Leyton, east London. I've not been so can't vouch, but he booked his dad's 60th birthday bash there and said it was good.

https://www.facebook.com/mauritiandelightsofficial/

Edited April 6, 2021 by Carbomb

[xanderfifty]

This one looks tasty)

[Thunderplex]

This chat about Mauritian food has been an absolute delight.  Thanks chaps.

[deathrey]

Thanks @CarbombI feel like I've learnt so much from your post. I'll make note of the resteraunt to try out too.

 

[deathrey]

6 hours ago, Carbomb said:

I've recently been on a bit of a "change it up" vibe with my own cooking. My dad and aunt taught me all the Mauritian recipes I know, especially curry, so I've started adding things that Mauritians wouldn't normally add, like coconut milk or holy basil or kaffir lime leaves. 

I think it's always good to mix things up a little where you can. I've stumbled on some great dishes this way, much to my mums annoyance usually as she is a stickler for how her mum taught her!

[Carbomb]

1 hour ago, Thunderplex said:

This chat about Mauritian food has been an absolute delight.  Thanks chaps.

 

48 minutes ago, deathrey said:

Thanks @CarbombI feel like I've learnt so much from your post. I'll make note of the resteraunt to try out too.

 

All good, guys. Happy to share, that's what we all do on here.

 

46 minutes ago, deathrey said:

I think it's always good to mix things up a little where you can. I've stumbled on some great dishes this way, much to my mums annoyance usually as she is a stickler for how her mum taught her!

Yep! Both my parents are good cooks, my mum in particular as her range is wider and she knows a lot more different techniques and tricks. She always told me that recipes are just to get you started, and that you never just stick to them.

[Carbomb]

So last weekend I made my first ever cake. Our neighbour, who also taught me how to make bread, has often brought round fresh-baked poppy seed cake, which always gets wolfed down by our lot. I particularly like it because, much as I love my sweets, this one doesn't actually need a lot of sweetness, because the poppy seeds give it a beautiful nutty, slightly savoury edge. Goes well with tea and coffee.

I asked the neighbour for the recipe, which she kindly gave, along with notes she'd made to modify it in order to prevent it coming out of the oven with a "soggy bottom". (Yes.) 

My mum stayed on standby with the metaphorical fire extinguisher to guide me away from making mistakes, which was a great idea, because she stopped me making a few, and what I ended up with was a first effort that I was truly proud of. Came out exactly as I hoped, and the gannets that are my family scoffed the entire lot within the weekend - well, what was left after I saved some slices for the neighbour and some friends.

Voilá. Not amazing to look at, but that wasn't the point. Lovely and moist, good flavour, nice structure. Turned out beautifully, even though I say so myself (which I do).

 

Edited May 15, 2021 by Carbomb

[Thunderplex]

Managed to bag a Kamodo from Aldi today.  Been after one for ages.  They are easier to control the heat than a bullet smoker that I have at the moment.  Can’t cook as much in volume, but it will be a hell of a lot easier to do overnight cooks.

[Thunderplex]

My aforementioned Kamodo arrived on Tuesday.  Managed to get the 75 kg bastard assembled and on its frame, and very pleased with it.  Did my first cook yesterday, got it to 240°f and it stayed there for the full 6 hour cook.  Managed ribs, chicken and sausage on it.  Ribs were tender and juicy, the chicken was moister than an oyster, just gushed with juice when I carved it.  Sausage were amazing too.  Really pleased with it.  Opened up the vents to burn all the gunk off and it got up to 600°f for an hour.  All the shite became dust. Confident that I will be able to do Overnight cooks on it and placing beef short ribs for later in the week, along with some OTT chilli.

[tiger_rick]

Not done much of late but I've been watching some Italian fella on YouTube and was inspired to try Panna Cotta. Very simple recipe with few ingredients but a couple of important steps to get right, not boiling the cream, squeezing the water out of the gelatine and then ensuring it's lump free. If I'm honest, the cream, sugar, vanilla and gelatine when it's warm is actually better than the end result. It's like a simple, delicious custard. Never bother with custard again, just warm double cream, dissolve sugar and mix in vanilla and serve. Incredible stuff in 5 mins. The strawberry sauce was a bastard, pretty sure I've accidentally given my blender away to the charity shop and my food processor has got broken in storage. So I had to force the cooked strawberry through a sieve best I could. Delicious, maybe a bit too runny.

The glass isn't as dirty as it looks, it's just where it's been sat covered in the fridge.

[Chest Rockwell]

All I know about panna cotta is it's cheating if you don't demould them!

Also, I couldn't when I made them as I fucked it and they were too runny.

[tiger_rick]

I'm sure I easily could have but what else would I do with all these leftover GU ramekins?

[Carbomb]

46 minutes ago, tiger_rick said:

If I'm honest, the cream, sugar, vanilla and gelatine when it's warm is actually better than the end result.

Same goes for cake and cake mix. Cake's lush, but nothing beats licking the spoon after it's mixed.

 

Those look amazing, though. Love panna cotta, particularly with caramel or Amaretto.

[Chris B]

1 hour ago, tiger_rick said:

I'm sure I easily could have but what else would I do with all these leftover GU ramekins?

Put Pringles lids on them, as apparently they fit perfectly.

[chokeout]

1 hour ago, tiger_rick said:

I'm sure I easily could have but what else would I do with all these leftover GU ramekins?

 

I've gone BBQ mad over the last month. Did a black garlic marinated Beer Can Chicken which may well be the nicest chicken i've ever had. I really want to try Ribs next @Thunderplex How long did you cook yours for? What are you using for rub?