Hi folks,
I sampled a wonderful balti dish at a restuarant in Bradford last night and was fascinated that there was a distinct smokey note within the sauce. I know you can get a smokey taste from black cardomens but this tasted a bit more distinct. I thought it could be smoked paprika. I have not come across the use of smoked paprika in any asian recipes before. Is this spice common in your opinion?
Also, if every you are passing through Bradford, check out the Sweet Centre restaurant. It has been there since the 60's - set up to provide samosas to the asian mill workers. The food seemed very close to home cooking and the staff were very friendly. Highly recommended!
James.
Hello James
You should have asked the chef. Most are very obliging, especially if you praise their food. There is so much fusion of ideas these days that it is quite possible they added some blended/pureed smoked paprika to the sauce. Do remember that we Indians use a lot of sweet paprika powder (meethi mirch) to give nice colour to our dishes.
Yes, these little restaurants that started as eateries for the workers/passers-by/single people in the sixties/seventies, do sell very good food. When I was pregnant with Kavey and very, very sick, my husband quite often used to get vegetable and meat curries, along with roties or parathas from one such place in Shepherd?s Bush. It was good food, almost like home-made.
Bradford is too far for us to be going there. We went there in 80's to attend a wedding, but we don't know anyone there now.
Mamta
When we were in Brussels, we used to use a lovely Turkish paprika, which I think may have been smoked: very dark flakes (not powder) and very pungent.
In Turkish, it's called 'pul biber'. We used to get it from a Turkish grocer's shop in Brussels. Alas, we have no Turkish community here in Montpellier.
Phil