Are Sultanas authentic in any region of Indian Cuisine? Same for Raisins I suppose.

Just wondering as I thought they were, but a friend doesn't think so.

He thinks they were introduced into curries by the British.

Hello Kev

Most Indian curries do not have sultanas or raisins normally, unless they are flowing the cuisines of some Raja or Nawab or Mughal Emperor's kitchen. You will find them in very rich, creamy curry gravies or in things like vegetable cream koftas, biryanies, rich pilafs etc., along with almonds, pistachios, 'malai' cream and even silver or gold leaves. They are of course used a lot in Indian sweets.

I think that the dry fruits, including raisins, came to India along the old trade routes, long before British arrived, but I can not say this absolutely 100%.

I remember when I was a young lad (many many moons ago) when Indian food was just coming into 'popular' use in the UK with he likes of the vesta boxed meals. At that time there used to be a "curry sauce" packet that was almost like a paper bag with top folded over and the powder had currants or raisins mixed in with it. I'm not suggesting it was an authentic sauce but that was what people made back then, just the sauce with the currants in and the meat people had no idea about putting onions and such in..

Steve

Yeah, I remember those Vesta things, Steve. We liked it, at the time, cos we didn't know how to cook Indian food.

Kev: check out the 'nine jewels' chicken korma recipe on this site: it has raisins, and it's a winner!

phil

The curry powder packets I'm thinking of, where this sort of shape, but in white and very basic looking..

http://anythinggoesgourmet.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Chile-Carroll-Shelby.jpg

Steve

We used to stick them in a pan of boiling water, didn't we? Rice too.

Phil

Did you like them? Ugh! I remember those. When we were living in bed-sitters in London, with very little cooking facilities, I tasted them a few times, they were vile!"

Yes, Mamta: they were indeed vile, but we didn't know any better at the time, so they seemed exotic.

Phil

Thanks.

This recipe Phil?

http://www.mamtaskitchen.com/recipe_display.php?id=10306

Looks fabulous. Thanks, I'll put it at the top of my long list of recipe's I have to make from this site. :-)

Yeah, that's it! Let us know how you get on with it.

I must do it again soon.

Phil