TOP OF THE POPPADOMS NEEDS YOU!

It's Britain's original top ten countdown of best loved curries. Now, in 2014... we'd like YOU to tell us what dishes YOU would like to see in our TOP OF THE POPPADOMS poll!

Send us your suggestion(s) and you could WIN a Ferns curry paste!

Three years ago, when we first launched the magazine, we asked our partner restaurants which dishes they thought should be on our very own curry poll. Since that time, our wonderful Chaat! readers have voted for their favourites from our ‘Top 10’ list, Jalfrezi has dominated the top spot, battling against some of the classic British favourites including Balti, Rogan Josh and Chicken Tikka Masala.

Three years on, there are lots of new restaurants out there, and people are favouring a much wider variety of dishes! Thanks to a rise in the amount of spice lovers, Indian food is more popular than ever before. 

This is how the chart looked at the beginning of the year: 

Send us your suggestions to win one of these fab pastes!

1. Chicken Tikka Masala

2. Madras

3. Korma

4. Vindaloo

5.  Balti

6.  Jalfrezi

7.  Rogan Josh

8. Dhansak

9. Butter Chicken

10.  Dopiaza

We’d like YOU to tell us what dishes YOU’D like to see in our Top of the Poppadoms poll.

There are 4 ways to get in touch:

• Leave a comment for us below
• Email us at contact@britishcurryclub.co.uk
• Post your suggestion on our Facebook wall - /ChaatMagazine
• Tweet us your suggestion with the hashtag #totp - @curryclubuk

 Closing date is 30th April 2014 - Good Luck! (Please see T&Cs)

Ferns: The official sponsor of Top of the Poppadoms. Authentic curry pastes made in India since 1937. Each Ferns’ product is crafted into a delicious paste, enabling anyone to cook a fragrant, spice-infused Indian dish with ease and speed.

For more information, visit www.fernsofindia.co.uk




Terms and Conditions: Open to entrants with a UK postal address only. Delivery of competition prizes may take up to 30 days.

Spicy or Nut?

WORDS BY MICHELLE ALEXANDER

“Would you like to try some Habas Mojadas?” my friend asked me due to a snacking crave I was experiencing; although I had no idea what she was talking about, I accepted. I would have eaten anything in my hungry state so I grabbed, what looked like a crispy nut, out of the packet she handed me. I placed it into my mouth and started to chew and what I experienced was magnificence. To me, it was even better than snacking on a milky chocolate bar! The tantalising flavour, which was indulged by different spices and powdered on batter, sent me into a state of addiction. I couldn’t get enough of this heavenly snack.  I also found out, to my surprise, that they were broad beans; not nuts! Before I knew it I was researching the snack so I could get my hands on my own yummy beans. My face lit up in pure pleasure when I found out that Habas Mojado was produced by Olive Et Al. They make many more similar products! Not only do they produce scrumptious snacks but they also make nuts, olives and sauces. All of their products have a distinctive taste which makes eating simple, but delectable food, so much more exciting.

Their website not only features the products that you can buy but also have recipes for you to enjoy! You probably won’t be shopping anywhere else for mouth-watering snacks and dressings for a very long time! Visit www.olivesetal.co.uk

Our Pick of the Day

An Irresistible Treat for Valentine's...

Each luxurious lick of Hotel Chocolat’s milk chocolate is euphoric, which may be why their Milk Smiley Lick is an extremely happy-looking chocolate lollipop. Hotel Chocolat has been creating beautifully crafted, luxury chocolates and growing cocoa for twenty years, and many people have fallen in love with their fashionable edge. This cute gift is sure to bring a little bliss to your other half.

www.hotelchocolat.com

Shhh... it's 'Our Little Secret'

We mentioned yesterday that we've just released our super seductive special February hamper, full of gorgeous and yummy 'LOVE' themed items. After all, February plays host to the feast of Saint Valentine, celebrated on the 14th of the month since the Middle Ages.

It's a well known fact that spices are among Mother Nature's aphrodisiacs. Teamed up with that fact that we always love spicy food, we think our 'Seductive Spicy Hamper' has the perfect ingredients to get anyone 'in the mood' for love...

Every day this week (and a couple of next) we'll be telling you about the individual products in the hamper with a bit more detail. So to kick things off, let's start with the aptly named "Our Little Secret" Fiery Kadhai Dine-in-Kit. 

These delicious kits are unlike anything you will have come across before. Available in four different varieties, each kit features 4 individual sachets. The only item that needs to be added is your choice of meat, poultry, fish or vegetarian options. The sachets contain dried spices, a 'gravy paste' and a 'gravy base' to be added to your cooking pan at certain intervals. And rather usefully, the pack also includes a sachet of microwaveable rice.

The finished product can be ready in as little as 12 minutes, in which time the wonderful aromas of 'Fiery Kadhai' have wafted their way round the house, tantalising the nostrils of anyone who is present. 

Intense flavours, a fabulous scent and perfect fluffy rice are the result of only 12 minutes in the kitchen (although for those with more time or wanting to use lamb or beef, there is the option to Slow Cook for an hour). 

As well as being packed neatly inside a small box, the packet can be easily stored in a cupboard until you need to use it. And the best thing about these great little dine-in-kits? No one needs to know you've used them - it's 'Our Little Secret'!!

Click here to subscribe to Chaat! Magazine for £29.50 and receive your Valentine's Hamper!

More information about Our Little Secret can be found on their website at www.ols.co.uk

The Queen of the Spices

“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new”- Einstein

WORDS BY MEGAN EVANS

In making a simple King Prawn Korma, I came across an unusual spice that I had not seen, used or even heard about before. This happened completely by accident. I had sent out my other half to buy some ingredients, and instead of bringing back ground cardamom as I had asked, he plonked down a jar of what looked like shards of bark in front of me. It was a moment when the old saying ‘if you want something done right, do it yourself’ felt particularly relevant.  

It turned out that these unusual looking pods were not a disastrous purchase. They were only the black cousins of the green cardamom pod, dried out and slightly matured for a distinctly different flavour. “The word cardamom was on the jar”; I could kind of see his logic.

On opening the jar, the pods smelt musty and dried out, and I was not entirely sure whether they would work in such a dish. On opening and grounding the seeds inside, the pungent aroma that came from them was surprisingly pleasant. They possessed a eucalyptus scent similar to their green cousins; uplifting in nature yet much more bold and smoky with strong hints of camphor.

Black cardamom is matured and dried for its distinctive smoky flavour. Its matured scent and flavouring makes it a warming spice, and can be likened to pepper and chilli. In a mild dish such as korma, only a small amount was needed for a subtle hint of flavour; too much could have been slightly overpowering.

On checking the suitability of the black cardamom pod for a recipe that had clearly specified green cardamom, I found that the pods can in fact be used to add distinct flavours to even rustic meaty dishes like pot roasts and stew. It seemed that the spice was versatile; great in blends with other spices to temper the pungent flavour and brilliant in elevating potentially bland dishes. In this sense, it does not always have to be used in just Indian or oriental cooking; its flavoursome tones work well in a variety of recipes. Black cardamom is also a key ingredient in garam masala, which as a spice blend works well to add tasty, enlivening flavours to many different dishes, including a mild curry such as korma.

I was impressed by how successful the black cardamom was as a spice, even as a substitute for its green friend. Despite coming across it by mistake and initially fretting about its distinctive appearance and unique aroma, I felt it worked well. It certainly didn’t take anything away from the flavour, nor did it come across as too strong or too bold. I would definitely consider adding the spice to a hearty casserole and to many other dishes for a warming boost of flavour. A lasting impression was certainly left. I think the cardamom family is completely deserving of its title, ‘Queen of the Spices’. 

Special Valentine's Offer

Spice up your love life this Valentine’s Day with Chaat! Magazine’s Seductive Spicy Hamper!

Our special love-themed hamper is packed full of aphrodisiac spiciness, and as if that wasn't enough to get you ‘in the mood’, it comes with a year’s subscription to the nation’s only spicy food magazine.

Each issue promises over 20 outstanding recipes all with a wide range of flavours and styles. Tied in with tantalising travel features linked with exotic dishes, and top tips from celebrities and chefs; Chaat! Magazine is a delightful read for those who love a bit of spice!

With your hamper delivery, you’ll receive our exciting December/January issue offers 23 fantastic recipes ranging from flavoursome nibbles to impressive desserts that will make you feel like a culinary genius in the kitchen. With a large section on the artisan food revolution, bread and pastry recipes from Paul Hollywood and James Morton, inspiration from the UK’s top restaurants and chefs, and travel diaries that will whisk you off to exotic destinations. Don’t miss our regular column with Bill Oddie and playful interviews with Gok Wan, Karl Pilkington and Tom Stade. We also need YOU to vote for your favourite curry for the country’s only Top of the Poppadoms poll.

The perfect gift for your loved one (and for you too!), our special Valentine's hamper is a must for spice lovers; and lovers who crave some spice...

Seductive Spicy Hamper includes:

2 X Blue Nun Sparkling Gold Edition (200cl)
Our Little Secret Dine in Curry Kit
Jelly Belly Tabasco flavoured Jelly beans
Hotel Chocolat ‘Dark Smiley Lick’ lollipop
Cook’s Brand Ketjap Manis soy sauce
The Spicery’s ‘All You Need is Love’ sweet spice mix
Seed & Bean Exotic flavoured Organic chocolate

Cocktails for the Cold

You can’t beat a cooling and refreshing cocktail in the summer. During cold and icy winters, however, you may be at a loss at what to drink. Something that’s softer, more comforting and warming is usually more appealing than cooling citrusy flavours in the colder months.

Winter Cocktails is a book full of delicious solutions. Pouring through this beautifully illustrated book, you’ll find the methods to make Irish Coffees, Hot Buttered Rum, mulled wines and spiced creamy drinks that will slide down your throat like silk. One of the best drinks is the Rosy Cheek, an elegantly smooth white chocolate tipple with rum, peppercorns and nuts.

It contains useful step-by-step instructions of how to ‘muddle,’ make caramel and garnishes, and what ingredients to stock up on. What’s more, if you flick to the back, you’ll find delightful nibble recipes to accompany your drinks.

Now that you’re a skilled mixologist, you can host all the winter cocktail parties you like.


Winter Cocktails by Maria Del Mar Sacasa, photographed by Tara Striano, is published by Quirk Books.