dave_j

When I was young and my brain was still in touch with its taste buds, both were fed by the, then nascent, indian and pakistani cafes in Bradford.
For example, in the original Karachi cafe in Bradford, that was continually resisting attempts by the local authority to shut it down, you could only order 3 types of curry, meat, vegetable and chicken, although some fellow students did query the origin of the chicken bones. The curry sauces were made in large vats and you could always tell when a new batch was made because the taste was a bit thin. It was all you could eat for 4s with unlimited chapattis served in large piles.
Bradford has since become a curry centre of the UK and, in my view, has lost some of its artisanal expertise.
Now we know that such tasty food doesn't exist in canada, but out there somewhere there will be someone who has, buried deep within his psyche a recipe for their 'holy grail', that true and deep taste that they find resurrects those taste buds that have been hammered into submission by the never ending flood of hot dogs, steaks, burgers, pizzas and ribs.
So what do you have to offer?

dbd33

I had a nice shwarma for lunch.

dave_j

recipe?

dbd33

No idea, it was served in a shwarma shop.

I've posted this before and posters reported having success with it:

Is this the Best Spicy Chicken Vindaloo Recipe?

Oink

The secret is to marinate the meat properly. Ideally a two step marinade.

Secondly, grind your own spices and whiz up your own garlic and ginger paste.

Then play around with your gravy recipe. Usually a variant on a tomato or coconut base. The vindaloo recipe noted above is a good start for a tomato based gravy. If it seems a bit dull, chuck in one of those Patak pouches to give it some body. I'd stay away from their sauces' in jars. For some reason they're really bland.

Oink

Oh, and use a lot of mustard oil.

BristolUK

Too complicated, too many ingredients, when there's only one of you to eat it.

Try VH jar...either Thai Red Curry or Vindaloo. Others are nice enough but bland in comparison.

I once had a Vindaloo that I was unable to finish because it was like my lips had been slit with a razor blade.

Now, the Red one and the Vindaloo are not lip slicingly hot but they are hot.

Partially discharged

Erm, I thinking you are missing an 'a' in that...or is that the imperial spelling of said delicious food product.

Shawarma is the 'go to' quick food here in ottawa.

http://charlatan.ca/2014/01/the-city...-food-culture/

Oink

I don't usually use them myself. I try and keep it as fresh as possible as the oil and or ghee is bad enough. For heat, I'll add lots fresh chillies or if I can't be arsed to get some I have a big bag of dried ones.

Shard

Getting back on topic...

Oink

Staying off topic, this blog has some great recipes for homemade curries.

http://www.thecurrysecret.blogspot.ca

You're not going to reproduce the exact flavour and consistency of typical British curry house food without understanding the fundamental elements that are used to create these dishes. This is a good place to start.

Curry Recipes Online | Indian Takeaway Curry Recipes

dave_j

Good place to carry on searching.. thanks a lot

dbd33

Shwarma is what it says in the window, the internet suggests that shwarma, shawarma and schwarma are commonly used. I expect it's a transliteration so they're all equally wrong. They're kebabs in London anyway.

It's a weird claim that having this food makes a city's cuisine unique. I can't think of a place where you don't see shops selling them.

Partially discharged

Last time I checked we weren't in London, although some people haven't left the place.

I've only ever seen it spelt as shawarma...but then again I've seen that concentrated coffee drink spelt with an 'x'.

With shawarma in Ottawa it is the sheer concentration of them and the fact that they just don't appeal to middle eastern people...all walks of life go. None of them seem to be licenced though.

dbd33

Well, if you grow up eating something and it's called a kebab and you later find that Canadians call them something else, it's not going to change what you call them, is it? They can say French fries but we'll still say chips.