FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE MY HUNCH SEEMED TO BE RIGHT! Hillary is pulling through... I know lots of people see Hillary as rather strident, and Obama has the "likeable" vote, but Obama seems to have said little more than that he's going to "change things" ... Hillary already HAS changed things (as she keeps hammering on) ... I must admit she does have the air of a stateswoman - whether you like her or not. Sorry Hillary fans for those photos: when they came up on the image search I just couldn't resist!NOW ON TO MORE IMPORTANT MATTERS: CURRY SAUCE. Chinese curry sauce, I might add. NOWHERE on the internet have I found even a vaguely satisfactory recipe for this. They all say basically "take garam masala or Madras curry powder and make a sauce out of it" - duh! If I wanted to make Indian curry I wouldn't specify Chinese would I? Now this Chinese curry has a secret ingredient and I'm pretty sure I'm zeroing in on it. This morning I chucked five-spice (which contains cinnamon, ginger, star anise, fenugreek (STOP PRESS: NO! fennel not fenugreek) and cloves) on to fried noodles - tried it and instantly the inimitable flavour of Chinese curry came up. So either it is just fivespice sauce, or it's a curry heavy on ginger and Star Anise (the only top tip I DID get from my Chinese curry secrets searching). I'm due to trot out the first experimental batch this afternoon so I'll let you know how I get on.
Am I right that this is a basic curry sauce recipe: stirfry onions and garlic in a little too much oil. Add spices to the oil. Fry for as long as possible (ie 15 minutes if you can) add water to this. Allow to simmer another 10 or 20 mins... and that's basically it? I also bought cornflour this morning but have no idea how to use it. (Maybe if I do I'll end up pulling faces like Hillary's.)
Wish me luck!
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Here are two specially good photoblogs:
1. Greek person's magickal Czech photos
2. Dutch person's mysterious morning photo/etc...
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Today's (campaign) video:
Hillary vs Obama
I've searched my cook books but none seem to specify Chinese. Only Thai and Indian.
ReplyDeleteMust be some Ancient Chinese Secret.
You go China Town. Ask sum yung gai!
Good Luck!
Hey, you run a pretty cheeky blog.
ReplyDeleteI like it!
JimD: I am sure it is a Chinese state secret... just like silk they kept THAT one secret for about 1000 years!!
ReplyDeleteDirk: good :->
Ew.
ReplyDeleteIt's going to take a long time to get those images of Hillary out of my mind.
After those two winning images, I can't help wondering what Hillary would look like if she went for the Britney cueball look.
ReplyDeleteYikes Gledwood, Hillary looked awful in that pic!
ReplyDeleteJan: hey they're classic and all I did was google "hillary clinton" under images (not hillary face pull/etc etc)
ReplyDeleteKyknoord: unimaginable
JohnG: the top one SURELY is digi-enhanced. SURELY it must be... no?
.... I'm just wondering what Oprah might do now stick with Obama or do her "Go Girl" for Hillary. We had a great cartoon in our paper after Obama won the first leg .... Hillary with steam coming out of her head hands on hips and the name OPRAH! in her bubble *!*
ReplyDelete.... yeah I listened to the radio 4 story about the NG dogs
I tried googling that picture but couldn't find it...
ReplyDeleteObama looks far too young to be president, don't you think?
Is there always this much pre-selection election fuss around the world about the American presidential race? Or is it because Bush has done 2 terms and definitely has to leave. Or am I just paying more attention this time round? Or a combination of the above?
ps didn't those new guinea dogs HOWL?!?! wow I would love to get one as a pet
ReplyDeleteif i had a proper house. garden. type things... haha
.... my excuse for using olde words on my post is the rain that's been falling here.
ReplyDeleteI'll go back through my newspapers and get the cartoon for you - yeah we usually hear a lot of what is going on in the US elections ... too much, but especially this year first woman or non-white President ha everyone talking ... how did your cooking go?
.... NG dogs .... I loved the bit about the lady living next door who sang back to the dogs! I think your Gwendolin would sound like these *!*
ReplyDeleteI've got the cartoon - will email it to you - let me know if you do not get the image and I'll post it on my mine *!*
ReplyDeleteWhat is the flavor for? Do you want to thick it, the sauce? That would be a classical "Mehlschwitze": You put flavor in a cup, ad water and mix - not so easy as it seems, than ad to fond - that needs experience, you end up with a "pap" or with something running away. IF it's what you want to do with flavor.
ReplyDeleteI just noticed your sidebar where you ask us to vote on a name for the dog - I couldn't vote - is it over? I thought Pansy was perfect as it was so ironic considering your description of the mutt.
ReplyDeletegleds, your robos rock. i don't like either barack or hillary... they're just too slimy
ReplyDeleteThe current state of American politics is nothing short of appalling these days Gledwood. The two main political parties are corrupt and neither are good for America or the rest of the world for that matter. There is no viable third party at this time and probably never will be as the two main parties are hopelessly entrenched. I for one will be glad when the election crap is over. What the heck do I care anyway. I don't have a job in the crummy state I live in and if I can ever sell my house I'm heading for the mountains. Good luck finding me then because I'm going deep under cover. Political rant over... Speaking of mountains, I posted a photo of a mountain gremlin on my site for your entertainment. It looks like a larger version of your pink nose gremlins. It's a pika.
ReplyDeleteHi Gleds
ReplyDeleteHey, I'm back. I was going stir crazy with no computer. I love reading and doing cryptics but one can have too much of a good thing.
Your little Robos are rather cute. But I think I'll stick with cats. They're a bit larger and won't get sucked up in the vacuum cleaner.
How's it going with you?
A happy new year to u GLEDDERINI as well!
ReplyDeleteA fine fine assessment of the Hillary I must say. Yer a sharp one over there in the U.K. my friend.
is it wise to mention "trotting" in a post about curry?
ReplyDeleteOh, Lettuce said what I was going to say!
ReplyDeleteI've become more interested in American politics since I watched West Wing. Now there was a president worth having.
You are making me hungry.
they are funny pictures and most of the people don't defend politicians
ReplyDeleteBimbimbie: Gwendolina loves "baying"... and (this was my imagination - I suppose prompted by "baying at the moon") must always stand under a light source e.g. the kitchen striplight for her soulful howls...
ReplyDelete63mago: it's to make a "genuine" Chinese takeaway curry... NOT Indian flavour but like the curry sauce Chinese takeaways make... and it's proving pretty elusive!
Leslie: No the poll closed about 2 weeks ago now... I understand why you wanted Pansy but my own intuition was borne out by the majority vote and I didn't cheat... Gwendolina has the f- (feminine) factor and a force of personality the other 2 names lack...
Raffi: hey what happened to YOU>.???>>
And who DO you like... if anyone for the 2009 presidential "prize"..??
Molson: "pika" - I thought that was a 12-pitch typewriter font?... American politix... currupt? no! with all that lobbying..?!?
ReplyDeletePussInBoots: I'm surviving... the robbies survive by my never using a vacuum and always sweeping instead!! (ie vacuum = kaput!)
Wat: I'd secretly quite like Hills to win... she is intriguing (to me)
Lettuce: I trotted out curry some more this morning! And sweated out ukkfully quite a lot more this afternoon
ReplyDeleteLiz: there's another American prog meant to be really good... the name seriously escapes me but they were blithering on and on about it on R4.. it's an hbo production (how come everyone here knows hbo and yet we don't even GET the channel?) set among police and drug dealers and the media and politicians etc in Baltimore USA...
Emperor Ropi: as if politicians ever NEED defending (except from bombs/bullets).. (ooer!)
The owner of one local Chinese restaurant uses 'Javin Brand "India Style" Curry Powder'.
ReplyDeleteIt's dark yellow in color.
She says she's tried a variety of curry powders and remembers this as having the familiar taste from her past.
I know fairly little about curries, so take it for what little it is worth.
You can get it online at Asia Market Online Store. Yesterday I cleaned out an Asian market of five 16 oz bottles for myself and friends. Given the amount you get per ounce between 8 oz and 16 oz bottles, it is silly to get the 8 oz bottle, though you better like curry!
I hope to try Rhonda Parkinson's "Cantonese Beef Curry"
or her "Chinese Beef Curry"
What brands and types of curries are a definite 'no'?
I was looking for Cantonese Curry recipes, with little results, but now will look for Chinese Curry Recipes.
Any favorite recipes out there????