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Tinderflint’s ‘House concert’ at The Underground Restaurant

June 7, 2009 5 Comments Filed Under: Food, Recipes, Uncategorized

Lavender kulfi, with crystallised lavender and a little fraise du bois

Lavender kulfi, with crystallised lavender and a little fraise du bois from my garden. I was hoping to have more, but the sun went in and they didn’t ripen in time…
coconut smashing

Angie gets tough…

Smashing coconuts...

Smashing coconuts…

Vadai: the mix Vadai: the mix on right is unground, you can’t make a ball of it. On the left it’s ground up. Very different creatures. Why didn’t the book explain this properly? I only worked it out because I’ve made falafelMaking vadai, the spicy doughnut.

Making vadai, the spicy doughnut. You make the whole in the middle so that it fries evenly, otherwise the centre remains doughy.
Making vadai, the spicy doughnut.

Step by step pineapple curry
Step by step pineapple curry. Fry onions, curry leaves, bruised lemon grass in ghee
Add mustard seeds, cinnamon sticks, chilli powder, turmeric to the mix

Add mustard seeds, cinnamon sticks, chilli powder, turmeric to the mix
pineapple curry
pineapple curry, add coconut milk and simmer for ten minutes...

Add pineapple and coconut milk and simmer for ten minutes…

Tinderflint tuning up... living room concerts

Tinderflint tuning up…

Chef Shuna Lydon

Shuna Fish clearing up wearing fluffy edged rubber gloves…a far cry from the Michelin star kitchens she is used to…
Sorrel soup
Sorrel soup with ‘trompettes de la mort’ mushroom stock.The two colours you see are because I reserved some uncooked sorrel to add at the end, to retain that intense green colour which disappears when you heat it.

Vadai with yoghurt, tamarind and flaked jaggery

Vadai with yoghurt, tamarind and flaked jaggery (an idea I stole from Ganapati in Peckham)
Mixed leaves with Nasturtiums

Mixed leaves with Nasturtiums
Pineapple and coconut curry with basmati saffron rice and fresh coconut sambal.

Pineapple and coconut curry with basmati saffron rice and fresh coconut sambal.


Running around Saturday morning, on a quest to find fresh curry leaves for the pineapple curry…finally at the fifth shop, in Cricklewood, I found them.

Feeling lucky I asked the owner “Have you got any Maldive fish flakes?”

“This not Wembley” he stated flatly, as if the idea of buying Sri Lankan ingredients anywhere but Wembley is a something only fools attempt.

“Any pandan leaves?” I tried again.

“This not Wembley”.

The lovely Angie came to help me on Friday night. We tested the pineapple curry (from the book Serendip) which was pronounced so delicious we could not stop eating it. For the Coconut Sambal there was the problem of opening the coconuts. When you go on holiday you always find those guys on the beach casually splitting coconuts with a machete. Lacking a machete, probably wise, I punctured the eye of the coconut with a corkscrew. Angie and I then took it in turns to smash the coconuts on the concrete floor. Very enjoyable and it wasn’t even pre-menstrual week! Here, however is a link that tells you how to open a coconut properly. The trick, after opening the eye, is to bake it for 15 minutes and it will split open naturally.
I also made Vadai, a kind of spicy lentil doughnut, also from Serendip. However the author left out a vital step in the recipe. Grind up the lentils with the spices, it’s the only way it’ll bind sufficiently. Unfortunately I couldn’t find the toasted rice flour for this recipe and substituted ground rice. This made it a little gritty.

“Servable?” I asked Shuna Fish Lydon who came to assist in the kitchen on Saturday.

“It’s intense. I like it.”

So did the guests. It’ll be even better when I do it properly, now I’ve sourced the correct flour.
More tea vicar came over in the afternoon to deliver his fig and walnut loaves, so freshly baked they pulsated warmly in my hand. Shuna and he got into a detailed discussion on different types of flour and gluten.
Shuna is passionate about “her industry” the food business. We talked again of hierarchy, how waiting staff, kitchen staff are still regarded as lowly, almost servants. How immigrants, sometimes illegal, basically hold up the whole industry by working so hard, such long hours for low wages. This is less the case in France, where staff turnover isn’t as high, where ‘serveurs’ will spend years in the same brasserie, raising the theatricality of ‘front of house’ to an art form.
German radio came. We reenacted the entry moment…

“Hello, Welcome to the Underground Restaurant. Do you have the password?”

Fortunately there were a couple of German guests so that made things easier for them…
Tinderflint were a huge success. ‘House Concerts‘ are a new trend. Elliot, the singer, said it was a little unnerving how close the audience were, the intimacy but he enjoyed the experience. One girl got up to dance. If anybody else is interested in doing this at The Underground Restaurant please get in touch.
supper club guest Playing spoons to the band...

Playing spoons to the band…

supper club guests:elegant Vogue model
My teen was thrilled because we had an impossibly elegant Vogue model (above) eating here. She couldn’t have been anything else but a model, normal people don’t look like that.

 tongue studded guests at the underground restaurant supper club
@KangaRue and her husband revealed that they both had tongue studs to my teen (see post on this battle here). I had visions of duelling tongues when they do French kissing…
Everybody mixed well, swapping places and tables after the main course. One couple told me that at another Underground Restaurant, seated by themselves on a table for two, asked if they could share with a table for six and were refused. They then asked another table for four if they could push their table next to them and again were told no!

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Comments

  1. Anonymous

    June 8, 2009 at 3:20 pm

    wow – am so impressed at those home-made vadais and that pineapple curry also sounds luscious. I am addicted to vadais, but rarely have the patience to make my own. I usually make mine up from a packet mix, but they don't taste anywhere near as good as the real thing.

    Reply
  2. MsMarmitelover

    June 8, 2009 at 3:25 pm

    thank you Gastrogeek for that.
    Was feeling a bit depressed today. Why am I bothering to make so much effort type feelings…
    Read a sniffy review from one youngster (who stole my pix into the bargain). I think sometimes people only appreciate food if it is served very pretentiously.
    Anyway vadai is dead easy, once you get the proper ingredients, which is not so easy…

    Reply
  3. Anonymous

    June 8, 2009 at 4:02 pm

    Oh don't let the losers get you down! Undoubtedly they're just jealous that you're able to make such gorgeous and original food every week for complete strangers – god knows how you do it! The pix of your dishes always look so incredibly beautifully presented, if that's the worst criticism they were clearly struggling for something to gripe about.
    Will give the vadai a go from scratch (I reckon Taj Stores on Brick Lane might be a good bet for ingredients), you've inspired me….

    Reply
  4. Anonymous

    June 8, 2009 at 5:15 pm

    and another thing – there is nothing in the world worse than Indian food that's been presented in an overly-fussy way. It's the absolute anti-thesis of a cuisine that is fundamentally based on "soul food" It's just really off-putting and contrived when people try to "jujj" it up. It's pretty sad that this "reviewer" clearly doesn't seem to realise this.

    Reply
  5. MsMarmitelover

    June 8, 2009 at 9:21 pm

    I've always wondered how to spell 'jujj'. I tried 'shooszh' nah that doesn't look right either.

    Reply

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MsMarmiteLover aka Kerstin Rodgers.

Chef, photographer, author, journalist, blogger. Pioneer of the supperclub movement.

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Kerstin Rodgers/MsMarmiteLover
Midsummer supperclub 17th June book tickets here h Midsummer supperclub 17th June book tickets here https://msmarmitelover.com/product/midsummer-supper-club-tickets-june-17th at London’s pioneering supper club. Tickets £50 BYO. Scandinavian inspired summery food. #supperclub #msmarmitelover #midsummer #northwestlondon #londonevents #popups
Tina sweating through a gig at Brixton academy cir Tina sweating through a gig at Brixton academy circa 1987 pic: kerstin Rodgers #rip #tinaturner #rockphotographer #kerstinrodgers #teenagephotographer
Attended an incredible talk with @frenchpete_1 on Attended an incredible talk with @frenchpete_1 on war photography in the Ukraine . Go to the exhibition @thebppa @thebargehouse in SE1 last few days 
Had to stop filming cos I was told off. The photographers would be less forthcoming if they were filmed I was told. 
Anyway @frenchpete_1 should be followed by a camera crew cos he’s a star.
For yesterdays lunch I made a blue cheese puff pas For yesterdays lunch I made a blue cheese puff pastry quiche and a little one with less blue cheese & no salt for my 7 month old granddaughter. She absolutely loved it. I’m enjoying seeing her experience and explore new foods with baby led weaning. Avocado, strawberries, kiwi & buttered crumpets are a hit. Pasta less so. Who is this child? Are we even related? #babyledweaning #quiche #homemadepuffpastry
Nice to be featured as The Great Read in The natio Nice to be featured as The Great Read in The national newspaper again. These are the stories I love to do: I go off on an adventure, take my time, interview people (especially women), photograph them in their environment and create recipes on site. This story cost me a lot more than I made as I had an accident and lost my excess. My own damn fault though! Loved loved loved having a campervan. Thanks for lending me it @camperdays.international and sorry about the hole in the side.  https://www.thenational.scot/news/23505593.foraging-seaweed-western-isles/
My terrace on a sunny May morning. The builders @l My terrace on a sunny May morning. The builders @lk.general.building left yesterday. They’ve been working since January. I had the awning installed, the encaustic Minton tiles removed and put back with green grout. The terrace was causing damp so this had to be done. My calamondin plant is looking lovely. The benches which I repaired with hard wood & I repainted using a mix of 2 colours. The marble table I bought in Suffolk at a car boot. Everything is still dusty & I’m waiting for the window cleaner to arrive.
Last but very heartfelt thankyou to @cideriswine f Last but very heartfelt thankyou to @cideriswine for their contribution of these beautiful dry ciders for the coronation street lunch. Gorgeously illustrated labels. #stcuthbertsrd #kilburn #london #cider #artisanaldrinks
When it comes to vodka I much prefer potato vodka. When it comes to vodka I much prefer potato vodka. It’s smoother. Artisanal distillery @devoncovevodka contributed some bottles to my coronation lunch which gave everyone a feeling of being at a classy party. Thanks so much. And also @rawfoodanddrink for arranging. If you want to read my blog post about how and why I organised this event, copy and paste this link: https://t.co/GWNNW2XKba #coronationstreetparty #biglunch #community #kilburn #london #forthepeoplebythepeople
I’ve been a fan of @luscombedrinks for years now I’ve been a fan of @luscombedrinks for years now. They sent a selection: elderflower bubbly, st. Clements orange 🍊 Sicilian lemonade, @belvoirfarm_uk lemonade, which were all delicious and just the tickets for the fortuitous mini-heatwave that occurred on the Sunday coronation lunch. #thankyou #community #coronation #streetparty #biglunch
Our street party. Double page spread in The Sun! T Our street party. Double page spread in The Sun! Tiny bit in the guardian. Decent pic in the Mail and The Star credit @asproider #coronationlunch #kilburn #stcuthbertsrd #kingscroftrd #fordwychrd #templarhouse
My coronation quiche with Broad beans, tarragon, s My coronation quiche with Broad beans, tarragon, spinach, cheddar. I used crème fraiche and blind baked puff pastry shells. I was up at 11 last night making these for todays street party, which featured in the mail, telegraph, mirror, metro courtesy of photographer Gavin Rodgers @asproider
Seaweed foraging at Spring tides in the Outer Hebr Seaweed foraging at Spring tides in the Outer Hebrides with @outerhebrideanforager Fi bird. She’s cutting sea spaghetti. I drove my campervan @camperdays.international from london to the Hebrides- using my gas stove to cook foraged and local ingredients. A real food safari. With the sea spaghetti I made a sea spag vongole with giant parlourdes picked up from the sand at the same time. Great fun, beautiful weather and, the day of the full moon, a wonderfully low tide. This was on south Uist.
More flavours, the flavour thesaurus is a plant-ba More flavours, the flavour thesaurus is a plant-based version of the original. Beautifully constructed, designed and written by @nikisegnit it’s vegetarian rather than vegan but recommended for both. She widens the sensory vocabulary around plant flavours in this book- encouraging new delicious sounding combinations. Now she includes new categories such as flower & meadow, caramel roasted, zesty roost- just the words make me salivate. #foodbooks #bookstagram #newbooks
Yesterday I attended @marmaladeawards @dalemainman Yesterday I attended @marmaladeawards @dalemainmansion I found out so much about marmalade. I’m going to make it this winter. I found out the worlds best maker is Japanese, in fact I was most impressed by the Japanese marmalades in general. Everyone wore orange. I must have tasted 50 marmalades. I met Paddington’s sister, karen jankel who is michael bond’s daughter, born in the same year as Paddington. She gave a charming talk on Paddington, mentioning how the queen insisted on having real marmalade sandwiches in her @launerlondonofficial handbag during the shoot. The house itself is Tudor and Georgian. I stayed in my campervan from @camperdays.international in the car park, cosy in the rain. Another freewheeling adventure. #yorkshire #marmalade #travel #food #ontheroad #campervan
I had a piece in @thetimes on Sunday about being a I had a piece in @thetimes on Sunday about being a vegetarian rather than a vegan. How I still need butter. And how restaurants & plane meals are now vegan rather than vegetarian. But, there are still more the double amount of vegetarians as vegans in the UK. I’ve written a vegan cookbook V is for vegan (link in bio) and am a big fan of vegan foods. I’ve not eaten meat for over 40 years. This is a sustainable diet, in terms of longevity. Vegans that I knew from the early noughties have reverted to meat eating. #newpuritanism? #vegetarian #vegan #foodwriter
Scrambled croft eggs (bright yellow yolks) with a Scrambled croft eggs (bright yellow yolks) with a seaweed that tastes just like truffle. Just done a little kelp foraging at low tide with @thetempleharris’ Amanda Saurin. Isle of Harris. Turquoise sea, white sand, cloud hovering just above. @camperdays.international @roosterpr
I went to Wembley in north west london to talk to I went to Wembley in north west london to talk to Sophie of @tobia.teff she uses the iron-rich, gluten free teff grain from her homeland Ethiopia. She showed me how to make injera, the Ethiopian flatbread which is fermented. She also talked about the coffee ceremony, 3 cups, which they pair with toasted barley or, currently, popcorn! I’d love to visit Ethiopia and find out more about their ancient food culture, history, 3.5k year old monarchy and religions.
Doing a spring budget recipe cooking demo for @bre Doing a spring budget recipe cooking demo for @brentcouncil Willesden library. I’ve been doing this a few times a year for the last few years. Wouldn’t it be great if they had a kitchen set up permanently. Libraries are community centres and could be used to teach how to cook from scratch.
Mother’s Day flowers from @siennamarla who is ex Mother’s Day flowers from @siennamarla who is experiencing her own first Mother’s Day with Ophelia. I’m still living in chaos & work was slow yesterday due to rain. Only another month…
Last week I did a wild foraging walk with @luciath Last week I did a wild foraging walk with @luciathewildkitchen in Kent @kent_downs_aonb just outside Canterbury. I’m going to help out during her May wild asparagus workshop. This chef lived in France, is a brilliant forager and cook. Her campfire meal of lentils, wild garlic raitha and a dukkah of alexanders, Parmesan was genuinely delicious not worthy like so much foraged food.
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