• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Snapchat
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

MsMarmiteLover

  • Food
    • Recipes
    • Vegetarian
    • Vegan
  • Travel
    • France
    • Italy
    • Spain
    • UK
  • Wine
  • Gardens
  • Supperclubs
  • About
    • Press
    • Books
  • Shop
    • Cart

An Indian afternoon in the snow…

January 11, 2010 12 Comments Filed Under: Uncategorized

VBs supermarket, cheap, full of Indian products and spices…absolutely jam packed on a Sunday

Bought myself a roti board and rolling pin

Pickles and chutneys

Jaggery loaves in hessian

Beautifully laid out fruit and veg

There are many kinds of basmati, they will give you advice which is the best


Once more my blogging friend Bellaphon takes me on a trip…this time to the Sri Lankan ‘Oxford Street’ between Alperton and Wembley.

What a wondrous place it is… you can get a makeover as an Indian bride for £200 in one of the beauty shops…fantastic pound shops…I bought me plenty of kitsch kitchenware for The Underground Restaurant… exotic fruit (baby clementines!) and vegetable shops laden with mirrors and shrines…enormous and cheap Indian supermarkets. I was told off for taking pictures at the latter…a small squat Indian woman said to me very crossly

“Photographs are forbidden”

“Why?” I argued.

I mean, really, how can taking pictures of jaggery in sack cloth be wrong?

She carried on “This is private property”

I continued to argue back “It’s not like I’m going to say anything bad about this place…I love it!”

She started to relent, saying, more doubtfully cos basically it sounded like she’d made up this rule… “I’m sure my bosses wouldn’t like it..”

“Bring me your boss! I’ll talk to him” I said cheerfully.

She followed me around a bit then gave up, and showed me the amazing buckets of pickles that you can buy by weight.
We ate at Jashan which is a kind of fusion restaurant, very cheap, of Chinese and Indian food. I spoke to the waiter who was Nepalese, but brought up in India.

“Indians think Chinese food is too bland, so we like to add spices” he explained.

This led to some very odd concoctions like dumplings with curry, Chinese battered fried mushrooms in a sort of chilli sauce. Not all of it was successful but there were some excellent dishes in the complicated and extensive menu.
Highlights:
Makai paneer ke Pakore
Sweet corn and cottage cheese fritters with yoghurt. Absolutely delicious, especially with coriander and mint chutney; mango and turmeric chutney.
Dahi Batata Puri
Outstanding, mini puris and potatoes covered in yoghurt, ice cold, a typical street food in India.
Pudhini paratha, mint bread. Very nice.
Plain pilao: beautifully saffron coloured rice topped with cashews.
Kesar Badam Bahar: almond kulfi with saffron sauce. Nice.
OK but not for me:
Chilli mushrooms.
Lowlights:
Chinese/Indian fusion: cheese pao bhaji, supposed to be dumplings but in fact was a sloppy veg mix with melted cheese and two hamburger buns. Odd.
Kaju Mutter: cashew nut and pea curry. Too hot at ‘medium’ and I like hot food. Not sure cashews and peas go together.
About £15 -20 a head.
Jashan
1-2 Coronet Parade, Ealing Road, Wembley, London, HA0 4AY
Telephone: 0208 900 9800

Recent posts

Japanese sweet potatoes

February 28, 2021

kosho pic: Kerstin rodgers/msmarmitelover.com

New citrus recipes: using bergamot, blood orange, yuzu and pomelo

February 6, 2021

Psychic pizza, a true story

January 24, 2021

Previous Post: « Vijay
Next Post: Lido love »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. TheFastestIndian

    January 12, 2010 at 6:37 pm

    Oh, love Ealing Road- and it's ages since I've been now. Brill cash and carrys, etc.
    And I don't think the pao bhaji is any kind of chinese derivative. The pao bit is a bread roll (from the Portuguese) that you normally have toasted with loads of butter, and the bhaji bit is a potato curry. Think it's really popular in Bombay as I'd never even heard of it until I went there.

    Reply
  2. Fat Les

    January 12, 2010 at 7:51 pm

    Hey MsM, TFI is right, I misled you, pao just sounds like bao in Chinese for buns. I love the place and the Nepalese Gurkha manager was, you've gotta admit; a dude.

    Reply
  3. shayma

    January 13, 2010 at 2:05 am

    tee hee, i think us South Asians are just a bit paranoid, we make up rules, but there is no logic behind it. i SO want to eat those daihee puris! regrettably, my stomach cant take street food in pakistan anymore 🙁 typhoid is not what i want to get, anytime soon! ouch. interesting post and brava for insisting on taking photos- why not? it's a shop and they are not carrying any dresses which you are photographing to copy!

    Reply
  4. Scarlett the Heavenly Healer

    January 15, 2010 at 12:46 am

    Looks like the best supermarket! Take me with you next time you go please!

    Reply
  5. fingersandtoes

    January 18, 2010 at 7:45 am

    oooh, thank you for posting this! It's 9 hours since I got back from Sri Lanka and I'm craving the food already (actually, I've been staying in a posh hotel with European breakfasts the past few days and I'm really craving milk rice, roti, dal and sambal for my breakfast today – sadly, not going to happen). I brought some ingredients back with me but needed to find somewhere in London where I can buy other Sri Lankan ingredients! If I could find red rice I'd be really happy.

    Reply
  6. fingersandtoes

    January 18, 2010 at 7:49 am

    ps I've already had my Indian bride(smaid) makeover… photos to come once I can bully them out of someone who had a camera with them on the day (turns out a DSLR can NOT be hidden in a sari). My henna is still there, but very faded!

    Reply
  7. Helen T

    February 14, 2010 at 8:47 pm

    Sounds fantastic afternoon. I'm lucky to live near Leicester, and I love an afternoon in the supermarket and lunch at Bobbys or somewhere like Kayal. The prices are always amazing compared to somewhere like Tesco.

    Reply
  8. Douglas Blyde

    March 22, 2010 at 3:53 pm

    Vot a Bonanza!

    Reply
  9. Gourmet Chick

    March 22, 2010 at 7:57 pm

    I have just got back from Sri Lanka (and discovered jaggery!) so looks like I will have to head here.

    Reply
  10. mina

    April 16, 2010 at 9:57 pm

    reading this blog was a terrible idea. i am starving.

    Reply
  11. theundergroundrestaurant

    April 16, 2010 at 10:02 pm

    LOL…

    Reply
  12. ButterYum

    April 26, 2010 at 12:38 pm

    Black Raspberries:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubus_occidentalis

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

MsMarmiteLover aka Kerstin Rodgers.

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

This is my food and travel blog, with recipes, reviews and travel stories. I also stray into politics, feminism, gardening.

Subscribe to my mailing list

msmarmitelover

Kerstin Rodgers/MsMarmiteLover
I had one leek, one potato, but that’s enough to I had one leek, one potato, but that’s enough to make a leek & potato soup. I added garlic, rosé & Parmesan. I made a storecupboard salad from a cucumber & a tin of sweet corn. (Always have sweet corn in your pantry- it makes a tomato/sweet corn salad, or a tuna sweet corn salad or Thai style corn fritters) which I dressed with lemon juice & avocado oil. I also made garlic bread: a tiger loaf sliced almost to the bottom- room temp butter mixed with salt & minced garlic- wrap in foil and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. A simple leftovers lunch.  #leftovers #lockdownlunch #london #pantryessentials #soup #sweetcorn #garlicbread #supperclub #covidcooking #bubblelunch
Couscous and bulghur wheat are so brilliant when i Couscous and bulghur wheat are so brilliant when it comes to quick lunches. Especially if you bung them in the rice steamer. They take literally minutes to cook and are fluffy and perfectly done. I mixed in a tin of tuna and some preserved lemon, a few spring onions and a little tahini dressing. Served with a carrot and mandarin salad. I’m trying to use up the bottom drawer of my fridge and dried goods in my pantry before I do more shopping. Preserved lemons are one of my pantry essentials.  #pescetarian #couscous #ricesteamer #lockdownlarder #supperclub #lunchformybubble #londonlockdown
Baked cauliflower ‘wings’ for lunch. Easy. Bre Baked cauliflower ‘wings’ for lunch. Easy. Break into florets. Dip into batter of flour and fizzy water with sweet smoked paprika and salt. Lay on oven tray ( covered with parchment or silpat) and bake for 30 mins in hot oven. Then brush with butter and bake for another 5 mins or so. I served with a dipping sauce of yoghurt and lime marinade from @granluchito and more salt. #vegan #vegetarian #cauliflower #supperclubchef #recipe #5aday #lockdownlunch #baked #cauliflowerwings
Today I made tofish and chips for my bubble. My da Today I made tofish and chips for my bubble. My daughter and her boyfriend are working here everyday while their new flat upstairs is having the builders in. I like it because I have someone to cook for and I get a bit of company. Although in reality it’s 3 people sitting silently at their laptops all day. Today I did hear the high court session where a woman has sued Labour to find out the names of people who leaked a report. Anyway tofish is marinated firm tofu with one side covered with nori kelp and deep fried in batter. It really does taste fishy, and the nori looks like fish skin. Will do again. #supperclubchef #londonlunch #vegan #tofishandchips #tofurecipes #deepfried #handcutchips #homecooked #recipeoftheday
Another #lockdownlife activity, learning to darn. Another #lockdownlife activity, learning to darn. This red wool cardigan was shredded by moths. I’m trying both visible and invisible mending. The sleeve I darned in the traditional way. The holes I edged with embroidery cotton, making a feature of ‘moth lace’. All v Prince Charles don’t you think? He’s into patching and saving old clothes.  #visiblemending #darning #moths #longlonelynights #covid #lockdown #recycling #upcycling #ecofashion #redcardigan
Did that internet recipe doing the rounds- baked f Did that internet recipe doing the rounds- baked feta with tomatoes. I added red peppers, olive oil, garlic. Bake for 20 minutes then mix together - the feta forks a creamy sauce. Stir in freshly cooked pasta. Basta! #easyovenrecipes #bakedfetaandtomatoes #bakedfetapasta #supperclub #londonlockdown #coronacooking #vegetarian #justaddpasta #bakedfetacheese
Making thin crepes with lemon and sugar and banana Making thin crepes with lemon and sugar and banana and maple syrup. Using a cast iron crêpière I bought in a french supermarket years ago. For lunch we had savoury crepes with cheese and garlic. Apparently savoury crepes are ‘ middle class’! Who knew? #pancakes #pancakeday #shrovetuesday #crepes #bananapancakes🍌 #supperclub #londonlockdown #eatingwithmybubble
I’m cooking a lot of Asian food right now. It’ I’m cooking a lot of Asian food right now. It’s quick, hearty, tasty and healthy at the same time. Here I cubed leftover firm tofu, the whites of spring onions, mushroom stems, red pepper fried in groundnut oil, a little garlic, run out of ginger, some chilli bean sauce leftover from a jar, some soy sauce, a little teriyaki sauce from @misotasty . Then I boiled black soba noodles for 5 minutes, rinsed them in cold water, slung them back in the stir fry pan al dente. Another 5 minutes on the stovetop, I served them with the green parts of the spring onion, and a squirt of Yuzu paste from @misotasty. Served as a quick office lunch to my ‘son-in-law’ @jamescalmus who is here working while builders make an unholy noise in the flat above. My daughter and he will be moving in above when the work is done at the end of March. It’s scary buying a place for the first time- and dealing with builders- and blowing the last of your money. I remember when I bought my second flat, I was so broke I couldn’t afford a bed, and slept on the carpet for 3 months. #moving #firsthome #london #supperclub #mybubble #asianfusion #sobanoodles #tofurecipes #homecooked #lockdownlife
Heart shaped pasta parcels stuffed with cheese fro Heart shaped pasta parcels stuffed with cheese from @latuapasta one of the meal kits I’ve been trying recently. It comes with a jar of tomato sauce. The perfect dish for a nervous cook trying to impress a love. Myself I’m a corona loner as per usual. It’s ok, I’m used to it. Post- menopause I don’t have the longing I used to experience which made me needy and desperate with regards to ‘having a relationship’. Yes it does get lonely but actually I also feel a kind of relief. Happy Valentine’s Day to those who have romantic love and an even happier v day to those who don’t...
#valentines #valentinesday #vday #mealkits #foodoflove #freshpasta #valentinesdinnerathome #london #supperclub
Another Facebook marketplace find- this gorgeous g Another Facebook marketplace find- this gorgeous green velvet armchair which is also very comfortable-£50. The fire is lit 🔥 my broken ankle is propped up and I’ve a lovely cup of tea. #facebookmarketplace #recycling #upcycle #interiors #edwardianflat #londoninteriors #cosyhome #supperclub #greenvelvet #velvetarmchair #interiorsonthecheap
Pomelo candied peel is so fragrant. Instructions: Pomelo candied peel is so fragrant. Instructions: pare off the zest in longish strips, making sure there is no white pith. Then cover the peel with cold water, bring to the boil, then drain. Repeat this step twice more. This gets rid of the bitterness.  Then add 200g caster sugar and 400ml water to the peel. Simmer until the peel has absorbed all of the syrup. Then pour granulated sugar into a bowl; prepare a rack with parchment paper underneath to catch drips. Carefully extract each strand of peel and dip it into the sugar, then lay on the rack to dry out. Leave the peel 24 hours. Keep any sugar left over from the pan, and bowl, which will be lemon/pomelo scented, to use in baking. #supperclub #citrus #pomelo #candiedpeel #recipe #baking #lockdownlife #covidcooking #slowcooking #londonlife
My lady cave, my she shed, my recycled summerhouse My lady cave, my she shed, my recycled summerhouse. I’m going in for #shedoftheyear !
Everything made from stuff found in skips. #london #shed #shedlife #lockdown2021 #woodburner #bedinshed #throughtheroundwindow #supperclub #recycled #dumpsterdiver #ecobuilding
Black pepper firm tofu from @misotasty who are now Black pepper firm tofu from @misotasty who are now doing craft tofu. You fry the tofu cubes in cornflour then make a rich sauce with red pepper and black pepper, garnish with spring onions. Yet another fab thing to do with tofu! #tofurevangelist #tofurecipes #supperclub #blackpeppertofu #chinesenewyear #yearoftheox #chinesefood #covidcooking #lockdownlarder #vegetarian
Hot and sour soup with soft tofu from @misotasty j Hot and sour soup with soft tofu from @misotasty just the thing for a snowy day. Ate this on Sunday with my bubble. Persuading people that tofu is good to eat one meal at a time!  #tofu #tofurecipes #hotandsoursoup #soup #winterfood #supperclub #londonchef #homemade #recipes #vegan #vegetarian link to recipe: http://secret-garden-club.blogspot.com/2013/02/herbs-jackie-magazine-and-hot-and-sour.html?m=1
Japanese sweet potatoes from Miyazaki. They are th Japanese sweet potatoes from Miyazaki. They are the best I’ve ever had- small, dense, fluffy silky and sweet. I baked them in the oven and served with smoked trout and creme fraiche from @natoora “ Sweet potato is highly nutritious. It is high in fiber and will activate your intestinal system, and a white sticky substance “jalapin” that can be found when sliced, will help with digestion and help regulate your intestinal environment. Since its antioxidative vitamin C and antioxidative carotenoid are not lost by heating the sweet potato, experts say it is good for health and beauty. “ #sundaylunch #supperclub #sweetpotatoes #smokedtrout #pescetarian #japaneseingredients #oyatsuimo #miyazaki #yaki-Imo
Pomelo, cucumber and gadogado peanut dressing. So Pomelo, cucumber and gadogado peanut dressing. So refreshing! Pomelo is, along with mandarins and Citron, one of the original citrus fruit from which many others were bred. It’s rather like a grapefruit ( which bred with bitter orange, is a descendant) but sweeter, firmer, drier and more meaty in texture. It’s quite a pfaff to prepare as you have to take all the membrane and pith off- that’s the bitter bit. The pith can be turned into a poor mans cutlet, a Cuban steak, when times are tough. The peel can be candied. this citrus lasts a long time in the fruit bowl. #citrus #citrusrecipes #pomelo #wintersalads #gadogado #peanutdressing #supperclub #lockdownrecipes  #saturdaylunch #februaryfood #vegetarian #vegetarianrecipes
Flammkuche is a kind of German or alsacien pizza- Flammkuche is a kind of German or alsacien pizza- very thin. I got this flammkuche with a topping of nutmeggy bechamel, mushrooms, mozzarella & pesto as a #mealkit from @amelie_restaurants. Even the keenest cooks get sick of their own food! It’s really delicious and quick to prepare. #flammkuchen #pizza #vegetarian #lockdown2021 #lockdownfood #foodsolutions #covid_19 #newnormal #dinnerin10minutes #londonlife
Blood orange, fennel and dill salad with mustard d Blood orange, fennel and dill salad with mustard dressing. Easy peasy winter citrus salad. Best to use a mandolin to shave the fennel. #supperclub #covidmenu #citrus #bloodorange #wintersalad #lockdownlarder #valentinesday❤️ 💛💚🧡
Tarte au bergamote 💛done with puff pastry rathe Tarte au bergamote 💛done with puff pastry rather than shortcrust because that’s what I had ready made and hurty ankle meant I didn’t have wherewithal to make own pastry. I used zest and juice of a bergamot and zest and juice of 2 lemons 🍋. This bergamot I actually grew! #bergamot #citrus #tarte #tarteaucitron #supperclub #winterdesserts #sour #sharp #sweet #lockdownfood #covidcookery 💛💛💛
Made kosho with my incredibly expensive @natoora Y Made kosho with my incredibly expensive @natoora Yuzu (£12.80!) using the zest, 1 deseeded green chilli and some @maldonsalt in the pestle and mortar. It’s good to sprinkle on rice, noodles, soup. #condiments #citrus #yuzu #japanesefood #londonchef #supperclub #yellowfood #winterfood #seasonal #chilli #msmarmitelover
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Archives

Copyright © 2021 msmarmitelover