[Food] Chinese or Curry

[MJsGhost]

Make it myself because I find Chinese takeaway too sweet and Indian far too greasy.

However if you ever in Balham there is an Indian that gave up using ghee and loads of oil years ago and now wins awards all the time.

In terms of Indian spices I found something quite remarkable recently, an Indian shop that grinds its own spice mix and has been doing so for 40 years !!!

Special Blend Curry Powder 40th Anniversary Tin 125g - Mattas

Matta’s own Special Blend Indian curry powder is flavoured with rich herbs and aromatic spices providing a delicious, full-flavoured, medium-to-hot addition to any dish.

www.mattas.co.uk

This is well worth a purchase. It's freshly ground (will have a label.with the grinding date) and is worlds away from the powders in the supermarket and unfortunately better than anything you could do at home. I have Tooting on my doorstep just about every spice going in the cupboard, but I can't replicate this. It's very special and the shop right in the centre of Liverpool is a local institution.

For a healthy alternative I roast whole onions (in their skins) followed by tomatoes and garlic, a bit of ginger and blend with stock to make a basic curry sauce.

Then it's just meat, fresh coriander and a couple of teaspoons of special blend.

Use as little oil as you like, for me it will no more than a couple of teaspoons. I religiously cook the meat before adding to the curry like the restaurants. Tends not to dry out. The exception being thighs.

This was a game-changer for me - SO much better than the meat boiling in a sauce getting tough & dry.

I've not tried roasting whole onions, so I'll give it a go. Getting the onions cooked down properly is so important - I think it was Rick Stein (of all people) that got me to realise this.

I very rarely get a take away curry these days - we're out in the sticks, so it's a pain anyway, but being able to cook a non-greasy but very tasty curry makes the whole idea a bit redundant. I do miss having a full range of side dishes though (too much of a faff except for special occasions to make a load of them myself).

With regards to the original question, I agree with all those saying it depends where you're getting it / who's cooking it.

Curry just shades it for me.

 

[Notters]

I generally think that the best fish and chips is found in working class coastal towns and particularly those on the north sea. Probably just my preference

The best I've had is in a small northumbrian fishing town called Amble. It's where my mum is originally from so we go there from time to time. There are two chippys by the harbour and most of the tourists go to the bigger of the two which has an eat in option (obviously the weather is consistently shit up there so not a bad shout) but if you can brave the elements the better of the two is down the road. Beef dripping really is a game changer

I've always found the coastal fish and chips to be of poorer quality but, that may be because I've been in more touristy places.

My local (https://www.murgatroyds.co.uk/) is often vote the best and is often 'trending' on social media (recent take away below).

In answer to the OP, curry all the way for me (or Thai). I prefer my local Indian (actually Indian) is better than your standard Indian (Bangladeshi) though.

 

[jackalbion]

Bit fed up of all these artisan curry places especially, where everything is a set menu (Chilli Pickle, Curry Leaf Cafe etc). While they are very nice, Personally when I get a curry I want any sauce, any meat, any side, 2 poppadums and a cobra, none of this WOKE fancy nonsense. Saying that though I had a lovely Curry in Newcastle that was set menu to a certain extent but there was a lot of choice, https://sachins.co.uk/dine-in/ was the place. Superb curry.

 

[Chicken Run]

Bit fed up of all these artisan curry places especially, where everything is a set menu (Chilli Pickle, Curry Leaf Cafe etc). While they are very nice, Personally when I get a curry I want any sauce, any meat, any side, 2 poppadums and a cobra, none of this WOKE fancy nonsense. Saying that though I had a lovely Curry in Newcastle that was set menu to a certain extent but there was a lot of choice, https://sachins.co.uk/dine-in/ was the place. Superb curry.

Completely agree, tried Mowgli in the Lanes last year, awful place

 

[stewart12]

Bit fed up of all these artisan curry places especially, where everything is a set menu (Chilli Pickle, Curry Leaf Cafe etc). While they are very nice, Personally when I get a curry I want any sauce, any meat, any side, 2 poppadums and a cobra, none of this WOKE fancy nonsense. Saying that though I had a lovely Curry in Newcastle that was set menu to a certain extent but there was a lot of choice, https://sachins.co.uk/dine-in/ was the place. Superb curry.

Couldn't agree more

 

[jackalbion]

Completely agree, tried Mowgli in the Lanes last year, awful place

I went to Mowgli in Leeds a few years ago and enjoyed it, but I didn't get any curry, just a meat dish. That said the seats really annoyed me, I'm a 28 year old man, I want to be sat in a seat not a swing or any of that nonsense.

 

[Chicken Run]

I went to Mowgli in Leeds a few years ago and enjoyed it, but I didn't get any curry, just a meat dish. That said the seats really annoyed me, I'm a 28 year old man, I want to be sat in a seat not a swing or any of that nonsense.

Funnily enough i did get a swing in the Brighton restaurant, my wife’s mood swing, it was enormous

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Bit fed up of all these artisan curry places especially, where everything is a set menu (Chilli Pickle, Curry Leaf Cafe etc). While they are very nice, Personally when I get a curry I want any sauce, any meat, any side, 2 poppadums and a cobra, none of this WOKE fancy nonsense. Saying that though I had a lovely Curry in Newcastle that was set menu to a certain extent but there was a lot of choice, https://sachins.co.uk/dine-in/ was the place. Superb curry.

100% with you. I much prefer British Indian Restaurant cuisine (which I think is the term for what you’re describing) to any of the fancy places or venues which claim to be “authentic”.

2 Popadoms with the pickles and stuff.
Prawn puri
Lamb vindaloo (or maybe a dhanzak)
How ever many Cobras.

Job done. Bed.

 

[HH Brighton]

Completely agree, tried Mowgli in the Lanes last year, awful place

Have to disagree, love Mowgli, been going to the two in Liverpool for years whenever I visit. Yoghurt bombs, lamb chops and gunpowder chicken are outstanding

 

[Hudson Hawk]

I need to find a Chinese takeaway for this weekend, any recommendations?

I am a really fussy fecker though, it's all about the quality rather than the cost.

Has anyone been to the Imperial China in Worthing?

There are a few around Shoreham and Lancing but they haven't been the best from experience. If the chickens squishy and the prawns and meat in general aren't great then it'll be a disappointment.

 

[jackalbion]

I'm guessing you haven't tried the Korean Buldak 3x Spicy Chicken noodles

Thought I’d poison my body, with a new flavour! Quite tasty these ones.

View attachment IMG_3883.jpegView attachment IMG_3884.jpeg

 

[Justice]

I need to find a Chinese takeaway for this weekend, any recommendations?

I am a really fussy fecker though, it's all about the quality rather than the cost.

Has anyone been to the Imperial China in Worthing?

There are a few around Shoreham and Lancing but they haven't been the best from experience. If the chickens squishy and the prawns and meat in general aren't great then it'll be a disappointment.

It’s so easy to cook everyone who has my chop suey or chow mein dishes say they prefer it to takeouts.
I’ve done sweet & sour dishes which went down well, egg fried rice is a doddle and you may even see some egg.

 

[Bakero]

It’s so easy to cook everyone who has my chop suey or chow mein dishes say they prefer it to takeouts.
I’ve done sweet & sour dishes which went down well, egg fried rice is a doddle and you may even see some egg.

I can definitely cook better Chinese food than your average takeaway but I'm fecked if I'm flying back to England and travelling down to Worthing to make @Hudson Hawk a takeaway so someone better give him a recommendation

 

[tstanbur]

Bit fed up of all these artisan curry places especially, where everything is a set menu (Chilli Pickle, Curry Leaf Cafe etc). While they are very nice, Personally when I get a curry I want any sauce, any meat, any side, 2 poppadums and a cobra, none of this WOKE fancy nonsense. Saying that though I had a lovely Curry in Newcastle that was set menu to a certain extent but there was a lot of choice, https://sachins.co.uk/dine-in/ was the place. Superb curry.

I didn’t even know Chilli Pickle had a “set menu”. Just looked it up.

They’ve always sold main dishes, sides etc separately and still do.

https://thechillipickle.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Dinner-Menu.pdf

Same with Curry Leaf Cafe before it shut down.

Agree there’s not a huge choice though.

 

[Jackthelad]

I agree with the person that said home made. The general quality of takeaways are terrible in Sussex. They’ve got far worse over the decades.

 

[jackalbion]

I didn’t even know Chilli Pickle had a “set menu”. Just looked it up.

They’ve always sold main dishes, sides etc separately and still do.

https://thechillipickle.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Dinner-Menu.pdf

Same with Curry Leaf Cafe before it shut down.

Agree there’s not a huge choice though.

Not a huge amount, I want a Prawn Vindaloo available no questions asked!

 

[crabface]

Not a huge amount, I want a Prawn Vindaloo available no questions asked!

If someone said we were going out for a curry this evening and we got to the curry house to find only 6 choices of curry id be very disappointed.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Kind of having this internal debate right now re curry houses. An old mate is on his way down from London to catch up for an early beer and a curry. I've been thinking about where to go. Chilli Pickle, Jamun, Indian Summer and Permit Room all have variations on the 'street food and a few curries' theme and I'm not going anywhere that has SWINGS. But there don't seem to be any good, old fashioned chicken vindaloo style places near the station any more. Last time I had something like that in town we tried Nooris and it was shit.

Is Cardamom any good?

 

[Bakero]

If someone said we were going out for a curry this evening and we got to the curry house to find only 6 choices of curry id be very disappointed.

I do know what you mean but you know the place with 6 options is cooking 6 different dishes whereas the mega menu places are adapting a base sauce.

I love a traditional curry house with a big menu too but the cooking in a restaurant with a small menu is always going to be better

Edit: I retract that "always" but you know what I mean

 

[ROSM]

Kind of having this internal debate right now re curry houses. An old mate is on his way down from London to catch up for an early beer and a curry. I've been thinking about where to go. Chilli Pickle, Jamun, Indian Summer and Permit Room all have variations on the 'street food and a few curries' theme and I'm not going anywhere that has SWINGS. But there don't seem to be any good, old fashioned chicken vindaloo style places near the station any more. Last time I had something like that in town we tried Nooris and it was shit.

Is Cardamom any good?

I can vouch for cardamom. There is also planet India but it's a vegetarian restaurant near to the old market diner