The Great 'Cheap cooking substitutes' Hunt

piecemeal

terra_ferma wrote: »

I use that to, it has the added advantage that fat separates so you can remove it if you want a lower fat version.
I actually shred directly over the food I'm cooking and add water separately, the lazier system seems to work fine for me.

DH does as I described to make rice and peas i.e. the West Indian dish. When I make curry I do as you do; much easier!

SJ_Jones

Maybe not a substitute, but I make Lamb Tikka, and I've started using less meat and padding it out with aubergine instead.

terra_ferma

SJ_Jones wrote: »

Maybe not a substitute, but I make Lamb Tikka, and I've started using less meat and padding it out with aubergine instead.

Do you grow you own? That wouldn't work for me, here aubergines are £1 each, rarely reduced (except ethnic shops which I can't easily get to).

Seakay

bogwart wrote: »

& Soworried: "Saffron for turmeric in rice dishes"


I do hope that was a mistake, and you are not actually substituting the world's most expensive spice for nasty, cheap turmeric.

turmeric is a really good anti inflammatory

http://www.top10homeremedies.com/kitchen-ingredients/10-health-benefits-of-turmeric.html

SJ_Jones

terra_ferma wrote: »

Do you grow you own? That wouldn't work for me, here aubergines are £1 each, rarely reduced (except ethnic shops which I can't easily get to).

I don't grow my own, but by them regularly at Tesco - wors out cheaper than more Lamb...

Seakay

I use dried marigold petals instead of saffron in savoury dishes - a little colour and mild flavour but wouldn't be strong enough to use in eg saffron buns

terra_ferma

Seakay wrote: »

I use dried marigold petals instead of saffron in savoury dishes - a little colour and mild flavour but wouldn't be strong enough to use in eg saffron buns

Ingenious. As I don't like turmeric it would make a good substitute to colour curry dishes too, I assume.

terra_ferma

SJ_Jones wrote: »

I don't grow my own, but by them regularly at Tesco - wors out cheaper than more Lamb...

I you are right.
I had a look, the family pack at Tescos is cheaper (on My Supermarket at least) than Sainsbury (and the luxury priced Co-cop down the road...).

Seakay

well marigold petals will give a little colour to rice but I'm not sure they'll make a lot of difference to curries. Worth a try though. You can use them fresh straight out of the garden as well - just the petals though, none of the rest of the flower

Steve059

For Yellow Rice, just add 1/4 of a teaspoon of turmeric to each portion of rice. (I use 75g of rice & 200ml of water.)