Unusual ingredients

K9sandFelines

FrugalWorker wrote: »

I've tamarind - luckily I figured out it goes really nicely in sweet potato soup - but I've enough for pots and pots of it

I have a pot of that aswell in the cupboard, i think bought for some sort of curry or other

FrugalWorker

K9sandFelines wrote: »

I have a pot of that aswell in the cupboard, i think bought for some sort of curry or other

If it helps, I've mine many years and still adds a lovely kick to the odd pot of soup. Mine is the dried fruit type, not so processed - I need to add water to re-consititute it. I figure I'll still be making soup with it for another few years. I just need to remember a little goes a long way.

phizzimum

JuzaMum wrote: »

I have two things in the cupboard that I don't know what to do with. One is a vacuum pack of peeled chestnuts and the other is a bag of rose sugar. Ideas please?

I really like sausage and chestnut pie - chopped chestnuts, mixed with sausagemeat (can just squeeze the meat out of the sausages) and topped with pastry (or wrapped up like a giant sausage roll)

Is the rose sugar just sugar infused with rose essence? I add rosewater to a sponge cake or shortbread biscuits, gives a sort of Turkish delight flavour. If you baked something with the sugar it would have the same effect perhaps

jackyann

I think the only real uses for okra are in gumbo & curries. However, it will always be that glutinous texture which I guess you don't like (I hate it and always leave it out!)
So:
1.a: curry or gumbo in which it is a relatively small part of the dish (but honestly, doesn't it seem a shame to spoil a lovely curry or gumbo?)
1.b: if someone in your family does like it, you could make a "parallel dish"
2: see if a friend / colleague who likes it will barter
3: donate to the food bank (I'm hoping that's not where it came from, as "several tins" unlikely!)

Peeled chestnuts:
1. make a "chestnut bourguinonne" substituting the chestnuts for beef - your veggie friends will love it!
2. Puree and make a "buche de noel" (also eaten in the New Year)
3. chop and add to stuffing

Rose sugar:
I think it has rose petals in it? I would use to sweeten whipped cream for a trifle or sponge.

SailorSam

This isn't a bad site for recipies with leftovers.
You can type in up to three things you've got in the cupboard and it will come up with ideas.
http://www.bigoven.com/recipes/leftover

LameWolf

sleepymans wrote: »

Semolina...and turkey stock and some frozen sausagemeat stuffing (uncooked)!! lol

I regard semolina as a store-cupboard staple. Just shows, it's horses for courses.:o
The only "oddment" I have is half a bottle of Lancashire sauce that Mr LW couldn't resist (despite my protests) when we were in L@keland one time.
I'm gradually using it up, a few drops at a time, in things like Shepherd Spy, but I don't really care for the flavour it imparts, which is why it's taking a long time. Also, I now bark at Mr LW if he tries to overrule my decisions on food shopping.:D

TravellingAbuela

I have four tubs of Sumac in my cupboard!!! I wanted some for an Egyptian recipe but I couldn't find any locally. DH had cause to visit the next town and came back with TWO tubs from a supermarket there. Same afternoon DD found some in a little Middle Eastern shop near her work and bought me a tub! I meanwhile had ordered some off E-bay not knowing three tubs were heading my way. So I ended up with 4 tubs and I still haven't made the Egyptian recipe!!

carlamarie_2

I have a bottle of cider vinegar with a couple of tablespoons or so missing. Now I know I bought this for a particular recipe and I seem to recall we really liked the recipe. I just have no idea what the recipe was! And I dont know how else to use it!

It has been opened about 6-9 months, will it even still be ok? I'm guessing as its a vinegar it would be?

janb5

Cider vinegar can be used in a salad dressing but also to fill egg cups with it during the summer and strategically leave them near your door as the ants hate it () tend to fall into the cup! Sorry!

kerri_gt

sleepymans wrote: »

Semolina...and turkey stock and some frozen sausagemeat stuffing (uncooked)!! lol

Semolina can be used sprinkled over postatoes before roasting to make them extra crunchy I believe, or under HM pizza bases - again for crunch

JuzaMum wrote: »

I have two things in the cupboard that I don't know what to do with. One is a vacuum pack of peeled chestnuts and the other is a bag of rose sugar. Ideas please?

Chestnut soup - or par-boil sprouts / cabbage, then shred / chop and fry off with chopped chestnuts - yummy.

carlamarie wrote: »

I have a bottle of cider vinegar with a couple of tablespoons or so missing. Now I know I bought this for a particular recipe and I seem to recall we really liked the recipe. I just have no idea what the recipe was! And I dont know how else to use it!

It has been opened about 6-9 months, will it even still be ok? I'm guessing as its a vinegar it would be?

I have half a bottle from making chutney a few years ago - it was nice, but too much and OH hated the smell. I use mine every now and again although not for a long time, it hasn't killed anyone yet.

I have some cous cous from an attempt last summer to be healthy - it just reminds me of the bottom of a budgie cage. I also have polenta - which is ok, but I meant to buy semolina for the pizza bases - had some lovely polenta chips at Jamie's Italian before but don't have a deep fat fryer to make them at home. Oh and a tube of Wasabi paste I bought in Japan, it seemed a good idea at the time, except I don't like Wasabi.

Sorry, can't help with the orka, I do make a variation of gumbo (ohh, you've made me feel like some now) but leave out the orka as I'm not keen on the texture.