cooking a curry

[5029]

Can you buy fenugreek seeds and curry leaves in ordinary shops such as Tescos, or do i need to go to a specialist shop. If so, are there any alternatives i could use which are similar eg how many teasp of curry powder= 1 curry leaf?

[Cactus]

Hi, in answer to your question, no i doubt if you'll find curry leaves in Tescos, but you should be able to get the fenugreek seeds there. You need to track down an Asian deli really. If you live near a fairly large town/city then you shouldn't have any problem finding one. Have a look in your Yellow Pages, give them a ring to make sure they stock them before you go, just in case you have a wasted journey. Once you've found somewhere that stocks them, you can buy a big bag and let them dry; they last for ages. There isn't really a substitute for them - they don't determine the heat of the curry like curry powder would, they're more needed for their fragrant flavour. You could make the curry without them, but i guarantee you it wouldn't taste half as nice! As a last resort you could try asking in Sainsburys - that recipe i posted was a Jamie Oliver recipe and i've noticed since they started using him for their adverts, they've started stocking a wider range of foreign herbs and the like. Hope you manage to get your hands on some, it's worth it in the end - that curry recipe is really nice and creamy!

[parkhead]

Curry leaves and fenugreek seeds are both readily available in our local ASDA store, though admittedly this is what the supermarket itself refers to as one of their "Larger stores". As for using curry powder as a substitute to a curry leaf I personally would not advise this as the curry leaf is a really subtle flavour and the powder would be too strong and too hot.

[WendyW]

If you go to an Asian shop all the herb and spices are much cheaper. We tend to stock up three or four times a year.