Chaula's Indian Restaurant Brighton

Last week my friend came to Brighton and on our ventures around town we discovered a new Indian Restaurant. The bright orange name plaque on the wall drew us in. 

'What is that orange House there?' 'Let's go find out!'

 Being in a place were people don't usually walk along, behind the Town Hall, it's plain brilliance to appear so bright and cheerful in the distance.

Coming closer we learned it isn't 'Charlie's', or 'Chana's', but 'Chaula's', an Indian Restaurant/ Cafe, that opened it's doors in Brighton 4 month ago, having had a successful start in Lewes, where the original Restaurant is.

And rightly so. The quality of food is outstanding.

We had the Lunchtime Special Thali. One Vegetarian and one with Meat, made for 15 different things to taste in total.

The flavours of each dish were totally unique and entirely different to every other dish. Making it a discovery of tantalising flavours as you go through your meal. All I could say was yum, yum yum, and yum yum yum. 

I believe that they must have a real Tandoori Clay Oven, because the fresh Naan Bread had that tell tale shape and taste. The Special Thali's were on Offer at £7 instead of £14 for a limited time. So get your skates on before it's too late. But even if it was the full price I would be more than happy to pay it.

On the way out I grabbed a Take Away Menu and was surprised what interesting dishes it had, besides the old favourites, that even I have never even heard of. This is real Indian food, made by real Indian people with love and talent.

I highly recommend to visit this Restaurant as I will certainly do again soon.

And here is the address:

Chaula's

2-3 Little East Street

Brighton

East Sussex

BN1 1HT

Tel: 01273 771661

Here is a link to their website: www.chaulas.co.uk

Ginger & Garlic Steamed Fish en Papillote

This is a tasty, fresh and healthy way to prepare a medium sized whole fish or a large Fish Fillet.

Simply make a 'bed' of fresh thinly sliced vegetables on a baking tray lined with 1 large sheet of tin foil first and then a large sheet of greaseproof Paper.

I have used, fine green Beans, freshly shelled Peas, baby Carrots, Spring Onions and sliced Bok Choi.

Cut a few slashes into the flesh of the cleaned and scaled fish (I've got a Sea Bream today) and stuff these, as well as the cavity, with slithers of fresh Ginger and Garlic. Season with Salt and Pepper and add a knob of Butter or a drizzle of Olive Oil.

Now fold the Greaseproof Paper and Tinfoil into a parcel that will keep all the steam, flavour and  juices inside.

Place the whole tray into a 220C oven and bake for about 30-45 minutes depending on the size of the fish. A fish fillet would need only 20 minutes.

I have served my little Sea Bream with Nam Pla Prik, a Thai Dipping Sauce made with Fish Sauce, Lime and Chillies. But a simple squeeze of Lemon would be just as delicious.

Kingston Jamaica and Jerk Chicken

A quote from Thumper in the animated Walt Disney Classic 'Bambi', "If you can't say something nice, don't say nothing at all."

A long time ago I went to a Jerk Master Class in Jamaica and learned how to make this typical Caribbean beauty first hand.

Back in Kingston now I am feeling the love and want to make it again. The method of Jerking originates in Jamaica and uses the typical Jamaican Pimento Berries as well as the Pimento tree for the BBQ process. You could put the entire contents of your spice cupboard into this marinade, but Pimento, Scotch Bonnet and Thyme are the most important.

Since my last recipe turned out better then my teachers ;-) I will use that same one again!

Ingredients for the Jerk wet marinade:

1 large Spring Onion

1/2 Onion

1 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1 tbs All Spice (Pimento)

1/4 tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp dried Thyme

2 tbs Soy Sauce

1 or 2 Scotch Bonnet Chillies (how hot do you like it?)

4 cloves of Garlic

1 inch of Ginger

a small bunch of fresh Thyme

1 tbs Peppercorns

2 tbs Oil

1 tbs Brown Sugar

1 Bay leaf

a splash of Pineapple Juice

Blend all Ingredients in a food processor until it is of a thick shake consistency.

Add a splash of Pineapple Juice to get it right.

This is my personal version of the Jerk marinade, everyone here makes it differently. My teacher added something called Old Bay,  a spice mixture I haven't ever used before. She also added Cloves, but I am leaving those out, as the All Spice is pungent enough.

Take a whole Chicken and cut out the backbone to butterfly.

Massage the whole Marinade into it, paying attention to getting it under the skin as well.

Leave to marinate for up to 2 days.

BBQ your Chicken on Pimento Tree Charcoal, or failing that roast in a 200C oven, turning a few times, until tender and juicy.

Chicken Enchiladas

This recipe was not actually inspired by a Mexican trip, but rather while on a visit to a Floridian Supermarket. The influence is well known all over the southern parts of the United States, but I will for simplicities sake call it a Mexican recipe. Well, made by a German, so it's not really going to be like your mama used to make it, that's for sure. And this is my first time making Enchiladas and I love making new things.

The ingredients I have chosen can be substituted or left out or added to and played with. That's what I like about dishes like these. You make it your own with what you got on the day.

Ingredients:

6 Corn Tortillas (the smaller variety)

250g cooked chicken, diced

1 red Onion, diced

3-5 Garlic Cloves, chopped (mine came from the cavity of the chicken I had previously roasted)

3-5 green Chillies, chopped

1/2 tsp Cumin

1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1/2 tsp Mexican Oregano

110g Pepper Jack Cheese, grated

500g Tomato Passata (sieved Tomatoes)

Salt, Pepper and a pinch of Sugar

Make the Enchilada Sauce by gently frying the Onion in a touch of Oil or use cooking Spray until the are translucent. Add the Garlic and green chillies and gently fry a little more, Add the Cumin, Cayenne and Oregano and the Tomato Passata. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for a few minutes. 

Season to taste with Salt, Pepper and a pinch of Sugar.

Take half of the sauce plus 1/3 of the grated cheese and mix it with the Chicken. 

Depending on the type of Tortillas they may need to be pre-fried or dipped in a little of the sauce to make them softer and easier to handle. However mine had a lovely texture and I used them just as they were. 

Visually divide the Chicken mixture into 6 portions and spoon each of these onto a tortilla, roll it up and place it seam side down into a baking dish that fits them snugly.

Once all the Enchiladas are in place spoon over the remaining Sauce and sprinkle with cheese.

Bake in a 220C oven for about 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and turning golden and the sauce is bubbling all around. Serve garnished with some greenery and your choice of accompaniments. 

I love the spicy gooeyness of this dish. 

Next time I might add some creme fraiche to the chicken mixture to give the filling a creamy twang that separates it from the topping sauce.

Mecklenburger Aalsuppe (Eel Soup from Northern Germany)

When I was little, my family used to go on our Summer holidays onboard our Boat 'de Lilebiler' on the Lakes in and around Schwerin Mecklenburg in Northern Germany. 

I will always remember my Dad trying to catch the elusive Eel. Going fishing all night with all manner of bait and always coming back without a single catch. 

Eel is a sought after Speciality all over Northern Germany. Mostly found smoked, famously in Hamburg's Fish market / Nightlife Centre -Landungsbrucken.

Maybe because it was such an elusive fish that Papa Steinhagen never caught, or maybe despite of it, Eel became one of, if not the most favourite fish on our dinner table. Though not very often as it is considered a treat.

If you have only ever had Jellied Eels, (the British way) then I very much understand how you might think... 'How can you eat that! Eugh!' I would feel the same way. Jellied Eels are a sacrilege to this delicacy.

For me the best way to cook fresh Eel is 'Blue'. Simply simmer the fish whole or cut into pieces in a well seasoned Court Bouillon lazed with Lemon Juice or Vinegar to add the acidity which will turn the skin 'blue'. Serve with Boiled Potatoes and Butter Sauce and a dollop of tangy Horseradish Cream. I did this recipe on the ITV Program 'There's no Taste Like Home' using Rainbow Trout. Here is a link for this recipe from the program: http://www.itv.com/food/recipes/trout-blue-salted-potatoes-and-cucumber-salad

Today I will share another way of cooking Eel in a delicious Soup based on a similar principle.

Ingredients:

1 large Eel, cleaned and cut into 1 inch pieces

2 Spring Onions sliced

1 Potato, diced

1 Carrot, diced

1 handful Peas

1 rib of Celery

1 stalk of Leek

1 handful fresh Parsley

a couple of sprigs of Dill

1 Lemon, juiced

2 Bayleaves 

1 glass dry White Wine

500ml Chicken Stock

Bring the Chicken stock to a simmer and add the vegetables and Bayleaves. Cook for about 10-15 minutes until they are soft. Pour in the Wine and Lemon juice and season with Parsley and Dill, Salt and White pepper to taste. then add the Eel pieces and bring back to simmering point. Turn the heat down and leave to cook gently for about 10 more minutes.

Cooking the fish on the bone like this will involve a little bit fiddly work at the table, but I prefer to eat it like this. Of course another way to do it would be to cook the fish in the seasoned broth first, then remove and cook the vegetables in this broth while filleting the Eel and the adding just the fine meat to the finished Soup at the end. 

Sprinkle with more Parsley to serve.

I have to make a little confession... I started eating my soup, but then thought, 'sod the soup' and went to fish out all the pieces of Eel from the pot and just ate those! 

Then I went back to the fishmonger and bought another Eel. He was most amused....