Hard to find ingredients

david75

Sorry if this has been asked before.
I'll often use a food/recipe app for ideas for cooking but more often than not theyre US based and inevitably have tricky ingredients that I don't know where to get them. Say like ochre for a gumbo just as an example.

Do you guys have any go to places around Dublin when you're lookin for stuff that usually isn't available in supermarkets?

Any ideas appreciated.
Thanks.

The Hill Billy

Fallon & Byrne is a good start for that kind of stuff.
The Asian supermarkets around town are also gems for picking up the odder ingredients.

david75

The Hill Billy wrote: »

Fallon & Byrne is a good start for that kind of stuff.
The Asian supermarkets around town are also gems for picking up the odder ingredients.

Really?
Thanks you.
Yeah I love going into the Asian markets and just grabbing random packets. Never know what you're gonna get.
(Last summer I did that and it went wrong. It was meant to be a chicken noodle soup but whatever pack of paste I used it was basically anisette/gobstopper flavoured soup. Disaster )

PhoenixParker

Okra can be bought in a lot of Asian shops. We usually get it in the one in coolmine industrial estate. They have frozen and fresh.

david75

Brillo thank you

Alf Stewart.

I find Eurasia in Fonthill retail park a real Godsend for the more elusive ingredients. I don't think there's been too much I couldn't get in there when all else fails.

Cheap too.

Oh, and they do halal goat meat in the butchers, which I've not gotten around to trying yet, but I'm definitely for making me a good goat curry some evening.

I've been told its much, much nicer than lamb. So that's something I can completely get on board with.

exaisle

+1 re asian markets. There's a really good one in Tallaght at the Plaza Hotel building facing the Garda station.

They have some nice veg at decent prices and more or less any spice you could name....

The Hill Billy

Alf Stewart. wrote: »

I find Eurasia in Fonthill retail park a real Godsend for the more elusive ingredients. I don't think there's been too much I couldn't get in there when all else fails.

Cheap too.

Oh, and they do halal goat meat in the butchers, which I've not gotten around to trying yet, but I'm definitely for making me a good goat curry some evening.

I've been told its much, much nicer than lamb. So that's something I can completely get on board with.

Good to know where I can get goat. Ta.

As for it being "much nicer" than lamb - that's kind of like saying buffalo is nicer than beef. They are quite similar, but at the end of the day it is down to personal taste, particularly if you are sticking it in a curry.

Alf Stewart.

The Hill Billy wrote: »

Good to know where I can get goat. Ta.

Not only goat, they've loads of stuff not generally available from your normal butchers (barramundi, snapper, etc) fair enough, more fish than meat, but you get the gist.

As for it being "much nicer" than lamb - that's kind of like saying buffalo is nicer than beef. They are quite similar, but at the end of the day it is down to personal taste, particularly if you are sticking it in a curry.

Good point, I should be clear that lamb is one of my most favourite meats. Like ever.

Seriously though, I've never tasted goat yet, so if "nicer than lamb" I'm well up for testing that.

As regards "Eurasia" they have almost anything you could ever need, no matter how "odd" your recipe. Think of it as a massive Aldi, but for Asian/African customers.

I was out and about with customers today, quite near there, so made a point of dripping in for a few bits .

Picked up a few spice and some of the most juciest oranges I've ever eaten. Massive "navel" oranges, no pips. Massive sweetness .

They also have a deli at the back of the place that serves traditional style pakoras, samosas x etc.

My personal favourite is their chilli bhajis. Basically chilli peppers done in traditional indian batter mix.

Hot as hell. Get it with their equally delicious yoghurt dip

Dizzyblonde

The Oriental Emporium at the Luas stop beside the Jervis Street Centre is brilliant.

Dial Hard

The other thing to bear in mind about American recipes is that sometimes they just call stuff by odd names.

Zucchini = courgette

Eggplant = aubergine

Garbanzo beans = chickpeas

Cilantro = fresh coriander

They can also be almost endearingly literal. As in:

Hamburger meat = mince

Crescent rolls = croissants

Alf Stewart.

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

The Oriental Emporium at the Luas stop beside the Jervis Street Centre is brilliant.

Last place I bought a proper wok.

€20

Still goin strong.

Sinister Kid

I'm looking for liquid smoke flavoring, any ideas where?

david75

Sinister Kid wrote: »

I'm looking for liquid smoke flavoring, any ideas where?

So weird you mention that. My Italian friend was railing against dolmio sauce the other day. Last night I looked on the back of their white lasagne sauce and one of the ingredients was 'smoke flavour'. Which I'd never even heard of!!

I'll keep an eye out if you don't get an answer here.

Dubl07

Sinister Kid wrote: »

I'm looking for liquid smoke flavoring, any ideas where?

Someone else asked for liquid smoke a couple of years ago. He was directed to Fallon & Byrne. They have it in small quantities every so often.

Sinister Kid

david75 wrote: »

So weird you mention that. My Italian friend was railing against dolmio sauce the other day. Last night I looked on the back of their white lasagne sauce and one of the ingredients was 'smoke flavour'. Which I'd never even heard of!!

I'll keep an eye out if you don't get an answer here.

First time I have come across it! I want to make Cola bourbon bbq chicken wings, liquid smoke is on the ingredients list!

Dubl07 wrote: »

Someone else asked for liquid smoke a couple of years ago. He was directed to Fallon & Byrne. They have it in small quantities every so often.

I see it on amazon, will try Fallon & Byrne first though. Thanks

janmaree

Sinister Kid wrote: »

First time I have come across it! I want to make Cola bourbon bbq chicken wings, liquid smoke is on the ingredients list!



I see it on amazon, will try Fallon & Byrne first though. Thanks

I got it a couple of weeks ago in the Avoca store (between Saggart and Rathcoole on the Naas Road). They also had Old Bay Seasoning that keeps cropping up in American seafood recipes, both items were very reasonably priced I thought.

Alf Stewart.

janmaree wrote: »

I got it a couple of weeks ago in the Avoca store (between Saggart and Rathcoole on the Naas Road). They also had Old Bay Seasoning that keeps cropping up in American seafood recipes, both items were very reasonably priced I thought.

I don't live too far from the store, and there can be some real gems to be found in it from time to time.

They do tofu in sizable chunks, which work out much cheaper than Tesco for example.

And of there fruits and vegetables can be absolutely top quality.

L1011

Alf Stewart. wrote: »

As regards "Eurasia" they have almost anything you could ever need, no matter how "odd" your recipe. Think of it as a massive Aldi, but for Asian/African customers.

+1 on this - my main/almost sole source for spices, paneer etc. The best prepacked naans I've found, any type of rice/grain/flour you want.

I really wish they'd label the veg/herbs in that section of the shop, though. Don't recognise most of them and I'm sure there's loads of stuff worth trying. The tiny Indian shop in Maynooth - very long gone now - was great for that as the owner would guide you through everything but Eurasia is far too busy for that.

nuckeythompson

Sinister Kid wrote:

I'm looking for liquid smoke flavoring, any ideas where?

Charcoal if you leave it in the dish for a few minutes whilst cooking gives it a smokey flavour

rubadub

L1011 wrote: »

The tiny Indian shop in Maynooth - very long gone now - was great for that as the owner would guide you through everything but Eurasia is far too busy for that.

There is an Indian/Asian shop in blackrock market in dublin which is open late every night, i.e. not just market times. It is rarely busy and like that the owners are helpful and will recommend stuff and alternatives but you do not feel pushed into buying anything. He got me in stuff they did not stock too.

http://blackrockmarket.com/asian-food/

Open 7-days a week from 10:00am - 7:00pm

I think they actually open later than that.

Their facebook page is not up to date, I wish these shops would take photos showing all the stuff & prices.

https://www.facebook.com/pg/Asianshopblackrock/photos/?ref=page_internal

david75

Is there anywhere in Dublin you can buy Haggis?
My pal needs it for a Scottish thing

rubadub

david75 wrote: »

Is there anywhere in Dublin you can buy Haggis?
My pal needs it for a Scottish thing

People were saying it was in Aldi, (or possibly was lidl), but saying it was terrible, so more of a warning than recommendation...

Marks & spencer might have been mentioned too, not sure though.

david75

rubadub wrote: »

People were saying it was in Aldi, (or possibly was lidl), but saying it was terrible, so more of a warning than recommendation...

Thanks, I’ll send the warning on

the beer revolu

M&S haggis is very nice.

dudara

david75 wrote: »

Is there anywhere in Dublin you can buy Haggis?
My pal needs it for a Scottish thing

The Village Butcher in Ranelagh was definitely stocking it. Don’t know though if they still have it

david75

THank you folks!