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decent hot chillies, corn flour, yeast, decent soy sauce, hard wheat bread flour, whole spices in large packets,(coriander seed, cummin seed, fenugreek seed, cardamom seed, fenugreek dried leaf 'methi'.....
any ideas ?
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Could you give us an idea what province you are in? We have a great spice shop in my village but no point recommending it if it's 1000 kilometres from where you are!
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Murcia.........it's the Mercadonna in San Pedro del Pinatar, but the supermarkets in La Manga were just as deficient
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Wholefood shop? Local markets?
No idea if you have one close. but DIA supermarkets often carry a range of spices in large packets.
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Hi John, chillies are a problem, I don't think the spanish cook Indian and Thai food. We always bring green and red chillies with us which last about three weeks in the fridge max. We also bring the whole spices with us as we cannot manage to survive 4 to 6 weeeks without spicy food, I will keep an eye on this thread because I am sure there must be a Asian shop somewhere in the region. (we live about 12 klicks from Murcia City) I suppose the best place to find this type of shop would be near Torrevieja.
Anyway back to blighty on Saturday and I am looking forward to a Nagga chicken balti on Saturday night (already booked a table) in one of our locals, it's called Bollywood. ymmmm
Buen suerte
Geoff
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Nigel
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Ok my local is no good. It's a little Spanish spice shop and she gets in anything she doesn't normally stock. 40k north of Málaga. But perhaps look for the little shops and market stalls, rather then supermarkets?
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There was a marvellous Iranian shop near the Aquapark in Torrevieja which had all the food you are mentioning. Sadly it closed and we have not found another like it. Spanish don't eat spicy foods.
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Daveil
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I think you will find Mercadona do have corn flour - harina de maíz,
and yeast - levadura
Often the problem for non Spanish speakers is not being able to ask.
We can buy loose spices, very large selection, in our weekly our door market.
We also have several Chinese food shops, for chillies etc. I used to grow them but have not done so for a while. They are very easy.
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Johnzx
maize flour isn't the same as cornflour..........I'm talking about the very finel powder (same consistancy as custard powder). The stuff you mix with cold water and add to stews etc. to thicken
the levadura isn't yeast it's baking powdwer (bicarbonate soda)
thanks for your help though
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Maize flour is a thicken agent, to all intents and purposes it is corn flour
From Wiki Answers
:
This is one of those instances in which the differences between UK English, US English, and possibly Australian English become much more apparent.
The finely powdered white starch of maize grain is called cornflour in the UK, but cornstarch in the US. Wheat starch is called cornflour in Australia. Maize flour, the coarser grind, is called cornflour sometimes in the US, but more frequently it's called cornmeal. Cornflour can also refer to masa harina, the flour of hominy, which is dried corn cooked with lime-water. Hominy was a discovery of mesoamerican cultures.
levadura (en polvo) is baking pwoder
Levadura is yeast. I have made bread with it.
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What you need is "harina fina de maiz" which is Corn flour as johnzx mentioned. Brand "La Maizena" is what I use. It is used exactly for what you are looking for, to thicken stews etc and you mix it with water.
maize = corn it comes from the Spanish Maiz = Corn so it's the same thing in culinary terms. What you want is fine not course flour to mix with water.
"levadura" is in fact Yeast as Johnzx well mentioned, but the packaging in Spain can be deceptive. "baking powder" is Bicarbonate Soda but it also carries other agents like starch. It is what is most common in the supermarkets as it is used for cakes and bread. So if you can find pure "levadura" that is yeast. Check the ingredients on the packet.
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A donde el corazón se inclina, el pie camina.
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thanks for the info Johnzx
it's cornstarch I'm looking for then. I reckon if I used the coarser ground stuff with water it would go lumpy. The starch is soluble which is why I use it in water/soy sauce mixes.
I'll look out for the Levadura....I've obviouly bought the wrong stuff
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You won't find any of the things you are really looking for in Mercadona now or ever. It doesn't cater for internactional food, it is a neihbourhood supermarket and very strict on offering what the locals really need and want. Coice or selection is not is priority.
Carrefour have started an international section, at least in my local supermarket, pretty good considering there was nothing before!
In Valencia there are a lot of indian and oriental supermarkets near the centre in the Ruzafa area so if you pass by stock up! What I suggest is you find your local Indian restaurant and ask them. I'm sure they'll help you. Thai food is impossible, I get my thai curry paste from Holland now and again
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A donde el corazón se inclina, el pie camina.
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"harina fina de maiz" which is Corn flour as johnzx mentioned. Brand "La Maizena"
right ...I'll be looking for that
ta
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decent hot chillies - Lidls. Bought some this morning. 3 types including the hot ones.
corn flour - as said, harina de maiz. Available in all good supermarkets. Alternatively, Jumerca Gama have Heritage brand.
yeast - yep, levadura. Levadura en polvo is the one to avoid.
decent soy sauce - What do you mean by "decent"? Carrefour and Eroski do Amoy, Blue Dragon in other places, good stuff again in Lidls. (have to avoid it nowadays, I'm afraid, as it's like liquid salt - still use it in my BBQ sauce, though.
hard wheat bread flour - Jumerca Gama and the new Alcampo in La Zenia. Gama has 3 different types. I'm sure I also so it in Mercadona as well.
whole spices in large packets,(coriander seed, cummin seed, fenugreek seed, cardamom seed, fenugreek dried leaf 'methi'..... - Apart from fenugreek, all the markets round here do the others in large packets.
If you make a day of it, by the bus station in Torrevieja (the one in town by the market) has a big Asian food store a few shops along.
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Surely it would be easier for a friend or relative in UK to send you a parcel of all your spices etc?
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can I just say a big thank you to all who've helped. I have resorted in the past to bringing out spices but I use a lot and would be looking for them in Kilo packs as small packs are really dear.
I was surprised at the lack of fresh chillies in Mercadonna.........the one I used in Las Americas Tenerife had a much wider range of fresh herbs, chillies, ginger etc. but I gues they cater for a different market there
but if they've got them in Lidle, that's a find
I'm still adjusting to what's availlable in Murcia ......eye on spain's great for info
thanks again everybody
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I stock up once a year from thai food online co uk . Postage costs are not cheap (and getting dearer by the day) so I tend to have an order sent to one of my unsuspecting relatives or friends before they come out ;) I agree with johnzx - hot chillies are very easy to grow and the seeds are cheap.
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Thanks for an interesting read. As I am packing the car ready to leave on Friday I now intend to find a small space (well maybe not so small) to pack some spices including my thai mixes .....my absolute favourite!
Thanks again
Angie
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