Who Doesn't Love a Good Curry

It’s Friday night, you’re finally off work and planning to have a good weekend and the fancy of a dirty curry takes hold of you… that is until you are reminded that your pecuniary situation is not the greatest in these times of recession, and that when you did have a curry last time it wasn’t really that good in the end and certainly not healthy… By the time the driver arrived it was cold anyway or you weren’t that hungry anymore.

The answer to this age-old dilemma? Do what a lot of our customers are currently doing: Get a good curry paste and make your own spicy and flavoursome curry in a jiffy!

We have several curry pastes at the Devil’s Garden and each is different in composition and heat level. The one we use all the time is Mr Vikki’s North Indian Curry Paste. We recommend this curry paste to anyone who will hear us. There is no hassle at all thanks to Mr Vikki’s as the hard work has already been done for you! The heat is medium to hot and the jar keeps really well in the fridge so we tend to store it and use it as much as we would mustard or mayonnaise.

Chilli Pepper Pete is notorious for his chilli sauces such as Dragon’s Blood, Sphincter Shrinker or Satan’s Shit but his curry pastes are starting to make quite an impression on curry lovers. Chilli Pepper Pete’s Thai curry paste is relatively mild but the flavour is out of this world and really authentic. The lime and coriander shines through in this curry paste and when mixed in with coconut milk be prepared to have a whole crowd converging to your kitchen!

But if heat is what you are after, boy are you in for a treat with Chilli Pepper Pete’s Goan to the Loo Curry Paste. As its name indicates it is not to be taken lightly and Chilli Pepper Pete dares anybody to have a whole jar in one sitting. A lot of vegetables and spices have been combined to form this beautiful curry paste but the Naga Jolokia that provides the heat is absolutely merciless!

Unless you are made out of money, don’t mind the over-greasy taste or calories intake and are ready to wait for an hour or so before eating, curry takeaways are sometimes not worth the hassle. It is easier to get yourself a curry paste that you truly like and make yourself a dish that answers your needs at very little cost!

Unsung Heroes Series: Mr Vikki’s

There are so many chilli sauces, chutneys, spicy snacks and chilli produce in general to choose from these days that it is easy to overlook brands that have been around for a few years and endeavour to offer chilli lovers good quality chilli goodies year after year. They might not be the most fashionable ones or the most talked about but their products are definitely not to be pushed aside.

Take Mr Vikki’s for example. Adam, the man behind the brand is well known for being “the king of chilli preserves” in the north and his chilli chutneys and curry pastes go down a storm at every chilli festival. But some of his chilli sauces and chutneys sometimes get left in shadows such as his “Banana Habanero”.

Winner of a double gold award in 2009, Mr Vikki’s Banana Habanero made a lot of noise when it came out. The combination of bananas and ginger is not an obvious one but is truly delicious whilst the heat coming through from the habanero chillies is just right.

Mr Vikki’s Hot Brinjal Pickle is another example of a great chutney that slowly comes out of fashion but is no less delectable. In turn citrusy, smoky and nutty with a pungent heat that lifts the rich taste of fresh aubergine, Mr Vikki’s Hot Brinjal Pickle is a real winner. It is a fantastic sweet and tasty chilli chutney that works well on its own or with mature hard cheeses or cold meats.

Harissa can be found all over Europe and many chilli suppliers try their hands at producing this popular chilli sauce originating from Tunisia. Mr Vikki’s Lemon Harissa has a hint of garlic and the fresh tanginess of lemon that unlike many other harissa produce we have tried prevents the mix being too heavy for the palate.

So why not go beyond the fashionable chilli sauces, pickles and chutneys out there and try some of Mr Vikki’s chilli preserves for a change? You certainly won’t be disappointed!

REVIEW - Mr Vikki's Apricot Chutney

We first tried this Apricot Chutney from Mr Vikki’s at the 2009 Levens Hall Chilli Fest and were amazed by its flavour. Adam Marks, the man behind the Mr Vikki’s brand is already well known in the North of England and keeps growing in reputation thanks to his wide range of preserves and hot sauces.

Mr Vikki’s Apricot Chutney is probably one of our favourites ever as it is a welcomed variant from mango chutneys that overflow the market. The great thing about this preserve is that it is not overly sweet. Despite being made with 60% apricots on average, it is the fruit that you taste when trying it out rather than its fructose.

The fresh ginger and garlic soon follow, invading your whole mouth and delighting the senses in the meantime. A hint of mustard and vinegar picks the flavour up without overpowering the overall fragrance.

You might ask yourself when the chillies come into action, well they make themselves known pretty much from the start, leaving you with a tingling sensation at the back of the throat and a slight pleasing numbing at the tip of the tongue which should be ok for chilli beginners to handle.

Overall we find Mr Vikki’s Apricot Chutney absolutely fantastic to have on its own or with a nice hard cheese such as Crumbly Lancashire. It is also great of course as a dip with poppadoms or samosas but also works well with fish wrapped up in foil and grilled on the barbecue!

Chilli Chutneys are Very Versatile

Chutneys are great, there is no denying it. A traditional accompaniment for a main dish or a snack, the delicate balance of vegetables, spices and in our case chillies is what makes a great chutney.

There are so many choices out there that it is sometimes difficult to know who to trust. One name that is always reliant though is Mr Vikki’s. Based in Cumbria this supplier is absolutely nuts about chillies and endeavours to create Indian based preserves with a European twist. Take the Hot Brinjal Piquin preserve (currently on offer for just £2!) which is in turn citrusy, smoky and nutty with a pungent heat that lifts the rich taste of fresh aubergines that make the base for this incredibly sweet and tasty sauce.

Dartmoor Chilli Farm is best known for its gorgeous chilli chocolate, jams and marmalades but the chutneys are well worth pointing out. A great way to start if you are a bit weary of chillies is Dartmoor Chilli Farm Mango and Ginger Chilli Chutney. Think poppadums, think mature cheddar cheese, think dipping sauce for chicken or gammon. This gorgeous mild sweet chutney is extremely versatile and one you will constantly be drawn back to.

Firefoods’ own version of a mango chutney is an absolute must have. Just thick enough, not too sweet but still highly satisfying for the tastebuds, with a real taste of mango and of course definitely spicy, this chutney is a winner with pretty much everybody! We also yet have to find someone who doesn’t like Firefoods Chunky Chilli Chutney.

Last but not least is Chilli Pepper Pete's Fiery Jamaican Chutney. Poles apart from the other brands and mostly known for its devilish hot sauces, this amazing Jamaican Chutney is made from an old recipe and is incredibly fruity and aromatic although we have to admit we think it’s nicer blended in with other stuff like meaty stews as it is quite potent. The heat is intense but highly satisfying too.

So there you go, have a pick at some of the lovely chutneys the Devil’s Garden has got to offer, whether you want something really spicy, a side for your cheese platter, a topping for your burger or simply a nice sweet chutney to liven up rainy days!

A New Category to Browse

We have added a new category to our website. We were becoming increasingly uncomfortable with products such as brown sauce and ketchup as they are not really part of the “hot sauce” variety and definitely cannot be classed as a chilli jam, jelly or marmalade!

Mr Vikki’s Harry’s Sauce and Max’s Ketchup are on there (you just HAVE to have them with chips!!) as well as Chilli Queen’s own versions (the brown sauce is AWESOME with a bacon butty!). Firefoods BBQ Sauce is also a great sauce that is perfect all year round.

Mustards are on there of course like Firefoods Fire Mustard which has a distinctive taste of horseradish and Hot Headz Hot’ n’ Spicy which is definitely not your average mustard!!

We don’t really consider Mr Vikki’s Hot Coriander as a hot sauce so we thought we would put it as a condiment as it is just another great sauce to have on the dinner table. Same thing with Chilli Queen’s Cranberry Chilli Jelly and Hot Headz Chilli Piccalilli which will just liven up any cold meat.

Mr Vikki’s King Naga is only for experienced chilli lovers just as Chilli Pepper Pete’s Scotch Bonnets but they both are the perfect accompaniment to sandwiches and mild cheeses.

We thought we would also put Chilli Pepper Pete’s Peri Peri Oil as this will last you ages if you keep topping it up. Dartmoor’s Chilli Salad Dressing is definitely milder but has a wonderful fragrance to it. You won’t need any other form of dressing on your lettuce ever again!

A little bit strange to think of as a condiment but one we couldn’t set aside is Firefoods Firemite (chilli marmite!!!) and Chilli Peanut Butter because let’s face it, how good a chilli product is that?

Mr Vikki's - Indian Fusion for Chilli Lovers

Mr Vikki’s doesn’t need much introduction as he is fast becoming one of the most loved chilli producers in the north. Adam, the head behind the whole operation goes out of his way to make sure that people try his chilli treats where Indian spices blend in seamlessly with traditional tastes.

Some people are just addicted to one chutney like King Naga or HHH (i.e Hell Hot Habanero) while others often ask us for different products depending on the occasion or simply their taste for sweet or savoury.

We love recommending Mr Vikki’s Apricot or Mango Chutney as a dip and his range of savoury preserves such as Gooseberry, Tomato & Nigella, Chilli Jam and Banana Habanero and Fiery Lemon Harissa always go down a storm!

His curry pastes are just out of this world. We are obsessed with them and keep asking people to try it in their food. The combination of spices and various flavours is just right and it is always such a pleasure to make a good chicken curry with either the North Indian or Hot Goan one.

Mr Vikki’s Tomato Ketchup and Brown Sauce just have a nice heat at the back of the throat and believe us when we say that your bacon butties will never taste the same after you’ve tried them. Same thing with Hot Stuff, Mr Vikki’s only hot sauce although we’re sure this is about to change!

So keep an eye out for new quality preserves from Mr Vikki’s and check out his already incredibly successful range!