| Product: |
Sharwood's Jalfrezi Sauce |
| Date: |
16/07/08 (451 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Tasty, spicy and easy to follow instructions
Disadvantages: Doesn't taste like the original one!
Here I am once again writing about Sharwood Indian sauces.
Well, I adore Indian food, especially curries, it's one of my favourite foods (next to Italian food); it's very colourful, hot and spicy with a kick of oriental vegetables all presented in a very appealing way and has a mouth watering taste. Whenever I feel bored by the usual selection of food; I have tried Indian curries: exciting, tasty, adventurous and a nice break from the norm.
I'm sure there are a lot of people who prefer to use the fresh spices (especially for curries) because the taste and the smell is much different than the sauces you buy ready-made in jars or canned, but in some cases, when you need a quick fix, I think this is the one for you!
In a previous review I mentioned briefly most of the Sharwood cooking sauces; Jalfrezi was one of those sauces.
I said, "Jalfrezi: contains mostly tomatoes, mixed peppers, onions and lots of spices such as cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cinnamon stick, cardamon, gloves, and garam masala." As I like this flavour, I decided to review it on its own. Unfortunately this time I bought it at the full price (no special offers)!
~~~WHAT IS JALFREZI? ~~~
There are so many definitions for it. The word itself can be divided into two parts In Bengali, 'Jhal' means spicy hot. On the other hand Frezi can be a word for fried. Jalfrezi original cooking method is like Chinese stir fry.
Some Indian chefs said that they invented curries with overwhelming spices to change the taste of the left over chicken and meat (as we all know leftover cooked poultry and meats change taste and might smell; especially in hot, humid weather) and with no refrigerators before, so the best to re-flavour the meat by using extra spices and herbs with some sweet aromatic vegetables to change the meat smell and make it more appealing to eat.
~~~Jalfrezi Sauce (The Original Indian Sauce) ~~~
We all know that the original sauce's taste and ingredients can be varied slightly or greatly from the pre-packed or canned sauces, so there is a quick comparison between the two sauces.
'''Jalfrezi original ingredients (taking them from an old Indian chef)''' are fresh spices such as cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, cloves, fresh ginger, fresh green chilies, tomatoes, onions, green and red peppers; sometimes they add ground black pepper (optional).
'''Jalfrezi Sharwood sauce ingredients''' are Water, Tomatoes (14%), Green Peppers (7%), Red Peppers (7%), Onions (5%), Sugar, Concentrated Tomato Puree (3%), Concentrated Whole Tomatoes (2%), Modified Starch, Coconut Flour, Spices, Vegetable Oil, Concentrated Lemon Juice, Chopped Ginger, Salt, Cumin Seeds, Ginger Puree, Coriander Leaf, Garlic Puree, Chilli Powder, Turmeric, Citric Acid. As you can see, they are not quite the same, and there is additional sugar added as well for the English taste. Of course it won't taste the same - maybe the quantity and the quality differ and surely fresh is always the best. I also have to add that the original recipe is quite dry, while the Sharwood recipe is not as thick as the original, but still has volume and is considered to be thick.
~~~SHARWOOD JALFREZI SAUCE ~~~
~~The Smell ~~
Once I opened the jar the smell of spices was over whelming, very aromatic, I can recognize instantly the ginger and garlic. I actually like the smell and it takes me straight to the Indian restaurants, always smelling of garlic and spices! I can also smell the sweet roasted peppers and a hint of coriander; from the brief smell I can predict the taste will be quite spicy (spicy doesn't always mean hot).
~~~The Look (Colour) ~~~
The look does not match the smell: it is not very appealing, and as a matter of fact, it looks quite bland; not as colourful as some other curries or sauces. The colour of tomatoes and red peppers were dominating the whole look of the sauce, so you can guess . . . it's a dark red with some lighter red patches (red peppers) throughout.
~~~ Texture ~~~
It is a very thick sauce but it still has some liquid in it; it is textured with bits of onion, green and red peppers and (hard to see) finely chopped green coriander leaves. I like the thickness of the sauce; it means that it has more ingredients and less water so the meat will be marinated with lots of different flavours and spices; not just soaked in water!
~~~ Preparation ~~~
This sauce can be used in combination with any kind of meat; because of its mixture of savoury and sweet tastes, it can be even used with prawns or fish. I used this sauce with chicken (as I always do).
After cutting the chicken breasts into thin strips (you can cut it into cubes if you want), I fried them with a little oil for 10 minutes; I added the sauce: the advantage of it being thick was showing - the chicken was completely wrapped and being marinated by the sauce. I covered it and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes.
The smell of spices and herbs were gorgeous, the aroma of this sauce was even stronger when cooked! I could hardly wait to taste the finishing results.
~~The result (when cooked) ~~
~~~ The smell ~~~
The smell has changed a lot during the cooking: the aroma is now even stronger especially the ginger and the onions, I liked the smell even more, and it encouraged me to give it a go!
~~~ The colour and texture ~~~
The color has become a very dark red. This was a little disappointing; this occurred because the sauce was boiling, so it thickened (unlike the Korma sauce, which was sort of yellow-orange colour).
~~~ The taste ~~~
I served it with plain basmati rice. The look wasn't that bad really when you add the white rice so I tucked in and tried it. I was very pleased with the taste. The combination of the dry spices (garam masala) and the fresh spices is quite good, and the garlic, onion and chillies gave it a strong taste. On the other side the sugar is quite obvious, not too much but you can taste the sweetness, this is because of the added sugar and the natural sweetness of the red pepper.
The roasted peppers gave the sauce the right taste and thickness. I personally prefer more roasted peppers. This sauce is based mainly on tomatoes so with a hint of lemon juice it is quite sharp. This sauce is not as hot as it should be; I felt a slight tingle, I think it should be a little hotter - but if you can't eat hot and spicy food, maybe this could be the right one for you.
~~~ The texture ~~~
It is quite crunchy because of the onions and the fruity pepper pieces but I found skin from either the peppers or the tomatoes, and it's a bit unpleasant and not nice to digest! The sauce is thickened by cooking; I could hardly find any liquid left.
~~~Aftertaste ~~~
There is always an aftertaste for Indian food especially curries because of the spices. The aftertaste of the jalfrezi sauce is not too bad. I felt a slight bitterness, this occurs because of the roasted peppers and fennel seed, also the powerful smell of the garlic can stay for hours. This is easily can be solved by chewing some gum!
You can also feel a little thirsty, this is normal with any curry.
~~~ CONCLUSION ~~~
Sharwood have used high quality ingredients with some interesting and delicious variety of sauces and spices; I have to say it is not authentic and sometimes the jars taste nothing like the original recipe, but they're nice and pleasant to eat, easy to prepare and cook and can be used with most meats.
If you are a working person who doesn't have time to create and think of original dishes or simply want to try new flavors, it could be the right solution for you, in my personal opinion. It can be served with rice, naan bread or simply stir-fried. I have to say a very close friend uses this original way: she uses one jar of the sauce and mixes it with cooked, left-over rice. She then microwaves it for few minutes and eats it, nice and easy!
The jar is enough to use with 1 whole chicken breast, feeding 4-6 people (depending on your appetite).
~~~ Some Nutrition Facts ~~~
* There are no artificial colourings, flavourings or preservatives; this is a positive point for Sharwood sauces.
* For allergy sufferers, it may contain traces of nuts and you can find the warning at the back of the jar.
* It is suitable for COELIACS (it is a reaction from gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley).
* Suitable for vegetarian.
* It has sugar (not a great deal but I have to mention it), so if you are diabetic please check first if this is suitable for you.
* Low in calorie 76 cal/100g.
~~~ Where to find and prices ~~~
It can be found easily in any supermarket. The prices range from £1.27-£1.49 for 420g but it is a price well worth it.
~~~My Personal Rating And Opinion ~~~
* Taste . . . . . . 8/10
* Smell . . . . . . 8/10
* Look . . . . . . .7/10
~~~Is There Any Room For Improvement? ~~~
# Add more red and green pepper, coriander (fresh), liquid, chilli and spices
# Add less Sugar, garlic and onion.
# And yeah...bigger jars please for bigger families!
~~~ Would I recommend it?~~~
Absolutely! It's nice and easy to cook, especially for beginners and people with less time to spend in the kitchen.
© Karimkha....July.....2008
Also on ciao under the same username.
Summary: Nice and easy!
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