Value Range foods compared

[jennyjj01]

A quick shout out for YumSu Instant Noodles from Home Bargain.

£1.19 for a pack of 6 x individually wrapped portions, each with a pair of flavour sachets. Oil and powders.

Bump:
Just got back from B&M.

Bless 'em they have cases upon cases of these stacked around the store.

This time 5 sachets to a pack for £1 Two flavours ( Plus chilli a bit dearer )

https://www.bmstores.co.uk/products/yum ... 5pk-391175
https://www.bmstores.co.uk/products/yum ... 5pk-391193

Since the flavouring is in its own sachet, these can be any flavour you wish to add. With a sprinkle of corn and a blob of chicken stock, you have a meal in 5 minutes.

If you have a place for noodles in your pantry, you won't beat these on price.

[jennyjj01]

Heads up folks we have just tried the tesco stockwell baked beans and they are a little watery but the taste was better than hienz

You guys probably know I'm tight as a ducks bum, so here's one for the archive.

I really like Tesco Stockwell beans. They are my go-to at 28p
But in a moment of stock rotation I stumbled on a tin of Branston. Oh boy, they were good.

So, in a moment of madness, I'm just off to get a few of cases of branston which I just saw for £7 a dozen in Home Bargain... or was it B&M.

I'm literally prepared to pay twice the Stockwell price for the 'luxury' value. This doesn't happen often.

[jennyjj01]

I'm looking for suggestions please. British Indian Restaurant* style curry sauces. Best value for money with long shelf life...... And simple to prepare.

This request comes from me realising that cooking an indian meal from scratch is not something to do under stress, ill, or 'under fire'

For pasta sauces or sweet & sour, I have my go-to jars, but I seldom buy quality curries in jars or kits. I don't even know whether I should be buying in paste form, sauce jar form, or made up spice mix.

So. I'm thinking something like Sharwoods or Pataks...... Or the BEST value supermarket own brand!*

In an ideal world, it would be one pot super simple with minimum need for added ingredients. Package size would be small and efficient to serve TWO-THREE portions

*I have considered the dead cheap Morrison's curry sauce, and the Mayflower powder mix, which are both great value. But indulge me with something more authentic.

Preferred curries: Rogan Josh, Dopiaza, Balti, Jalfrezi.

[Frnc]

I'm looking for suggestions please. British Indian Restaurant* style curry sauces. Best value for money with long shelf life...... And simple to prepare.

This request comes from me realising that cooking an indian meal from scratch is not something to do under stress, ill, or 'under fire'

For pasta sauces or sweet & sour, I have my go-to jars, but I seldom buy quality curries in jars or kits. I don't even know whether I should be buying in paste form, sauce jar form, or made up spice mix.

So. I'm thinking something like Sharwoods or Pataks...... Or the BEST value supermarket own brand!*

In an ideal world, it would be one pot super simple with minimum need for added ingredients. Package size would be small and efficient to serve TWO-THREE portions

*I have considered the dead cheap Morrison's curry sauce, and the Mayflower powder mix, which are both great value. But indulge me with something more authentic.

Preferred curries: Rogan Josh, Dopiaza, Balti, Jalfrezi.

Spice Tailor chickpea masala is superb. Their rogan josh is different to what I remember in restaurants, not quite as nice as the chickpea, but still quite nice. I've not tried an others. They have a long shelf life. They aren't cheap. I split them. You are supposed to add meat or veg, but I haven't added anything so far. On their website they have 10-30 minute recipes with other ingredients eg Spiced Chickpea Wreath with veg and pastry, omg that sounds nice. The chickpea does 3 meals at a stretch (4 in the wreath recipe). It claims to be 400g, but you have to measure out 120g to split it into 3. I only by it when it's on offer. I get Sains long life naans 2 for 69p. These only have about 3 months, but that's ok. Rotation isn't a problem. I don't keep loads. If I use 3, I can freeze one. I should try some of the other varieties. The rogan josh needs something adding for texture. I don't eat meat, so maybe some quorn pieces. The chickpea has huge chickpeas in it, whole. On behalf of the board, I will do some further testing of other varieties.

You get 3 bags, one has spices in which are whole seed pods and leaves, which you fry for 20 secs, then you add one sauce and simmer, then you add the third and simmer. Naan takes 3.5 minutes in air fryer.

Sorry, this isn't 'value range', but they are 'more authentic'...
https://uk.thespicetailor.com/

[jennyjj01]

I'm looking for suggestions please. British Indian Restaurant* style curry sauces. Best value for money with long shelf life...... And simple to prepare.
*I have considered the dead cheap Morrison's curry sauce, and the Mayflower powder mix, which are both great value. But indulge me with something more authentic.

Spice Tailor chickpea masala is superb. ... have a long shelf life. They aren't cheap. I split them. You are supposed to add meat or veg, but I haven't added anything so far.On behalf of the board, I will do some further testing of other varieties.

You get 3 bags, one has spices in which are whole seed pods and leaves, which you fry for 20 secs, then you add one sauce and simmer, then you add the third and simmer. Naan takes 3.5 minutes in air fryer.

Sorry, this isn't 'value range', but they are 'more authentic'...
https://uk.thespicetailor.com/

Hi FRNC. Thanks. Though a touch expensive, that's the sort of thing I'm after. I'll hold that up as a sort of gold standard and looksee if my 'asian supermarket' has any equivalents.
I'd forgot about the idea of storing Naans and poppadoms. I should really have a few set aside.

If you like to cook authentic indian curry, check out Al's Kitchen https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC95tDL ... p3tBRBVjfw

[GillyBee]

Pataks are good unless you are on a low salt diet. Either the ready to use sauce or the spice blend that is added to onions and tomato.For best value and storage you could learn your own spice blends. Add some dried onion and tomato powder and you can get a reasonable "instant Madras" which has successfully fooled MrGB before now. The only problem is the tomato powder which tends to turn it into one big lump . I now break this down into small bags as soon as I make it.

[jennyjj01]

Pataks are good unless you are on a low salt diet. Either the ready to use sauce or the spice blend that is added to onions and tomato.For best value and storage you could learn your own spice blends. Add some dried onion and tomato powder and you can get a reasonable "instant Madras" which has successfully fooled MrGB before now. The only problem is the tomato powder which tends to turn it into one big lump . I now break this down into small bags as soon as I make it.

Good thinking. I'm not too good with herb and spice mixes and though I cook the odd curry, I have to revert to the recipe every time. It doesn't help that it's usually just me eating curry. I need more practice. Maybe some index cards or cheat sheets for the mixes. I'm in two minds about having the mixes ready made up as I seem to have too many jars sat waiting to get used. Mixes always remind me of those schwartz or Colman sachets, which always strike me as a bit of a cop out when you realise how uncomplicated they are.
I guess that ultimately I need to master one or two signature dishes that MrJJ will eat.

You make tomato powder? Colour me impressed !

[GillyBee]

I cheat. I buy it ready done from that big river website. I realised how much it would improve my emergency meals if I could add tomato.
It is far from perfect. It clumps into one big lump so needs busting up with a fork, tends to be very sour if overused and slowly oxidises (but is still usable) so only really has a couple of years life.

[jennyjj01]

I cheat. I buy it ready done from that big river website. I realised how much it would improve my emergency meals if I could add tomato.

Tomato is oh so staple. The universal meal maker. I'd love to store as powder but short life would bother me.
Has anyone actually tested the efficacy of oxy absorbers to stop it going black?

[jennyjj01]

Lidl Essentials Rice Pudding.

Not so much a comparison as a 'report'

400g can 25p

I confess I haven't had rice pudding in 4 decades..... But I buy some for emergency provisions.

First impressions: contents not white but quite beige. Can had about 2cm of milky stuff above the rice. Total rice content equiv to about 40% of entire tin. So. It was a bit runny.

Heated up on the hob and stirred. It thickened a bit. The consistency was of rather runny custard. No surface skin formed.

Served with a spoonful of jam. The rice pud itself was not particularly sweet but that's fine by me. With the jam stirred in, it was a fair breakfast. No artificial sweeteners. 300kCal per can.

I expect that the 25p cost included about 5p for contents and 20p for steel.

Price comparison
Lidl Everyday rice pud. 25p
Lidl other own brand rice pud 79p
Tesco Stockwell rice pud 25p rare!
Tesco other own brand rice pud 90p
Ambrosia rice pud from Tesco £1.60 (£1 with clubcard)

Forgive me for being a cheapskate but at 1/3 the price of regular own brand and 1/7 the price of Ambrosia, I will be buying more of this Lidl value range. How much more? 60 cans will set me back £15 and will be one breakfast per week for the first year of the apocalypse.

It is what it is. Acceptable quality comfort food.