Luxor4u

I often see new recipes I want to cook when next in Luxor for my husband, as he loves to try different cuisines, but usually have to discard them as I'm not sure if I could find all the ingredients. For some a substitute can be used, but not most, and it's not always as good, especially if it's a signature of the dish. Bringing them is of course an option, and I have done, but I'm trying to avoid that as they can be heavy if in glass, and one risks a disaster if the packaging is damaged en route.

Are any of the following ingredients available in Luxor, and if so, where please? Can you suggest substitutes available there (where?), if you know/have used any please?

1. Sweet chilli sauce
2. Chinese Xiaoing wine/vinegar
3. Soy sauce
4. Teryaki sauce
5. Snow peas
6. Sour cream
7. A good, authentic Asian curry powder (not Keen's etc.)
8. Exotic (especially Shiitake) mushrooms (not the "medicinal" ones, all you comedians! )
9. Star anise
10. Chinese Five-Spice
11. Bok choy or choy sum
12. Pine nuts
13. Minced garlic in a small jar
14. Minced chilli in a small jar
15. Minced ginger in a small jar
16. A small, or will they sell part of a large, cabbage? I've only ever seen gigantic ones; too much wasted.
17. Sesame oil.

I know most if not all will be long shots, but the number of supermarkets and the range of products they sell have really grown from when I first started visiting, so I live in hope.

Can't help with most of the items, but I also use sour cream which is not available in the area where I live. I add some lemon juice to the cream - it's still not as thick but tastes about right, for Stroganoff etc. If necessary, I add a small amount of cornflour to thicken the sauce.

Bombay is probably the best source of current info.

Maybe "Open All Hours" has some of your ingredients?

The dearth of suitable "delicatessan" type outlets may reflect a lack of demand.

An internet search of Cairo might help...if you're prepared to undertake the journey to collect. I've seen some of the items in Spinneys (Hurghada).

Soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce, minced garlic all available. I know you haven't included oyster sauce but that is available too try Forties.

Don't know about the ingredients side, but you could transfer them from glass to those screw on plastic top ones, as long as you put them in the main suitcase.

You can substitute dry sherry or (at a pinch) dry white wine or dry vermouth for Chinese Xiaoing wine.

Minced garlic/chilli/ginger - make your own in a blender or food processor with a little water?

Sweet chilli sauce is simple enough to make:

250ml water
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2tbsp finely chopped fresh chillies
130g sugar
80ml vinegar
2tsp salt
2tbsp cornflour

Put everything except the cornflour into a small saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer for five minutes.

Mix the cornflour with a little water then whisk into the sauce. Cook for a couple of minutes until it thickens.

Allow to cool and keep it in a container in the fridge.

That's a great start, thanks peeps!

I'll try the substitutes if I get desperate. Too lazy!

They'll all go in my suitcase Dusak, but I don't trust liquids in plastic; too flexible.

FF, can you get the alternatives for the Xiaoing in Luxor though? Where?

That's a great start, thanks peeps!

I'll try the substitutes if I get desperate. Too lazy!

Oyster sauce! Forgot that one. Thanks carrie.

They'll all go in my suitcase Dusak, but I don't trust liquids in plastic; too flexible.

FF, can you get the alternatives for the Xiaoing in Luxor though? Where?

I'm sure to think of others... watch this space.

Couldn't delete the first one.

newcastle wrote:Bombay is probably the best source of current info.

Maybe "Open All Hours" has some of your ingredients?

The dearth of suitable "delicatessan" type outlets may reflect a lack of demand.

An internet search of Cairo might help...if you're prepared to undertake the journey to collect. I've seen some of the items in Spinneys (Hurghada).

Yes I have just about all these in my stores everything else we make.

Most not all are available in Luxor.

Not exotic, but...

Here in Oz when having a party we go to our local service station to a large outdoors freezer, and purchase 5kilo bags of ice cubes to put in eskys, bathtubs etc. for drinks. Is there anything similar there?

I have seen donkey carts in the street carrying large blocks of ice to deliver to juice bars etc but where they get them from I have no idea.

I was told a long time ago that there is a small ice factory somewhere in Luxor.

What about mung bean sprouts? Coriander? Cornflour? Where, please?

Coriander fresh, every fruit and veg shop, dried in spice shops, cornflour all the supermarkets have it. Good luck.

About three weeks ago I needed some cornflour, all the Luxor shops were out of stock, but managed to find the last box in my local shop here in Karnak