Garam masala and gravy granules in Spain

[Graham of Madrid]

Good morning !

Bit of an odd question this but;

1. SWMBH has decided that we are going to the north of Spain away from beaches and swimming pools and not south this summer. That means I won't be able to visit Iceland in Torrevieja for my Bisto gravy granules. Any idea what I can use buy in Spain (Spanish supermarket) or instead that has the same thickening/flavouring, perhaps something I can buy or make with simple ingredients

2. I'm going to visit an Indian grocer here in Madrid and need to know what garama masala is in Spanish - if there is a translation

Any help greatly appreciated

 

[Falcon 269]

Something tells me that a real Indian grocer will know what garam masala is regardless of whether you ask in English, Spanish or a combination thereof. Actually, can't imagine the Spanish even trying to translate it themselves.

I've never seen a Spanish equivalent of Bisto in the 16 years we've lived here. I'd guess the basics of Bisto are stock/bouillon powder and cornflour for thickening. Can't say that I'd try to replicate, though.

Some supermarkets down this way (ie, Torrevieja ) stock international products - Alcampo is one - so might get lucky and find the same up north in Spain. However, down here there's the large expat contingent to supply to - you might not find the same in the north.

Are there no international shops supplying the expats in Madrid?

 

[Falcon 269]

You could always go mail order: https://www.britishcornershop.co.uk/bisto

 

[M-J]

Take an extra couple of bisto with you, payload can’t be that tight!

 

[Helen Ariel]

Surely this is an opportunity to find something to use that would be much nicer than bisto? What do you use it for? If just wanting to thicken a sauce or stew just mix a tablespoon or 2 of water with flour or cornflour and add the slurry to the sauce and for flavour add a stock cube, stock pot or vegetable bullion powder. I'm going to be heading to Europe for 9 months soon and as an avid cook of Asian and Indian cuisine I'm certainly wondering how hard it will be to get ingredients in France, Spain and Portugal.

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[bigtwin]

According to google translate it is:

But when you reverse the translation it becomes:

 

[Falcon 269]

Take an extra couple of bisto with you, payload can’t be that tight!

I think the OP's problem is he lives in Madrid and can't get Bisto there. He relies on his jaunts down to the expat-heavy Costas to stock up.

 

[daveinspain]

All the Spanish supermarkets round us here on the northern Costa Blanca (Mas y Mas, Mercadona, Carrefour) stock Indian food and spices, as well as stalls on the markets and ïnternational¨ stores, so worth trying the supermarkets in the north. No idea about Bisto, we use Oxo stock cubes, available everywhere.

 

[KiwiKampers]

I think they put something in Bisto gravy granules that makes them addictive.
For many years I couldn't buy them in NZ and was so desperate for them that I would ask anyone who was going to the UK to bring me some back. I didn't need to worry about Customs confiscating the packages because, despite being labelled as 'beef' or "chicken" they've never seen either a cow or a chook.
In recent years I have found a "dealer" of Bisto Gravy Granules and am able to get my "fix".
All I need now are some decent Cumberland sausages!

 

[EuroTrotters]

Make your own gravy from the stock and juices of what you are cooking!

Muy sencillo y más siempre

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[Gaston aires]

Good morning !

Bit of an odd question this but;

1. SWMBH has decided that we are going to the north of Spain away from beaches and swimming pools and not south this summer. That means I won't be able to visit Iceland in Torrevieja for my Bisto gravy granules. Any idea what I can use buy in Spain (Spanish supermarket) or instead that has the same thickening/flavouring, perhaps something I can buy or make with simple ingredients

2. I'm going to visit an Indian grocer here in Madrid and need to know what garama masala is in Spanish - if there is a translation

Any help greatly appreciated

Garamo masalo ,male version, garama masala, female version. Well not really but it should be.
Phllipo

 

[Oldbob]

TBH, why would you want to eat English stuff while there ? When I go abroad you eat and use what is available locally, whole idea of being elsewhere really, apart from the sunshine !
When in Rome as the saying goes.
Apart from that, there are supermarkets in irun that cater for British, and a little shop 3 doors down from the post office in Girona that does branded goods, don't ask me the names of streets though.

 

[peterc10]

Garam Masala is Hindi for "hot mixture of spices". Every Indian cook has their own version of what it should include and in what proportions. If you can find a genuine Indian Grocer he should know what you mean, or he won't be "genuine".

 

[Graham of Madrid]

Hey Old Bob, I live here so the English recipes are just an occasional treat when I get bored of tortilla or Cocido Madrileno.

TeeMyob - I use the bisto in my slow cooker recipes, I brown the beef first on a cast iron pan but that's as close as I get to meat juices from cooking. The bisto has some magical ingredient, I guess anyway it's getting too hot for casseroles now, maybe it's a good time for fahitas or burritos. I'm bored with Spanish food you can't eat paella or jamon every day !

I don't know how Indian the Indian grocer is, the Chinese grocer didn't know what shrimp paste was when I was shopping for my Thai cooking.....yes why eat Thai when you're in Spain ? because there's nothing that beats a green curry

I can get HP Sauce and Colemans mustard from Carrefour and Heinz beans from Mercadona but last time I set foot in the UK was two years ago. Mercadona have one Indian spice - it's called curry powder though I've no idea what's in it. I'll have a look in Alcampo though !!

Britishcornershop - there's an idea, have to look into that !!! There are a coupe of expat shops here in Madrid- now were in the first day of the new normality I'll have to sneak out and have a look though SWMBO says I'm still in lockdown.

 

[Scotsblood]

A good few years ago my wife had a friend who lived in Malaysia and told stories of monthly trips into Brunei to pick up British 'treats'.
The Sultans son went to university in London and became anglicised to the extent all sorts of things were imported to satisfy his wants. Capital Radio, relayed before the days of widespread mainstream use of satellites, arrived alongside Marmite, Heinz Salad Cream, baked beans, cheddar cheese, British style bacon and amazingly fresh Lincolnshire sausages if you got your timing right!
Rumour was the gent persuaded his father that these should be available all over the sultanate as it would enhance the 'cosmopolitan' appearance of the country.

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[John Barrett]

All the Spanish supermarkets round us here on the northern Costa Blanca (Mas y Mas, Mercadona, Carrefour) stock Indian food and spices, as well as stalls on the markets and ïnternational¨ stores, so worth trying the supermarkets in the north. No idea about Bisto, we use Oxo stock cubes, available everywhere.

I heard recently that OXO are bringing out a new cube to celebrate Brexit. It's called the Laughing Stock...