[Sri Lankan Chatti]

On our recent travels to Sri Lanka we found out the locals traditionally don't use metal cooking pans, but instead use terracotta alternatives. These begin life as bright red, and you can tell a well seasoned pot as it will be almost black. We decided to buy one, and a coconut spoon, and carefully bring it back on the plane.

When we arrived home I have scoured the internet in search of comprehensive references of this humble cooking pot, but have found surprisingly little. Therefore this technique for sealing a brand new chatti, which our guide told us of, may be a true internet exclusive! Although no doubt, you'll tell me differently!

Add the grated meat of one coconut to the pot and slowly heat the pan, turning the contents occasionally, until the coconut is fully brown. Then empty the pot and allow it to fully cool. You then have to fill the pot with cold water and slowly heat the liquid until its boiling - this will likely require the lid. At this point add a liberal dusting of cooking salt and slowly simmer the liquid for several hours. In total i boiled our pot for approximately 8 hours, during which the impurities inherent in the terracotta pot were drawn out and were evident on the exterior of the pot. Its now ready to use. Exclusive over!!

I find the terracotta chatti a delight to cook in, and find it much more sympathetic to temperature variations than a metal alternative which is easy to over heat.

[Nottinghams Finest....Restaurants]

You're absolutely right about Sat Bains. The problem is its SO good its on a completely different stratosphere from other local restaurants, and so we decided to siphon it off and create a unique category for it - to give other fine dining restaurants a chance!

And as for justifying our choice of the Baltihouse as the best indian restaurant in Nottingham; the passion and warmth of their staff is so genuine and infectious. There is a great range of dishes, including comprehensive vegetarian and vegan options, and its incredibly well priced. It may not win any interior awards, but their peshwari naan alone is worth visiting for!

[Nottinghams Finest....Restaurants]

this our my first contribution to this fascinating resource. we are active foodies in our local area of nottingham, england and have recently compiled the following list of privately owned restaurants in and around the city which we consider to be the best within each category. we are lucky in nottingham to be spoilt with a plethora of outstanding restaurants, and we continually use these establishments as a point of reference within our own humble domestic kitchen;

british: fine dining

larder on goosegate, hockley, nottingham city centre

british: gastro pub

larwood and voce, fox road, west bridgford

british: cafe bar

jam cafe, heathcoat street, nottingham city centre

european: cafe bar

edins deli cafe, broad street, nottingham city centre

european: tapas

belle and jerome, central avenue, west bridgford

french:

french living, king street, nottingham city centre

spanish:

escabeche, bridgford road, west bridgford

greek:

yamas, thurland street, nottingham city centre

indian:

the balti house, heathcoat street, nottingham city centre

thai:

tarn thai, george street, nottingham city centre

veggie:

squeek, heathcoat street, nottingham city centre

creperie:

aubreys, west end arcade, nottingham city centre

michelin:

sat bains with rooms, lenton lane, nottingham

we'd be interested to hear what others think of our suggestions.