Rusholme Chippy Chili Sauce

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The Rusholme Chippy Kobeda is my favourite kebab of all time. I've visited once every couple of months for the past 30 odd years.

I now live about 30mins away by car (15 by motorbike) but still make the effort.

Having said that, I have recently experimented making my own version and have now perfected the Kobeda recipe from the RC. The ingredients are the same as any other kobeda, but I have now got the proportions just right.

The salad is easy to copy and the naan is just a good fresh made one. I can cope with shop bought at this stage.

What I really need to know now is their chili sauce recipe. I'm pretty sure they just buy it in from somewhere because I've seen the big bottles in the shop. It's just a smooth sauce that has a pinky creamy texture and is vital for the authentic experience. The next time I go I'll ask, but in the meantime, does anyone know the recipe?

This photo shows the pink chili sauce

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soxboy said:

I've no idea of the recipe but have you tried any of the Asian foods wholesalers or supermarkets? I was recently in one on Oldham Road in Ashton under Lyne (near Ikea) and they had loads of stuff like that.

Will look

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After some brief experimentation last night, it seems it is in fact a mixture of chili sauce and yoghurt .
I used Maggis chilli sauce and greek yoghurt, but I think to get it more authentic I need to use cheaper ingredients. Probably just chili powder in cheap plain yoghurt.

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The recipe is one adapted from the usual ones on the net.
The common recipe ends up with a really nice Kobeda but one which tastes too 'meaty' compared with what you get at the Rusholme chippy. Authenticity in taste/colour and texture is what I was after and tweaking ratios gives the following which to me is just about identical.

250g 20%fat minced lamb
1 large onion
1 egg
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 Teaspoon sumac
1 Teaspoon salt
Bit of black pepper

Finely grate onion and squeeze out as much water as possible with hands and sieve. This is important as mixture is too sloppy to form kebab otherwise.
Mix with lamb, salt, spices and the egg. Knead to remove all the mince texture.
Form kebab around 1 inch wide stainless kebab skewers. Use forefinger and thumb to form traditional ribbed Kobeda appearance.

Cook a couple of inches below a hot grill. Cook one side and then turn once to cook other. Frequent turning can lead to meat falling from skewer.

Serve on naan with chopped lettuce, tomato, cucumber (not for me) and pickled chilis.
Chilli sauce, sprinkle of salt and squeeze of lemon juice.

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Countdown said:

cbmotorsport said:

Kebab shop chilli sauce is normally onion, tomatoes, tom puree, lots of red chillis, lots of garlic, parsley, lemon juice and some vinegar (white wine or cider)

That's some high-end kebab shops you've been frequenting

Based on my experience they buy it in from the Wholesaler/Cash & Carry, along with the huge bags of mozzarella-style cheese, and vats of Tomato sauce.

Yup, sounds nice, but far too exotic

I tried another experiment with just chili powder and yoghurt and it's definitely not that...because that tastes rank!

I've concluded its a cheap chili sauce of some kind mixed with cheap yoghurt and probably bought premixed.

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Well anyone who visits now won't recognise the place. Food similar but naan wasn't freshly made and kebabs are a lot smaller.

End of an era

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