Stonehouse 27 Dates and Tamarind
6:10 AM
Derek
After a positive experience with Stonehouse 27's Tamarind and Garlic sauce this weekend, I decided to try their Dates & Tamarind sauce last night. I again had to rely on the Stonehouse 27's website for instruction. I'm fairly confident that I have never eaten dates. If I have, I have no recollection of the flavor.
Stonehouse27.com recommended simmering pork chops in their Date & Tamarind sauce so that's exactly what I did. I browned some bonless loin chops in a bit of olive oil and poured the jar of sauce over the chops. I added some sauteed mushrooms, covered the pan and let the meat simmer for several minutes.
This sauce was very different from the Tamarind & Garlic sauce I had on Saturday. In fact, it was much different than anything I've ever had. I had a very hard time placing the flavors that I experienced. The Stonehouse 27 label isn't much help either. For obvious reasons, it simply reads "spices" in the list of ingredients.
Katie and I both sensed some sort of Christmas spice (cinnamon and/ or nutmeg), but couldn't agree on which one. In comparison with many of the sauces that I've tried lately, I wouldn't call this a sweet sauce. However, the dates do provide a degree of sweetness. The initial flavor is also backed by the Tamarind flavor and some contrasting earthy ingredients as well. The Dates & Tamarind sauce also has a sneaky spice that I didn't even notice until I'd finished eating. Though not extreme by any measure, there is a certain degree of heat that seems to add punctuation to the flavor.
I found the flavors of this sauce as complex as they were unusual. As far as my personal preference, I'm still a bit hesitant to recommend it. This sauce is definitely not for everyone. However, if you're someone who has a diverse palate and typically enjoys Indian food, this may be perfect for you.
Like all Stonehouse 27 products, the Dates & Tamarind sauce is made with the highest qaulity Indian inspired ingredients. I appreciate the fact Stonehouse 27 is making Indian flavors more accessible and easier to use. If you missed it, please check out my review of Stonehouse 27's Tamarind & Garlic sauce. To find Stonehouse 27's products in a store near you, click this link. You can also find them on Facebook. As always, Stonehouse 27's Dates & Tamarind sauce rating is listed on the "Product Reviews" page.
I made a lazy dinner with the Stonehouse 27 dates and tamarind sauce and it went down well. I sauteed half a diced onion with two diced carrots in a tablespoon of oil. I then added half cup of brown lentils with two cups of chicken stock, simmered with cover for 15 minutes. I then stirred in two bags of Trader Joe's brown rice (frozen kind which you first microwave) with half a jar of the Stonehouse 27 dates and tamarind sauce. Just heat and serve with naan and garnish with fresh cilantro. NOTE: Trader Joe's frozen brown rice and also rice medley comes three packets to a box. It's delicious and I plan to use one of each rather than just brown rice when I use up the other half jar of sauce - Susan in Yorktown, VA