Images to accompany the "Chicken Madras, posted at Cory Ander's request" thread.
Also available at higher resolution and in slideshow format on Picasaweb.


~~ Chicken Madras ~~


~~ Microwave Pulao Rice ~~



~~ Red Onion & Tomato Salad ~~


~~ The served meal (lime pickle at 10:00) ~~


~~ Clausthaler Extra Herb (0,5% alcohol by volume) ~~

Phil - that really does look like an excellent madras!  Couple of questions though - first why the ground fenugreek seeds? What does this add? Also why so many varieties of chili powder? Deggi, Kashmiri and bassar...  Thanks and great work!  Josh

Thank /you/, Josh, for your kind words.  And some answers to your questions.

1) In fact, the dish you see has neither cumin nor fenugreek.  When I cooked it last time, at CA's request, I reported that with just the Bassar, curry powder and mirch alone the dish was very edible.  I reported this on the basis of one piece of chicken and one spoonful of sauce which I tried while checking the recipe for publication and before adding the cumin and fenugreek.  When I cooked it again this evening for the photographs, I decided to deliberately omit those ingredients and eat the whole meal with just the four basic spices/spice mixes.  And it was indeed very fine.  But in my normal Madras, which really formed the basis of the report, I do indeed add ground fenugreek seeds (usually equal to 50% of the cumin content), and the only reason I can offer for so doing is because I like the flavour.

2) The chillies.  Well, first of all Bassar curry masala is far more than just ground chillies : it has about ten ingredients, including mustard oil, so although the chilli content is high it can't be thought of as just ground chillies.  And the Deggi & Kashmiri mirch each offer something different : Kashmiri -- beautiful deep red; Deggi -- paler but more heat.  I find 50:50 is fine, I would not willingly omit the Kashmiri (because I love the colour so), but when cooking for my wife I can happily omit the Deggi and replace it by more Kashmiri.

** Phil.

What a lovely looking dish Phil !!

That 1st picture reminds me of the first few BIR curries I ate ( early 80's ) ... I love the different shapes and almost 'rustic-ness' of the chicken pieces .... makes my diced breast look a little dull . The sauce is a great colour and has a nice sheen to it .CA recommended to me to add 0.25 tsp of fenugreek powder to a vindaloo and although you omitted it on this occasion I agree with you ... it does add something. I like the flavour too !.

Well done again ... a nice bit of porn for the weekend !!   

My next dish to try ........

1st class Phil.

Certainly looks the part Phil. I wouldn't be grumbling if I were served that in a restaurant.