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Author Topic: AIR - Butter Chicken Video  (read 19,609 times)

AI Summary
The discussion revolves around the preparation of Butter Chicken using the AIR (Australian Indian Restaurant) method, which differs from the BIR (British Indian Restaurant) technique. Participants share insights on the ingredients and cooking processes, emphasizing the importance of caramelized onions and the use of pre-cooked chicken to achieve a distinct flavor. While some express a preference for BIR, others appreciate the unique qualities of AIR, particularly the subtle smokiness and the concentrated gravies used in various dishes. Overall, the community acknowledges the differences between the two styles but does not reach a consensus on which is superior.

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Offline Masala Mark

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AIR - Butter Chicken Video
« on: May 16, 2012, 11:40 PM »
Hi Guys,

Here is a short clip making a Butter Chicken, it's all done without high heat and we don't use mixed powder or the such.

We'll be making this in our cooking classes this weekend all done in frypans and the taste will be exactly the same as what is made in the restaurant.

Due to serving customers and doing other things I didn't capture from start to finish with the garnishing but it will give you a good idea of how it is done different to BIR.

Regards,
MM

Indian Restaurant - Butter Chicken
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Offline natterjak

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Re: AIR - Butter Chicken Video
« Reply #1 on: May 16, 2012, 11:55 PM »
Thanks for sharing this Mark. Very different to a BIR technique but I'm sure it tastes great! What's in the butter gravy?
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Offline Masala Mark

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Re: AIR - Butter Chicken Video
« Reply #2 on: May 17, 2012, 12:04 AM »
Hi NJ,

Oil, whole spices, onions, methi, ginger, garlic, powdered spices, tomato paste, water, sugar, red color, almond powder, salt. I think that's about it.

I can't give the exact recipe on the forum as this is how the chef makes his living in the restaurant and cooking classes.

Cheers,
MM
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Offline Cory Ander

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Re: AIR - Butter Chicken Video
« Reply #3 on: May 17, 2012, 04:25 AM »
Hi MM,

Thanks for sharing your video  8)

Butter Chicken is one AIR dish that I really like and would like to replicate.  The thing I like most about them is their delicate, creamy, flavour and, in particular, their "smokey" taste. 

Is this restaurant's Butter Chicken also "smokey" tasting?  If so, how does this particular restaurant achieve this?  I am led to believe (by the restaurants that I've asked) that the "smokiness" is purely from the chicken tikka (i.e. cooked in a tandoor) that they add.  Was the "precooked chicken" added here actually chicken tikka?

I have tried adding a hot coal, to a vessel of oil, centred in the dish, and covered for a while...but the resulting taste made me feel sick!  I probably overdid it!  I have also tried adding a hot coal whist I'm grilling the chicken tikka.  This worked better (regarding giving a smokey flavour to the chicken tikka) but, again, I probably overdid it.  Neither were subtle!

Also, is the "butter gravy" anything like the "onion sauce", "tomato sauce" or "nut sauce" (or a combination of them?) that you previously posted?
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Offline beachbum

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Re: AIR - Butter Chicken Video
« Reply #4 on: May 17, 2012, 05:25 AM »
I've been to one cooking class so far. The "gravy" is more like a thick sauce or paste, and the difference between AIR and BIR seems to be that the gravy is based on fried onions, not boiled, and just about everything goes into the gravy such as the garlic ginger paste, the spices which would normally go in to the BIR cooking pan as "dry mix" etc. Like BIR gravy the AIR gravy is simmered until the oil breaks out.

So whilst the ingredients are just about identical between BIR and AIR, along with other aspects such as the pre-cooked meats, BIR is sort of "top down" where the thin base gravy and other ingredients are cooked to thicken up to the required consistency. Whilst AIR is "bottom up", the thick gravy and ingredients are diluted by stock, water, cream etc to thin out to required consistency.

They sort of "meet in the middle", as far as I can discern by flavour of the finished curry.

Of course you can't have just one base gravy or everything would taste the same, which is the main difference between the styles I guess. We did a basic sort of gravy that you would use with a Madras at the lesson, and the chef brought samples of a vindaloo gravy to take home and try. Wow it was incredible the difference. I've made the vindaloo gravy myself and looking forward to getting back to future lessons, best thing I've done in a long time.

Edit: great to meet Mark as well, plus another forum member who is also on my home brew forum  ;D
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Offline Masala Mark

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Re: AIR - Butter Chicken Video
« Reply #5 on: May 17, 2012, 06:37 AM »
Hi CA,

There is a subtle smokeyness to the normal Butter Chicken, which I think actually comes from the fried onions.

As BB mentioned, they are fried/cooked in oil until very dark brown and caramelized, probably further than caramelized and then the other things go in at various stages. BTW, thanks BB for the explanation in your post, I couldn't have said it better myself.

However, as the people you have talked to have mentioned, the smokeyness also comes from the chicken tikka. But it doesn't necessarily have to come from the tandoor. The Butter Chicken is normally made from pre-cooked chicken and most times so too is the CTM. However in the last class that we did, we did CTM with the chicken cooked in the oven. The dish had a great smokeyness to it and it was just done in the oven, 200C for 20 mins, then chopped into small pieces. I remember being quite surprised at how good it came out from the oven compared with the tandoor chicken.

Also, we don't use any pastes at all, so no Pataks/Pascos or anything like that in the marinades.

The butter gravy is similar to the ones where I had a chef come out and teach me at home, it was his version of the same thing. This is by far superior and from what I still consider the best tasting Indian food in Brisbane, I was just lucky to meet the Chef in my quest to learn how it is done.

I've got a bit of footage that I have to edit together of some tandoori chicken being cooked as well.

Cheers,
Mark
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Offline natterjak

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Re: AIR - Butter Chicken Video
« Reply #6 on: May 17, 2012, 09:12 AM »
Quote from: Masala Mark on May 17, 2012, 12:04 AM
Hi NJ,

Oil, whole spices, onions, methi, ginger, garlic, powdered spices, tomato paste, water, sugar, red color, almond powder, salt. I think that's about it.

I can't give the exact recipe on the forum as this is how the chef makes his living in the restaurant and cooking classes.

Cheers,
MM

No problem Mark, I understand. Thanks again for posting, it's a refreshing change from the BIR recipes and techniques.  :)
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Offline Peripatetic Phil

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Re: AIR - Butter Chicken Video
« Reply #7 on: May 17, 2012, 10:05 AM »
Please forgive my ignorance, but what is AIR ?  I assume it is probably one of {authentic | antipodean | australasian | ...} Indian Restaurant, but it would be nice to know for sure !

** Phil.
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Offline Masala Mark

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Re: AIR - Butter Chicken Video
« Reply #8 on: May 17, 2012, 11:11 AM »
G'day Phil,

Did that give it away, sorry mate, 'A' for Australian, which I've denoted as it's a very different practice to how curries are made in the UK.

Cheers,
Mark
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Offline Peripatetic Phil

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Re: AIR - Butter Chicken Video
« Reply #9 on: May 17, 2012, 11:14 AM »
Quote from: Masala Mark on May 17, 2012, 11:11 AM
G'day Phil,

Did that give it away, sorry mate, 'A' for Australian, which I've denoted as it's a very different practice to how curries are made in the UK.
Ah, "g'day", Mark : thank you, all now clear !
** Phil.
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