Curry Recipes Online
Curry Chat => Lets Talk Curry => Topic started by: jb on July 07, 2014, 08:56 PM
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Just been chatting to the friendly Manager of my local takeaway,he's agreed to let me in his kitchen for some lessons with him and his chef.I told him about my previous tuition with Abdul and other lessons and he seemed quite impressed.He actually took me into the kitchen to have a look around,offering me a sample of some korma paste they had just made,very nice indeed.Anyway the first lesson will cover base gravy,he tells me he will show me exactly how it's made in the take-away.He's also going to show me how he makes his massala paste(he tells me it contains about 15 seperate ingredients).Watch this space guys!! No ebook,no messing about,all in all I should be in the kitchen for about six hours for the first lesson,so hopefully it should be pretty good.
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Excellent news, JB -- looking forward to the debriefing with keen anticipation.
** Phil.
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Yes nice one mate
remember to scribble a few notes down as you go
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That's good news looking forward to reading it :)
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get a camera man in with you, don't miss anything out lol
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Looking forward to this update, thanks in advance for sharing this.
Stew
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This sounds like real progress ! Well done and keeping my ear and eyes on this post.
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wow jb you rawk
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Cant wait
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Excellent jb 8) as said above take pad and pen with you you'll never remember it all :-\
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I tend to disagree with the taking notes brigade.
If this manager is prepared to give you access to the kitchen, I would try to build a relationship and trust with him and the cook(s) by being interested, which you obviously are, and going along with their wishes.
Under no circumstances try to video it.
I look forward to your report and there may be time to take notes or photos or video, but the first occasion is not that time :)
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Looking forward to this , not jealous mind! Any idea when you will be allowed into the kitchen jb
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I look forward 4 this too. I actually know a lady who used to be co-owner of an award winning BIR but I know even before I ask her she wont tell me (moderated)
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Just got back from the first lesson in my local takeaway.It was superb,a real eye opener on how a curry house copes with a busy night's service.I'll post a full report tomorrow with recipes.I cooked a pot of massala paste and a base gravy.The chef then watched me cook a chicken tikka massala and a basic chicken curry with my ingredients.All I can say is that they had the taste and the smell,as good as anything I can get in any restaurant/takeaway,and the important thing everything was cooked by me so in theory it can be replicated at home.The Manager seemed to be very impressed with my skill/knowlege,he's actually said I can pop in any time I want,get in the kitchen and work alongside the chefs and learn their skills!!! Happy days indeed!!
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RESULT JASON. Do share. I can't wait for the report. How about having a commis coming along ?? ;D
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Really looking forward to your report jb!
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Great first update on your lesson and really impressed you think it can be replicated, great post.
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All info much appreciated.
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I'm just about to post the recipes for the base gravy and masala paste in their approprate sections.
I have to say I had a fantastic time last night.As well as cooking I also had the chance to watch the chef and his assistants at close hand cooking their dishes. I had my chef's whites on as well,the bonus with this place is that it has an open kitchen so while you order your food you can see the chefs cooking...I certainly got some funny looks from some people peering over the counter!!!
(http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/imagehost/pics/cb55aa2536d8ce86e896f214fc4e602b.jpg)
There were a few important things I observed.
First,no specific spiced oil was used.I asked the chef about spiced oil and he just shook his head.Every dish was started with a chef's spoon of oil from a tin on the hob.It was in fact half and half of plain veg oil and ghee,but definetely no spiced oil.He did scoop a little oil from the top of the gravy from time to time when he was making a main dish,this was just for extra flavour he said.
Second,whilst everything(including masala and korma) was cooked very vigourously on a fairly high heat there were virtually no flames or flambe.The chef explained that the most important thing is technique.He's doing this every night and can do it with his eyes shut.No need for industrial burners.Yes a fairly high heat but nothing that your biggest hob on your gas cooker cannot achieve.The Manager was aware of what I knew and my experience(he was very impressed I have to say!!),he kept telling me that every I was seeing in the takeaway kitchen can,with a lot of practice be done at home.There are no magic or secret ingredients,just talented chefs who know their craft.I had a good look around in the kitchen,including the back storeroom,there was nothing I hadn't seen before.Arranged on the side were the usual spices,the only thing that go my attention was the chef's home made balti paste and the fresh chiili sauce that goes in his madras and vindaloo(both of which he's promised to show me next time)
The funny thing is,even though I was in the kitchen for about three hours my smell sense got so used to the place I couldn't detect any BIR aromas in he kitchen,my senses were well and truly blunted.It's only when I drove home with my goodies that I got that familiar aroma.
All I can say is the base gravy I made is nothing like I've made before.It's quite subtle and versatile enough for a korma or a madras.It does though have that smell and that moorish taste that I've never been able to achieve before.I cooked it in the take-away kitchen so in theory I should be able to do it in my own kitchen.I'll be back in the take-away soon,the manager has said I'm welcome any time.
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This is super-exciting! Hats off to you for relating your experience freely to others in the spirit of sharing. Very honest behaviour.
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It was in fact half and half of plain veg oil and ghee...
Veg ghee or butter ghee? If you get the chance can you ask them why they do it this way and if it's veg ghee why do they think they need it? Cheers.
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Veg ghee or butter ghee? If you get the chance can you ask them why they do it this way and if it's veg ghee why do they think they need it? Cheers.
My view on the entire veg ghee debate is texture, richness, and mouth feel. Both coconut and palm have saturated vegetable fats (which are heart healthy). These mimic the texture and feel of animal fats and most definitely are distinct from other veg oils in their effects. I've done extensive amounts of vegetarian and vegan cooking, and I can say with certainty that it is possible to mimic animal fats using these substances.
Veg Ghee will mimic the richness found in real butter ghee, but at a substantially reduced cost, hence why it is used by many takeaways and restaurants. I use Veg Ghee when I make my dishes and while not slap-you-in-the-face prominent in the final dish, it definitely makes a noticeable difference.
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I use Veg Ghee when I make my dishes and while not slap-you-in-the-face prominent in the final dish, it definitely makes a noticeable difference.
You present a plausible sounding theory Zap but I must be lacking veg-ghee taste buds because in a side by side test against a curry made with just veg oil I can't detect any difference at all. That's for meat curries though, I haven't tried it with veg curries.
Given the expense of veg ghee against standard veg oil though it does make you think these cost savvy BIR chefs would only use it if it added value in the final dish. I dunno! :-\
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Hi Jb have you managed to get back into the take away kitchens yet? Or got a date maybe. Love the base , have to make another batch this week . Looking forward to anything else you can get from there , cheers
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Secret Santa,
It must be as you say taste bud.
I can relate fully to zap.
What put me onto it was ashoka (Marg) but more importantly TA carton in fridge always have slight solid debris.
I have asked at BIR and very clear butter ghee naan only and veg ghee rest. Must admit can see the mixture of oil and ghee although I only add v ghee to base - just a small amount (30g in 800g you can go wild and add more)
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"The funny thing is,even though I was in the kitchen for about three hours my smell sense got so used to the place I couldn't detect any BIR aromas in he kitchen,my senses were well and truly blunted.It's only when I drove home with my goodies that I got that familiar aroma."
Hi JB. Great write up and fair play for getting in the kitchen. Just a quick one on the above comment you made. I have often thought the reason why we think we have not "cracked it" in achieving the BIR taste is because our senses have become dulled during the cooking process and by the time we sit down and eat we cannot appreciate the flavour of the dish properly. (I remember Gordon Ramsay commenting that you should never wear aftershave when going out to dinner for that very reason. - it corrupts your senses) And therefore we constantly tell ourselves there must be a secret missing ingredient that only chefs are privy to. I have thought it before but when I next do a curry (sadly not very often these days) I'm going to get the mrs to make it while I go outside and then come back in and taste it with completely neutral taste and smell. See if that makes any difference... :-)
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Hi jb,
Any news of when you will be getting back in to the kitchen of your take away again? Looking forward to whatever info you can obtain from them, especially if its as good as the base recipe :)
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Hi JB yep it must be about that time again. Soon ;) I hope, good luck if you go back in.