Curry Recipes Online
Curry Chat => Lets Talk Curry => Topic started by: jb on January 30, 2007, 10:15 PM
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Have to say they I think they make fascinating reading,love reading about everyone's results...Would love a chicken tikka massala recipe though-just to find out if they really do put tomato soup in it!!!!!!!!
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Some do, some don't :o :P ;)
Depends on the owner and chef (not always different people!)
KP
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Would love a chicken tikka massala recipe though-just to find out if they really do put tomato soup in it!!!!!!!!
Take my word for it Most Take Aways Do it's the easy way out make a fast buck and F**k the consequences weather or not the customer returns because unless it's a well established restaurant they are here today gone tomorrow I know loads of places that changes owners on a monthly basis because their Tomato soup Sorry CTM isn't foolin anyone robbing F**kers hangin to good for em
Layne :)
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I whole heartedly agree Layne (where's my AK47 ). ;D
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i cooked cory ander version last night and it was spot on ;D
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Given all the unfortunate stuff that has occurred since Andy showed up and the good things that have arisen too I feel the need to post this. I wasn't sure where to put it though so here it is.
I have been back in Glasgow for a few days and was advised of a new takeaway that has opened in a village south west of Glasgow with an open kitchen set up. I went down there last night to have a look and ordered some food.
True enough all is on show and the staff are really friendly. I ordered a Tarka dahl and a Saag Paneer with pilau rice and a couple of chapatis.
At first the chef seemed to be aware of my above average attention to what was going on and came to speak with me thereby getting in the way of my view. He was genuinely friendly and delighted when I told him of my passion for cooking curry and our wonderful site.
I was able to see much of what was going on and it was interesting compared to what Andy has had many of us including myself doing.
The Chef put the pan which is identical to one I bought this week in an Asian cash and carry shop in Glasgow's west end costing ?3.99 on to a gas burner. I was unable to see whether any oil was introduced but it didn't look like it. He then added a tablespoon of what looked like tomato puree or Andy's paste and one of garlic and ginger paste. No suprises when he said that the garlic and ginger paste was critical although it doesn't seem to be part of Andy's approach.
Next he allowed the pastes to heat and fry in their own oil till smoking before pressing down with the back of the spoon as he vigorously stired round and round. He now added a Pre mixed and cooked lentil and onion looking chefs spoonful with a pinch of what I presume was methi leaves and again pushed down with the spoon stirring as he went. Scraping off the botton with the side of the spoon he then added the trusted base sauce. This was a bright yellow colour and at the same time he added two quarters of tomato.
He let this cook on for a few minutes before adding some more cooked onions and a sprinkle of some mixed spices that seemed very finely ground and a pinch of coriander and then all of it poured into the final container.
The paneer seamed to be from a freezer and was chopped into cubes and deep fried for five minutes. Otherwise the basic cooking was the same until he added a spinach pulp from a can. He added the cooked paneer towards the end
The rice came cooked came from what seemed to be a microwave and the chappatis were cooked on a hot tava.
I had a brief chat with the chef who explained that they prepared there own paneer with vinegar rather than lemon juice. He was amazed though that I new about the base sauce the pastes and the paneer.
He was busy so I could not get much more out of him.
The food was wonderful and I will go back sometime soon to watch and learn more.
If anybody else in the Glasgow are could head down to Kilmacolm we could learn more quicker since I am not back for as few weeks. I am delighted, Panpot
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Great post PanPot. That deserved its own thread.... :)
I live near Kilmacolm... I'll go there and check it out.
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Great post Panpot!
See if you can get some recipes out of him next time ;)
As far as comparison to Andy's recipes\methods I agree, G&G puree is an essential part of BIR cooking, I'm sure that the majority of demos and chats that are posted here include it. I'm not having a dig at Andy's recipes but they are not typical BIR recipes, half the stuff in them would not be used. I would love to actualy visit Andy's restaurant and sample the currys first hand but I don't belive he has told anyone where it is?
cK
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I'm not having a dig at Andy's recipes but they are not typical BIR recipes, half the stuff in them would not be used.
I agree. I'm sure there are some valuable elements within the recipes but, as a whole, they vary too much from what everyone was previously reporting from many different BIR-related sources. Previously, we had some consistrency which built confidence that here were a group of recipes with a bit of variation, but all 'in the frame' for producing BIR type dishes.
Regards
George
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George, I was thinking about that last night. In the two years+ that this site has been around, many members have questioned chefs, had private lessons, peered into BIR kitchens, and even observed from inside kitchens. With small differences, they've all reported similar ingredients and methods. Using these methods and ingredients, and tweaking them, some members have even reported achieving "the taste." Most of the rest say they aren't quite there yet, but are closer than ever before. So, I'm not sure it makes sense to start from the beginning again with a new sauce, paste, methods, and even cookware. Too many variables at the same time. Were we really that far from the answer?
mb
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Last weekend I read Humble Pie, Gordon Ramsays autobiography - great read btw...
Gordon F**kin Ramsay is a very interesting guy, a person who has achieved 3 Michelin stars!!
There are very few 3 star restaurants in the world, I think he has the only 3 star restaurant in London? as of writing anyway. To give you an idea, 1 star is first class eating.
The thing is you have to maintain that standard through out the year otherwise you will lose a star or worse.
It also means the man knows quite a lot about food. He has several restaurants to his name.. and probably hundred or so staff - plus. Some of these chefs have worked in michelin starred restaurants before, they are more than competent at what they do. What they do, they do well, or better than well!
Anyway, GR has basically said, you cant teach to cook through books alone. You need to be beside a chef and learn, he went on to say, give 10 of my chefs the same recipe and you will end up with 10 different dishes.
Now the parallel here is the recipes that come from this forum are very hard to translate into the kitchen if you are looking replicate them as was intended by the author. Even 3 star chefs cant teach you everything, they cant create the dish for you, there are too many factors that influence the final dish, the pots, the pans, the heat, the type of heat, the spices, the ingredient's, the length of time something needs to be heated, the ambient room temperature, the smell, the feel, the look and the taste
It cant be done, its the art of cooking. Now i except that not everyone on this forum will be able to look at a recipe and cook the dish how it was intended to be cooked, most people accept this, they try and try and try and ask for as much information as possible about how to achieve the desired flavour of the dish, the taste, the smell, the texture. The point is, if Gordon Ramsays chefs cant come up with the same dishes given the same recipes.. how on earth can we?
So these people who say, ah ive tried this recipe and it was rubbish or nothing like how id expected it to be.. should maybe just step back, relax and consider, maybe i need more time to try and get it right. After all we aren't trained chefs?
The cooks and chefs in indian restaurants are doing more curry dishes in one night than most of us are doing in several months. No wonder its hard to get it perfect?
Ashes
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Hi Ashes,
I agree with what you have posted with the exception that we are all striving to achieve a certain taste rather than say make the perfect dhansak. Give 10 of us the same recipe for a madras and they will all be different but how many would have the "taste", I think thats the difference. All these recent suggestions along the lines of how you push the spoon round the pan are valid I'm sure but I don't believe that they would make the difference between having the "taste" or not. I used to think it was all down to how the final curry was prepared and that any good base will do but I'm not so sure now ???
cK
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Hi Jeera, If you get down to Kilmacolm can you ask about the red paste that the chef used right at the beginning. There is an interesting thread on the Methods section "taste and smell"regarding the use of burning Chili.
I assumed the paste was tomato puree or even something resembling Andy's paste but it may well be chili paste. Cheers Panpot
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...Would love a chicken tikka massala recipe though-just to find out if they really do put tomato soup in it!!!!!!!!
Received my Pat Chapman DVD today. Just been watching it whilst scoffing a Kris Dhillon vindaloo. Pat lobbed in some tomato soup in the CTM!! :o :o :o
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vindaloo,
At least you got your DVD!
If it's the 'curry magic' one, i ordered in early Oct 06 and they billed my credit card with a few days. Nothing had arrived by early Jan (thats 3 months!) and it took several emails to get a refund.
So is it worth twelve quid?
KP(V)
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hi kp
no no no no no no no no no! my sister bought this dvd for me about 4 months agobut i watched it once and i thought it was absolutely crap if it is curry magic to be found then i strongly recommend that you do not but this piece of crap the only magic to be found is on this forum read the early post of real desparate peeps getting into the kitchen of their local restaurant and getting demos,i myself being one, that is where the only magic can really be seen. these people are true artist/alchemists then once you have witnessed this can you truly understand what this forum is about and why many different taste from all over the uk and the world in reproducing what we all strive for the unique BIR taste!
if you are persistent and say that you are trying to recreate the food at home then explain what you know and even if you don't know then "onions, garlic and ginger" will almost get you started on your way in to a bir kitchen and when you get there ask as many questions as you can and watch everything ! ;)
hope this stops you wasting your money and then you will be well on you way down the local takeaway for at least maon dish and rice the your quest will have begun.......
good luck
and regards
gary
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So, I'm not sure it makes sense to start from the beginning again with a new sauce, paste, methods, and even cookware. Too many variables at the same time. Were we really that far from the answer?
MB - I agree. If the 'new' recipes had been introduced as different to the normal BIR but better for it, I would have had a greater expectation. But they were introduced as pure BIR, so it reduced my confidence, as borne out by events which followed.
Regards
George
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vindaloo,
At least you got your DVD!
If it's the 'curry magic' one, i ordered in early Oct 06 and they billed my credit card with a few days. Nothing had arrived by early Jan (thats 3 months!) and it took several emails to get a refund.
So is it worth twelve quid?
KP(V)
Hi KP,
I actually got a genuine copy from the dreaded fleabay. It cost about £7.50 incl postage. TBH, I was very disappointed with it. I didn't really learn anything new from it. I can honestly say I've learnt more from this website in a few months, than any book or dvd has taught me over the years. ;)
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Have to agree with the comments on the PC dvd I have seen it and it offers nothing in terms of BIR curry.
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Well, I am happy I got the refund, but still wonder why it took so long. They were quick enough to take the money, but took a while to get it back again!
Thanks for all your comments, I won't be looking for it again ;)
KP(V)
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Just thought I'd say well done to Ashes + Panpot for their excellent comments earlier in this thread a very interesting account of the Scottish take away and Mr Ramseys book great stuff good reading ! :)
Layne
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:o
Panpot - Whats the name of that BIR in KIlmacolm, I must pop in and try it??
LOL, I wonder if the owner of the place will becoming suspicious of all us strangers suddenly appearing and goggling at the kitchen area.......teeheehee, the cr0 hit squad ;D
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NairB,I don't know the name of the Carry Out however it is in the centre of the village opposite the Post Office. It is the only one in Kilmacolm and appart from an excellent curry menu it does offer full Fish and Chips menu together with Pizza and even Kebabs.
I actually cant wait to get back there myself but it will be about a month from now so anyone from the Glasgow area who could get down there would be a great help to us all.
Bye the way, I entertained some friends on Sunday to three curries using Andy's base together with his paste. I have to say they had the smell and the best taste yet. I am certain that just like the Kilmacolm Chef if I had added the garlic and ginger paste at the begginning it would have been even better. Actually eating the left overs on Monday night was even better. ;D
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...they had the smell and the best taste yet.
Panpot
This sounds most encouraging. Please confirm which two or three best recipes you had previously made, which this base+sauce now beats.
Also, did you make the full, large quantity of base sauce?
Regards
George
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George
I cooked the base sauce as Andy described then stuck it in the freezer along with his paste and precooked chicken.
I cooked Andy's medium chicken and a Korma and Saag Paneer from the site using his method adding the base sauce cooked chicken and paste.
I am away from home just now so I don't have to hand the recipes I used however my journey with cooking curry is 30 odd years on now and I have to say that this site in all its glory has been just superb.
Like all of us I have limited time to indulge my passion for cooking curry so I have only had a go with a few and more recently like many others I have been caught up in the Andy experience. I have to say that his stuff is excellent but I really cant say how it compares to enough of the other outstanding contributions and recipes you can find here.
On another note this site is also like a drug I cant get enough of it, I can get lost for hours in here so thank you again to one and all who has made and will continue to make it compulsive browsing :D Panpot