Curry Recipes Online
Beginners Guide => Trainee Chefs / Beginners Questions => Topic started by: Curry United on November 16, 2009, 09:47 PM
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Hi, i have been trying for weeks to make a basic restaurant/takeaway indian chicken curry and pilau rice but can not seem to get it right!
i have been using all the essential ingredients , but the flavour is not there.
any advice would be great :)
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Which base and curry recipe did you use?
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...and which pilau rice recipe?
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i used, g+g, onions,tomatoes, (blended) turmeric, gmasala,cumin,corriandersalt oil, a little yogurtand water. i boil the chicken separatly then add later to make sure its really soft and tendor.
for the pilau i soaked it for 15 mins, then boiled for 10 adding turmeric and a cinnomen stick. It came out quite starchy and plain.
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Hi Harbut,
You might want to check the following links (just click on them):
For a general approach, and explanation on where to look on the forum, check here: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1848.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1848.0)
Chose a curry base, from the curry base recipe section, here: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?board=2.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?board=2.0)
Decide what type of curry you like and chose a recipe, from the main dish recipe section, here: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?board=3.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?board=3.0)
Check out the rice recipes here: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?board=86.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?board=86.0)
Hopefully you will then be able to deduce how to best proceed.
Hope this helps 8)
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Many Thanks CA :)
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You're welcome Harbut,
In a nutshell, you need:
- a decent curry base (to my mind, this is one of THE most important things...others may disagree)
- a decent "spice mix" (i.e. masala/curry powder/paste....or individual spices)
- a decent main dish recipe (for a dish that you like!)
- a decent cooker (i.e. with a powerful enough flame, if it's gas...which I far prefer)
- a decent pan (decent material and shape, not too big, not too small, but matched to your cooker/flame)
- decent spices and ingredients (spices that are too old...i.e. no smell...are no good)
- a decent cooking technique (to ensure the flavours are released from the spices....too hot and they, and other ingredients, will burn...too cool and they won't release their flavours and will be tasteless)
- a decent amount of oil (needed to "transport" the flavours of the spices...skim off any surplus before eating
I'm sure other members can contribute more....and you should glean much from the abovementioned sections and threads... :)
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CA I feel your right on the button with the need for a good base and as I have put forward over the years a decent caramelised onion paste previously know here as the "secret ingredient" now what has been revealed to me as Bunjarra. Good luck Harbut the site has changed a big part of my life after over 35 years of actively cooking curry in the hope of recreating BIR standard dishes. Enjoy and stick with it. PP
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thats great help thanks . if anyone else has tips on the basic chicken curry dish i am open for suggestions.
Cheers
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For a general approach, and explanation on where to look on the forum, check here: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1848.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1848.0)
Chose a curry base, from the curry base recipe section, here: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?board=2.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?board=2.0)
Decide what type of curry you like and chose a recipe, from the main dish recipe section, here: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?board=3.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?board=3.0)
Check out the rice recipes here: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?board=86.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?board=86.0)
This should be in the FAQ...AND the FAQ should be made more prominent in some way to prevent this sort of beginners question from arising so often.
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Harbut,
other things i've found useful: treat it as a jigsaw and master each piece, have a real good read through the various posts using the search button to home in on each piece. make u're own mind up on things when there are different opinions.
on the chicken dish it really does depend on what u like. CK's CTM, Admins Jalfrezi were my starting points which i still make regular. CA has posted several of his recently and i would certainly give them a go. i also like the ashoka pathia and korahi bhuna.
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This should be in the FAQ...AND the FAQ should be made more prominent in some way to prevent this sort of beginners question from arising so often.
Well it could be put in the FAQ.....and it could be put in "Let's talk curry"...and it could be put in several other places too!. It seems to be that it could rightfully belong here too!
Unfortunately, the forum currently has several sections which appear similar, which can be (is) a little confusing....Stew is looking at whether we should reorganise and/or combine some sections to make things easier and clearer to navigate.
Any comments and suggestions can made in the "Suggestions for Improving the Site" section here: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?board=37.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?board=37.0)
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i've attempted to make a couple of curries this week after looking at many of the base recipes on here, but still couldnt get the result im looking for.
so i went to my local indian takeaway and made a appointment to see the chef on wednesday! lol to get a hold of his recipe and cooking method.
i will let you know how it goes. :)
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hi, i agree Jerry, i too would make the safron base (with no potato), and admins jalfrezzi. it is about as close to a real takeaway as you can get at home. if this still does not get close enough to a real takeaway, then i am afraid you need to make friends with a real bir chef and hope he spills the beans, and gives away the secrets of the trade.
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Hi, i have been trying for weeks to make a basic restaurant/takeaway indian chicken curry and pilau rice but can not seem to get it right! i have been using all the essential ingredients , but the flavour is not there. any advice would be great :)
My best advice would be to check out the recipes on the forum at cr0.co.uk
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i still have not perfected a bir taste, except for a jalfrezi which was as close as i ever need it to the taste.
but still they are damn good curries ive made, and they are getting better all the time.
just need to follow the recipes and advice of the people here that have been working on this a lot longer than either of us have.
good luck
my pilau rice is now as good as any bir, better than most. follow this recipe http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1383.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1383.0)
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i've attempted to make a couple of curries this week after looking at many of the base recipes on here, but still couldnt get the result im looking for.
so i went to my local indian takeaway and made a appointment to see the chef on wednesday! lol to get a hold of his recipe and cooking method.
i will let you know how it goes. :)
Good luck with the visit , look forward to hearing how you get on.
Matt
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harbut,
i am sure the visit will be real good. very lucky person
adding to what i've said earlier. all the info is on this site.
it splits for me into:
1) equipment
2) base
3) prep / ingredient / recipe
4) technique
all of these have to be right. u need to focus in on where u're particular gaps are.
this curry malarkey is not like conventional cooking ie u can't just pick up a cook book and produce instant results.
be's (Bruce Edwards) post is a very good starting point. get used to using the search button a lot to research the gaps before asking questions to clarify when u need.