Curry Recipes Online
Beginners Guide => Trainee Chefs / Beginners Questions => Topic started by: rhodriharris on February 23, 2011, 12:52 AM
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I make a basic tamarind drink with sugar and lemon/lime juice which taste great but what are its applications in bir curries if any? This is a new spice (if it is classified as a spice) for me and have bought some recently with the purpose of getting to know what it does as i do with most spices and indian cooking products. Anyone use it or has used it please leave a reply, i know it's great with fish and chutneys and this is the only place i can see it used at the moment. Thanks
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Hi Rod,
I have bought some Tamarind myself, having never used it before. I want to make a Mulligatawny soup which requires tamarind in the recipe.
The reason I'm trying this is, I tried a new TA the other night, just a chicken madras and I got a very familiar taste. One that I haven't had since I was a kid, and that taste was Mulligatawny!
Having found a recipe, the only ingredient that I wouldn't recognise by taste is tamarind. My intentions are, to make 2 versions of the soup, one with and one without the tamarind. If my suspicion's are correct, this new TA is using tamarind in either their base gravy or, their madras sauce, possibly in place of lemon juice?
Ray :)
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Hi Rhod
Are you talking Tamarind concentrate or making water from the actual fruit?
Any upmarket BIR trying to emulate a South Indian Dish will use Tamarind, as it's one of the main ingredients of South Indian cuisine, along with coconut, curry leaves, mustard etc...
I"ts been part of the English taste buds for years, in the form of HP and Worcestershire Sauce.
If you make a madras, add some tamarind to give it that something extra.
try my recipe (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=5376.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=5376.0))
I've a few recipes in my head, which I need to author.
King Prawn Puli is one, Scallops in Tamarind Sauce is another.
I'll post them as soon as I make them again.
I cook alot of Tikkis (potato cakes) and bottled Tamarind sauce
and thick greek yoghurt go fantastic.
Maggie have a good one called Tamarina (worth a try)
http://osem.co.uk/products/maggi-tamarina-sauce (http://osem.co.uk/products/maggi-tamarina-sauce)
ChewyTikka
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Hi Chewy,
Does the Maggi Tamarina taste typically of tamarind? My intention was, to make tamarind water and add it to my madras sauce in place of lemon juice, but maybe I could just use the tamarina instead, what dya think?
Ray :)
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Hi Ray
Tamarina has the distinctive taste of tamarind, would be good in Madras, it is quite thick a bit like getting Ketchup out the bottle, so you could mix water with it.
I would still use a touch of lemon juice aswell
I also use the concentrate, got some TRS in the fridge which is very strong and tart.
Careful: Too much effects the stomach.
Cheers
ChewyTikka
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Ok thanks guys, lots to go on especially in the base gravies and upmarket BIR's. I think i need to add some to a curry to see what the overall taste and effect is like. I use the deseeded tamarind fruit at the moment but have seen somewhere how to make a paste from it, think you boil it, strain it and reduce the strainings to a paste, i think. The reason i went for the fruit first is because i wanted to make the drink first as i never had an indian drink to compliment my curries and then go from there and find out its other applications. Someone said it affects the stomach, i read that it has laxitive properties to some degree and wondering if this is what you mean by affecting the stomach? I see tamarind mentioned everywhere but couldn't find a curry recipie for it. I understand most spices but this one always seemed a mystery to me, i will try in a sag aloo next and see how it changes the overall flavour, do i need to use the paste or can i throw the fruit in whole as i love the idea of using the fruit. One thing i noticed when making the drink is that the fruit does break down but not completly.
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The reason i went for the fruit first is because i wanted to make the drink first as i never had an indian drink to compliment my curries
In that case, may I recommend Mango Lassi ? Absolutely delicious, IMHO : I can never get enough of it.
** Phil.
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Thanks phil, i see that mango lassi is one of the most popular drinks and should taste amazing when i make it as we all love mangos in my household, i was thinking of a tamarind ginger drink originally but never found a recipie for it so if you know of one please leave a link and do you use tamarind in curries as well?
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Hi Rhod
Found this in my Indian spice archive.
" Tamarind, is the flesh of the ripe fruit of tamarind tree. Needless to say, almost all parts of tamarind tree are used. The bark is used for medicinal purposes, the dry branches as fire wood, the fresh and tender leaves for dal (Chintachiguru pappu/ tender tamarind leaf dal) and the flowers as stimulants. The fruit when raw is used to make a popular pickle called chintakaaya pacchadi while the flesh of the ripe fruit is used to give sourness or tartness to various vegetable curries and almost all lentil dishes/dal/pappu. It is commonly used in fish and crab curries. However, it is not generally used in meat or chicken dishes. The seeds and leaves of tamarind tree are used to treat scorpion bites. Too much of tamarind (fresh) will cause flatulence and may also cause loose bowel movements. Old tamarind (that is, last year?s crop as opposed to this year?s) tastes very different from new and also gives a much stronger colour to the dish. Try to store new tamarind, which you can distinguish on the basis of its lighter colour-almost the colour of light brown honey, in the refrigerator as it will retain its colour and taste longer. "
Never seen any fresh, in my local asian stores!
But good luck with your experiments :)
ChewyTikka
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Thanks phil, i see that mango lassi is one of the most popular drinks and should taste amazing when i make it as we all love mangos in my household, i was thinking of a tamarind ginger drink originally but never found a recipie for it so if you know of one please leave a link and do you use tamarind in curries as well?
I've never made a tamarind drink : I wonder if it would leave the palate feeling dry rather than refreshed ? I have eaten tamarind "candies" (Vietnamese boiled sweets) and they are very pleasant, but they are so sticky that each sweet is wrapped in two separate wrappers ! As for tamarind in curries, yes, I have used it; in dhansak, mainly, but occasionally just as a variation in a basic Madras. I use the concentrate, bought aeons ago from I forget where.
** Phil.
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Ok so i have added a bit of tamarind fruit to my curry, threw a small bit in whole and it more or less cooked down so didn't notice the texture. I only threw in a small bit as it seems to pack a mighty punch but definatly noticable, well a little bit. Went well with the curry and spices, finished the overall taste of it of but am gona put a lot more in my next curry to see what overkill is like. As for mango lassie, well i made that and the tamarind takes it to a whole new level. It is stll a yoghurt drink essentially and my girlfriend said she'd prefer and definatly have it at breakfast so didn't go down well with the curry but as a dessert after i think it would work brilliantly. Here is my recipie for mango lassi and i didn't use that much sugar as bad for you-
2 pints water bring to the boil and take off heat when boiled then add
2 tablespoons tamarind fruit de-seeded
2 whole squeezed lemon
1 level tablespoon brown sugar (use white or honey, mine is unrefined billingtons)
Stir and wait till cooled (allow one for it to cool for the best taste) then pour through seive ( i don't mind tamarind pulp in my drink so i just let it settle then pour of into a jug leaving the tamarind pulp behind as it sinks to the bottom and discard this pulp. Then seperatly blend -
1 mango
1 small tub fresh organic yoghurt/about 8 tablespoons yoghurt
Add the blended yoghurt and mango to the tamarind and serve chilled.
I have found that if you add tamirind to boiled water and let cool it taste ok but leave it a day and the taste is so much sweeter and more palatble, this is very strange indeed but seems to be the key to a great tasting tamarind drink, people won't drink it after it has initially cooled but the next day it smoothes out a lot and everyone says they like it and drink it all up.
I will persever with the tamarind and wonder if tamarind has somthing to do with sweet and sour sauce (can't find any recipies that mention it) since it makes great chutney which will be my next endevour. Thanks
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I confess that our recipe for mango lassi is much simpler : yoghurt (usually Greek), Rubicon mango juice, mango puree, and ice. Blitz and serve. Wonderful !
** Phil.
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You got to try it with tamarind, gives a wonderful after taste, makes the drink cheaper and seems to make it less yoghurt like and more drinkable. I use to love Rubicon but prefer the more natural juices thesedays. Amazing how tamarind lends itself to this drink well. I have to push forward with the tamarind chutney and think mango chutney would be a good next step although all the recipies i see involve a lot of sugar so hopefully the tamarind will help omit most of the sugar. I hope that tamarind is used instead of salt or sugar in recipies as i don't like adding these ingredients, when i added it to a curry it gave me the impression that i wouldn't need to add salt as the taste of tamarind was very similar, i think.
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(http://www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/8fdefc66f0.jpg) (http://www.freeimagehosting.net/)
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This bombay potatos was made using Tamarind deseeded fruit, paprika, chili powder, tumeric, corriander and cumin powder. The result of using tamarind was a lovely deep brown colour that seemed to lighten the dish and produce a more appelling colour. Truly the taste and colour are noticable, like and orange brown colour and taste was sweeter and brought together the spices well. I think i will use tamarind for a lot of my curries after this and have definatly tasted it in resturants before now that i know what i'm looking for.
Does any one on this site use tamarind in their curries, massalas etc? I am swayed by the great taste and colour and can't help but think in some resturants it might even be in the base gravy. Any one shed some light on this please?
P.s. a little tamarind goes a bloody long way and only had to add a figernails worth in size.
(http://www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/57e379d313.jpg) (http://www.freeimagehosting.net/)
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Each to his own, but for me, Bombay Aloo such as the one you have made and photographed would potentially benefit from the addition of two things :
1) A contrasting colour (green), from (for example) coriander leaves, methi leaves or curry leaves
2) Whole seeds (for example, mustard).
My understanding of what makes a particular Bombay Aloo work has increased significantly while taking part in the group test, and the presence of these two really does seem to make a noticeable difference.
Love the black marble worktop !
** Phil.
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I'm with Razor on the mulligatawny soup. I use Pat Chapman's recipe from The Curry Bible and it is delish. He recommends tamarind concentrate which makes it even easier to use.
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You got to try it with tamarind, gives a wonderful after taste, makes the drink cheaper and seems to make it less yoghurt like and more drinkable. I use to love Rubicon but prefer the more natural juices thesedays. Amazing how tamarind lends itself to this drink well. I have to push forward with the tamarind chutney and think mango chutney would be a good next step although all the recipies i see involve a lot of sugar so hopefully the tamarind will help omit most of the sugar. I hope that tamarind is used instead of salt or sugar in recipies as i don't like adding these ingredients, when i added it to a curry it gave me the impression that i wouldn't need to add salt as the taste of tamarind was very similar, i think.
Rhod
Odd, do you not read peoples replies ???
Tamarind is a "souring agent" in asian cooking!
The flesh of the ripe fruit is used to give sourness or tartness to various vegetable curries etc...
Chewytikka
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I do read everyones reply and all intrested views, just that the tamarind taste i get is a little sweet too as well as sour/tart. Do you think its best suited to vegetable curries more than a meat curry chewy? I did notice in your earlier post that you mentioned about the colour it gives curries and feel that this is what i experienced.
I do agree phil that corriander leaves and mustard seeds make for a great aloo but didn't add the mustard seeds this time and forgot to mention that i did add dried corriander leaves which you can just about see in the photo. Sorry i didn't mention this as i add them to most dishes but like second nature and always forget when writing my ingredients for the dish. I also use onion seeds when i'm out of mustard seeds but for this dish just wanted to keep it simple to experience the tamarind taste.
I feel like i'm getting to grips with the tamarind fruit and am loving the extra taste although i suspect it is not a favourite in some BIR curries.
Sorry if i don't grasp basic concepts or peoples recomendations straight away, i am good at cooking but not second nature to me so sometimes i read things and it goes in one ear and out the other only to realise later that the answer is staring me in the face.
Thanks.
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Any comments on my pictures of my bombay potatos good or bad are welcomed, is the sauce a nice consistency, is the colour authentic BIR, appart from the mustard seeds this is my version of potato aloo at the moment and just add spinach for sag aloo. Nice to know i'm hitting the mark, on the right tracks or wether i need to go back to the BIR drawing board! This is where i really need to get involved in the group tests so that i can have some comparison and feedback. Once again thanks.
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did add dried corriander leaves which you can just about see in the photo.
Oh, Rhodri, you are seriously missing out if you are using dried coriander leaves. They are almost as useless as dried parsley, and that is saying something ! If you have never experienced real fresh coriander leaves, freshly cut from a bunch sitting in a vase of cold water, do please try to get hold of some. I confess that I use some dried leaves (fenugreek, curry, holy (Thai) basil and on on), but only because the fresh are not available and I can't grow them. But fresh coriander is so widely available, and so easy to grow, that there really can be no excuse for using it in the dried form (unless, of course, you prefer it that way !).
** Phil.
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Spot on with the fresh corriander, i often don't bother even though it is readily available and i could grow it with ease. I would of never have thought about it till you told me but actually dried corriander is worse than dried parsley, tastless and bland and find myself throwing in heaps of it with little effect. I do add corriander powder to taste and get a hint of it but thats a seed not a leaf. Most places i have had fresh corriander is on a salad and steak, how do i cook with it or is it added at the end as a garnish. I do agree also that breaking up the colour would help, just looks brown i know. I do on occasion add ground paprika to give it a redder colour but finds that the paprika gives it a bad after taste and slightly sweet. I do like the tamarind but only want to add a little as it is strong and only want it to compliment not over power my spices.
A real point i think is that i need to pay a bit more attention to some ingredients and techniques that i took for granted, let me know how you would add the corriander and i will make a final version tomorrow or the weekend with all the recommended ingredients and post it here. Hopefully it will be good enough to match a BIR. They have a group test for bombay aloo soon so if i still haven't got it right that should nail it for me and this dish. Let me know about the corriander. Thanks
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For the Bombay Aloo, all that is necessary is to cut the leaf end coarsely and stir it in immediately before serving. To transform a mediocre curry into a brilliant one, cut the stalk ends finely, stir in and cook for a couple of minutes before serving -- the texture and flavour of the chopped stalk can make all the difference between a bland boring curry and a superb experience.
** Phil.
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For the Bombay Aloo, all that is necessary is to cut the leaf end coarsely and stir it in immediately before serving. To transform a mediocre curry into a brilliant one, cut the stalk ends finely, stir in and cook for a couple of minutes before serving -- the texture and flavour of the chopped stalk can make all the difference between a bland boring curry and a superb experience.
** Phil.
I'm with you on the chopped coriander Phil. Had a lamb rogan josh for lunch today that was bubbling away on the slow cooker last night, and while it was very tasty, there was something missing: it needed the fresh coriander just to lift it and add another dimension. Shame I was at work :(
Back on to the topic of tamarind, I always use a dollop of tamarind sauce in my tandoori marinade, which IMO is one of "those" flavours that shines through as an authentic BIR taste in the end product.
On the subject of marinading chicken, I've been having great success brining the chicken before marinading, leads to a really succulent and juicy texture. Just need to be careful with the salt levels.
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Hi Chillibeast,
On the subject of marinading chicken, I've been having great success brining the chicken before marinading, leads to a really succulent and juicy texture. Just need to be careful with the salt levels.
Quite interested in this, so what is your method for brining the chicken mate?
Ray :)
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Hi Chillibeast,
On the subject of marinading chicken, I've been having great success brining the chicken before marinading, leads to a really succulent and juicy texture. Just need to be careful with the salt levels.
Quite interested in this, so what is your method for brining the chicken mate?
Ray :)
Can't remember if it's off here or somewhere else. I'm not much of a "measurer", I tend to go by glugs and skudgels.
In a nutshell...
Into a large(ish) freezer bag: add a good old shake of salt to a pint(ish) of water. Pour some sugar in too. Throw in a few peppercorns and coriander seeds (don't know if they make any difference!) Add your chicken breasts (trimmed of any fat, membranes etc). Leave for 40-45 minutes. Rinse THOROUGHLY under a cold tap.
Now it's ready to be turned into tikka. Slice each breast into 3-4 pieces. Marinade in lemon, garlic and ginger for 30 minutes, then the tikka/tandoori paste of your choice. 24 hours later, grill under high heat for 5-7 minutes each side. Use in pretty much any dish!
NOTE: Don't add any salt to your recipe until you've tasted your finished meal. The chicken may taste a tad salty depending on amount of salt, amount of water, brining time etc. It is possible to over-salt your meal. Don't leave it brining too long, and rinse well is my advice.
Well worth trying, I've been very impressed with the results. IIRC first attempt was slightly over-salty (1hour), subsequent attempts have been spot on (no more than 45 minutes).
All I can say is, give it a go! :)
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Hi Chillibeast,
I will certainly give this one a try. Wow, I've got a few things on my list to go through this month ;D
Ray :)