Curry Recipes Online
Curry Chat => Lets Talk Curry => Topic started by: Malc. on June 26, 2012, 04:17 PM
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This question came about after a conversation I had with Ali, the owner of the Shinaz in Lewes. All of the curry dishes they serve are runny (accepting that some dishes are meant to be this way) however, I asked to have a Dopiaza made dryer. He had absolutely no trouble with my request and infact commented that he too, prefers a dryer Dopiaza. Of course it begged the question then, why does he serve a runnier curry to his customers? He replied "this is how my customers expect and prefer them, who am I to argue".
In contrast, the Indian Garden in Burgess Hill that serves some of the best curries I have ever tasted, would serve a much dryer curry in respect of say a Karahi (Korai on their menu) or Dopiaza for example. There are other differences between theses two restaurants in that the Runnier Shinaz curries often have alot of smaller chopped onion and green peppers with plenty of base, whereas the dryer Indian Garden dishes would have large chunks of onion and green pepper with much less base.
So ignoring the curries that are meant to be runnier like the Madras and Masala etc. How do you prefer your curries in general?
Cheers,
Malc.
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So ignoring the curries that are meant to be runnier like the Madras and Masala etc. How do you prefer your curries in general?
Each "as it should be". As you say, a Madras should be runny; for me, a Bhuna should be dry. A Dhansak, between the two (it is thickened with Dhal, so cannot/should not be as runny as a Madras); a Karahi, dry-ish; Joul, runny, but just slightly thicker than Madras; and so on. No one consistency, each adjusted to suit the dish.
** Phil.
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Hi I prefer them to be on the runny side and as such my preferences are for Madras, Vindaloo etc but I made a Garlic Chilli Chicken the other day for the 1st time and that was drier (is this usual? only 200ml base) which is what the recipe (UB's) asked for and is was equally as good, so if this is haow it should be then i would stick to convention. Interestingly before i found this site most of my dishes came out on the dry side whetehr i wanted them to be or not cos i didn't know about the base technique and just cooked them for ages :(
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Depends what accompanies the curry for me. I prefer more sauce if I'm eating curry with breads, a little less sauce with rice, and a lot less sauce with, say, a Bombay or Saag Aloo.
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I'm with Naga on this one, it depends on what I'm having with it. I don't really like the term 'dry'. I prefer in general a thicker sauce but with lots of thick sauce (if that makes sense)
Obviously, a Bhuna is going to be a drier dish than a Madras.
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I prefer a runnier sauce generally since I eat most of my food with a spoon and use a chapatti as a scoop too , that combined with an obligatory serving of pilau would leave my meal a bit on the dry side if I did it any differently . Each to his own though .. I'm sure both have merits :)
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love sauce - so runny for me.
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Malc it all depends on how I am feeling, I guarantee you if i order a dry curry i want more sauce and if i order a runny curry i want it drier/thicker ;) so its order 3 ;) cover all bases ;D
1.runny
1.semi dry / thick sauce
1.dry
but what meat to choose for each dish MMmmmmmm so I order
1.runny with chicken
1.runny with lamb
1.semi dry / thick sauce with chicken
1. semi dry / thick sauce with lamb
1 dry with chicken
1.dry with lamb
but then I think tikka or plain ?? >:( Grrrrr cant decide >:( >:(
So...
1.runny with chicken tikka 1.with plain chicken
1.runny with lamb tikka 1. with plain lamb
1.semi dry / thick sauce with chicken tikka 1.semi dry / thick sauce with plain chicken
1. semi dry / thick sauce with lamb 1.semi dry / thick sauce with plain lamb
1 dry with chicken tikka 1. dry with plain chicken
1.dry with lamb tikka 1. dry with plain lamb
Then i start thinking would it be better if i had plain chicken and lamb tikka mix or chicken tikka and plain lamb or chicken and lamb tikka together :(
Sorry went off track a bit there :D
Jalfrezi semi dry thick clinging sauce please.......lamb.....................................no chicken ;)
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The votes and replies are interesting, thanks to everyone that has contributed so far.
Having pondered this and noting Phil's initial comments with regard to Bhuna , I decided yesterday to see how the Shanaz serve a Bhuna. I never order Bhuna so I am unfamiliar with it in respect of how the two restaurants (Indian Garden & Shanaz) serve it.
When I got home and removed the foil tray a fair bit of curry oil/sauce had leaked out over the carded lid and sides. This suggested that what lay beneath was a runny curry. I removed the lid to find the container full to the brim with sauce. I served the curry on the plate and found that the sauce had a thicker consistency than normal but not what I imagined as the menu describes
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Having pondered this and noting Phil's initial comments with regard to Bhuna , I decided yesterday to see how the Shanaz serve a Bhuna. I never order Bhuna so I am unfamiliar with it in respect of how the two restaurants (Indian Garden & Shanaz) serve it. [snip]
Interesting. My liking for Chicken Bhuna dates back to the 1970s, when it was one of my dishes of choice at the New Delhi Restaurant in the Finchley Road (NW3), a short walk from Westfield College where I worked at the time. The bhuna there was definitely on the dry side, and there was a sort of similarity with their mushroom bhaji, which I also enjoyed, but the latter definitely had more liquid (but still not a lot). To be honest, I don't think I have really enjoyed a bhuna since that time; whether it is my changing tastes, or whether modern restaurants have mutated the dish in some way, I do not know. I shall have to try one again, to see how it compares.
As to the difference between "served on an oval platter" and "sealed in an aluminium container", I can certainly see this leading to a difference at the point of serving/eating. I think that Ali is very wise in refusing to serve some dishes as takeaways; he clearly prides himself on the quality of the food he produces, and is not willing to compromise that quality by putting something in a foil container that simply will not travel well. I wish more restaurants did the same, particular Chinese restaurants where a dish that is fresh and crispy in the restaurant can only too often be a soggy mess by the time it arrives home (e.g., salt and chilli prawns).
** Phil.
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Hi Phil
For me, it has opened a can of worms really. How can I now judge a take away on its food when the process of its delivery is affecting it.
Tandoori and Tikka does not travel well either, this is evident by the amount of juices that have worked their way out of the meat and cover the bottom of the Aluminium foil trays.
Sealing up the hot foods in the containers allows them to continue cooking by effectively steaming themselves, or at least that is how mind has settled on it.
I guess the only dishes that will survive the delivery/drive home process are those that are meant to be a runnier curry.
It also begs the question, should I actually be eating more in the restaurant than relying on it trying to provide quality food for me to take home.
cheers,
Malc
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Well, as mad as I am, hehem, I mean dedicated, I visited the Shanaz again, on Wednesday. This time I took advice from Ash who usually takes my order and went with the Lamb Saag. Whilst I waited, we discussed the Bhuna and its I had eaten earlier in the week. We were then joined by Ali who asked me what I thought of the Bhuna to which I gave my reply and supported it with showing him the post I made in this topic. We also discussed the consistency of the Korai.
He was very keen to listen to me and said that they would be are more than happy to cook any dish on the menu any way I wanted it, even a dish that wasn't on the menu. I can't praise Ali enough for how accommodating he his. He then suggested that the next time I come in, I should order the Bhuna saying it is for me and that it should be Medium to Madras and dry. At which point he also said he would cook a Chicken Korai, free of charge, the why he thinks I want it.
Well, how could I resist not going back last night to order the Chicken Bhuna? :)
I arrived home with 1 Chicken Bhuna, 1 Chicken Korai, Plain Rice, Onion Bhaji and a Naan Bread. I opened the Bhuna to find a thick clinging sauce that would definitely pass as described on the menu. Not only that but the aroma and flavour was well balanced and with a nice little kick of heat. The star of the a show however, was without doubt the Chicken Korai.
I'm not sure I should call it a Chicken Korai as it was a dish of mixed identity. It had an onion a green pepper tarka with whole fried onions rings fried with chunky peppers and onion in a thick (dry) red sauce. The smells emanating from it were simply divine with a slight smoky aroma almost chocolaty characteristic. The taste was even better, I could tell that they had put a little of the thick red chefs masala paste in that they use for both a coconut pickle with popadoms and to make the tikka masala sauce. But also a smoky/chocolaty taste that mixed with the slightly singed onion and pepper tarka all finished of with a punch of chilli kick. All I can say is wow!
I phoned Ali at the restaurant soon after finishing the meal to express my thanks and gratitude. He did ask me about the bhuna but I mostly congratulated him on the Korai. I have urged him to put it on the menu as a Shanaz Special or similar and explained that the only problem I have now, is that it will be very hard indeed, not to order this dish time and time again!
To bring this back to track, both the Korai and Bhuna, survived the journey home very well indeed. But it does confirm to me that I much prefer drier dishes.
I just want to thank (As I know he'll be looking in) Ali, his brother (head chef), Ash and all the other staff at the Shanaz for being so helpful and accommodating.
Cheers,
Malc
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Is this "Shanaz" as in Lewes, Truro or Edinburgh, Malc ?
** Phil.
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This one is in Lewes Phil. :)
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This one is in Lewes Phil. :)
Not too far away, then; I feel inclined to pay a visit, just to check out the less-than-runny bhuna !
** Phil.
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If you do, mention my name and the reason for the visit, i.e. this topic, I know Ali has read through it. Perhaps we could meet, enjoy some of the local ale and feast in the Shanaz, one evening.
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If you do, mention my name and the reason for the visit, i.e. this topic, I know Ali has read through it. Perhaps we could meet, enjoy some of the local ale and feast in the Shanaz, one evening.
I would enjoy that ! But first I must seek permission from SWMBO (currently in Abu Dhabi) -- she has put me on a financial diet while she is away :(
** Phil.