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Messages - grahamawright

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Breads (Naan, Puri, Chapatti, Paratha, etc) / Chapatis revisited

« on: June 19, 2013, 08:03 PM »

I thought it might be of interest that the most fantastic chapatis I've ever personally tasted were made by a Sikh lady who used bog-standard plain white flour ('maida' chapatis). They tasted much the same but were softer and lighter than any other chapati I've had in a restaurant (or previously tried making myself).

Whatever flour we use, the basic chapati ingredients are so simple - although there's obviously a little more to it and an acquired skill to reach that level of perfection. I've effectively been converted now and don't bother with 'atta' anymore and, although I might have some way to go to match that standard, I'm quite happy with the results and with the taste (and yes, they still puff up the same if you get it right).

Lets Talk Curry / Re: taste and smell revealed

« on: August 19, 2007, 11:02 PM »

Mustard oil is widely used in Bengali and Bangladeshi cooking. I understand there can be some controversy in its use as a cooking oil in some countries but I'm sure it is present in many BIR dishes so I acquired a bottle of Dabur brand from a local Asian grocer.

I've recently been experimenting including just 15mls (a desertspoonful) to the vegetable oil I use. It can take a lot of heat but it's pretty pungent stuff so I'd be cautious not to overdo it! Following other ideas, I also now add half to three-quarters of a teaspoon of asafoetida to the fairly hot oil as the first ingredient.

I can't pretend to have noticed much advancement in the search for that phantom 'smell' as yet but there's definitely a marked improvement in the 'taste' department.

I would be interested to hear if anyone has played around with this.

Just Joined? Introduce Yourself / Re: Greetings!

« on: July 16, 2007, 01:11 PM »

Hi Mike - I've tried quite a few base sauces over time (sometimes pre-frying the onions and/or the garlic/ginger) so it sort of evolves as I go - often influenced by little snippets of information gained here and there. My latest batch is quite like a modified Kris Dhillon base (a lot of them seem to be), with the addition of celery and carrots which I thought I'd give a try.

It's often pretty frustrating. It would appear from reports that the quest for the 'magic formula' does not lay with the base sauce (in fact I remember a chef referring to a most boring, basic sauce that I'd never believe could produce a decent curry). Why is it then that my local take-aways and restaurants can produce the strongest of that much-sought-after 'aroma' so early in the afternoon/evening when, presumably, they are still in the preparation stages? It's baffling and confusing!

But the game must go on, so when I finish off the remainder of my current stock from the freezer I'll certainly give Darth's base a try next time round.

Just Joined? Introduce Yourself / Greetings!

« on: July 13, 2007, 03:37 PM »

Hello everyone - I joined a few days ago and have spent quite some time trawling through the various sections, picking up hints and tips.

I'm fond of many things but my holy grail is Chicken Jalfrezi and have been trying for ages to come up with the 'perfect' result. It's a major task since my favourite local BIR, on a good day, produces a sublime one. Even on a so-so day, it's still good. A bit on the expensive side, though.

They tend to use tikka and the dish just oozes fresh, vibrant tastes (not cooked to death with everything tasting the same). High heat and speed are obviously essentials and I'm having to make do with my 3KW(ish) gas ring. Not to mention that ever-elusive 'taste and smell' (out of desperation I had even dabbled briefly with 'liquid smoke' - useless!).

My efforts have gradually become 'enjoyable' but nowhere near a fair comparison to my goal. I can hopefully learn a lot more from the wide membership and pick up some gems of wisdom. For starters, when my current stock of base sauce is used, I will certainly try Darth's one, since it appears to receive quite a few accolades. I'm certainly reviewing some of my spices also and have added/changed others as recommended.

For the time being, many thanks for the much appreciated advice and support that is generously shared.

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