New resolution = stray from the safe and tried and experiment with a few different things. 

Although it has been on the side for a Good while I have never delved into Mick Crawford's E book.

The gravy seems fairly standard and simple but he has two suggested mix powders that on first glance seem very similar but are actually very different but with no explanation.

Have any of you guys tried both and what is your opinion

Thank you. Regards and Happy New Year.

RD


Perhaps I should add that I am not comfortable with the % of turmeric in mix 2 in addition to the fact that he does not mention which one he uses in each of his recipes.

Just put together a Saturday special.

What has confused me is that with the exception of two green chillis seeded and chopped ( strength known ) I did not add any chilli powder or anything else with heat potential.  Used normal mix powder but did add a tbs of basaar. Used basaar before and not had the heat ( to my knowledge anyway ). Does anyone know different re the basaar as I cannot for the life of me work out why what was intended to be a fragrant yet mildish curry ( for others ) has ended up as something almost vinders in strength.  Not a problem aas I will happily eat it but not what was intended.

Curry ordered for 12 family Saturday. Arggghhhhhhhhh. Not looking for an 'ultimate' curry  just looking to survive.   ;D. Sheeks, bhajis etc in freezer already. Need to do a batch of pilau so will do that Friday night and reheat thus obviating the freezing stage from which I still have problems. Just leaves me a pan fest Saturday morning. Mutton chicken and king prawn awaiting my attention from thereon.

Is this relevant to anybody? Prhaps not but the site seems a bit dull at the moment     Only posted incase there are any tips regarding a 12 handed jobby. ( ooops that sounds bad.  )

In case anybody is in the market.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Waring-Professional-Spice-Grinder-EBCD409-B-/271200157948?ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:GB:1123


Edit - not so great. Just spotted refurbished with cosmetic issues. I paid 90 for a brand new one. Will leave link anyway.

Site seems pretty quiet at the moment ( good and bad thing? ). So had a search about after today's curry fest. Got a tad tempted to try a simple and straight forward Bruce Edwards base and curry straight from the original recipe. Now I am no expert but I think I have come on leaps and bounds in no small measure due to some of the peeps on here but I found the simplicity of BE's recipe more interesting when comparing it with what I generally do now. Going to do it next week but has anybody actually tried this recently? If so I would appreciate your thoughts in advance.

I am going to stick my neck out here and have a well betted bhuna on the fact that this is going to be one tasty 'mother'. Prompted a tad here from the basic ingredients from CT's RJ that I recently did in pan no 1 which brought me down to earth a bit with regard to bu**ering around too much with additional ingredients and measures.

Time will tell. Will report back late. Off now to reheat today's efforts.

http://khanapeena.co.uk/

Recommended.   Four of us with starters and a bottle of vino and 3 x large cobra.

Asafoetida etc etc.

Trying to get my head around this one. The only times a recipe ( or base recipe ) asks for this it only needs a pinch. I had a small jar that had been sitting in the back of the cupboard for around 6 years. So I did the sensible thing and replaced it but could only get Top op 500g tub. Not expensive but even if I use in base I can see this tub being around for 16 not 6 years.

The thing is I am struggling to appreciate what contribution this stuff makes to any recipe. In or out I am not noticing any appreciable difference.

Thoughts?

............... Do you prefer to use in base?

Read somewhere that English onions can make the base taste bitter. C2g recommends using Dutch or English yet also recognises that Restaurants will use Dutch where possible as they are sweeter. That said, Spanish onions are also meant to be sweeter than English.

Have you a preference regarding the origin of onions for base and if so is this due to then aforementioned supposed bitterness issue?

Apologies if this has already been covered but you can imagine what a search for 'onions' throws up.  ( cannot see how to refine search parameters to search phrases ).

Just occurred to me - do we have any lady BIR enthusiasts on the forum? Not that it particularly matters but it just seems that the search for the ultimate taste is left to us trouser wearers ( yeah - ok she does try and borrow my trousers from time to time and - yes - they do sometimes fit! ). 

Off this weekend to watch the boys at Welford Road, the difference being that we are going to stop over night. I would appreciate any recommendations re a good curry house around Leicester Station area. London Road, Granby Road? I have booked The Curry House on the limited research I have had a chance to make but suggestions welcome.

Thank you ( hopefully in advance )

Far too early to celebrate but how good was it to see Paddy put Taffy in 'his'' place at Cardiff yesterday and for the boy's to give Jock a thorough stuffing at HQ.  Be nice to see the Spaghetti see off the Frogs today but I don't think so.  . Time for a coldie.

The thorny old subject of reheating food.

How do you guys reheat your onion bhagis after they have been frozen? At the mo I am defrosting them naturally then reheating in 200 c ( 180 fan ) oven for 10 mins as suggested by C2G. They taste nice, they heat through BUT  they are a little on the soggy side and not like they are fresh out of the fryer.

Now before anyone suggests it, I only use the fryer for bhagis. I like to make them in bulk then bottle the oil so reheating in the fryer is no an option as it is too much agg just to do a couple of these on a Saturday night!! Is there any other way I can reheat right through but also re- crisp them? Grill perhaps but then will the heat through before burning?

Ta

Will add that I have never been a great lover of onion bhagis but have developed more of a taste after doing Julian's and now CA's. 

Been meaning to make this for a while. Used the CA recipe. Seems like you have to be so careful with the lemon juice though.

It was so nice I had to make some more.

Only started today and it happens in the wife's iPad as well as mine.

Normal forum page shows fine as does the page if I go into a board section. As soon as I go into any individual thread whether it be new or old, the page displays at about one fifth page width albeit full height. I have to zoom the page in and adjust it EVERY time to see it.

Anybody else found this on iPad?  Seems similar on iPhone too. Right pain. ftp://

Well not so much a strainer than a sieve.
Just bashed out 6litres of C2G ish base with a couple of twists and thought what the hell. Taking the lead from CT I then pushed this through a fine sieve. Took me 20 mins and a bit of elbow with a marble pestle. There is no cabbage in this base but a fair bit of fibrous muck was disposed of. Be interesting to see how we go on the first cook.   

I notice that some base recipes suggest that the base should be cooled after the spice stage and prior to the addition of extra water, blending then reheating to raise froth/ separate oil.

Comments, experiences appreciated.

Is this necessary or do some include it purely for H & S reasons? In this day and age.
Personally I have blended whilst hot and do not see this as a problem especially if I let down after with HOT water prior to blending.

Just had an Ocado link advert thing pop up on the site. Had a look only because we use them regularly. What did I get? A page full of Loyd Grossman sauces.

QUALiTY.      ;D

For the past few weeks I have had a combination of kids plus boyfriends descending on us for curry. Whilst I take this as a compliment I am getting a bit fed up with doing 2, sometimes 3 batches using my Ali pan and doing 2 portions at once. Last Saturday I thought s*d it and using up the last of my last base I tried doing 4 portions in one go.

For want of a better pan and the only alternative being a large saucepan, I used a large Ali wok. Doing a C2G madras I only doubled the quantities of spices rather than x 4 and I must say that I was not disappointed with the result. Only found it to be slightly bitter which was easily resolved wi a touch of mango chutney.

Conclusions here and reason for posting are that I do not think that ere are any significant disadvantages in making larger quantities like this, although I did try and singe a bit longer than usual and move e sauce high around the edges of the wok. I also think that there is a valuable lesson in not merely x the quantities according to how many portions are required. Not sure of the stats but I believe now that quantities of mix etc need to be scaled down as the quantity increases.

Hope that makes sense.

So I am sitting here having done all my chores, dinner is cooked and Mickthebass' tikka prepared and marinating nicely.

Pi**ing down with rain again so I thought I would ask you guys to shed some light on something that always niggles me and which I cannot find a googley answer for either.

I put food in a freezer bag  ( I use Waitrose ). Mince, chicken, and yes even liquids.  I seal the bag and ( including liquids ) there is never any leakage unless I damage the bag.

I freeze it.

I then defrost, normally putting the bag(s) in a bowl of some kind.

Why does the bag always leak liquid as it defrosts?  It is not condensation etc..  eg  mince , steaks etc will always release blood from the bag into the bowl.

Must admit I have never tried to test the integrity of the bag after defrosting by blowing in , looking for holes etc. but I know they have not been torn or damaged in the freezer.