Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Messages - Zap

Pages: 1 [2] 3 4 5
11
Just Joined? Introduce Yourself / Re: New member!
« on: September 11, 2014, 04:14 PM »
That menu looks BIR in nature - much more so than any restaurant I've been to across a number of states!  You should be in luck, as I think you'll be able to get a close match to many of the recipes here without too much struggle.

There are a few things I'm surprised at, considering that.  One includes the lack on an Onion Bhaji on the appetizer list.  We don't see those here very often... but they're present in (most? all?) BIRs.  I've actually never had one, yet, but plan to make some one of these days as I love onions and there are some delicious looking recipes. 

If you enjoy Samosas, curryhell has posted a great thread that I use to make my own now!

12
Just Joined? Introduce Yourself / Re: New member!
« on: September 11, 2014, 06:57 AM »
Welcome fellow Midwesterner!  Not sure how many others there are from the states here, I'm in Wisconsin myself.

There is a wealth of information, for sure.  There are differences in some of the recipes/techniques from what is common here in the USA, but a lot of the information is definitely similar to what restaurants do here as well.  Some dishes common here aren't common in BIR, and BIR has some that I've never seen on menus here (but have been delicious regardless).

Lots to read, lots to explore.  If you've got any questions regarding recreating US-specific dishes, feel free to drop me a line.  I've managed to create/improvise recipes for some of the dishes I haven't found recipes for elsewhere.

13
BIR Main Dishes Chat / Re: Members Vindaloo of choice
« on: September 10, 2014, 06:13 AM »
It's quite tricky to cook out the graininess of the high powder chilli content. I had to add extra water.

I love Vindaloo, and tried a number of variations over time to improve/perfect it.  I also had this problem, but I finally discovered one critical change that made a massive improvement.

I found that it is critical to use enough just enough regular chili powder (Kashmiri) to get the color/flavor without going overboard to the point where it is grainy.  I then build up the heat to proper levels using a small amount of Bird's Eye Chili powder (Extra Hot - 180,000 HU).  This is unique as it still has the red chili taste, but substantially more heat.  Any other chili powder modifies the overall flavor.  Some Indian stores have "Extra Hot" chili - which is likely this same type or something maybe less potent but still hot.  Don't be fooled into substituting all of it though (at least in the case of Bird's Eye chili), as you'll lose the milder chili flavors critical for the vindaloo.  In this case the Kashmiri is almost like a good Paprika, with a twist.  It contributes a richness to the flavor.

I've also made the Scotch Bonnet paste on YouTube and it does an admirable job of adding heat, but I think the Habanero/Scotch Bonnet flavor changes the resulting curry flavor a bit.  Mind you, I love that flavor - but it doesn't taste the same as many of the restaurants that are definitely not using anything aside from red chili powders.  However, used in place of the Bird's Eye it may be the next best thing to avoiding grainy overload.

14
I now realise it's the curry cooking stage itself that needs the greater amount of added oil, to little and you end up with a boiled sauce.  :-\ not tasting well at all.

Okay, THIS screams of similarity to Chinese and stir-fry technique.  I've spent a bit of time getting that whole thing figured out within the present limitations I have (normal stove).  Especially when stir-frying meats or watery vegetables, it is easy to drop the wok temperature if too much is added at a time, and that results in the juice leaving and boiling instead of frying.  I end up doing meat in 3-4 batches with the burner cranked, since it is the most dense item as far as absorbing heat is concerned.  Before I start I preheat the wok, then preheat the oil, then begin (and meat is at room temp as well).

I believe that the ultimate key to mastering technique on home stoves is not overloading the pan AND being patient.  Too much addition at one time = temperature drop = no frying.  I actually use a small ladle for adding base (2 oz / 59 ml) for this very reason.  When I start a dish, enough oil has to be present to properly fry the ginger/garlic, spices, tomato, etc. until I am ready to add the base.  Then I also have to give enough time for the base to properly reduce and start caramelizing before each additional ladle. 

Resorting to longer cook times, and thinking things look a bit "cooked down" at times before adding additional base has helped with flavor consistency and intensity.  The final fry-down is watched most carefully with the final ladle (and finishing additions) until the sauce has reached the proper consistency.  My take is that every single reduction, with the addition of base, gets cooked down and concentrated/caramelized.  The more effectively this happens, the more punch the sauce ends up with.

When I stopped trying to emulate videos so much, I got much better results.  Now, if I had the same equipment they do in the video, then I'd have a messy/burned disaster if I tried to deviate too much from their techniques as-shown, or would be cooking on super-low flame at all times.

I find that I've really been cooking some excellent curries as of late, and this new base looks like it is going to be a further boost to them.

15
Finally!  I made a batch of the base last night, it definitely had something going on during the cook process.  The flavor intensified once the tarka was added and re-boiled.  Decided I couldn't wait forever and made a Vindaloo for lunch.

It was delicious and definitely something moreish about it compared to past iterations.  I can't wait to try more dishes using this base, as I feel it adds a substance that wasn't there in some of my previous attempts.  I had already tried watering down other base I had, and that also made a difference in the cooking process and end sauce consistency/taste, but this still has something more.

I just took a taste of the sauce, cold, all this time later.  There is definitely something special here, so I look forward to making other dishes with it soon to see what else it can do.

My only regret is not having any restaurants nearby anymore to use as a taste comparison.

16
Lets Talk Curry / Re: What curry are you cooking tonight?
« on: August 27, 2014, 08:09 AM »
rshome123 hi I also made snoopy final base as he was kind enough to mail it to me, I thought it made great curry and the parsnip made it very creamy for me :D I liked it very much as a madras.
Defiantly not a waste making a batch of his base.

Oh, the irony - I was going to make Snoopy's final base with parsnip, but it has taken me forever to get through the batch of the original clone base I had because I made extra.  In the meantime JB posted his TA experience.  Plus I've been diluting it to the consistency of JB's base - which has improved my results with it quite a bit.

I think after all the rave reviews, I am going to try JB's first.  I am still curious to try the parsnips at some point to see what their effects are on the flavor, too.

17
Pictures of Your Curries / Re: Last Night's Dinner
« on: August 15, 2014, 07:01 PM »
Looks delicious!!

Are the recipes posted anywhere by chance? 

I'm especially interested in the Punjabi Style Dal Tadka.  It looks different and like it might make for a nice change of pace from some of the other Dal dishes I currently make.  Can't ever have too many choices!

18
Recipe says 1/4 block of coconut, any ideas how many grams as block size can vary?

When making the Massala Paste I researched this a bit.  All the standard ones seem to be 200g, so it would be about 50g.

I haven't made the base yet but am looking forward to trying it.

19
OK, I finally cracked at the idea that this may be a breakthrough for me and did my best at aligning the ingredients to what I thought they should be.

The coconut block was discussed in the other thread as 200g, same size as the ones I get here.

I used coconut powder (dessicated) and made my own lemon dressing out of water, lemon juice, citric acid.  Somewhere in the past I have come across a product similar to this here in the states, but I can't recall what it was.  Any any rate, I'm curious to try it in a curry vs straight lemon juice now.

The resultant paste has a VERY nice flavor, and some of what I've called "secret flavor" that I could never put my finger on and other pastes did not seem to have but that I've recognized in restaurant versions of CTM.  Due to regional differences, all but one of the CTM's I've come across here in the states are more orang-y so I leaned a bit that way on the coloring to get it to match what is commonly expected.  The more prominent coconut flavor is definitely an improvement on most of the recipes I've previously encountered.

One final comment, it is VERY thick.  My powerful blender didn't like it much, but it looks very much like the stuff in the picture, so I think I'm still good.

I'm excited to try cooking with it and see what the final dish tastes like.  Either way, I think it is most certainly an improvement over past attempts and the cook process takes some guesswork out of preparing the final curry, as the paste is properly caramelized and thickened going into every pan (vs doing it on the fly).

20
Gathering up the ingredients to make this, but as I'm in the states I need a few clarifications on things.

I have found and used coconut blocks before, but I'm not sure if the size is the same.  Any idea on an approximate weight of coconut block?

Also, I believe this has been beaten to death before, but regarding the coconut powder I find two things here in the states.  One is called just that and is finely shredded coconut (not a powder per se).  The other is Coconut Milk Powder (Maggi).  Do either of these items mesh with what was used to produce this paste?  If not, what is commonly used - any brand names or pictures available?

Finally, I'm not sure we have an equivalent to Lemon Dressing here.  I can find bottled lemon juice easily, but my understanding is the dressing differs because it has water and citric acid added, as well as flavoring.  Is there a difference in taste?  Should I be diluting lemon juice?

Sorry for all the questions, but I want to give this a fair shake and do it right!  Looking forward to trying it!

Pages: 1 [2] 3 4 5

  ©2024 Curry Recipes