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Messages - DeeDee

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11
Pictures of Your Curries / Re: CA's Onion Bhajis
« on: June 03, 2012, 03:53 PM »
Petrolhead360,

I amended the recipe ever so slightly, as mentioned in my debrief here.

I basically just changed how you read the ingredients as I found the Essential / Optional a bit confusing in real time.

I also used less water / more besam to get the result I was after.

:-)



12
CA,

LOVE THIS RECIPE!!!  I've posted some images in the Photo section of my triumph (the bhajis, not the motorbike)!

Triumph Link

I did modify the recipe ever so slightly as I found the Essential / Optional a bit confusing in the 'heat of battle'.  I used all the ingredients, just put them in an order that I found easier to follow. 

One note:  I had to add about another 40g of besam to stop it all being too runny and I didn't use all the water.

Here is what I followed:


INGREDIENTS

Oil for deep-fat frying

DRY MIX

340 g onions (thinly sliced into about 4cm long strips)
120 g gram flour ("besan")
2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (rubbed between fingers)
1 tbsp fresh coriander leaves (chopped)
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds

WET MIX

1 egg
3 tbsp Greek (or plain) yoghurt
3 tbsp fresh (or bottled) lemon juice
2 tsp garam masala (any decent one will do)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp curry power (any decent one will do)
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp tumeric powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3 tsp sugar
1 tsp mint jelly
A few drops of yellow food colouring
About 50ml of water

METHOD

1.  Dissolve the mint jelly (if using) in a little warm water

2.  Put the onions and gram flour into a large non-metallic bowl (together with the fenugreek leaves,  fresh coriander, fennel seeds and cumin seeds, if using)

3.  Mix the egg, yoghurt, lemon juice, garam masala and salt (together with the sugar, dissolved mint jelly, curry powder, chilli powder, tumeric powder, garlic powder and food colouring, if using)

4.  Add the mixture from Step 3 to the onions and gram flour in Step 2

5.  Mix in just sufficient water (about 50ml), to form a STIFF batter, which falls sluggishly off a spoon - PHOTO 1

Note:  Don't add too much water!  Moisture will also be released from the onions and the batter may become too thin.  If this happens, add more gram flour to thicken it.  If the batter is too thin, the bhajis will be difficult to mould and will disintegrate whilst cooking!

6.  Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer to 1600C (or use a deep saucepan)

Note:  Don't heat the oil to too high a temperature!  If it is too hot, the bhajis will burn on the outside and remain uncooked in the middle.  The oil should be just hot enough so that the bhajis initially sink, then rise to the surface after a few seconds, and then gently bubble away

7.  Use two tablespoons (or similar) to mould the batter into a rough ball shape 

Note:  This will be very tricky if the batter is too thin!

8.  Drop the bhajis, one by one, into the oil, and cook for about 5 minutes until the outside is golden - PHOTO 2

Note:  Only cook three or four bhajis at a time.  Otherwise, the oil will become too cool, for the bhajis to cook properly, and they will stick to each other. 

Note:  The bhajis will initially sink to the bottom of the pan.  After a few seconds, gently lift each bhaji off the bottom of the pan with a slotted spoon, fish slice, or similar implement (but ensure that the batter is firm enough to move them first!).  The bhajis will then rise to the surface and gently cook. 

Note:  Remove the bhajis before they are too dark; they will continue to cook and darken after they have been removed from the oil - PHOTO 2

9.  Use a slotted spoon to remove the bhajis.  Place them on kitchen paper to drain

Notes: 

1.  Unless stated otherwise, the following measures apply:

a)  "tsp"  = 1 level 5ml teaspoon
b)  "tbsp" = 1 level 15ml tablespoon

2.  If you cut the onions too short, the bhajis will have a much smoother (i.e. "pakora-like") appearance

3.  Best eaten, whilst warm, but  enjoyable cold too

4.  Serve on a bed of lettuce, with lemon, fresh coriander and mint or tandoori raita (see here:  http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1224.0)- PHOTOS 3 & 4

13
Pictures of Your Curries / CA's Onion Bhajis
« on: June 03, 2012, 01:12 AM »
I've done Onion Bhajis before but this was my first try with CA's recipe. 

My verdict: Bloomin' marvelous!!

This will be my default OB setting from now on. :-)

Pictured here with Tandoori Raita.




14
As I'm always looking for another way to use wonderful besan (gram flour) I recently discovered the world of the Chila.  I was so happy with the simple but varied and tasty results I thought I'd share them wiv' me curried up CR0 mates!

Chilas, by all accounts, are a food that street vendors sell all over India as a working class breakfast and snack.  It's basically a gram flour pancake filled with, well, pretty much anything.  If you search the web you'll find loads of different fillings but for the purposes of this recipe I'm sticking with never fail onion and tomato.  The joy of the chila is that it is so simple.  The recipe is quite simply mix, fry, eat.

Uses?  Starter, side dish.  I have two warmed in the mike for breakfast with Maggi Chatpat sauce, HP sauce or Punjabi Teekha Mango Pickle. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

Oil for frying
As much chopped coriander (dhania) as you like

For Batter:

3/4 cup besan (gram flour)
1 tsp cumin (jeera) powder
1 tsp carom seeds (ajwain)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1/4 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp finely chopped green chillies (optional)
a pinch of asafoetida (hing)
2 tsp oil
salt to taste
3/4 cup water

For Filling:

1 small onion (finely chopped)
1 regular tomato (finely chopped)

Alternative fillings are grated paneer / cottage cheese / cooked potatoes

METHOD

1. Heat finely chopped onion and tomato in pan / wok on medium heat.  No oil needed. Stir and mix until onions are soft.  Remove from heat. Set aside.
2. Turn up heat. Add a small amount of oil to hot pan. Smoking hot is good enough.
3. Pour 1/3 cup of batter into pan.  Should make a small pancake.  Batter will start to rise and cook rapidly. 
4. When it looks half done (still wet in the middle) add a tablespoon of filling to the middle.
5. Flip over chila and cook other side.  You can add a small amount of oil to the pan whenever you feel like it to keep them from sticking. The more oil you add the crispier the chila will get.
6. Sprinkle with coriander and serve hot or freeze and mike later.
7. Serve with your favourite sauce (Chatpat), chutney, pickle or even good old HP.

If this is in the wrong forum (as it is a bread but is not a BIR recipe) please let me know or move it (or both!) :-)

Hopefully by the magic of the information superhighway there is an image below.  Fingers crossed!!


15
jonx1234,

Apologies for the late reply I've been here for years and only now saw the "Show new replies to your posts" option. Doh!

As for the wehn to use it part of your question, most recipe will tell you when to add it. :-)

Also, I've found that it's best to make a bumload (ahem, technical term) of the spice mix, say a 1/2 cup of each ingredient and store it in an airtight jar.  If you're making more than three curries a week (like me) then it's just a great time saver to not to have to keep mixing smaller rinky dink amounts of something you need all the time.

16
Pictures of Your Curries / Re: Axe's Sag Aloo
« on: June 02, 2012, 07:18 PM »
Unclefrank,

I just followed the recipe so I think the look of the potatoes comes from the turmeric. 

As a recent convert to being a vegetarian (health reasons) I've dabbled with swapping out chicken for veggies in some of my fave recipes (Madras, Jalfrezi etc). 

I've found that dry cooking unpeeled potato chunks in a wok with turmeric and water for a while until they are half cooked and then using 'as if' it was prepared chicken works a treat.  The potatoes have a nice earthy roasted 'feel' and don't fall apart as much as par boiled and such.

17
Pictures of Your Curries / Axe's Sag Aloo
« on: May 21, 2012, 03:59 AM »
I made this recipe with an added half cup of gravy base.  Tasted great, looks nice an' all.

The recipe post is here:

http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=4419.0






18
Fantastic.  Being a Brit abroad in the USA, I have to say this is really seems like a kind of salsa with a twist, but WOW, what a twist.  Great stuff.  My wife and I are addicted.  :D  Many thanks!

19
Oh, Les, to answer your Spice Mix question I used this one from the cr0 FAQs:

Coriander 8 Parts
Turmeric 7 Parts
Cumin 5 Parts
Curry Powder 4 parts
Paprika 4 Parts (optional)

For "Parts" think tsp or Cup, whatever you like.  There is no chili mentioned but I always find that individual recipes add the chili.

20
Just wanted to add my two cents worth.  I've been using Kris Dhillon's base sauce recipe for seven years (since I joined cr0) and only recently found this one from Stu.  IMO this recipe is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better. Love it.  It's also a lot easier to put together.  Thanks much!

 :D

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