Hi Chewy.    I also made your Jhal Frezi yesterday.  As you know I'm a Tandoor freak so not made many wet curries before, only traditional Indian style ones. So I thought it's about time to make the jump to BIR.  It's obviously quite expensive to purchase everything you need but I finally did it.  Got the Ali Pan an all!  I found my previous years experience of cooking traditional Indian very useful when converting to BIR but I've got to admit "it was scary" by that I mean;  how can the base curry gravy that tastes pretty horrible on its own give a good result? Same thoughts for a lot of the other ingredients ie. The pre cooked Chicken!  My head couldn't get round the thought of:  All these ingredients cooking for only 10 minutes? How can you get a good flavour from that?   BUT it work brilliantly, everybody love it, including me and I'm my worst critic, as many dishes have gone in the bin as gone in me! 
So thanks very much for the detailed recipe.
Just one thing Chewy,   As good as it was, it had more of a mat finish rather than a preferred shinny/glossy finish.  Any pointers mate?




Mr. Punter

Quote from: Stuartnewport on March 06, 2015, 08:31 AMhow can the base curry gravy that tastes pretty horrible on its own give a good result?

You must have gone awry on the base at some point because virtually every base I've tried has a pleasant, if not wonderful, taste.

Quote from: Secret Santa on March 06, 2015, 09:10 AM

Quote from: Stuartnewport on March 06, 2015, 08:31 AMhow can the base curry gravy that tastes pretty horrible on its own give a good result?

You must have gone awry on the base at some point because virtually every base I've tried has a pleasant, if not wonderful, taste.

I agree a good base should taste like a lightly spiced veg soup, I could eat my base as it is. Which recipe did you use for your base?

London.

I used the following base gravy.   I can't remember from where exactly but from a YouTube video.  Filmed in a restaurant by CBM I think:

BASE GRAVY







STAGE (1).

VEGETABLE BASE:  BOIL : ONIONS, POTATOES, CARROTS, GARLIC & GINGER PASTE, PEPPERS, CORIANDER ROOTS & STEMS, MOONG DAHL, COCONUT BLOCK, TIN TOMS,  TURMERIC, GHEE, OIL & WATER AND SALT.


STAGE (2). 

AKHNI STOCK:  BOIL :  ASIAN BAY LEAVES, CASIA OR CINNAMON STICKS, GREEN CARDAMONS, BLACK CARDAMON,  1 tsp FENNEL SEEDS, 1 tsp CUMIN SEEDS.


STAGE (3). 

TOMATO BASE:  PUT OIL IN PAN AND HEAT UP.  ADD GARLIC & GINGER PASTE THEN ALMOST STRAIGHT WAY ADD BLENDED TIN TOMS.  ADD CURRY POWDER.  COOK A BIT.  ADD WATER.  KEEP COOKING.

ADD AKHNI STOCK (2) (STRAIN IT) TO VEGETABLE STOCK (1) - NOW BLEND TOGETHER.

ADD NEW BASE GRAVY (1) & (2) TO TOMATO BASE (3) AND STIR IN TOGETHER AND KEEP COOKING.  WHEN ITS ABOUT DONE ADD CARNATION EVAPORATED MILK, STIR TOGETHER AND SWITCH OFF HEAT.




ITS DONE.




Mr. Punter

I made 40 litres of this first time round and threw the lot! Lol....  Second time I paid closer attention to quantities, it's better, my wife says it's good but I'm not convinced!  I think it's too busy!   FYI : In the past with when making traditional Indian curries used to westernise them a bit by using Onion gravy:  Onions, oil, water & salt.  That was/is almost nice enough to eat as a soup.  Who's gravy are you using at moment PLS? 


Mr. Punter

Mr. Punter

I use Chewy's base cooked in a pressure cooker made with his mixed powder, there's a vid somewhere on the forum. To precook your chicken just put chicken breasts in the base for the final simmer. Chewy's base should look something like this when finished.

Looks like a nice ruby mate, well done.

London.

Mr. Punter

Cheers.  But I'd prefer it with a glossy finish.   My base looks like this:  too orange due to the AKHNI I guess.  OK cheers London, looks like another lot for the toilet!  I'm gonna go off and find Chewys Base and start again.  I'll be back in a week.  Cheers.




Mr. Punter