Phil, was that unknown spice you thought he called 'gultri' actually black or brown cardamom? They are called elachi in gujerati so could sound the same. I have seen base sauces and pilau recipes where they have been included. They are not 2p size but if flattened would be a bit bigger than a 1p. You can see them here:

http://www-ang.kfunigraz.ac.at/~katzer/engl/generic_frame.html?Amom_sub.html


Also, did you get the brand of pilau rice they used?

Quote from: grimmo on March 17, 2005, 04:07 PM
I DSP of chopped garlic (not chopped as fine as you might think it would need to be).
4 DSP of veg oil
2 DSP onion
? TSP of salt
A pinch of ?metti potti? that what his answer sounded like when I asked. ?Id got distracted here and didn?t get a good look. It was a green herb. Anyone any ideas?
1 TSP tumeric
5 DSP spinach (cooked and dried).

All cooked on high heat, stirred and shaken vigourously for a minute or so.

Then 1 Ladle of curry gravy
1 TSP fresh coriander
1 TSP quartered toms

Simmer for 2 mins. The taken off heat.

Next up Bombay Aloo.

1 Ladle oil
1 TSO onion
1 TSP of toms paste (from ?family size? tin)
1 TSP salt
1 TSP curry powder
Pre-cooked potatoes
A couple of piece of sliced tom
1 Ladle of curry gravy
Fresh coriander
Cook on high heat for 2 mins. Shake and stir vigourously. Take off heat.

With the two above recipes, do you add them in the order written, in quick succession?
Or do you brown onions or garlic a bit first?
The trouble is that these chefs do everything in such an "easy" fashion.
They make it look no effort at all.

It didn't look like that type of cardommon in shape but the colour and texture are pretty close so I'd go with that.

Pete, yes everything went in one after the other in that order over a space of 2 mins or so. The garlic should go in after the oil on the sag baji. That was left for only about 10 to 15 seconds on the high heat before the onion went in.

hope this helps.

I have made your Sag Bhajee three times.
Very nice.
This one is for freezing.
The texture won't change!!

Quote from: grimmo on March 17, 2005, 04:07 PM
First up he got the pilau rice on the go.? Into a big casserole sized pot.

1.5 ladles of ghee (call it four dessert spoons - 4DSP).
Then 3 DSP of onion
1 TSP salt

After 2 mins of frying in went the pre-washed rice
Then 3 bay leaves (3 three veined variety)
4 cloves
2 green Cardomons
Cassia Bark/Cinnamon Stick (couple of inches)
And something that I thought he called ?Gultri?. Not sure what it was but it was a round flat spice about the size of a two pence piece. Any ideas what this was?

This all went in together and then was fried for 2-3 mins.

He then added water to an inch over the rice and he said ?boiled? for 5 mins with the lid on. I?d actually say simmered as the heat was quite low.
?

Hey Grimmo!!
I tried the rice recipe
Lovely flavour but it came out a bit soggy.
I dried it out in the oven.
Really good!!
I used black cardamon as the unsure ingredient.
I think (judging by the flavour) that it's right.
I soaked the rice overnight in a jug of water.
I only used 8 oz of rice but still covered it by an inch of water.
I needed maybe half that.
Soaking the rice makes it really soft and fluffy and reduces cooking times.
You can do the same for lentils

I made your Sag Baji last night, and it was a hit! ? I used a 10 oz. package pre-washed spinach, but it floated around in the sauce.? Next time, I think I'd try 1.5 or 2 packs.? I've never made anything before where turmeric was the main seasoning.? ?But it was delightful, and not bitter, as I had expected.? Thanks for sharing it.

-Mary

Quote from: grimmo on March 17, 2005, 04:07 PM
Then CT Jalfrezi

1 Ladle of ghee/veg oil. Not sure of ratio ? presume 50/50

1 DSP onion
1 DSP tom paste
1 TSP salt
1 TSP curry powder
1 TSP chilli powder
A portion of green chillis - chopped lengthways (seeds left in).
1 ladle of curry gravy
Pre cooked onion
Pre cooked Chicken Tikka
Pre cooked pepper
A couple of quartered toms
Fresh Coriander

Total time for all these ingredient to go in was 3 mins max (on high heat).

He then simmered on medium heat for another few mins added 2 more ladles of curry gravy when it got a little dry.

Next came the Balti Jalfrezi.

Basically it was the same recipe except for

1 DSP of Pataks Balti paste put in instead of the tom paste!

I think this is exactly what my local BIR does - but instead of Pataks Paste, he uses pataks pickle.

Gonna tray this recipe very soon. Have you noticed most of the restaurant demo recipies are all turning out be be near identical....

Quote from: blade1212 on October 15, 2005, 09:55 AM
I think this is exactly what my local BIR does - but instead of Pataks Paste, he uses pataks pickle.

Pataks make loads of pickles
Any idea which one?
They are all great
Mango, lime, chilli and ginger, mixed veg, brinjal
Yum!!
They come in different heats as well

Quote from: blade1212 on October 15, 2005, 09:55 AM
Gonna tray this recipe very soon. Have you noticed most of the restaurant demo recipies are all turning out be be near identical....

I was reading through my curry recipes and now, we are moving away from the "experiments in the kitchen" to witnessed recipes, you are right

Quite a few do seem similar
The ingredients do vary a bit though
Some have cream
Some coconut powder
Some prefried onions
Some fresh chilies
Some browned garlic
But they all seem to start the same way and all have some curry gravy in

I'm getting hungry thinking about this!

Pete, It's the mixed pickle they use - although they have a large plastic jar of the stuff (my guess is about a 3kg jar)

http://www.pataks.co.uk/products.php?productid=54

Thanks Blade
                  I've got some of that , around somewhere
I'll be interested in your results post