QuoteIt?s the genuine secrets - there are no half truths and nothing is held back. For example, to our certain knowledge, no-one has ever before put down in print the actual ingredients the British Indian restaurants use to make the gravy, the sauce

It's just as well I was using my digital bullshit meter on this quote. If I'd been using my old analog one its needle would be wrapped around the end stop!  :

Quote from: emin-j on July 07, 2010, 09:55 PM
My copy came today and I think an excellent read

I agree it's well written and is a 'good read' but so are many books of fiction. I didn't buy it to read like a novel but for what sounded like breakthrough recipes. As with Pat Chapman and Kris Dhillon the book's objectives are as clear as crystal on the cover. Then things go downhill rapidly.

With the 'Undercover' book, it starts off explaining how the author and co-writer met and what led to the 'undercover' work. It's interesting and they also make the point that  the book is more about techniques than ingredients. Surely, we need both. On page 6 they say "There are some excellent books around giving accurate information on, and insights into, Indian cooking. It's just that - unlike this book - they don't specifically address the unique flavours and methods of traditional British Indian restaurant cuisine."

I thought I might start with an attempt at Tarka Dhal, not least because they say it's an 'iconic dish' immediately associated with BIR cuisine. "It is considered to have the legendary BIR flavour." cr0 should have taken out a patent on the term "BIR". So flavour has been mentioned at least twice now. So far, so good but when you get to the recipe, they say you add dried whole spices to the Tarka to infuse their flavours ino the oil. But they don't suggest the best spices to use, let alone give an indication of quantities. If we're after the 'unique' flavour, how can that make sense?

QuoteI mentioned the use of used bhaji frying oil over a year ago and do this regularly,
I get the oil from my local restaurant after they have fried over 100 bhajis in it, 5 or 6 at a time,

Mick - do you think this spiced oil could be replicated at home? I'd figure a scaled down oil pot (few litres) and cook say 25 bhajis would infuse the oil similarly to cooking 100 bhajis in a commercial sized fryer?

I've tried a few spiced oil concoctions, skimmed curry oil, bunjarra oil, etc. but never anything as simple as "bhaji oil".

-- Josh

Quote from: Secret Santa on July 07, 2010, 10:15 PM

Quote from: Mikka1 on July 07, 2010, 04:59 PM
The person purportedly worked for 3 years in Indian restaurants and doesn't have a set base sauce recipe? 

My memory is a bit vague because it was a while ago but didn't Andy, who went off to form the other curry website, also claim to have worked in a BIR for three years? 

Thought 'Andy' used to claim 10 years experience, or was that another Andy with a book to flog?


Cheers
CoR

Quote from: AchMal on July 07, 2010, 10:31 PM
I mentioned the use of used bhaji frying oil over a year ago and do this regularly,

Mick, I've been using reclaimed oil since before this forum existed and it's been mentioned on this forum not long after it started some six years ago, so it's not a new idea.