Quote from: Willyeckerslike on September 30, 2010, 09:12 PM
formula? 
, don't really understand that, are not all recpies a formula?
Quite right Willy.
To my mind, "formula" curries is a specific term, apparently coined by Pat Chapman, to indicate the unique way in which "British Indian Restaurants" typically mass produce their curries (i.e. quickly and cheaply) by using basic "building blocks" (i.e. curry base, curry powders/spice mixes and pastes, precooked meats and vegetables) to prepare a wide range of curries, using nominally the same ingredients, but with slight variations, for each dish.
This contrasts with typical "authentic" or "traditional" Indian cuisine where the curries are more "bespoke"; taking much longer to prepare because fewer pre-prepared ingredients are used.
To that extent, ALL "traditional BIR" curries (excluding, perhaps, the really upmarket and expensive ones) produce "formula" curries.
And any author writing about "traditional BIR" curries (whether they are Pat Chapman, Bruce Edwards, Kris Dhillon, etc) are presenting "formula" curry recipes and methods. Otherwise the recipes are not "traditional BIR".
Anyone who thinks otherwise is probably better off sticking with "authentic" or "traditional" Indian recipes.
Topic: CA's Chicken Ceylon (read 198,730 times)
