Topic: A breakthrough at last

[fried]

@CA

I notice your (superb) recipes typically use raw chicken.

Do you ever pre-cook your chicken?

If not, can I ask why?

Dave

Someone might have more to add but I've found that cooking from raw tastes the same as pre-cooking. I can even remember in one of the Zaal videos, the chef cooked from raw because they weren't cooking for customers.

 I reckon a standard dish takes about 5 mins using pre-cooked but around 10 or more depending on size to cook from raw. Unless anyone knows better I'd imagine it was simply for speed. In fact if I was honest I'd say raw is better but I'd need to do a controlled test to be sure

I like cooking Madras like this to differentiate from the recipes using Tikka.

[PaulP]

Unless George is willing to tell us what was different about his cooking technique or whatever, this thread is a waste of time. So far we know George created a curry sauce that he liked (a lot) by a method he is not prepared (as yet) to divulge and he was aiming for a curry that he has never tasted in his life (BIR Madras).

This is just what cr0 needs right now! 

[Peripatetic Phil]

Unless George is willing to tell us what was different about his cooking technique or whatever, this thread is a waste of time. So far we know George created a curry sauce that he liked (a lot) by a method he is not prepared (as yet) to divulge and he was aiming for a curry that he has never tasted in his life (BIR Madras).  This is just what cr0 needs right now! 

Sometimes it's difficult to see the wood for the trees.  George's post is interesting and provocative (in a positive sense) and lacks any of the negativity that characterises some of his other contributions.  So on that basis alone I do not think this thread is a waste of time -- it is, rather, an opportunity for us all to put behind us any former misunderstands and focus instead on the positive.  I for one am delighted that George feels he has had success, and furthermore that he has achieved that success without needing to spend hours in the kitchen.  It has also led on to equally interesting side-discussions, such as whether pre-cooking chicken adds anything to the finished dish or is simply a time-saver in the frenetic world of the BIR kitchen.  Christmas approaches, it is the time for goodwell to all men.  Well done, George, and may you have equal success in the future.

** Phil.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Someone might have more to add but I've found that cooking from raw tastes the same as pre-cooking. I can even remember in one of the Zaal videos, the chef cooked from raw because they weren't cooking for customers.

 I reckon a standard dish takes about 5 mins using pre-cooked but around 10 or more depending on size to cook from raw. Unless anyone knows better I'd imagine it was simply for speed. In fact if I was honest I'd say raw is better but I'd need to do a controlled test to be sure

I like cooking Madras like this to differentiate from the recipes using Tikka.

I don't cook any of the tikka-based recipes, simply because I prefer my BIR-style curries in their traditional form (the use of chicken tikka in a curry is a fairly recent innovation in the evolution of BIR cuisine, with the exception of the execrable CTM which put me off such dishes for life).  As to whether to part-pre-cook or cook from raw, I remain ambivalent : sometimes cooking from raw seems to lead to under-flavoured chicken, but not always.  What I can say is that part-pre-cooking does allow for a more complex final dish, because it is possible to part pre-cook the chicken in spices that will not otherwise feature in the final dish, and thereby gain additional layers of flavour.

** Phil.

[Cory Ander]

Do you ever pre-cook your chicken?  If not, can I ask why?

Hi Dave/UC,

Yes, I sometimes precook my chicken (particularly if I have loads of it to cook).  I'm sure it adds different flavours but can also (in my opinion and experience) make it rather dry and overcooked. 

Overall, I find that any advantages (e.g. different flavours and texture) outweigh the faff, time and additional expense of precooking it (for the home cook, at least). 

Cubes of raw chicken breast take literally a couple of minutes to cook.  So that's what I mostly prefer to do.  I don't think precooking it particularly adds to the "BIR" experience.

[RubyDoo]

Do you ever pre-cook your chicken?  If not, can I ask why?

Hi Dave/UC,

Yes, I sometimes precook my chicken (particularly if I have loads of it to cook).  I'm sure it adds different flavours but can also (in my opinion and experience) make it rather dry and overcooked. 

Overall, I find that any advantages (e.g. different flavours and texture) outweigh the faff, time and additional expense of precooking it (for the home cook, at least). 

Cubes of raw chicken breast take literally a couple of minutes to cook.  So that's what I mostly prefer to do.  I don't think precooking it particularly adds to the "BIR" experience.

Makes sense CA but at what stage would you add the chicken? At the first ladle of base stage?

[loveitspicy]

Do you ever pre-cook your chicken?  If not, can I ask why?

Hi Dave/UC,

Yes, I sometimes precook my chicken (particularly if I have loads of it to cook).  I'm sure it adds different flavours but can also (in my opinion and experience) make it rather dry and overcooked. 

Overall, I find that any advantages (e.g. different flavours and texture) outweigh the faff, time and additional expense of precooking it (for the home cook, at least). 

Cubes of raw chicken breast take literally a couple of minutes to cook.  So that's what I mostly prefer to do.  I don't think precooking it particularly adds to the "BIR" experience.

CA 100 percent on the nail - it just makes it quicker for a TA / restaurant or business if its precooked we do 70 kilos a day of precooked chicken whether it be normal or tikka - and this is NO made up bullshit. We cut up and marinate then boil for ordinary everyday. It is used straight away with us - in the TA / restaurant i would recommend  cooking off then covering NOT letting the meat rest in the open, it stays soft not dry. However the knack to all of this is NOT boiling the chicken for 20 mins but getting the water to the boil for say 6 mins turn off let rest in water for a few mins then take out.

best, Rich

[George]

Unless George is willing to tell us what was different about his cooking technique or whatever, this thread is a waste of time. So far we know George created a curry sauce that he liked (a lot) by a method he is not prepared (as yet) to divulge and he was aiming for a curry that he has never tasted in his life (BIR Madras).
This is just what cr0 needs right now! 

Its no different to Uncle with his naan bread recipe, where he wants to check a few things before going into further details. I guess excitement comes into it, also. I just wanted to tell everyone where I got to all of a sudden. Good suggestions have already been made, so I hope the early post is useful. As it is, your post is so negative, that I'm now thinking it's more trouble than it's worth to say any more. Given I'm talking about flavours well-ahead of any recipe I tried from CBM, Abdul, Underover or any other book, perhaps I should sell the recipe, instead.

PS I hadn't read Phil's nice post before being provoked into going 'negative' again.

[Malc.]

I don't have a pressure cooker George but look forward to seeing what you did. I might consider getting one as that is an area of cooking I have not yet explored.

I sometimes use a process to make a simple  base whereby I fry lots of onions until soft then just cover with water and place a lid on and boil hard, until the water has all but gone, stir, and repeat until the onions are more or less breaking down. It takes about 20 mins and produces great results.

I don't pre-cook chicken, I just don't see the need to or rather, I have never cooked enough to warrant doing so. I do feel that pre-cook meat does add to the dish, depending on the amount you flavour it of course. I often cook mine in a very hot oven (250c), place in a dish with a a little mix powder and mustard oil, cover with foil and pop in oven for 10-15 mins.

[fried]

It seems strange I know but I can't see why precooked chicken would add another layer of flavour (unless there was something in the precook recipe different from what was in the curry recipe). I would think that precooking would seal the meat, whereas raw would add a slight stockiness into the finished dish and allow the sauce to be absorbed bt the chicken.

Why not just marinade the chicken?