Topic: Happily Confused over traditional and Restaurant style.

[Chilli Prawn]

Well this is an old standard on many sites and books on the subject.  In my view there is no comparison needed; they are different styles and that is it.  I prefer ethnic/traditional cooked by myself or friends, and I thoroughly enjoy the real stuff served by the cafes that support the ethnic community workforces (plenty in Manchester and Birmingham).  However, I still go to curry restaurants in search of the holy grail 

As for quick curries; no problem.  I often cook dishes from scratch in around twenty minutes or so; and they can be Lamb (off the bone), Chicken or Prawn.  It is mostly about technique, confidence, experience, and the use of fresh ingredients!

Good luck and happy cooking
CP

[currychris]

I have a Sikh friend at work, Sewa, and I have been round to his house a couple of times over the years and been lucky enough to sample the delights of traditional Indian home cooking. Totally different tastes and textures, absolutely delicious and a lovely contrast to restaurant style curries, which of course I also love...the best of both worlds I'd say!

[currychris]

i used to use an indian cafe type place on bury new road in manchester. i remember most of the meats in the currys were on the bone. far tastier

Have you tried any of the Pakistani cafes in the Shudehill area of Manchester?. 'This and That' is a great place on Soap Street (but finding it is like looking for a needle in a haystack). It looks a dump from the outside, it's been there years (I've been going for 15), and the curries are absolutely fantastic. I always have 'rice and three' whice is a big portion of rice and three curries of your choice.... for about ?3.50. I am getting hungry just thinking about it. Al Faizal is also a good cafe in the same area. Anyone familiar with them?

[currychris]

I agree,

When you need a curry in a hurry i do the following chicken curry.

Half an onion - chopped.
Garlic - diced 1 teaspoon
Ginger Paste- 1 teaspoon
Chicken Breast - cut into bite size pieces
Restaurant Masala Mix - 1 Large Tablespoon
1 Plum or regular tomato cut up
Water I small cup (you just want enought to boil chicken)

Take a saucepan
Fry onion in oil until starting to brown, add garlic onions fry for a couple of minutes
Add one large tablespoon of restaurant masala
Fry for a few minutes
Add tomato fry 1 min
Add chicken and 1 small cup water
Simmer with Lid on 10-15 mins
Transfer to bowl
Eat with Nan Bread

Very tasty and quick.
Spice mix
Coriander 2
Cummin 1
Curry Powder 1
Turmeric 2
Paprika 2
Chilli Powder 1

Sounds good...Is the spice mix the restaurant masala?

[Chilli Prawn]

i used to use an Indian cafe type place on bury new road in manchester. i remember most of the meats in the Curries were on the bone. far tastier

Have you tried any of the Pakistani cafes in the Shudehill area of Manchester?. 'This and That' is a great place on Soap Street (but finding it is like looking for a needle in a haystack). It looks a dump from the outside, it's been there years (I've been going for 15), and the curries are absolutely fantastic. I always have 'rice and three' which is a big portion of rice and three curries of your choice.... for about ?3.50. I am getting hungry just thinking about it. Al Faizal is also a good cafe in the same area. Anyone familiar with them?

I good Coincidence Chris, because these were the main ones I was referring to.  I used to go to the 'This and That' on Soap St, from when it first opened and I became very good friends with its original owner/founder who was called Din Feroz who hailed from the Punjab (got moved to Pakistan when the split came).  He was in a bad way after his wife dies suddenly, so his family persuaded him to have a go in the cafe biz.  He had never cooked before so he had to learn everything about traditional home cooking from his female relatives.  His signature dishes were Shab Degh and Bhindi Gosht (more on them later), and before sold up to his relatives to set up a new restaurant in Chester he have me his treasured secret recipe for Shab degh.  I moved South at the same time and we lost touch.  So if he is back there perhaps you can give him my regards.  I used to work in the Arndale office block for ICL, so he knows me as computer Jon.

Now Bhindi Gosht is lamb with Okra cooked over night, but I don't have his recipe.  Shab Degh is one of the most prized Northen Indian dishes originally made for the Mogul Kings.  The name literally means cooked overnight.  It is cooked in a stone pot that is buried in hot coals under the ground over night.  It comprises small white turnips (yes turnips!) lamb kofta balls and very thin lamb chops (called breakfast chops) all cooked in a rich but thin gravy.  The final touch in the last few minutes of cooking which gives the dish its unique flavour is a special dry masala which is stirred in.  Din gave me a bottle of this masala but didn't know the recipe as he got it from his Dad who was spice merchant in Karachi.  If you still go to this Cafe Chris perhaps you could ask them if they now have the recipe.  I f you are successful I will post the Shab Degh recipe on this forum.  I think the masala was made from the following whole spices that are coarsely ground:- White Cumin, Ajwain, Fennel, Green Cardamom.  The colour of the masala when ground is a pale green, and it is very pungent. 

Anyway, I must go back to the slave kitchen to make another batch of 50 or so curries (CTM (Original recipe) and Jalfrezi (my recipe). 

As always I try to lob in a bit of trivia; the literal interpretation of Jalfrezi is basically what we call Bubble & Squeak, i.e. a fry up of leftovers.  Balti means bucket, and my wife had her meals served from one when she taught in Pakistan!

Happy Cooking
C P

[currychris]

Small World!......I will ask next time I am in This and That. Just as a matter of interest, when did This and That first open?

[Chilli Prawn]

Small World!......I will ask next time I am in This and That. Just as a matter of interest, when did This and That first open?

Hi Chris, It is a small world, but curry unites us!  I came back from the Middle East (after 2 years) in Jan 83 and it had been opened for nearly a year then.  As soon as I returned I was dragged off to it by my mates/colleagues at work.  Oh heaven, I still dream about those wonderful curries.  Have you tried the sheep's trotters?  Nah! don't bother its awful, but do they still do the Shab Deg on Fridays?  I just remembered another couple of dishes they did; Channa (Chickpea) with a secret recipe Tamarind sauce, and simple vegetable fried and steamed in Panch Phoran mix.  Sometimes that was all I would it with some of the crispy Rotis.

Ah well happy days.  If I ever get back to Manchester that is will be where I heading.  I thought they had knocked all that down after the IRA bombing.

Cheers
C P

[currychris]

No mate, most of that area is probably still as you remember it - in fact the Northern Quarter is nowadays a a thriving and bustling area - great place!

Chris