Topic: Bahar-E-Chicken

[Unclefrank]

Made this from one of my local restaurants/takeaways The Curry Lounge 2 Upper Ettingshall Road, Bilston, West Midlands WV14 9QZ.
Please note that the pineapple can be left out, i added because i made for my other half, she loves Dhansaks.

Bahar-E-Chicken 1 (Curry Lounge)(CA)
Portion Tandoori Chicken
2 TSP Oil
30g Pineapple Chopped, optional
2 TSP Tomato Puree
4-5 Blocks Frozen Spinach Leaves
2 Blocks Frozen Spinach Puree
200g Chickpeas
1 Medium Onion, Chopped
2 Green Chillies, Sliced Vertically Or Left Whole
20g Cashew Nut Paste
125ml CA Base Gravy
1 Chef

[Secret Santa]

And how did it taste UF?

When I saw you post this in another thread I must admit my first impression was "what an awful concoction". I've never seen so many different things in a single curry and it sort of reminds me of the balti houses in Brum that let you make up your own curry. So I'm intrigued to know how it turned out for you.

[Unclefrank]

Well it tastes like a dhansak without the pineapple with a thick, but not too thick sauce, the addition of the spinach lifts the dish slightly and the keema, so the cream, which i used carnation milk and the cashew paste i also used almond powder mixed with a little water, the tarka dhal is the one which CA uses in his Dhansak recipe, it really was a nice tasting dish.

Like you say SS there is a lot of ingredients in for a curry but i did really like it when i ordered it from the restaurant, as for the awful concoction comment it isn't my recipe it's from the restaurant.

 I did forget to say that the dish serves 3-4.

When i made it last week i did use a little more CA base than stated in recipe but it's all down to personal preference of how thick or thin you want the consistency to be.

When i make it again i will post pictures.

I have made CA's Dhansak using pureed chick peas instead of tarka because i didn't have any, the other half didn't say a word so it worked fine.

[Secret Santa]

as for the awful concoction comment it isn't my recipe it's from the restaurant.

Oh yes, I realised that. Had it been your own concoction I might have tempered my comment (or maybe not  ).

I have made CA's Dhansak using pureed chick peas instead of tarka because i didn't have any, the other half didn't say a word so it worked fine.

Yes, I use chick peas myself if I'm out of daal and it doesn't really seem to make much difference. I add in the water that they come in too for extra flavour! 

[Kashmiri Bob]

Just got back from The Curry Lounge with a TA including a Bahar-E-Chicken Frank.  First impression is of an overly salted poor to average dish; could be the chef had an off-day.  Will examine further.  I hope that is not what appears to be garlic salt on my naan.

Rob       

[Unclefrank]

Sorry Bob never noticed your post, i don't rate The Curry Lounge restaurants at all not too impressive but if you are drunk and need something to eat then far enough but not somewhere i would go out of choice.

[Kashmiri Bob]

Sorry Bob never noticed your post, i don't rate The Curry Lounge restaurants at all not too impressive but if you are drunk and need something to eat then far enough but not somewhere i would go out of choice.

Ha ha, yes, I should have had a few Cobras before the nose-bag.  Regrettably, everything went in the bin, including the naan.  Seems increasingly difficult to find a good local TA/restaurant in the West Mids.  Perhaps I'm just turning into a fussy old git. Hearing good things about the places in Lye though.  That'll be my next stop. 

Rob 

[Unclefrank]

In the Tipton area I mainly use

The Spice Barrel    13 Sedgley Rd W  Tipton, West Midlands DY4 8DB 0121 557 7272

Eastern Spice 91 Owen St  Town Centre, Tipton DY4 8ET 0121 557 8273

Sanam Tandoori 32 Market Pl, Great Bridge, Tipton, West Midlands DY4 7EJ 0121 520 3657

Spice Lounge 3 Owen St Town Centre, Tipton 0121 520 4982

Alok
http://alokonline.co.uk/

Sanam, Alok, Spice Lounge, Eastern Spice are the restaurants i have had the pleasure of going into their kitchens and learning from them.
The Alok is an excellent restaurant to visit always made to feel really welcome, i have known the chef, Mo, for a long time, he used to work in Red Rose restaurant, which has recently closed.

The way of cooking in each restaurant is very different from the other and thats what i like about them.
All these restaurants are in walking distance for me and have pubs on the way to all of them which is a bonus.
If you do get a chance to come to the Tipton area visit Alok, Eastern Spice or Sanam, the Sanam is an old school/skool curry house.

[Kashmiri Bob]

Thank you for the recommendations Frank.  I will have a TA from one of those places tonight.  My home-made efforts are going really well, but I could do with a reality check on my abilities.  The last time I had a really outstanding Indian restaurant meal was some years ago now from this place. A bit of a hike:

http://www.cafenaaz.co.uk/index

I know there must be some top places in the Birmingham area, but just keep missing them.  Thanks again for the heads-up.

Rob