Topic: goncalo's BIR food diary

[goncalo]

Today's lunch: Chicken Vindaloo

[Peripatetic Phil]

That does look nice, Goncalo, but the rice looks "odd"; the grains look unusually small, and there is a suggestion of greasiness.  Can you tell us more about it ?

** Phil.

[goncalo]

That does look nice, Goncalo, but the rice looks "odd"; the grains look unusually small, and there is a suggestion of greasiness.  Can you tell us more about it ?

** Phil.

Thanks Phil! The rice is left over from yesterday meal and it was bought from a takeaway (see previous post) and so I cannot tell you much about how it was cooked. It was certainly fried, judging from the texture. The added greasiness may have been due to the spiced oil I added on top. I also have a feeling these guys use a Julian-like approach to making rice as on one occasion when I went to pick up a curry at the TA, I saw the rice package coming from the microwaves.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Aha:  in that case, you are completely exonerated   So now we've got the rice out of the way, tell us more about the Vindaloo, which looks excellent to my untrained eye ...

** Phil (relaxing after a nice dinner of McSween's haggis and Kentish champ).

[goncalo]

The vindaloo is not one dish I generally cook. It was very good, but I wouldn't say it was "spot-on".

I used Julian's recipe, with personal modifications:

Mix:
- 1 tsp of mild madras (East End)
- 2 tsp BE spice mix,
- 2 tsp of deggi mirch (MDH)
- 1/3 tsp of extra hot chilli
- 1 tbsp, instead of half of a lime and some lime zest (I didn't read the book recently and I thought 1 tbsp was about enough without being too overpowering)
- spiced oil

Because I had 1/4 of an onion already chopped, I used it in the frying stage, though I reckon it's not part of a vindaloo.

[goncalo]

Tonight's tea: Chicken Jalfrezi

I'm on a curry high!

[goncalo]

Goan Chilli Chicken

This is a house special from one of my favorite restaurants in Cambridge. Very tasty and it's my first time trying to crack it. It's essential flavours are from the green chillies and roasted garlic. I'm quite happy with the result, I'm just not sure whether yellow mustard seeds would be preferred instead of brown, which I used today simply because I've never used them before. Pictures are fuzzy, this is the best I could find in my cellphone (click to embiggen.)

[Malc.]

Although this is always subjective, this korma had the perfect consistency as far as I'm concerned, which was somewhere between the texture of cream and the yogurt, closer to the former though. I presume you already been thru the recommendations of using condensed milk (carnation) ? I have a tin at home but haven't gone about trying it yet, but I think chewy claimed it to be the way to get true 80s bir korma.

Hi Goncalo, sorry for the late reply. In terms of consistency, the korma sauce I remember would have a similar consistency to that of the vindaloo you posted, though it's hard to say for sure. I did once see this type of korma made some years ago and they used Carnation, which I had always remembered to be Evaporated and not Condensed, my memory is vague and I couldn't say for sure.

Though I do remember them explaining they use Carnation in place of the single cream for TA orders,  which underlines the Carnation Milk being evaporated. They didn't use coconut block either, just reliant on coconut flour and ground almond.

[chewytikka]

Yes Axe, unlike others have said, I only know Carnation "evaporated" milk being
used instead of cream back in the day, in Bangladeshi BIR's.

Give my Korma recipe a try Gongalo, it will probably work for you.
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,6024.msg59916.html#msg59916
watch it here Chewy's Korma

On your Goan Chilli Chicken, can you share the recipe, interesting to see what makes it actually "Goan".
cheers Chewy

[goncalo]

Give my Korma recipe a try Gongalo, it will probably work for you.
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,6024.msg59916.html#msg59916
watch it here Chewy's Korma

I'm quite happy with my korma, but I'll give yours try in my next batch of base, thanks chewy!

On your Goan Chilli Chicken, can you share the recipe, interesting to see what makes it actually "Goan".
cheers Chewy

I'll write it down tomorrow, but the difference is essentially the use of black cummin seeds, brown mustard seeds during the tarka, garlic and green finger chillies. Stir-fry to coat and finished with a few ladles of sauce til reduced.