Topic: Our recent lesson

[Secret Santa]

We've already got Glasgow precooked chicken on this forum gazman: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,11361.msg90994.html#msg90994

It's not my favourite but it's very nice and a darn sight better than no precooking or precooking in just turmeric and water.

[Secret Santa]

Both pictures are for the garam massala,can't give you quantities though as he didn't give us any.

Right, but is what's on the plates the actual amounts used?

[Secret Santa]

I do hope that between the three of you you can come up with a recipe for the bhuna. From how it's been described it sounds just like the old style which I describe as very savoury and distinctly different in taste from any other savoury curry. Does that sound about right?

Again, the description of the CTM also sounds like I used to have it and not the oversweet slop that now passes for CTM.

I suppose the stumbling block will be the spiced oil which you didn't get to make.

[goncalo]

I do hope that between the three of you you can come up with a recipe for the bhuna. From how it's been described it sounds just like the old style which I describe as very savoury and distinctly different in taste from any other savoury curry. Does that sound about right?

Again, the description of the CTM also sounds like I used to have it and not the oversweet slop that now passes for CTM.

I suppose the stumbling block will be the spiced oil which you didn't get to make.

This almost begins to describe the recent one I had here in Dublin. The only difference from what I've seen and heard being described in the forum, was that the looks don't really make it compatible (and it had a good bit of sauce and ISTR someone mentioning that your old-style bhuna would generally be on the dried side?)

Any good bhuna recipes so I can try see how the food here differs? I've never been a big fan of bhuna, I only ordered this because I heard so many fans of it around here.

[JerryM]

lovely report JB & Natterjack,

was just starting to get fed up (reading through endless pointless argument and 1 upman ship) which is rare but this type of report makes all the difference.

much appreciate the clarification on the mustard. i have it on my mind to add in for a while but could not decide out of the 3 types. black is what i had previously been advised to go for.

the ajowan is very strong and something i've stopped using (ifindforu orig base).

i may just have to force myself to buy some cloves - my mind retains a dislike for them.

[Secret Santa]

someone mentioning that your old-style bhuna would generally be on the dried side?)

Yes, I can't really relate to that. It's true that traditionally a bhuna will have a thicker sauce (sometimes to the extent of forming a thick coating to the ingredients, rather than a sauce). And I know many have experienced it that way, but when I used to have old style bhuna it was in a similar amount of sauce as any other curry. What was unique for me was its incredibly savoury and different taste to any other curry, the thickness of the sauce just wasn't important to me.

Any good bhuna recipes so I can try see how the food here differs?

Umm, no (in my opinion). I've tried a few but a thick sauce and chunks of onion and pepper, do not a bhuna make.

I've never been a big fan of bhuna

Understandable if you get the type I describe immediately above. I can assure you though, if you'd tasted the real thing it would be in your top two curries, I have no doubt.

[DalPuri]

And I know many have experienced it that way, but when I used to have old style bhuna it was in a similar amount of sauce as any other curry.

When i was a kid, (and i've mentioned this before) a prawn puri was Prawn pathia and puri starter. The best tasting curry in the restaurant!
Sometime during the 80's they changed this to a prawn bhuna and puri which really pissed me off.

BUT..... Both dishes had to be dry because they were sitting on top of fried bread.
No BIR is going to put a gravy curry on top of bread, it just aint done!
An old school bhuna AND pathia should be dry, neither should be full of sauce like they are these days.

If you or anyone else has either dish with gravy, then thats the chef trying to stretch the dish to a main course, and it becomes neither one or the other.

[Peripatetic Phil]

When i was a kid, (and i've mentioned this before) a prawn puri was Prawn pathia and puri starter. The best tasting curry in the restaurant!
Sometime during the 80's they changed this to a prawn bhuna and puri which really pissed me off.

BUT..... Both dishes had to be dry because they were sitting on top of fried bread.
No BIR is going to put a gravy curry on top of bread, it just aint done!
An old school bhuna AND pathia should be dry, neither should be full of sauce like they are these days.

Agreed.

If you or anyone else has either dish with gravy, then thats the chef trying to stretch the dish to a main course, and it becomes neither one or the other.

But there I must respectfully disagree : both a bhuna and a pathia were traditionally served as main courses, not as starters (unless, of course, they were served in/on a puri or similar).

** Phil.

[DalPuri]

But there I must respectfully disagree : both a bhuna and a pathia were traditionally served as main courses, not as starters (unless, of course, they were served in/on a puri or similar).

** Phil.

I never saw a Pathia as a main dish when i was a kid Phil. It was always something really special for me and only came as a starter.

[Peripatetic Phil]

I never saw a Pathia as a main dish when i was a kid Phil. It was always something really special for me and only came as a starter.

In the restaurants that I frequented from the age of 16 onwards (fifty years ago !), starting with the Maharaja of Chislehurst, "pathia" was listed in the Parsee section of the menu under "main courses".  This same location was used for Dhansak and for a couple of others (I think :  on further reflection, I think that these were just variants of the two, using different main ingredients -- chicken, prawn, king prawn and so on).

** Phil.