Topic: Chicken shatkora bhuna

[goncalo]

Bob,

Glad to see you used some shatkora in IFFU's staff curry recipe. Those pictures look the biz! I've been looking forward to try this recipe, but I've always  been a bit overwhelmed by IFFU's unclear writing style and although I see JerryM already did work towards simplifying it and balancing some of the possible "lost-in-scaling" bits of the original recipe, I am nevertheless more keen on seeing your adaption seeing because it includes shatkora. Would you be so kind as to write the recipe down when time permits?  Thanks!

Tom,

I've read the 13 pages since bob replied he was going to give it a shot. Basically, if you ignore the discussion between IFFU, LES, CA, George and CH, it boils down to the main recipe (post #1) and about 10-15 other posts where JerryM experimented with several combinations and documented as he went along. He actually did a great job in summarizing his achievements in a more readable manner than the original recipe. Here is JerryM's latest spin on the recipe, in case you would like to give it a go using JerryM's version:

http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,6171.msg67728.html#msg67728

[Kashmiri Bob]

Here is how I made the staff curry.  There are similarities to IFFU's.  No real need to worry about exact measures to be honest.  Adjust to taste and have fun.

The pot I used is 6 l capacity.

Ingredients:

Sunflower oil (The TA use vegetable oil)

Ginger/garlic paste. Fresh, 50/50, made with a little oil, salt and water

Cassia bark (the TA refer to this as cinnamon. the bag it comes in says it's cinnamon, and so does the invoice from the cash and carry, but it is cassia bark)

Whole green cardamom

Panch phoran

Chilli powder

Dutch onion

Green pepper

Shatkora (frozen, IBCO brand)

Chopped tomato (tinned)

Tomato puree

Red potato

Salt

Turmeric powder

Mix powder

Asian bay

Green chilli

Fresh chicken leg/thigh, on the bone, skin removed

Method:

Heat about 150 ml of the oil in a high-sided pan.  It should be very hot, but not smoking.  I use setting number 7 on the dual ring of my halogen hob

Add 1 chef spoon of G/G paste.  It will bubble and spit furiously, so stir it into the oil. This is the "Baghar".  Keep stirring so the garlic and ginger does not burn. Put the lid on the pan in between stirring. After a minute or so, add 3-4 inch long pieces of cassia bark, 10 green cardamoms, 2 tsp panch phoran, 1 tbsp of mix powder and 2 tsp of chilli powder.  Continue to baghar on high heat for a couple of mins, stirring occasionally. Lid on in between. Next, still on high heat, add about 10 or so 1 cm cubes of shatkora peel and the underlying pith, and stir in.  After another minute add 2 red potatoes (peeled and quartered).  Stir in and add a squirt (about 15 ml) of tomato puree (optional).  Stir this in and after another minute or so add 4 medium sized chopped onions, half a chopped green pepper, 10 sliced green chillies (or more) and 2 tsp turmeric powder.  Keep stirring until all the onions and green pepper etc. are nicely coated.  Adding all these onions will cause the temperature to drop.  This is OK.  The hard work is now done. Turn the heat to medium setting.  Allow to cook for 10 mins, lid on, with an occasional stir.

Next, mix in about 3/4 tin (300 g) of tinned tomato, 3-4 asian bay leaves, and 1 kg of chicken.  Increase the heat to bring to the boil, then simmer on a low-medium setting until the chicken is cooked and the desired consistency is reached.  About 75 mins should do it, but you can leave it simmering for much longer if you wish, stirring and checking occasionally. Adjust salt to taste.  Serves 4-5.

As with all curry, the mix powder is going to play a central role in the outcome of the final dish.  I have some of the chef's, so I used that.

Rob 

[Kashmiri Bob]

Another few suggestions.  The recipe above seems fairly adaptable.  Chef also does something very similar using king prawns.  For this, there is additional spicing, with clove, fennel and star anise. I don't think the timing is that critical after the initial baghar.  Chef normally starts making the staff curry quite late on in the evening, when the main rush of orders are done. But he will still have some customers' dishes to prepare and obviously prioritises these, popping back to the handi cooking when possible.  That said, whilst my curry was near enough for me, chef always manages to produce that extra sparkle, time and time again. Perhaps Chewy can help further?

Rob

[goncalo]

Thanks a million for your effort writing this down Bob! I shall take this as my base staff curry recipe and let you know what I think of it when I get back to curry making again. I only had staff curry once and I understand the preparation is different across different TAs, but your recipe and pictures sort of look like the one in my TA (although I can't say I noticed any shatkora in mine at the time)

Thanks Bb!

Goncalo

[Kashmiri Bob]

Thanks a million for your effort writing this down Bob! I shall take this as my base staff curry recipe and let you know what I think of it when I get back to curry making again. I only had staff curry once and I understand the preparation is different across different TAs, but your recipe and pictures sort of look like the one in my TA (although I can't say I noticed any shatkora in mine at the time)

Thanks Bb!

Goncalo

Let me know what you think Goncalo when you get chance.  Tricky with shatkora, as you already know, it's mighty zesty and too much can easily take over.  The frying also brings out the flavour.  Forgot to include the salt in the recipe; 1 tsp added after the onions.

The staff curry does seem to be better suited served with plain white rice; mixing the rice up with the curry as you go.

Rob 

[curryhell]

Thanks for posting Bob.  Sounds damn tasty and a nice change from BIR.  That's now three staff curries i've got to try  ;D.  Unlikely now to get round to any of them until august at the earliest     Enjoying the info you're passing on from your BIR experiences 

[ratatouille]

i have being into cooking for a long time it seems if i comment i feel i am being nasty to people that looks dry am in fault for saying that i just dont like hurting peoples feelings  and theres no juice

[goncalo]

i have being into cooking for a long time it seems if i comment i feel i am being nasty to people that looks dry am in fault for saying that i just dont like hurting peoples feelings  and theres no juice

Generally the "sauce" in a staff curry tends to be more like a spiced chicken soup broth/stock. In this case, if you pay attention to the title, you will realize it's a bhuna'ed version of a staff curry; by definition, a bhuna should always come with a thick sauce clinging to the meat/vegetables. The reason being because bhuna is more than just a curry name, it's an actual cooking technique (analogous to a sautee) and the results of using this technique result in the result in a thicker/dryer paste clinging to whatever is in the pan.

[JerryM]

Bengali Bob,

many thanks for posting your version. i will look out for the frozen shatkora (only seen jars and has held me back from purchase).

interesting your comment on cassia - cinnamon. it's something i've never been able to resolve. they taste very different. i started out using cinnamon then switched to cassia and now use both but more cinnamon. it begs the question that if bags of cinnamon are cassia then what are bags of cassia.

[chewytikka]

Garabi Bob
Made my version last night for supper, had a random red capsicum I needed to use up.
Used Salad potatoes (Charlotte) which are the best for this.
All in all a good Friday night beano, for under 2 quid.



cheers Chewy
Jerry, you can't mix up Cassia Bark with Cinnamon Stick, the difference is so obvious.