Topic: Tip How to COOK an Indian takeaway curry like a Pro by Chef Sam | Ebook out soon

[natterjak]

My curries improved when I came to realise that, even on full blast my domestic hob wasn't a match for the burners we see in BIR kitchen videos and that I shouldn't try to match the cooking durations seen in those videos. Extending the spice frying stage with a chef's spoon of base a couple of times and waiting till the dish is fully cooked, rather than for some arbitrary time limit to expire, pays dividends IMHO

[Garabi Army]

Ken ,i spoke over the phone with chris about 6 months ago and he said that (at the time) he had told you everything he had been shown from sam. Is that significant?, or do we have to wait for his ebook? He also said he wished he'd never told you (nothing personal) because it could compromise his whole ebook secret.
Does that make sense? Can you make better curries from something we are yet to find out about?
W

As I told Chris at the time, I would never divulge anything until his e-book was released and I stick by that.  And yes, I can honestly say I have been making better curries, this is mainly due to the techniques I have mastered. Unfortunately I forgot some of the finer details of the recipes, so like you I'll have to wait.

Cheers,
Ken

[Kashmiri Bob]

Extending the spice frying stage with a chef's spoon of base a couple of times and waiting till the dish is fully cooked, rather than for some arbitrary time limit to expire, pays dividends IMHO

I'll have to try this approach again.  So far, adding base immediately/soon-after the spices is not working for me.  Not a criticism of Sam, I know chefs who do the same.  But some chefs insist on cooking the spices more in the oil, at the start, and further cooking with oil/stock from the pre-cooks (e.g. chicken). The meat is coated in the "spice paste". Only after this is any base added.  I find cooking the spices in gravy generally does not give sufficient depth of flavour.  It also seems impossible to cook chilli powder thoroughly enough this way. Oil separation (if desired) is also compromised.  Agree a dish needs to be cooked properly irrespective of time, and the best way to check this is to taste it (before switching off the heat). Just my thoughts.  I'll give it another go.

Rob 

[Peripatetic Phil]

It also seems impossible to cook chilli powder thoroughly enough this way.

Perhaps worth noting, Rob, that Kris Dhillon does not pre-fry her ground chillies at all; they go into the boiling base at the same time as the salt and the chicken, yet there is no vestige of raw chilli in the final dish.

** Phil.

[Secret Santa]

I find cooking the spices in gravy generally does not give sufficient depth of flavour.  It also seems impossible to cook chilli powder thoroughly enough this way.

I agree. When I first tried the Taz method where the spices are boiled in the sauce I did a side by side with the same curry made the 'traditional' way and while there wasn't a great deal in it the Taz curry definitely lacked savouriness compared to the spices in oil approach.

I do use the lazy approach sometimes though which means I literally throw everything in the pan at the same time and just boil till done. Produces a very acceptable curry and saves faffing with ingredient order and timing etc.

[goncalo]

Perhaps worth noting, Rob, that Kris Dhillon does not pre-fry her ground chillies at all; they go into the boiling base at the same time as the salt and the chicken, yet there is no vestige of raw chilli in the final dish.

I could see how some people may prefer to do this as there is some experience to be gained in properly frying spices. You can easily burn them to the point where their taste goes from spicy/fragrant to burnt bitterness, or undercook them and get that bitterness/rawness and occasionally leading to gi tract pains. Unlike with Kris Dhillon's method, which does not cook the spices properly and hence won't effectively burn them (provided there is enough water, that is)  and does instead infuse the flavour in the sauce/water content, which is far more easy to explain for home-amateurs and gives acceptable results.

[Peripatetic Phil]

I think that Gon

[Garp]

Na - can't be (moderated).

I thought Goncalo had permanently gone to the dark side. Of what I've seen of his/her cooking, I wouldn't advise any newcomer to follow his/her advice 

[ottis]

Thanks for you reply and your time.. with me being a newbee i think it might be a long time untill i make the perfect T/W curry I don't have the experience yet so i think i will be a long way off..I think i may have the BIR bug and seemingly reading post on here there is no cure for it..I'm curious to find out if anyone has made a curry that tastes exactly like their own T/W or restaurant..I hope to make another batch of the melting base this week so i'm hoping the magic happens..I maybe try using less water and go for a more flavoured sauce rather than drowning the wonderful ingredients that are in the pot...There doesn't seem to be any rules when making currys everyone seems to have their own take on it why shouldn't i..Your right i have no experience but have always been a good cook , so i will use that to my advantage...I'll read a bit more on here and see if there is something i'm missing..thanks guys..Ottis...and the beat goes on

[Secret Santa]

llMy idea is that we, collectively, design and document "the foolproof curry" -- a curry that /anyone/ can produce, regardless of experience (or lack thereof), regardless of gas/electric/induction/AGA/whatever stove, and so on.

I believe I already have that technique Phil as I briefly expounded in a another unrelated thread. Literally, in any order you wish, take any BIR recipe from this forum, throw it in a pan in any order and boil the hell out of it until it releases the oil and is of a BIR curry consistency. Curry done.

Try it if you haven't already, I do believe you will be surprised...in a good way.