Topic: Mixed powder

[Ader1]

Does anybody have a good recipe for mixed poweder which restaurants put into so many of their dishes?  I'm specifically want one for making a staff type curry.  I saw that Happy Chris mentioned that he will give a recipe at some point.  He talks of it when he's making a staff curry.  I did make a staff type curry a week or so ago using a sharwood's curry powder I think, but it wasn't quite up to the mark.  Incidentally, is mixed powder basically what we might call a 'curry powder'?  Thanks.

[martinvic]

Quite a few in the relevant 'Supplementary Recipes (Curry Powders, Curry Paste, Restaurant Spice Mixes)' section of the forum

[LouP]

I was wondering that too. When I made my first batch of base gravy last week I made a amall amount of spice mix (1oth zaal recipe) and it'll soon be gone.
I wondered if using the hot madras curry powder (Rajah) might be used in its place for the next madras for a taste test and also if not which spice mix I shall make next (with hot curries being the staple food in this house).

Time and testing will tell 

[Peripatetic Phil]

I do not personally use a mix powder, preferring to add all spices individually, but there are two points perhaps worthy of note :

• Many mix powders including curry powder as one of their ingredients
• The ratios of mix powders (often something like 8:7:5:4:3) make it possible to add very small amounts of the minor spices with far greater accuracy than could be achieved if they were added individually; I suspect this (plus convenience) is the main reason for the almost ubiquitous use of a mix powder.

Also worth trying, if you have not already done so, is substituting Al Noor Bassar Curry Masala.

** Phil.

[Gav Iscon]

Personally Loup, for starting out I would stick to the mix powder that goes with the base so knock up a bit more. If you like the hotter curries, then Chewy's madras and CA's vindaloo are nice for stating out and theres a video showing Chewy's Madras on vimeo.

vimeo.com/21109113]http://vimeo.com/21109113   -  sauce

vimeo.com/33663388]http://vimeo.com/33663388  -  chicken madras

You'll have to copy and paste the above links as the forum doesn't support vimeo.

http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,3953.0.html - Vindaloo

 I have to tone down the vindaloo a bit for my missus but it still comes out nice.

[fried]

I use the Zaal mix powder in Chris' staff curry, but it has a completely different taste to the same mix in a BIR style curry. A lot of whole spices are used at the beginning and the whole taste is more traditional style.

I know that in traditional cooking mix/ curry powers are frowned on, but then again its easier to add whole tsps of spices when you're cooking for 6 people.

[spiceyokooko]

Personally Loup, for starting out I would stick to the mix powder that goes with the base so knock up a bit more.

I would agree with this.

I think one of the worst mistakes any new cook to this type of cooking can make is using different mix powders for each stage of the process. Eg one mix powder for the base, another for the dish etc. This just produces invariable results.

Far better to stick with one mix powder for base and dish and tweak the dish with the addition of other spices if necessary.

Likewise it's better to stick with the dishes intended to be made with the bases and mix powder that go with them!

[chewytikka]

Ader1
Amazing that you joined cR0 in 2005 and your asking a newbie question about Mix Powder?

Anyhoo, just go to an asian store or even ASDA and buy some small packets of spice powders East End or Rajah are common brands.

This is a good Bangladeshi Restaurant Mix Powder
4 tsps. Mild Madras Curry Powder (A historic blend of at least 12 spices)
4 tsps. Turmeric Powder
3 tsps. Coriander Powder
2 tsps. Cumin Powder
1 tsp. Garam Masala Powder
Mix all together.

Add 2Tbs to any (Big Pot) Staff Curry, this will give you a good rich flavour.

Hi Loup
A bit Strange I know, but Madras curry powder has nothing to do with a "Madras" the restaurant curry.
Like in the above mix, It's an historic blend of at least 12 spices, made for the Brits in India, around circa 1870.

cheers Chewy

[LouP]

Cheers Gav,
I used chewys vid for my first 2 BIR madras's last week. It was great to "cook along to" and was very tasty,then last nights was one from Andy's "E-book".

I saved some from last night as I always enjoy some cold the next morning and I tell you it tastes not that far away from my local BIR madras. Proud!!!!

Chewy, I didn't know that about the powder. I love how much you guys are willing to share so we can all save a few quid from the takeaways and improve our cooking skills. Awesome!!

lou 

[Adeypayne]

I have 2 chefs from Bangladesh at Curried Away. They NEVER EVER add mix powder to any staff curry, they use whole fresh spices . Its fairly obvious that some do by reading the posts on here, so i'm not saying you shouldn't, just how MY chefs make theirs, and ALL the staff curries are Amazing!