Topic: On the BIR Cooking Sequence

[Cory Ander]

The following is the sequence in which I generally (there are exceptions) cook the primary ingredients (where I am using them) of a curry

• vegetable oil (plenty of it!)
• onions (if not pre-cooked)
• garlic puree, ginger puree
• chillies, peppers, tomatoes (if not pre-cooked)
• whole spices
• powdered spice masalas, spice pastes, dried fenugreek leaves, salt, tomato puree (I generally make a stiff paste of these ingredients, in water, and add them at the same time)
• a little water (if necessary - to stop the spices from sticking and/or burning)
• meat (if not pre-cooked), yoghurt
• curry base (a little at a time)
• stock, tinned tomatoes, lemon juice, coconut (in its various forms), cream
• pre-cooked onions, chillies, peppers, lentils and other pre-cooked vegetables, pre-cooked tomatoes, pre-cooked meat, fish
• garam masala
• sugar to taste, salt to taste
• fresh coriander

Note:  If I'm using them, I generally prefer to add pre-cooked onions, chillis, peppers, tomatoes and other vegetables towards the end of the cooking process.  Otherwise, they add too much water to the oil during frying.  This affects the subsequent cooking of the spices.  The vegetables also become overcooked and mushy.

I would be very interested to hear people?s views on two things:

• What alternative sequence others may use and why?
• What sequence people know that BIRs use?

To clarify, I?m primarily interested in the sequence employed by a typical British (generally Bangladeshi owned) high-street Indian restaurant (in contrast to a traditional Indian restaurant)

I very much look forward to hearing people's views!

Regards,

[spicysarsy]

An excelent breakdown to the sequence of cooking Cory. Myself I prefer the method of using precooked veg and add as I go {like you say It prevents too much water }. The Local B.I.R. I use prefer to flash fry their {uncooked veg }, then add base sauce and meat/fish/chicken, and superheat again before serving.

[Curry King]

Pretty much the same here Cory I think this is fairly common with only subtle changes here and there depending on the recipe or chef.  If you look through some of the recipes on here that have come from an actual BIR chef the sequence is always similar to what you have put down here. 

cK

[Chilli Prawn]

Nice one Cory and would work very well for the home cook.  I am all in favour of documenting processes accurately as you know, so this will certainly help the Newbies and some of the oldbies too ;D
CP

surely I cant edit this post can I??? .....can I!  ;D....hell yeah!  ....this is Cory Admin!  This can't be right, surely?!  Sorry CP, I hit "modify" your post instead of mine and found that I could! 

[Cory Ander]

....would work very well for the home cook

Are you perhaps suggesting that there is there a difference between the cooking sequence used by British Indian Restaurants and that for home cooking then CP?  If so, perhaps you would care to elaborate please?

[NairB]

Ahaahaahaa Cory Ander..... that was funny as hell...modifying Chilli Prawns post.....the powers you behold.....maybe you are "the one".

Sorry back on topic....so you can use this sequence to all the recipes including Darthphall's ?

.....I'm soooo glad you liked it Nairbs..... ;D!

[spicysarsy]

Have we got a power struggle on here or what. Would any mortal dare to challenge the might of the Great Chiliprawn, let alone try and mess about with The Dark Ones Sequins  ;D ;D Sorrr Sequences.

[Chilli Prawn]

....would work very well for the home cook

Are you perhaps suggesting that there is there a difference between the cooking sequence used by British Indian Restaurants and that for home cooking then CP?  If so, perhaps you would care to elaborate please?

Yes very interesting Cory, we could have fun with a few posts ;D 

In answer to your query, there are specific actions in the cooking process that must be done in order when you are bulk/fast cooking.  I am not sure that water plays a part in the mixing with spices and in the final prep, except for deglazing and maybe thinning the sauce IMHO.  But then Birs like ourselves here have various preferred methods & process. 

When I do take-away stuff I use the methods I was taught as follows (not a lot different to yours I must say).  Heat oil in a pan to very high heat until smoking, add the precooked meat and all the base (4.5 inch ladle).  Sear the lot together by rubbing the base into the pan with the back of a chefs serving spoon and then scrape it off - keep doing this.  Add other ingredients as needed.  Cook them out adjust sauce for consistency (water is an option) and finish with GM.  Put into serving dish to rest, and then Garnish if required as you serve.  Should take around 5 minutes on average.  This will be described in more detail in the New Year when I will have a little more time.  I have already posted something on this line in the UCB thread also.

Hope this helps Cory..

CP

[Cory Ander]

I hope you don't mind CP, but I've copied the following from your UCB thread. 

I've done so because it's particularly relevant to the topic of this thread and is significantly different to the sequence that I've described above.  Hopefully, it makes things easier for peope to find too. 

  (from Chilli Prawn here http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1311.msg12465#msg12465)

...Raw ground spices do not need to be flash fried and you should not do this really unless you really are experienced; they will burn very rapidly.  Frying onions and adding spices is the traditional way of cooking not really suited as a Bir method.  You will find many approaches here in this Forum and there is nothing wrong with them just different

1. I dont use onions at the start if I am using a base, as they are already in there.  However I may add onions in one form or another at a later stage depending upon the recipe requirements.

so

2. Fry the meat briefly  (with tomato base marinasde) first
3. Then add the base in one go and heat quickly to bubbling and oil separation
4. Add spices and reduce heat to medium.
5. Now stir and fuse the mix, but remember to press scrape and stir all the time

Dont worry you will get there, we all made and make mistakes; in a while you will master the techniques and then you will be doing your own experiments.  Make sure you read the advice on spices and cooking in the hints and tips as there are a lot of good contributions there.

CP

[Chilli Prawn]

No probs and thank you Cory.  I do have to be careful because I use at least three different approaches when cooking food for the business and for home meals.  So I really do appreciate the help and corrections you give to others and me.  I see you and Darth and the other Forum gurus as being my Dopplegangers, because you are doing the home approach to the BIR cooking and pulling this lot of information together to make it meaningful.

Thanks CP