Topic: chicken tikka pathia from the takeaway

[jb]

Here's how my chef cooks his chicken tikka pathia in my local takeaway.I've watched him cook it countless times over the past few weeks on my visits,and I've been able to cook it in the takeaway kitchen while the chef watches as well.It's my favourite curry to cook at home,and I think it's the easiest BIR curry to replicate at home.

Obviously there are regional differences on how a pathia is made.I've seen some recipes that call for a specific pathia sauce to be added.Some of these have pineapple juice,some tamarind and some even coconut,but my chef(and I'm guessing most places round here are the same) keeps it quite simple.It's nothing more than your standard curry with some chilli,lemon and white sugar.

If you have a decent gravy and mix powder you should be able to produce a good BIR pathia.However,after watching the chef in action recently I've been able to study his cooking up close,technique is very important.Rarely does he stir the pan(sometimes he has about four pans on the go at once and just leaves them).He leaves the pan bubbling away on a high heat for about four or five minutes ocasionally scraping the sides,then putting his spoon in the middle of the pan and then shaking the pan backwards and forwards.

In the kitchen and at home a chef spoon is used.To save any confusion I've listed the ingredients in tablespoons instead.

Ingredients
-------------

1 portion pre cooked chicken tikka
3 tablespoons mixed veg oil/melted ghee
1 tablespoon mix powder
1 heaped teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 tablespoon blended plum tomatoes
1 and half tablespoon white sugar
pinch salt
pinch methi leaves
3 tablespoons service onions
lemon dressing
2 ladles of gravy
1 piece tomato and 1 piece of green pepper.

First,in a pan put in the oil/ghee and heat.Add the garlic and brown(do not burn) and then lift the pan and add the service onions.Stir the pan for about 10 seconds,lift the pan off again and add the blended tomatoes,chilli powder,mix powder,sugar,salt and methi leaves.Stir around for about 20 seconds then add the first ladle of gravy.The pan should sizzle like crazy if it's hot enough.Put the chicken in and add the lemon dressing and cook on a high heat for about a minute.Scrape the sides back into the pan and add add another ladle of gravy.Add the tomato and pepper and contnue cooking for another 4 minutes or so.

The amount of methi and salt the chef uses is minimal,just the smallest dip of his chef's spoon.He tastes most dishes that he cooks and sometimes adds a tad more from time to time.The service onions are nothing more than finely chopped white onions with a tiny amount of red and green pepper.

Here's my latest one I cooked....

[Madrasandy]

2 hours 2 late jb 
Next on my list to try though

[curryhell]

That'll be tomorrow night's curry then MA  ;D ;D
Thanks for this one jb.  I've never cooked a pathia and only ever had a spoonful on one occasion.  From what i remember, I liked the heat and the flavour.  I will give this a go.  Keep feeding us with info Jason.  Just heading to the kitchen to warm up Vindaloo's vindaloo from the other night 

[Stephen Lindsay]

I agree with your comment about regional differences jb - the Pathias in my area (NE Scotland) tend towards a more tomato red colour.

[Naga]

Thanks for continuing to post (a) about your kitchen experiences and (b) the recipes, jb. Your observations on the chef's techniques and use of ingredients is very much appreciated!

[Micky Tikka]

Here here

[Sverige]

Good info thanks. Are the mix powder, sugar, etc level spoonfuls or rounded / heaped?  How much lemon dressing would you say?

[Madrasandy]

That'll be tomorrow night's curry then MA  ;D ;D
Thanks for this one jb.  I've never cooked a pathia and only ever had a spoonful on one occasion.  From what i remember, I liked the heat and the flavour.

Unfortunately not ch 
Same for me as I had my first taste (spoonful) of Pathia last week and really enjoyed it.

Are the mix powder, sugar, etc level spoonfuls or rounded / heaped?  How much lemon dressing would you say?

I would take the measures as level spoons as it is not stated otherwise, but the lemon dressing quantity is an important one as the dish is a sour one, 1-2Tbs maybe. But best wait for jb to enlighten us

[jb]

All level tablespoons.The chef doesn't really measure the lemon juice.He just gives a good shake over the curry pan.

[london]

JB,

Is 1 tablespoon of mix powder correct as most recipes only use a teaspoon.

London.