Topic: Sunday night in the takeaway

[jb]

It was a particularly busy night in the takeaway on Sunday night.Usually they have a steady trickle of orders but it was very hectic indeed.As usual the chef did a very good job churning out a multitude of dishes,all of which I was able to see him cook at first hand.They're certainly doing something right here,the place has only been open a short while but they have a a lot of returning customers.In fact they have hired a third chef now.He seemed quite intrigued with my appearance in the kitchen.The guys explained I was 'trainee chef'(as they like to call me),the new chef asked if I could cook gharabi and seemed really suprised when I said I could.I guess the fact that they have an open kitchen helps,although I do get some funny looks from people who are probobly not used to seeing a white English guy peering over the chef's shoulder.

They were so busy they were runnng out of most of the precooked stuff,I stayed until they closed so I made sure I could watch everything.

I noticed last time that the Chef had changed the way he prepares his service onions.Before they were just simply finely chopped white onions with small slithers of green and red pepper.Now however he pre cooks them,he had a big tub on the side which was nearly empty so I managed to see how he did them.No real suprises or 'magic' ingredients,just a bog standard mix of slow cooked onions and the usual mix of spices.The chef called the cooked mixture 'bhuna onions',and explained they he now precooks his service onions just to save time when they have loads of orders on the go.If I recall the Curry Crunch book also called their precooked onions 'bhuna onions',indeed the recipe they give is pretty much the same as the takeaway one.Actually,the more I revisit the recipes in this book the more I realise that a lot of the stuff in it is pretty much how it's done in my takeaway.

The tandoor chef began to run out of naan bread dough so I was able to see him make up a new batch.No real suprises,pretty much like any other naan recipe on the site.Everything was done by eye,he used whole milk,self raising flour,yoghurt,eggs,salt,sugar,water and kalonji seeds.He seemed quite amused that I could identify kalonji seeds.The only suprise for me is that he added yeast as opposed to baking powder.I'm really not into baking in any way but I always thought BIR's used baking powder as yeast in naan breads would make the dough rise too much if they were left in a hot kitchen.

Also managed to get a masterclass in onion bhaji making.Again,pretty standard ingredients although he did add a few slithers of potato,green pepper a sprinkle of orange daal.If I remember the inclusion of potato and pepper has been a bit controversial on the site before,but this chef definately uses them.Have to the say the bhajis here are excellent;small,round,crispy and full of flavour.Nothing like the greasy tasteless ones that some places seem to offer.

[curryhell]

Nice report jb.  Further confirmation of the BIR info that's available on this site.  Yeast though    there's a turn up.  Maybe you'll question him about that on your next visit    Am overdue a TA from Vindaloo.  Will make sure i pop in when i'm on hols.  Keep up the good work "chef" and keep the info coming Jason.

[Curry addict bob]

Yes good information I bet you enjoy your job I've enjoyed reading this looking forward to further reports

CAB.

[Secret Santa]

jb how is the onion bhuna cooked? Reading the Curry Crunch thread it seems this isn't a bhunjarra so what's unique about it?

Actually, does anyone have the Curry Crunch onion bhuna recipe? It seems the book is out of print now.

[jb]

jb how is the onion bhuna cooked? Reading the Curry Crunch thread it seems this isn't a bhunjarra so what's unique about it?

Actually, does anyone have the Curry Crunch onion bhuna recipe? It seems the book is out of print now.

I wouldn't say there's anything unique about it,it's just the place has got so busy that the chef uses precooked onions instead of raw services onions.It may not seem to matter too much but when he has about 8 different orders on the go I guess anything that can speed up the cooking process is a great help.He said it does add a another bit of flavour but as is curries were top notch anyway it's not a 'magic' ingredient in any way.A bunjarra(correct me if I'm wrong) is a slow cooking process to caramalize the onions to a sort of paste which is then added just for flavour.His 'bhuna onions'(and I think the Curry Crunch one as well) was not like this at all.