Topic: How to make tomato puree Indian restaurant way @ Latifs Indian

[livo]

The exact amount of water is not critical and so it matters not a bit on how it is carried to the pan. I'm happy to reproduce this sauce based on the visual information. You can see how much he used.

Having now watched the video he clearly says he adds "about a cup of water" (from the Balti bowl), then later says "it needs more water" and adds some from a kettle (via the Balti bowl) .  At the end he says he used in total "about 2 cups".  It wont matter if there is slightly more or less and it would depend on which tomato product you are using.  Straight puree, passata, 2X or 3X concentrate paste or whole chopped tomato. He also says you don't need to cook it and gives reason why he does.  The length of time cooking will determine evaporation and may require even more water being added.  It is subject to personal preference and choice of ingredients.

He explains clearly not to use too much in your curries.

Worth note is his reference to his own "Mixed Powder" which he says can be substituted by simply using a commercial "Curry Powder". I read this as saying the 2 are nothing more than variations of the same thing.  This goes directly to fully answering that question for me.  Mixed Powder is a controlled variable.

[Sverige]

Not sure why everyone is arguing about how big his cups are - worry no more, "the truth is out there" in the video.

He added 400g of tomato paste, let's be picky and say 380g because of the amount he left in the can. At a density of around 1.06 grams per ml that's near enough 360 ml of tomato puree in the pan. About 50ml of oil went in at the start,  plus spices which I'm gonna pretend have no volume (let's be sensible about this!) and 10 or 15ml of G&G paste.

That's it. Let's say 425ml of ingredients and the rest of the finished volume has to be the water he added. Allowing for a conservative evaporation factor of 20% (likely higher than that after 10 or 15 mins bubbling away on a commercial range, but let's be conservative) and I'm going to say there was 850ml of total volume (ingredients plus water) at the start of the cook.

Ergo, added water must equal at least 425ml, likely a bit more. Since he says he added two cups and a cup measures 250ml I'm going to say he does know what he's talking about. 

[livo]

Sverige, there is a closet scientist in you. 
Even the chooks are confused having to lay a dozen eggs to fill the carton.

[Garp]

Making something like a tomato paste, I'm sure he adds enough to achieve the consistency he wants - not too crucial as you can evaporate some water off or add more if required.

I'm assuming that he is assuming that people will realise this......

[Peripatetic Phil]

I'm assuming that he is assuming that people will realise this......

But are you assuming that he is assuming that you will assume that that is what he is assuming ?

[Secret Santa]

Making something like a tomato paste, I'm sure he adds enough to achieve the consistency he wants - not too crucial as you can evaporate some water off or add more if required.

I suppose he should have said something along the lines of ... you want to achieve the consistency of single cream. Or maybe he did say something like that. I don't know, I've developed tomato-sauce fatigue and it's quite debilitating.

[livo]

Hi everyone enjoy.

At this point I would like to thank the OP for her posting of this link to the Tomato puree video. I also extend a welcome to Chickentroll.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Well said, Sir.
** Phil.

[livo]

I've just watched this again. Just before he pours the puree into the measuring jug he says, "I used about 2 cups of water. It should be a bit thinner. If I did it again I'd use about 2 1/2 cups."
He also says he is using double concentrate from the tin. The concentrate I use is triple and passata is not concentrated. Water content variable depending upon what you have to hand and preference.

Related to this is his discussion on the use of water in the new video of the Chicken RJ using this tomato puree.  His comments on the demonstrated cooking method ("how we have it") as opposed the gravy method for the customers is enlightening. He is demonstrating how to make curry at home. Not how to make bir curry.

I'm thoroughly enjoying this chefs videos.