Topic: Towards a more aromatic pulao

[Peripatetic Phil]

Once I started making pulao rice using a microwave oven, I never looked back, and my pulao is in most respects as good as I have eaten.  But when Ganesha opened in Bodmin, and I compared their pulao rice with mine, I was sure that theirs was better and I began to wonder why ...  I finally reached the conclusion that while the taste and appearance of mine was as good as Ganesha's, theirs was better in terms of aroma

[mickdabass]

Hi Phil

Thats a very interesting read.
Ive never tried to cook rice in a microwave. Must give it a go.
Seem to  have a bit of spare time at the moment lol
Reading your article reminded me of a ridiculously over complicated gravy recipe I tried about 10 years ago.
That included a spice stock to be added to the gravy at the latter stage of cooking. I seem to remember it completely ruined the gravy. I know the stock had another name so I googled it and found this recipe instead from Dan Toombs. Might be worth a look

https://greatcurryrecipes.net/2013/09/10/herb-and-spice-stock-for-that-perfect-curry/

Stay Safe
Mick

[Peripatetic Phil]

Thank for that pointer/link, Mick.  When I came downstairs this morning, I was greeted with the most wonderfully aromatic smell, which was almost certainly coming from the small quantity of pulao "gravy" that I had left over.  I thought as soon as that smell greeted me that perhaps there was a possibilty to bring a standard BIR curry up to another level by bhooning some whole mixed masala and then gently cooking it in the base gravy before adding the latter to the spices and meat, and your message seems to confirm this.  I shall certainly give it a go, and I shall also experiment with using panch phoran for making pulao rice, and with using whole mixed masala for the same, rather than making up a special "pulao rice" blend as I did yesterday.

** Phil.

[Secret Santa]

Gotta try this some time Phil. I meant to do it the last time you brought up the microwave pilau subject but it inevitably got forgotten about. I must ask though do you (or anyone else for that matter) ever have plain rice from the takeaway or restaurant? I used to have only plain rice when I first started eating BIR curries and it always had a fantastic aroma. And it wasn't specific to any particular restaurant or takeaway they all had it. Never been able to figure that one out as plain basmati rice, and I've tried a fair few over the years, just doesn't have much aroma at all to me.

Also, panch phoran just doesn't seem right to me as far as pilau goes. You'd see the seeds and I've never seen them in a pilau.

[mickyp]

Quote from SS "Also, panch phoran just doesn't seem right to me as far as pilau goes. You'd see the seeds and I've never seen them in a pilau."

Ive cooked basmati rice after first frying onion/fennel/cinnamon in a bit of oil, mixing in the rice to coat it before adding the water, that imparts a subtle taste and nice aroma, and the mix is forever variable.

[Peripatetic Phil]

I sieve all the solids out, Santa, then use chopsticks to put back the ones I want (cardomom, garlic flakes).  And yes, good boiled basmati really does have a wonderful aroma all of its own, but whether "good" means "young" or "aged" I can never remember ...

** Phil.

[romain]

Hi Phil

Thats a very interesting read.
Ive never tried to cook rice in a microwave. Must give it a go.
Seem to  have a bit of spare time at the moment lol
Reading your article reminded me of a ridiculously over complicated gravy recipe I tried about 10 years ago.
That included a spice stock to be added to the gravy at the latter stage of cooking. I seem to remember it completely ruined the gravy. I know the stock had another name so I googled it and found this recipe instead from Dan Toombs. Might be worth a look

https://greatcurryrecipes.net/2013/09/10/herb-and-spice-stock-for-that-perfect-curry/

Stay Safe
Mick

Akhni stock?

[Peripatetic Phil]

I think you may well be right, Romain.  Fennel is certainly something I have experienced in pulaos in the past, and I was considering using it but did not do so on this last occasion.  But cassia bark makes the stock too dark, so I think I shall use real cinnamon next time (and hang the expense !).

[mickyp]

I sieve all the solids out, Santa, then use chopsticks to put back the ones I want (cardomom, garlic flakes).  And yes, good boiled basmati really does have a wonderful aroma all of its own, but whether "good" means "young" or "aged" I can never remember ...

** Phil.

Aged is better.

[mickyp]

Hi Phil

Thats a very interesting read.
Ive never tried to cook rice in a microwave. Must give it a go.
Seem to  have a bit of spare time at the moment lol
Reading your article reminded me of a ridiculously over complicated gravy recipe I tried about 10 years ago.
That included a spice stock to be added to the gravy at the latter stage of cooking. I seem to remember it completely ruined the gravy. I know the stock had another name so I googled it and found this recipe instead from Dan Toombs. Might be worth a look

https://greatcurryrecipes.net/2013/09/10/herb-and-spice-stock-for-that-perfect-curry/

Stay Safe
Mick

Akhni stock?

I made a large batch of base using Adey Payne's recipe which requires Akhni stock, tbh not sure if i really noticed any difference, and i dont think many TA's will use a base that complicated, nice enough base though.