Topic: The Bengali Cook

[livo]

Another new youtube BIR chef giving up trade secrets here. He answers your tomato question Phil.  Although it is a different approach to Syed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rieHCQhg7Vk

Interesting thing about this guy is when he uses mixed curry powder, that is exactly what he uses. Curry Powder. Rajah brand is his preferred.

PS; And another interesting take on Base Gravy.

[Peripatetic Phil]

He has Schwartz containers in his spice rack.  Street cred -> 0.

[Secret Santa]

Another new youtube BIR chef giving up trade secrets here.

Granted he's got all the terminology down pat but how do you know he's an actual BIR chef? I'm not hearing or seeing anything I don't already know ... does that make me a BIR chef?

[livo]

He has Schwarz containers in his spice rack.  Street cred -> 0.

He explains that in the comments.
"those little spice jars are for other recipes mainly used by my wife lol I have a different cupboard with all my spices just like the ones you

[livo]

Granted he's got all the terminology down pat but how do you know he's an actual BIR chef? I'm not hearing or seeing anything I don't already know ... does that make me a BIR chef?

The 3 BIR hacks has a few things new to me.  His Tomato puree is actually a cooked supplement where others are simply dilutions of a product in water. I've not seen that before.  Chewy used to use (probably still does) a mix of chopped onion, red and green capsicum with his curries and this guy provides his version of pre-cooked "Service Onions".  I've not seen that before either.

Maybe he's a BIR Chef or maybe he just knows stuff. I don't care as long as his content is solid and his recipes work.  These are all just little extra pieces of the entire picture of BIR and probably Global Indian Restaurant.  Everybody is doing things a little bit different to others and all of these little hints and clues can only help build up the tools and tricks available to anybody wanting to try.  I don't see the problem here.

[jb]

There's certainly a lot of info and videos coming out at the moment. When I think back to my first attempts at takeaway cooking, some thirty years ago information like this just did not exist,chefs were so secretive and actually getting into a kitchen was impossible.

I have no idea if this guy is a genuine BIR chef, however his tomato puree and pre cooked onions method is exactly how my local chef prepares his. I watched him cook the tomato puree once, I initially thought the tub I had seen was some sort of massala sauce,but for some reason he cooks it. I'm guessing it's another level  of flavour and he hasn't got to wait to cook the tomato puree out on a busy service.

Same goes for the pre cooked onions. When I first starting visiting the kitchen they had a large tub of 'raw service' onions. Next time I went they had cooked them, the Chef simply explained that they were so busy they couldn't keep up cooking dishes waiting for the raw onions to cook.

[livo]

That's what I'm seeing jb. There are several things going on. Obviously the pre-made supplementary ingredients are about expediency and efficiency in a busy kitchen, but they are also contributing to the layering and building up of flavour.  The recent release of these youtube videos is fantastic and it's good to have your input as someone with first hand experience.

I can't see that this fellow, Babul, says where or when he worked in BIR but a few of his words on the Facebook page indicate that he may have worked in the industry, or at least eaten some. 
Quote: "(3 vital components that is used in approx 90% of BIR curries (based on my experience from BIR)."

Either way, some of his dishes look the goods to me.  There are a few I'll be trying.  I like the look of the Chicken Tikka Aloo Bhuna. It is a "Home Style dish", not BIR but it does use pre-cooked chicken.  The lamb bhuna looks good as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RD8SA4YMmJE&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR0wi2bTc705XOlvRNQo_skCPQTP4w6NNv8CJ0Hf-CYpToqmGJ6-PQ6YKKs