Topic: Syed's basic chicken curry and pilao rice

[Peripatetic Phil]

I am reaching the conclusion that the primary factor involved was the re-heating of the base on the hob.  The oil, by its very nature, accumulates on the top, and therefore the first few ladles of base removed will contain more oil pro rata than will subsequent ladles.  These were the very two first ladles of base removed from the casserole dish, so they contained more oil than subsequent ladles will.  The reason that I keep my base on the hob is very simple

[Sverige]

Well whether it was a fair reflection on Syed

[martinvic]

One final thought

[Peripatetic Phil]

I probably should have said not looked so oily, because unless your base is very oily, there would have been more base in the dish to the amount of oil.

Well, my base is very oily, almost certainly as a result of being stored at room temperature and re-heated twice.  It will become less oily over time, as each time that I remove a ladle of base, I remove more oil, and because the last thing that the ladle passes through on its way out of the casserole is the oil layer, it will automatically pick up oil as it emerges from the base.  Ultimately there will be little oil left (at which point I shall add more !). 

But that apart, no matter how much base I had added, I would have reduced it back to my desired consistency, so as reduction can only increase the oil concentration rather than reduce it, I genuinely cannot see how adding more base might have reduced the visible oil.

Oh and, like I said, you didn't cook it to spec as stated?

I am sure that no-one here is seeking to argue, so if it will clarify matters let me say once and for all that :

• The base was made to spec., but not stored to spec.
• The pre-cooked chicken was made to spec. and stored to spec.
• The final curry was made to spec., modulo the use of only two ladles of base rather than 3¹/₂.

However, what is a ladle ?  I have no idea how many ml of base Syed's ladle holds, any more than I know how much mine holds.  In his video, I see him adding approximately 3¹/₂ ladles of base.  I added 2.  That may have been only 0.57 of the required amount, it may have been more, it may have been less.  FOAM sufferers would undoubtedly have asked Syed how much his ladle holds.  I did not.

** Phil.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Well whether it was a fair reflection on Syed

[livo]

I have to agree that this basic chicken curry is excellent. I've also thoroughly enjoyed the other dishes tried so far. I'm looking forward to another batch of Tikka over the weekend and as I've bought 4 kg of organically farmed breast fillet I'll be doing some pre-cooked for future curry. It will go a long way as my family have rebelled and I'm the only one eating Indian at the moment.

Is that your usual rice Phil? I rated Syed's rice as really good.  Easy method with excellent result.

[Peripatetic Phil]

I have to agree that this basic chicken curry is excellent. I've also thoroughly enjoyed the other dishes tried so far. I'm looking forward to another batch of Tikka over the weekend and as I've bought 4 kg of organically farmed breast fillet I'll be doing some pre-cooked for future curry. It will go a long way as my family have rebelled and I'm the only one eating Indian at the moment.

Yes, I too make a lot of Syed's tikka, which I rate very highly, but I now substitute Laziza tandoori paste for Patak's, and my wife and I agree that the Laziza version is significantly better.  For the next batch I will use Laziza tikka botti in conjunction with Syed's recipe and see how that works out.

Is that your usual rice Phil? I rated Syed's rice as really good.  Easy method with excellent result.

No, Syed's, using the "excess water" method which I have never rated in the past but which I now agree works very well.  A part of the "secret" (if there is such) is to remove the saucepan lid only briefly so as to retain as much of the aromatic vapour as possible.  His rice gets even better as it gets older.

P.S.  Dessert, on these occasions, is always one of three :  Carte d'Or coffee ice-cream (sometimes with Camp coffee drizzled on), home-made Eton mess, or apricot compote. For those who have never made the last, it really cannot be recommended too highly.  Fresh apricots, stalk stubs removed, gently poached in pre-reduced syrup (375gm preserving sugar to 1 litre water), transferred to empty Bonne Maman apricot compote jars and stored in the 'fridge.  Not only does leaving the stones in contribute an extra layer of flavour, it also means that one eats less, since while with (stoneless) Bonne Maman one can just spoon it down without even pausing, with the stones left in one has to pause after each apricot in order to remove the stone from one's mouth, and in practice I therefore probably eat only half as much compote at any one time.

** Phil.

[George]

This was a perfect curry, probably the best I have ever achieved. 

Again, this is so good to hear. Make sure it's well documented in terms of exactly what you did, so you can hopefully repeat it. But is it still not as good as the local BIR madras which you mentioned? Also, if you generally prefer madras type chili heat, can't you try turning it into a madras by adding extra fresh chili and/or chili powder? Maybe that could taste better than Syed's own madras!

[Peripatetic Phil]

This was a perfect curry, probably the best I have ever achieved. 

Again, this is so good to hear. Make sure it's well documented in terms of exactly what you did, so you can hopefully repeat it. But is it still not as good as the local BIR madras which you mentioned?

That is so hard to say.  I will have to have another Ganesha Madras delivered, so I can compare them side-by-side.

Also, if you generally prefer madras type chili heat, can't you try turning it into a madras by adding extra fresh chili and/or chili powder? Maybe that could taste better than Syed's own madras!

I will do that in due course, but if I can sustain the hunger pains for a little longer this evening, I hope to try a 3¹/₂-ladle version, just to see if it makes any difference.  (The scientist in me keeps repeating "change only one parameter at a time").

** Phil.

[Secret Santa]

(The scientist in me keeps repeating "change only one parameter at a time").

Amen to that!

As regards the oil on the base why don't you either:

a) spoon it off before using the base (it can of course be reused so no waste) and/or
b) give the base a good stir each time before use to distribute what oil there is uniformly throughout the base?