Topic: Shish Mahal Cook Book

[haldi]

I just bought the Shish Mahal Cook Book
It's from a restaurant but "re reciped" by another chef
It's got a lot of standard restaurant recipes, but they are prepared in a homestyle way
Anyone else got it?

[lorrydoo]

Hi Haldi, Ive heard about this book and the recipes are supposed to be from 1960s BIR in Glasgow.  Is it any good and have you tried making any of the recipes yet?

[naga dave]

    Sorry to have to say that you wont find this very helpful. The usual story - reluctance on the part of chefs to 'tell it like it is.'

[lorrydoo]

Thanks naga Dave, I thought as much.

[haldi]

Edited by CA - Tandoori marinade and Pakora recipes moved to recipe section here: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?board=29.0

Is it any good and have you tried making any of the recipes yet?

Not yet
It's really back to basics
No Curry Gravy
It's similar to the Indian Restauarant Cookbook by Sonia Alyson
Certain parts are definitely helpfull
For instance it gives the restaurant marinade for tandoori chicken

It also gives a detailed pakora ingredients/recipe

It only cost ?6.00 off the internet (that includes p&p)
I don't feel cheated

Mustard oil is used a lot in the recipes
I know it's considered "unsafe for human consumption" but has anyone ever tried it in their curry gravy?
The missing "taste"?
I'll try it next time
My freezer is too full for another base at the moment

[naga dave]

    Mustard oil has a strong pungent flavour and smell, ideal for pickles, but not the sort of thing you'd want for a base sauce. It was the dominant flavour of Pataks mango pickle until they started using rapeseed oil, once tasted, never forgotten. Sometimes added in small quantities to tandoori marinades.
                 D.

[haldi]

    Mustard oil, once tasted, never forgotten. Sometimes added in small quantities to tandoori marinades.
                 D.

Hi Naga
        I bought some anyhow (it's not the first time I've used it, but I can't remember much about it)
I know it says "for external use only" on the bottle, but KTC sell large catering cans of it
What's that all about then?
Do chefs rub it on their bodies, when preparing for a heavy night's cooking?

[naga dave]

    Don't think so, but have you ever noticed how similar the smell of cumin and stale sweat can be ? I have on occasion sat in a restaurant and thought someone with B.O. has just walked past, only to realise it is a waiter with a tray of food.

[lambhuna]

Shish Mahal in Glasgow was one of the better BIR's, I can remember it always being busy, the street that it was on also had about another 4 resturants, my favourite was the Shalimar, mmm lovely, I have to say though, this was back in the late '70's early '80's. As far as I know, its still there.
I have yet to come across a recipe book that is better or as good as the recipes that are on this forum. 

Jon

[haldi]

I made the tandoori chicken from this book
It's a little different
You marinade the chicken in a cup of vinegar with two tablespoons of salt for an hour.
Then you drain it and leave it in this blended  yoghurt/spice mix overnight

Edited by CA - marinade recipe in the recipe section here: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1934.0

Cook on highest in oven on skewers (over a tray catching the drips)or in a tandoor
(Has anyone else bought one?)

The result was excellent and the brightness of a restaurant prepared chicken.
I must admit the use of red food colouring bothers me and is mustard oil really dangerous
The flavour doesn't betray the use of mustard oil, so I'll probably use veg oil next time
As for the colour....what can I say it looks fantastic but is it safe?
You always cook the chicken in the tandoor first, the naans need the extra heat or they don't rise or come off the tandoor's clay sides
So I did a few of them too
The first one came off like a biscuit because the tandoor wasn't hot enough
So I wacked up the heat for 5 minutes and they all cooked brilliantly after that