Topic: Too many bases, not enough time!

[Bobby Bhuna]

Does anyone else have the same problem?
I have a freezer full of Saffron base and ifindforu with a coconut overdose and yet I'm desparate to press on with the trials. I'm dying to try Ronnocs base from the "real Indian chef" thread, I want to try CA's base sauce and Madras mk2 and get involved in the process, I want to try the ifindforu with MUCH less coconut and I want to try the Darth 100% base again as I get the feeling I messed up last attempt...
ARrrrghhhhhhhh, I need a larger freezer and a really big sack of onions!

[Yousef]

Book a day off work BB and rock on with the recipes.
I just love the diversity of the recipes on the forum, this is what seperates CR0.co.uk and makes it so much fun...well for me anyway.

Stew

[Cory Ander]

..at least you're still young Bobby..time's on your side mate! 

[SnS]

..at least you're still young Bobby..time's on your side mate! 

Now a year older than yesterday though !

  ;D

[Bobby Bhuna]

Now a year older than yesterday though !

Not just yet mate, Monday! I can get a good few bases between now and then

[George]

Does anyone else have the same problem?

Yes, sort of, but in a different way. I feel a sense of information overload, thanks to this forum. After the forum was recently re-jigged to show dishes under main categories, I decided to have s Spring clean of my own files. Since the forum started I've built up two word.doc files (1) base sauce and (2) stage 2 dishes.

Right now, I'm trying to sort out the 'stage 2' file into separate records and it's quite a task, not least because the document runs to over 500 pages. It's too difficult to find anything so I'm breaking it up. The file contains recipes from here, plus limited comments and amendments, without which the recipes are often less than perfect. But I never save much chit-chat and only save recipes for dishes which I like. Still, it's 500 pages and I can also see that's I've spent a frightening 7.5 days at this forum since it started. I don't tend to leave the browser open on any web site, when I'm not actually looking at the web site, so that's probably a reasonably accurate 24 x 7.5 = 180 hours. Perhaps I should move to a once-a-week look-in and ask my GP if I might have some sort of compulsive disorder.

Here's an example of one discrete recipe and a few notes which I've just re-saved under the hopefully easy-to-find title "Pilau rice - Darth":

Darths Dabari (pilau?) rice
I?m  re-posting this recipe as I?ve made some changes to make it clearer.
Spice preparation - for use after rice is done.
The Spices (enough for 4 dishes)
4 Cardamom Pods, 4 Star Anise, 2 level teaspoons cumin seeds (note: markJ uses black cummin seeds), 4 pieces Cassia Bark, 4 Bay leaves, 8 Cloves.
I separate the spices into 4 small portions, placed in suitable containers with lids. Add to each container: 0.5 teaspoon oil and 0.5 tsp of water. Microwave for 20-25 seconds (800 watts). After cooking the rice, mix-in these spices, then sprinkle with a little desiccated coconut.
The Rice
Quantity of Basmati rice = the quantity required to end up with 4 take-away sized portions - (note: I need to work the quantity out!)
1. Get 2 pans and put half of the rice in each pan (the amount of rice to make approximately 4 take-away sized portions) .
NOTE : Put one teaspoon turmeric in only one of the pans with the rice and follow method below for both portions.
2. Boil a kettle, pour boiling water over rice, stir immediately, bring to boil on cooker turn down straight away.
3. Keep heat to steady low simmer.
4. Keep STIRRING and tasting (you are actually testing the rice to see how cooked it is).
5. A soon as its still slightly crispy in the center(this part you need to learn from experience but what you are trying to do is get to the point were by the time you have taken from the heat rinsed in cold water it will be cooked right through with the residual heat in the rice)
6. Sort into portions, add the cooked spices, mix them in and sprinkle the coconut over the top, let cool then freeze. It keeps for weeks.
The biggest thing I have learned (and I cook rice 4-5 times a week) is to never boil rice, as by the time you think its cooked, it carries on cooking until you cool it down ,so you always miss that point. Also, I find Basmati rice cooks so well that I use it for my Chinese and experimental dishes as well. Please let me know how yours turned out - DARTHPHALL
To answer your queries.
1. The spices are as my local BIR and as I posted. They do pilau rice as a totally separate rice dish along side dabari rice and a few others which are really nice. I will try and copy them in the near future and post results (I love Rice !!).
2. Dabari Rice and Pilau Rice are very similar.
3. Yes you are right -  I microwave the spices in 4 separate portions them add to the cooked Rice. I add the Dessicated Coconut when I re-heat the rice to eat.
4. I always let all my dishes defrost naturally. I find using the Microwave to defrost tends to give an overcooked feel to rice in particular and seems to degrade the curry ever so slightly.
To re-heat, yes I leave the spices in whilst re-heating. I cook on full for 2 minutes ( 800 watt Microwave Oven)
Stir up the rice, check it?s heated to desired temperature.
When I have this dish I take out the whole spices once I?ve put the rice on the plate before  pouring Curry over it, as I do not like eating whole Cardamom, Cassia Bark, etc, etc.
Dabari Rice is, I think, made up by my local Take-away as I?ve not seen it anywhere else.
Hope this helps - DARTHPHALL

From MarkJ - Now, black cumin seeds are useful, unlike the other 2 ingredients. Very aromatic, I always use black cumin seeds instead of ordinary when making pilau rice

From Ray Graham - I do agree with Darth on this one. Make this rice to his instructions and you will have a dish that you can't distinguish from a BIR, in fact I think better. The packet instructions on Basmati rice could not be more misleading. Most tell you to cook it for 15-20 mins. I get Rice Pudding if I do this! Cooking for 6-8 mins is just right as like Darth says it continues to cook itself beyond this. I also add a 1 oz knob of butter which they do in the Balti Kitchen Video ( weight watchers beware! ). This gives it a slight stickiness ( although the grains are still seperate ) which you get in many BIR rice dishes, but either way this is a perfect rice. And as Dee Dee points out adding some colouring either side of the pan once it is cooked then gently stirring makes for a great colouring effect that impresses everyone. When it comes to rice I think at  least we can say we have cracked this one!!

From Ghanna - Please tell me if you do fry the whole spices in oil or not, as well in what stage do you add the cumin seeds? Which cumin seeds do you use is it the black cumin seeds that usually used  in the biryani or is it the normal cumin seeds? Darthphall  all your cooking is simple and easy and very quick, I print every recipe you type. Waiting for your reply. Thanks - ghanna

From Darth - Add normal cumin as with the other spices. I don't roast them. But you can in an empty pan on high just chuck in & roast for 30 seconds , you know when spices are cooked too long as they go bitter (I bet you knew this anyhow Ghanna as you have a vast knowledge on fine authentic Asian cuisine)


Regards
George

[Curry King]

Since cutting back on my curry, I was managing 3 or 4 a week, I find it even harder to try new recipes.  I find myself offering them around to family members just to give me a chance to knock one up 

[George]

I think it's a bit like deciding where to go on holiday. Some people go back to the same place every year. Others like to try different places each time. Do we stick with recipes which we know to work or risk trying new ones? As it is, with over 500 pages of recipes to try, there probably isn't enough time in my likely lifetime for me. Do I really need any more recipes?! And that's just BIR type recipes. What about other types of food which interest me, and lots of other, non-cooking interests of course. How much of your week should be set aside for cooking BIR curries? Is it really all that important in the general scheme of things?

Regards
George