Topic: Talked about base sauce with take away owner and chef

[CurryCanuck]

I use a gas - fired Jenn-air wok - the high heat is well controlled and critical for the key stages of prep . I am not a big fan of the so-called flamb? technique  in BIR ( this is more style than substance ) . I do however feel that controlled high heat over short periods does produce superior flavours that are reproducible . As the name suggests, flambeing is a process of "flaming" off alcohol by igniting it. As opposed to boiling off alcohol, flambeing caramelizes the sugar in the liquor slightly, producing a subtle, sweet, roasted aroma. It also makes a very dramatic presentation of dishes . Since BIR chefs do not use liquor , setting light to oil does absolutely nothing to improve the flavour of a dish other than making it taste like a burnt carcinogenic offering . For those that wish to incorporate carbon -    I would be interested to hear what C P has to say based on his experience . Most of the Indian chefs that I know do not " flame their dishes as a matter of fact ... if it happens by accident , the flames are retarded by reducing the heat in order to preserve the original desired flavour - after all not too many patrons enjoy everything tasting like burnt toast . Guy Fawkes day should be observed on November 5th , not in the curry kitchen .

[Chilli Prawn]

CC is mostly correct. No Asian chef as far as I am aware uses a Flambe technique as a standard process, they do occasionally flash off Pasanda, which should have a red wine content (did you know that wine is said to have originated in India?).  However, CC is also correct in a sense that flaming a dish to incinerate it is also not done, but all Asian chefs (Chinese & Thai also) do allow the fat/steam mixture to catch fire because it is difficult to stop it and also it does impart that special flavour.  The food itself does not catch fire but the superheated oil/gas mixture above it does and then atomises over the Kharai/pan/Wok and some of it falls back in to the pan again to impart that fast food flavour.  Whilst on the subject, a lot of BIRs use cast iron or rolled steel (like wok steel) frying pans for cooking the individual portions.  I have a great rolled steel one (from India) that is about 12 inches diameter with a very long steel handle.  I always use this for individual portion fast cooking.

Happy Cooking
C P

[CurryCanuck]

Thanks for the info CP .

[Ashes]

According to Wikipeadia ( http://en.wikipedia.org ) it is still unclear where wine came from.. makes interesting reading > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wine#Early_history

Regards Ashes

[CurryCanuck]

I did a straw-poll of nine Indian restaurants in my neighbourhood...all use a base and none flame  any of the ingredients . All chefs insisted that they prep their base ingredients at a controlled high heat ... all spicing was then added at critical intervals -  the pre - cooked meat was added at the end  .  I surmise that that this is yet another indication that restaurant or BIR recipes plus their  method , whether from the UK or elsewhere can be totally individual . There is no one unique base , there is no one unique spicing technique . If that were the case ,  every restaurant recipe would taste the same . I think that the only given here is that traditional Indian recipes render a tried and true flavour whereas the BIR recipes are constantly evolving in order to pacify the flavour of the day  and incorporate new culinary ideas .

[Chilli Prawn]

Absolutely right CC!  I like your point about the 'flavour of the day' because, as with any market, it is all about creating something new, and in a lot of cases its not new just a variation on an old theme.  When I first started out professionally some of customers complained that my meals were not the same each time; near but not exact.  I explained to them that is they were always exactly the same, I would not enjoy the cooking and they would get bored and drift elsewhere,  I still retain those customers!!!  I just posted a review about a new restaurant in Salisbury that everyone is raving about as nouveau contemporary  Asian cuisine.  With no offence to their excellent restaurant, it is not really new as this was a very popular style in a lot of Manchester and London restaurants back in the 60s and early 70s, i.e. real Indian influenced by Gujarati style.

This why I you and the other 'old pros' I note often reply in a similar vein to newbie requests.  This is an exciting adventure, never boring and the end results are wonderful when you get it right.  I would say it is impossible to replicate the cuisine of your local restaurant because the averge domestic cook doesn't have the base recipe , the cooking facilities, and means to work in large volumes.

As to Ashes' reply on the origins of wine Wickpedia is probably right; it's my humour I guess as a fan of 'Goodness Gracious Me' everything was inventend or made by Indians if you get my drift.

Anyway, as always it is good to have these exchanges as it clarifies to all that this is not a precise art.

Happy Cooking
C P

[heat required]

hi I just joined today, and congratulations on a wonderful site, i was wondering if the base has chicken stock in surely vegetarians would be upset.. I myself dont think that stock is added to curry base

[CurryCanuck]

Hi heat required .

Welcome to our humble curry kingdom . If you do an on site search for chicken stock , you will see that this topic has been discussed at length - makes for good reading .

CC

[heat required]

thanks ,it sure looks like ive landed i`ll post more when ive time

[bart09]

Passata
Passata is just sieved tomato pulp.

It can be bought in packets or jars in supermarkets and delis; there are various brands including store own brands and prices vary. It is usually stocked near to the pasta sauces and tomato purees.

You can dilute it, add herbs, sugar, whatever to the pulp later depending on the recipe.

It is easy to make homemade passata:
Any variety of tomato will do, even green if you want tart green sauce. If you grow tomatoes, you might like to try plum tomatoes.

the amount of tomatoes you need depends on the amount of tomato pulp required: I use about 1 pound (450g) of tomatoes for a 4 person serving recipe.

if using fresh tomatoes:
 pierce the skin with the point of a sharp knife, put the tomatoes into a deep casserole (pan whatever) of very hot boiled water, off the heat, on a flat surface. Cover with a lid and leave for about a minute until the skin
starts to split, then, with a large spoon to take out each tomato, peel the skin off.

You may need to change the water for fresh hot boiled water to get the remaining tomatoes to peel easily: as the water cools, the peel hardens and it becomes harder to strip off.

Put the tomatoes, a few at a time, into a sieve ( wire or plastic), placed over a bowl and use some kind of pestle ( I use the end of a rolling pin (pastry roller)); gently push the tomato flesh through the sieve by rubbing
with the pestle in a side to side motion;  the pulp is caught in the bowl below leaving the seeds behind in the sieve. The pulp in the bowl is the passata.

Or you could chop the tomatoes very finely; first remove the skins and seeds.

You could sieve tinned tomatoes after removing the seeds, or tinned chopped tomatoes which have the skins and seeds removed - more expensive.

Some people suggest using tomato juice or diluted tomato paste as a substitute but I don't unless it's an absolute emergency: I think the best results are from either shop bought product or fresh tomatoes.