Topic: How should I approach a BIR chef, and what should I ask?

[scotty99]

Cool Josh,

               I'm sure he'll be chuffed hearing from you either way. After a chat you could ask if you can email him some recipes and see if you/we are on the right lines. Take care and look forward to hearing what happens,. Anyways got to get back to my Naan dough (2nd attempt) first was a disaster!!! lolz


scott

[Derek Dansak]

One thing to bear in mind is this: if you ask the bir chef for a 'hand' cooking a decent curry, they usually give you a very helpful account of how to cook a traditional curry. this is because they would never in a million years, imagine you have a base sauce bubbling away on the stove! they find this whole idea very strange. consequently you need to either ask subtle questions aimed at improving the bases on this site e.g safron base. or ask questions about direct ingredients in a e.g bhoona. maybe its worth mentioning in the email, that you know a simple base recipe, but need some help with madras recipe, and tips to improve the existing base recipe. hope that helps DD.  

[Curry King]

One thing to bear in mind is this: if you ask the bir chef for a 'hand' cooking a decent curry, they usually give you a very helpful account of how to cook a traditional curry. this is because they would never in a million years, imagine you have a base sauce bubbling away on the stove! they find this whole idea very strange.

This is so true, most of them look at you like your insane when you start mentioning cooking base sauce at home.  Most chefs I have spoken to have tended to open up more when they discover you know most of it.

[joshallen2k]

Yes that's definitely the plan. To let him know that I've been at this a while and use the base+curry method he uses. That way he'll be more inclined to be precise rather than just ramble off the ingredients.

[Derek Dansak]

I know what you mean CK, they look at you with a strange mix of puzzled and bewilderment. glad its not just me who had that

[joshallen2k]

Hi All,

I made the call to my old BIR takeaway and well, the end result wasn't what I was hoping for.

The guy remembered me and said sure he would help me. He said if I came into the takeaway he would show me everything. I explained again that I am in Toronto, and to come in wasn't possible.

I asked if he could share his curry base recipe, and he reiterated over and over again there are some spices/pastes that I could not get in Canada. (Not sure why he was so adamant on this point...)

He said it was complicated with lots of steps, and I could tell he was uneasy about trying to explain in English. I asked him if he could email. Clearly he didn't have email and was obviously a little overwhelmed. As I feared, the language barrier was too great.

Back to the drawing board. The one plus I got from it is the willingness to have me in the kitchen to see it all.

Maybe we should all just approach our favorite BIRs and ask for the information we are looking for...

-- Josh

[JerryM]

easy sorted this one - Josh - you'll have to come and live in the UK

we all appreciate your effort ? and at least u tried

[scotty99]

Ahh, thats a shame it didn't result in a a walkthrough. Sounds like he doesn't want to give his secrets away :-X, but then he has given you an open invite to the kitchen. Bit strange that he knew straight away that you couln't get certain ingredients in Canada??

You would of thought someone with their own business doesn't have an email address.

Well played though Josh, hope the phone call wasn't too expensive!

regards Scott

[joshallen2k]

I really don't think it had to do with giving away the secrets at all.

When he remembered who it was he said come by the takeaway and he would "show me everything".

It was the over-the-phone English that scuppered the whole thing.

No email address - somehow I was not surprised. This was a real old-school takeaway.

-- Josh

[joshallen2k]

Oh one thing I remember he did say (that I understood) was that the base is used in *every* curry. May be obvious but worth noting.