Posted by Admin on behalf of Currytester
Last nights Curry
Had to work late last night so stopped off to pick up a TA at my local. Discovered two new guys/chefs working and nobody in the restaurant. So I asked if they would mind me watching them make the curry.
The Kitchen
There was an open can of vegetable ghee, and an array of open top containers with the spices that they use for every curry they consisted of:
Onion/green pepper mix at a ratio of about 5 onions to one pepper
Powdered Coconut
Spice Mix
Ground Almonds
Sugar
Salt
Fresh Garlic/Ginger Puree covered in oil
Dried Methi
Medium Chilli Powder
Garlic Powder
Tomato Puree - this looked like a mix of fresh tomatoes and puree mixed together
Cumin Powder
Coriander Powder
The Stove
On the stove was the curry sauce much the same colour and density as the BE base with just a small amount of oil floating on the surface which was the statutory red colour.
I asked if I could taste the curry sauce and was allowed to test it.
I may have found something here which is of interest to you base fanatics - this was the first base sauce that I would have been really happy to eat just as a basic curry.
It tasted like the time you just went in and ordered your first chicken curry - a liitle bit of heat, slightly sweet/sour, slightly salty and full/rich with curry flavour.
I expressed my surprise to the chef who said in very broken english something like " You Like?" But i am deaf in one ear at the moment so it may have been something else.
I asked how it was made but not quantities
The reply was
Onions - Red onions
Carrots
Ghee
Red Peppers
Garam Massala
Chilli powder
Garlic/Ginger puree - he was very proud of his puree so he pulled another fresh container from the fridge to show me.
Looking around there was all the usual suspects curry leaves, cardamoms etc - however a lot of them were in containers with brands I hadnt seen before but that I dont think is too important.
The curry
By this time I was losing a bit of concentration due to the effects of a couple of pints that I had to have before visiting the curry house - some of you may remember I mentioned that we had a bring your own alcohol establishment and this was it.
Korai Chicken
In went some ghee and some of the onion mix - then I lost it because I couldnt see through him as he added the various ingredients from the open containers - however when it came to adding the chicken it was definitely pre-prepared and partly cooked as it came in a container from the fridge and was yellowish/slightly green in colour. This was added and the whole mixture was simmered for about 3-5 minutes. When placed in the container no coriander was added and I was told I didnt need it it would be good without it and they had run out. Oh I just remembered he added a pinch of methi at the cooking stage
Chicken Patia
He smeered the pan first with around half a dessert spoon of garlic ginger mix put it on the heat added ghee and onion mix - then I lost it except for about half a dessert spoon of chilli powder and roughly two dessert spoons of lemon juice from a bottle.
The same chicken was added then the simmering began and he added a very unusual ingredient which was grey/light brown in colour I asked what it was and was told
it was ginseng?
I suspect that in fact this was either Amchoor or Garlic Powder. He added around a dessert spoon full.
Arriving at home I piled my plate high and tucked in, both dishes were excellent even without the coriander.
If anyone wants to contribute to our knowledge by funding some extra curries I could be easily persuaded to live off them for a week or two - otherwise you will just have to wait until I work late again.
Topic: 'Currytester's' Visit to a Takeaway ( 44,718 )
