Topic: Secrets of the Indian Restaurant Curry

[Blondie]

Hi All,

I am finding this very annoying, I have had the KD book for many years and after all that time my conclusion is that the base sauce needs to be very simple like the KD version with very very mild slightly savoury taste.  It seems to me that the KD base was very near perfect all along, but the method and overspicing of the final dishes let them down.

Having said that, most of the bases posted on this forum are excellent in themselves, but probably more suited to more upper class BIRs.

Don't worry about me giving up, there is no chance of that.  I am so practiced at making not quite good enough curries, that I can make even the worst disasters quite enjoyable to eat.

Over the years I have found that slightly too much capsicum or slightly too much garlic or slightly too much ginger or slightly too much spice can all completely destroy the base.  Maybe this is why chefs say that cooking the base in small quantities at home won't work.

Here we go again, more cooking in the morning.

cheers all,

Blondie

[DARTHPHALL]

I agree with you Blondie, KD`s base makes a good Curry ,but for one thing .......

With the latest base i have found it is easier to make more "good Curries".
With KD`s one error & the Curry was a failure, because of its simplicity it was easily affected by incorrect & over spicing.
So the new base gives us flexability & makes it hard to make a bad Curry,but does not necessarily mean its correct.
As i`ve said i`m going to be very persuasive end on the season & try for cooking lessons at my home ( "you see this hammer Mr chef,if you don't except these crates of Beer & train me it will contact rather heavily with the soft collection of objects in your trousers!!"). ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[Blondie]

Hi Darthy,

In my area we have a chef who has been one of the top BIR chefs in the country for a good few years.  He has been planning to open another restaurant in the city centre which it is planned will have a training school for chefs upstairs.  I am not holding my breath because it has been in the planning for 18 months that i am aware of.  I'll try and get into the training course if and when it ever happens but I suspect it will be (without it being said) just for ... I don't want to cause offense but you probably know what I mean, it won't be for joe public.

Anyway I'll try, but some time off yet I think,

cheers Darfty,

Blondie

[DARTHPHALL]

Nice one Blondie looks like we are all going for Indian cooking lessons & then open     
                             
                                     " DARTHMAHAL Indian Resteraunt & Take-away"!
                               
                                      ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[pete]

When i fry Onions,Garlic & ginger it bears no resemblance to the smell I'm trying to recreate

I am sure it's from the tandoor
I have been in the kitchens when this smell is being made and it doen't smell so strong there.
It's mainly being vented outside (check the large metal pipes, about 14 inch diameter), all that was going on was curry gravy being warmed up and the tandoor cooking kebabs.
When I came home,I was told that I reeked of an indian restaurant.
And I couldn't tell.
Of one thing I am sure
There are two different aromas
The curry gravy/cooked curry smell
The tandoor smell
We all make the first, but the ellusive one is the second.
Let's face it, when someone lights up a babeque, you can smell it from a hundred yards.
The tandoor is like a very intense spicy barbeque

[blade1212]

The pre-cooked (and thus sweet) finely chopped onions are crucial. The fresh tomato is crucial. If adding chunks of onions and pepper, make sure these are pre cooked. Do a batch, and put them in the fridge.

I've stopped using Patacks for the Balit, and switched to curry masala (1/2 teaspoon), and called it a Bhuna

A lot of the time on this board, when people say they've tried to follow recipies and not had success, I suspect that in fact they've not quite followed the recipie, and ommited one or more ingredient, or swapped it for another. Then they wonder why its not working.

Thomashenry, do you caramalise the precooked onions. Can you provide the recipe you use ? is it freezeable ?

any chance you could post the full adapated final recipe for the Bhuna

[blade1212]

I found this recipe & method for caramalised onions, so I've made a batch and will use in tonight's final dish  creation.....

onwards and upwards.........
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A staple in my kitchen are saut?ed caramelized onions. Like a dependable rich chicken stock in your freezer, they can be called on to be the backbone of, or a savory complement to, a variety of dishes. I cook up a large batch, which will keep, covered in the refrigerator, for four or five days. Or you can freeze the precooked onions in small quantities in plastic bags for use as you wish.

Here?s how to prepare them. Peel and halve four to six yellow onions and cut into thin slices. (I also add two cloves of minced garlic, but this is optional.) This may look like a lot, but the onions will cook down. Heat a large skillet over a high flame and pour in one to two tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onions and a bit of salt. Stir, coating the onions with the oil. Continue to saut? for about five minutes over the high heat. Then turn the flame down to medium-low, leaving the onions to saut? slowly. Stir them often, for about ten more minutes, until they reach a golden brown color. If you desire, add a bit of white or red wine at this point. Continue cooking, turning down the heat to simmer if you need to, so as not to scorch the onions. Continue for another five to fifteen minutes, or until the onions begin to caramelize and develop a rich, deep golden brown. There should be some caramelized brown goodies adhering to the bottom of the pan, so deglaze them with a bit of chicken stock or white wine and stir them into the onions. Add salt and freshly ground pepper, and remove from heat. At this point, the onions, along with any of their accumulated juices, are ready to store in the refrigerator or freezer. And you are prepared to create any number of tasty goodies.
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[thomashenry]

The pre-cooked (and thus sweet) finely chopped onions are crucial. The fresh tomato is crucial. If adding chunks of onions and pepper, make sure these are pre cooked. Do a batch, and put them in the fridge.

I've stopped using Patacks for the Balit, and switched to curry masala (1/2 teaspoon), and called it a Bhuna

A lot of the time on this board, when people say they've tried to follow recipies and not had success, I suspect that in fact they've not quite followed the recipie, and ommited one or more ingredient, or swapped it for another. Then they wonder why its not working.

Thomashenry, do you caramalise the precooked onions. Can you provide the recipe you use ? is it freezeable ?

any chance you could post the full adapated final recipe for the Bhuna

I will do shortly, during my next curry making phase. I think that the pre-fried onions need to beomce something people look at in the same way as they do their base sauce, and pre-prepare a batch as a matter of course.

[pete]

Hi All,
I am finding this very annoying, I have had the KD book for many years and after all that time my conclusion is that the base sauce needs to be very simple like the KD version with very very mild slightly savoury taste.? It seems to me that the KD base was very near perfect all along, but the method and overspicing of the final dishes let them down.
Blondie

Yes, the base really isn't that bad.
I've posted recipes which are very similar from chefs!
But the the curry secret recipes are rubbish.
None seem to have the pureed garlic in.
None seem to do the chopped garlic bit either.
No mention of pre fried onion.
And loads of garam masala used.
I don't think these recipes are from first hand experience.
All the kitchens I  have been in, use these ice cream (or yoghurt) cartons with puree garlic and chopped garlic which seem to be in just about every  meal.
Curry Secret gives no mention of  chicken stock either.
But the base is ok

[DARTHPHALL]

I found his Vindalloo recipe is half-way there in taste mind you, but lacking the added special taste/smell we are all looking to copy.