Topic: Ashoka Recipes

[flavorjunkie]

I have been cooking seriously for several years and as I cook for just one person I had an immediate problem - how to cut down recipes that are usually for 4 persons.
As I gained experience and confidence I realised that I had never cooked a curry and didn't know where to begin. As is my nature I began to research and started with a book "best ever curry cookbook" by Mridula Baljekar. It was on offer at 4.99 at a garden centre.
I was very pleased with some dishes (reduced to single portions) but disappointed with others. So I asked myself how do high street restaurants do it? So, more research during which I stumbled upon recipes that included base sauces which I duly made with average results. Cooking for one, the process of making loads of base sauce with average results was just too much trouble so I devised my own method that was more suitable for me.
This used a frying method rather than boiling. The results were excellent and I have stuck with this ever since. To share this information I have had a web site devoted to cooking for one person since the beginning of 2008 and this has a largish curry section.
I can give you the address if you wish but am not seeking to promote this, it
is just my results from independant research. (you can actually see this in my profile)
It was during this research that I found my way to this site and have been a member since August 2008 but have never posted as my approach seemed in some conflict to yours.
I regularly read the posts and have been especially interested in the Ashoka forums.
I just couldn't resist trying this method and have done so albeit in a very cut down version, making just 600 ml of base along with reduced gailic/ginger paste and reduced bunjara and I have just enjoyed the Chicken Bhuna.
I will cut this short now but can post my cut down versions and pics of the results if anyone is interested.
I will curry on regardless  .

[Panpot]

Sounds cool Flavorjunkie,I for one would be up for learning more and seeing and reading more on your ideas here. I am sure others would too but I am intrigued with your approach since most of the recipes in here are for individual portions anyway just as you would get them from BIRs. Personally developments from the Ashoka stuff interests me and so please post at your earliest convenience.

[flavorjunkie]

I understand individual portions are typically BIR style but I came at it from the cook book direction, so started off having to cut down ingredients. This is an issue as ingredients do not scale proportionally and even different ingredients must be scaled separately. Someone somewhere could do a doctorate on this subject I think.
However I will post here just what I did as a first try - was very pleased with the results. A cut down version can't be the same as a full version, but it might encouraged some to pursue things further after a gradual start.
I commend you for your efforts, it is certainly much better that other published stuff I have tried. My own base sauce is on my web site and it is interesting that 'your' base sauce combined with the bunjara produces a similar result to my 'fried' base.

Here's what I did...
Some of the wording is taken directly from your original posting.
I didn't have some of the specific ingredient so I used what I had.

Garlic/Ginger Paste
====================
60 gm     Garlic
40 gm     Ginger
0.5 tspn  Turmeric
50 ml     Oil

Chop ginger and blend all ingredients.
Heat until beginning to fry and flavours are released.
Allow to cool.
Keep covered with oil.

Bunjara (Onion Paste)
=====================
125 gm     Onions
60 ml      Oil
1 inch     Cinnamon stick
1          Bay leaf
0.75 tspn  Cumin seeds
1 tbspn    Garlic/ginger paste
0.75 tspn  Turmeric
0.25 tspn  Salt (heaped)
0.25 tspn  Garam masala (heaped)
0.75 tspn  Chilli powder
0.75 tspn  Tomato puree
2 tbspn    Passata

Finely chop the onions.
Heat the oil then add cinnamon stick and bay leaves, stirring until flavour is released.
Add cumin ceeds and once crackling immediately add the onion.
Continue to stir, scrapping down from the sides of the pan. The onion should be cooked dark and caramelised but never burned.
Remove the cinnamon and bay leaf.
Add the garlic/ginger paste and stir round before adding the spices, salt and tomato puree.
Continue to stir and then add the passata and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Take off the cooker and cool adding more oil to cover it. Keep under oil.

Base Sauce (600 ml)
===================
300 gm    Onions               
5 gm      Ground cumin         
6 gm      Salt                 
To cover  Water           
10 gm     Tomato puree
10 gm     Garlic/ginger paste 
1 gm      Chilli powder
1.5 gm    curry powder
2 gm      Turmeric
20 gm     Coconut block
25 gm     Vegetable margarine
25 gm     Oil

Chop the onions.
Add onions, cumin, salt and water (to cover) to a pan and bring to a boil.
Cook until the onions are tender, adding water as needed to prevent drying out.
Add the rest of the ingredients, blend and simmer for 1 hour adding water as necessary.
Add water to make 600 ml and mix well. (can blend some more if needed)

Chicken Marinade
================
1          Chicken breast     
1 tspn     Garlic/Ginger Paste
0.25 tspn  Salt               
0.25 tspn  Turmeric           
0.25 tspn  Chilli powder
1 tspn     Tomato Puree

Cube the chicken breast and mix everything by hand, then add a little oil and gently mix again.
Marinade for 2 to 4 hours.

Chicken Bhuna
=============
1 portion  Marinated Chicken
1 tbspn    Oil
1 tspn     Garlic/Ginger Paste
1 tbspn    Tomato Puree
1 tspn     Dried Methi
1 tspn     Dried Coriander
0.25 tspn  Garam Masala
1 tbspn    Bunjara
150 ml     Base Curry Sauce
0.5        Green Pepper (optional)

Deseed and chop the green pepper into chunks (if using).
Heat oil, add garlic/ginger paste and tomato puree and stir round pressing into pan and stirring with the back of the chef's spoon for 30 seconds.
Add methi, coriander and garam masala stirring and scraping constantly down from sides. (can optionally add green pepper at this stage)
Add marinated chicken, stir round until browned (about 4 min but depends on heat)
Add 1 tspn of bunjara. and keep stirring for 1 minute.
Add rest of bunjara keep stirring for a minute.
Add a little curry sauce, stirring continuously as you slowly add more and more, stirring as you go until correct consistency constantly scraping sides till chicken is cooked through.
(At this point add hot water as needed to keep from drying and to get the desired consttuency of the sauce.)

I can post pics if there is any interest.

[joshallen2k]

Post pics away!!

Curious to see how the reduced recipes looked (and tasted) vs. the Ashoka originals.

-- Josh

[Panpot]

Yes it would be good to compare with the originals. Can I point out that The Ashoka Recipes are not my work but what I recorded from the Chef's willing tour of the kitchen and cooking demonstrations. The Guys who got me in there were cool about me sharing it with the members here only and as long as I acknowledged the source being The Ashoka. They are not really for wider circulation and I would hope you will honour that and keep your adaptions here on the site.

I am sure I will get many more recipes from them and even adjustments since I am sure the Bunjarra is a bit heavy on the salt and probably an error. I would want to keep their goodwill for the benefit of all of us, I am sure you understand.

Please post as much as you can,its probably fairly quiet just now given the season but I am sure lots of the guys here would want to know more and if you can add photos,cool.

[Panpot]

Well just cooked the Lamb Jaipuri and it was absolutely my best ever curry,for me 100% BIR. I have now ran out of G/G Paste and Bunjarra and will need to replace them however the Bunjarra will need the salt adjusting or as I did before add sugar and the blitzed plum tomatoes to balance out the saltness,any suggestions?

I hope to get back in contact with the Chef over the next few weeks for the other recipes and have him run his eye over my efforts to post them for any corrections or adjustments. All in all I am well pleased with all of what he shared and showed me just need to widen out the menunow or experiment with the basics. Cheers Panpot

[flavorjunkie]

Have no concern I respect the confidence in your receiving the information and would never violate that.
I wiull endeavour to add the pics now.
The first one in the ingredients for the bhuna chicken, the second is the bhuna dish and the last are some of the ingredients I used which were different from that specified. I am waiting for a delivery from 'Spices of India' so will use these asap.
I will modify some of my curry recipes to use this base and post the results. I have about 24 different curries many of which I'm sure will be suitable for this kit.
Now hopefully for the pics...

[joshallen2k]

Flavourjunkie - I noticed you are using dried coriander leaf. I would assume the recipes are using fresh. Panpot can you clarify?

[flavorjunkie]

I used dried just because that's all I had. :-[ It should really be fresh, but dry herbs are often ok when cooked in a dish although the quantities need to be adjusted as the potency is different. I would never use dried coriander as a late addition or a garnish.

[rallim]

Decided to have a Xmas Bar-b this year instead of a traditional in Oz. So part of the bar-b foods was chicken kebabs and used the Ashoka tikka recipe. While they were marinading I thought why not make the Ashoka massala sauce as well. It was like eating a meal from my favourite Indian restaurant in Scotland. The Aussies who were at the bar-b had never tasted anything like it, they absolutely loved the chicken tikka in the massala sauce. A big thank you to panpot for getting the recipes from the Ashoka  ;D