Topic: Chinois' Chicken Madras using Ashoka Base

[chinois]

My Chicken Madras using the Ashoka kit. The result was perfect replication of my favourite BIR madras. Thanks Panpot for getting these recipes for us!

I used the Ashoka recipes (base here: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3199.msg28544#msg28544 and pastes here: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3215.0) but:

    * used 170g evaporated milk, instead of margarine, in the base
    * used less salt in the both the base (about 3tsp) and the onion paste (about 1tsp)
    * used my own madras recipe (below) including my own spice mix (2 part coriander, 1 turmeric, 1 cumin, 1 generic curry powder, 1/4 paprika, big pinch salt). I would advise you to use your own spice mix or a tasty curry powder, dont think you have to make mine just for this recipe. I made it like this to be generic/average.

I have made a video of me cooking this exact dish. Please bear with my while i find out how to get it up here. It's taken on my mobile but the quality is pretty good as long as it's not on full screen as it's a decent phone.

My method for cooking the final madras was as follows:
Madras: on high heat i cooked 1tbs garlic in banjura oil until lightly brown, added 1tbs ginger garlic paste and cooked for about 30 secs. Then added 1tsp methi, 1/2 tbs salt, 1/2tsp chilli powder, 1tbs of my spice mix, 4tbs tomato puree mixed with equal parts water and 2 quarters of fresh tomato. Then i added the marinated raw chicken. Next i added about 4tbs banjura and started adding base after about 30 secs. I didnt use much base (2 chef's spoons maybe) and added a bit of water as i had cooked my base down thicker than normal. I added juice from half a lemon and a bit of fresh coriander after the first bit of base and 1 tsp MSG near the end.
The result was just like my favourite madras from the light of bengal in winchester. Melt in the mouth consistency with a strong savory spicyness that was delayed by a second. Just how i wanted. I had thought that carrot might be used to get that 'melt in the mouth mellowness' for some reason but have now realized that a base like combined with banjura achieves this result.

Thanks Cory for help on the text front! Very quick in helping there 

[joshallen2k]

I made this Madras recipe using Chinois' directions and the Ashoka kit.

9/10. I think next time if I halved the bunjarra and halved the garlic it might be spot on. I followed CK's tip of mixing the bunjara into the base while its heating away.

-- Josh

[haldi]

My Chicken Madras using the Ashoka kit. The result was perfect replication of my favourite BIR madras. Thanks Panpot!

That looks exactly right
Where's this recipe?

[Cory Ander]

Looks great Chinois 

If I remember correctly, you used the Ashoka recipes (base here: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3199.msg28544#msg28544 and pastes here: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3215.0) but:

• used 170g evaporated milk, instead of margarine, in the base
• used less salt in the both the base (about 3tsp) and the onion paste (about 1tsp)
• used your own madras recipe (here: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3199.msg29320#msg29320) including your own spice mix (2 part coriander, 1 turmeric, 1 cumin, 1 generic curry powder, 1/4 paprika, big pinch salt)

Are the the main changes Chinois?

I'd also love to see a pic of your korma, if you have one, Chinois 

[CurryOnRegardless]

That's looking good, chinois. How did you cook the chicken, pre-ccoked or raw from the marinade? Like I said looks really good either way, well done.
CoR

[Panpot]

Totally inspired Chinois,thanks Panpot.

[chinois]

Looks great Chinois 

If I remember correctly, you used the Ashoka recipes (base here: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3199.msg28544#msg28544 and pastes here: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3215.0) but:

• used 170g evaporated milk, instead of margarine, in the base
• used less salt in the both the base (about 3tsp) and the onion paste (about 1tsp)
• used your own madras recipe (here: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3199.msg29320#msg29320) including your own spice mix (2 part coriander, 1 turmeric, 1 cumin, 1 generic curry powder, 1/4 paprika, big pinch salt)

Are the the main changes Chinois?

I'd also love to see a pic of your korma, if you have one, Chinois 

Wow thanks Cory, hugely helpful! That is indeed correct. I'll edit the first post now to list all of this.
My method for cooking the final madras was as follows:

Madras: on high heat i cooked 1tbs garlic in banjura oil until lightly brown, added 1tbs ginger garlic paste and cooked for about 30 secs. Then added 1tsp methi, 1/2 tbs salt, 1/2tsp chilli powder, 1tbs of my spice mix, 4tbs tomato puree mixed with equal parts water and 2 quarters of fresh tomato. Then i added the marinated raw chicken. Next i added about 4tbs banjura and started adding base after about 30 secs. I didnt use much base (2 chef's spoons maybe) and added a bit of water as i had cooked my base down thicker than normal. I added juice from half a lemon and a bit of fresh coriander after the first bit of base and 1 tsp MSG near the end.
The result was just like my favourite madras from the light of bengal in winchester. Melt in the mouth consistency with a strong savory spicyness that was delayed by a second. Just how i wanted. I had thought that carrot might be used to get that 'melt in the mouth mellowness' for some reason but have now realized that a base like combined with banjura achieves this result.

[chinois]

That's looking good, chinois. How did you cook the chicken, pre-ccoked or raw from the marinade? Like I said looks really good either way, well done.
CoR

I cooked it raw from the marinade. I had always precooked it previously but this way seems to make sense, save time and also doesnt seem to require longer cooking. This curry took 7 mins to cook.

I got my girlfriend to take a video of this as well which came out alright. I think i might need some help in uploading it from mods. It's a 30MB MP4 file. I've tried to convert it to AVI already but the sound got distorted. I suppose i need to try again with different codec settings but should i be aiming for AVI with MP3 audio? Actually as i remember you need it be hosted in t/internet already dont you?

[chinois]

I made this Madras recipe using Chinois' directions and the Ashoka kit.

9/10. I think next time if I halved the bunjarra and halved the garlic it might be spot on. I followed CK's tip of mixing the bunjara into the base while its heating away.

Thanks for trying it Josh! Did you put all of the bunjara in the heated base or did you add some later? I too found a few days later when using some thawed base that it needed something to reinforce it so i used the same method. It works well.
I added the bunjara at the frying stage. I havent tried adding it towards the end but will do.

[joshallen2k]

Did you put all of the bunjara in the heated base or did you add some later?

Actually when making this, I was curious about CK's observation of putting the bunjara in the base, but wanted to stay as close to your method as possible. So what I did was put 2 tbsp of it in the base, and added 2 tbsp directly to the pan, when you specified 4 tbsp.

Really tasty end result, but just a little too garlicky for my taste. Some minor tweaking and I think it would be closest BIR Madras yet!