Topic: Kashmiri Chicken Masala

[Secret Santa]

Why are mashed banana and bana fritters being talked about?. All the kashmiri curries I've ever had have had banana slices in them, nothing else. I remember when I first had a kashmiri curry (1983 I think), I wasn't expecting to see banana in a curry and wasn't looking forward to trying it. But my god when I did I just couldn't believe how good the flavour was.

[JerryM]

many thanks Secret Santa. i'm now well sorted.

i've no knowledge on kashmiri curries at all but given 976bar's recipe felt it had real good prospects. i do like my bassar spice mix though but i'd never paid any attention to press of the packaging which i now realise states clearly, "traditional kashmiri curry masala" or curry powder.

the banana fritter came from having biryani. if i flush with dosh i have a biryani with madras curry sauce and banana fritter on the side. if poss a Persian biryani.

the mashed was a pure guess on my part.

sliced it is.

[CurryOnRegardless]

... i do like my bassar spice mix though but i'd never paid any attention to press of the packaging which i now realise states clearly, "traditional kashmiri curry masala" or curry powder.

the banana fritter came from having biryani. if i flush with dosh i have a biryani with madras curry sauce and banana fritter on the side.

Hi JerryM

If you look at different brands of bassar you'll see some labeled as Kashmiri massala and some as Pakistani. They are all different, quite markedly so in fact, one of my local Asian shops has about six different ones.

Wouldn't the banana in fact more likely be plantain which are better for cooking?

Regards
CoR

[JerryM]

Wouldn't the banana in fact more likely be plantain which are better for cooking?

Regards
CoR

CoR,

thanks for extra info on the spice - had not realised there are so many different brands (mine for info is King of Spice which was recommended by the store owner).

On the plantain - have never come across them before (used them) - are they worth trying?

ps u're talking to a banana fan who even has it in porridge

[Secret Santa]

Wouldn't the banana in fact more likely be plantain which are better for cooking?

No, it's definitely ordinary yellow bananas that are used, at least in my experience. I think you would have to carefully select the ripeness of the banana too, too ripe and it's going to fall apart in the curry, too under ripe and it'll lack the necessary sweetness. I really don't think the ones I've had have had any pureed/mashed banana in them as Jerry was thinking of trying, but it might not be a bad idea.

Also I wouldn't use Bassar for a kashmiri curry. All the ones I've had have been sweet and mild and the bassar would make it too hot. I dare say that using pataks kashmiri paste might be a better guess at what they are using in the BIRs.

[CurryOnRegardless]

Hi JerryM and SS

Jerry plantain are simply cooking banana and like cooking apples are bitter compared to eating ones, they are also a lot tougher so cook better, they go sweet when cooked. I only mentioned them coz they are popular at my local Asian shops so I thought that's what the BIRs would use but obviously not according to SS, fair enough.
I quite like fruit in (some) curries so if I can get some planain I'll give them a go and let you know how it goes.
SS thanks for the warning re the Pataks, I'll steer clear of any BIR Kashmiri anything in case that's what they've used, can't stand Pataks it always leaves a nasty chemical after taste!

Regards
CoR

[JerryM]

Secret Santa & CoR,

i know exactly the ripeness Secret Santa refers to (a few black bits starting to appear on the skin but none inside) and will select this for the curry next week. i'll leave the plantain for the mo (interesting that they're used a lot - i'll probably fall over them on my next visit to my local).

on the spice i won't use pataks (not a fan of the football team either). the bassar is not that hot (on a wet finger test a fair bit hotter than my rajah hot curry powder) but i would be aiming for just below madras heat and given what u say i may need to adjust the addition of chilli powder at cooking stage. i'm expecting the banana to balance things out a bit too.

[Secret Santa]

Just a thought on the use of plantain. Unless I've led a very sheltered BIR eating life, I can't say I've ever seen it mentioned on a BIR menu, let alone actually had it in a curry.

It's more used in Jamaican and West indian style of cooking. I do rice and peas with jerk chicken and fried plantain for example. It sounds well off the mark for BIR curries though...unless someone tells me different.

[JerryM]

I do rice and peas with jerk chicken and fried plantain for example.

recognising this as off topic and i'm not asking of course but is this something u rate and have written down.

[JerryM]

i made 2 off "kashmiri" curries last night - perfect and will be making on a regular basis. many thanks 976bar and Secret Santa for the inspiration.

4 tbsp oil
1 chef spoon chopped onion
1 tsp fine chopped garlic
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp bassar
1/4 tsp chilli
1 heaped tbsp tom puree
1 chef spoon base (to go in with spices)
300ml base
25g block of cream coconut (see below)
2 tbsp carnation (see below)
sliced banana
1 tsp onion paste
2 pinch frozen coriander

nb the 1st curry was very sweet which was very nice but we prefere a more currier taste. so on 2nd curry i replaced the coonut block with 4 tbsp coconut flour and reduced carnation to 1 tbsp.

both curries were excellent. 8 for the 1st and a clear 10 for the 2nd although the difference in the ingredients is really down to personal preference.

this dish as Secret Santa pointed out depends very much on getting a good tasting and ripe banana (ie canary type).

this dish rates as a curry with a slight twist - it gets a "fantastic" rating on a personal liking score.