Topic: Dereks ctm trials + new ctm recipe based on bir spying !

[George]

Hi Guys. George, the cbm videos, is a link posted on the ctm thread thats been quite active recently. its basically a bunch of vids from some bir kitchen.

Just to elaborate George, "cbm" stands for "Curry Barking Mad" (aka "Mick").  He's the guy who's made the videos.  The ones he's taken of a BIR kitchen (mostly on the Isle of White) are particularly informative (this Chicken Tikka Masala video is of his own interpretation that he's made himself).

Many thanks for that. I'm now up to 100% understanding, whereas after reply #4 I still only had a vague idea.  Now I'm wondering why I didn't guess what CBM stood for.

[JerryM]

DD this is almost certainly tandoori masala and not just spiced tomato puree

Secret Santa,

just to be sure - u're referring to tandoori marinade not tandoori masala powder. for example like the recipe in KD1.

[Secret Santa]

just to be sure - u're referring to tandoori marinade not tandoori masala powder.

Yes Jerry the deep red paste that you see any BIR adding to their CTM, not the powder.

[JerryM]

DD,

i now think i've got 2 options for the paste:

1) tom paste + tandoori masala powder + water
2) tom paste + tandoori marinade (ie hold back some when i make it for tikka)

which do you think is closest to what u're BIR does.

[Derek Dansak]

Hi Jerry, The chef mixes tom puree with pataks kasmiri masalla, and water, to make a runny paste. however tandorri powder may work ok instead of pataks. however i would recomend trying the pataks paste as well. trust me it is a simple but highly effective way to make a good tomato masalla paste. you only need a little pataks paste though, with lots of tom puree, and water.

[JerryM]

DD,

i'll give the pataks another go and try the recipe when i next make base.

i've not tried the kashmiri from pataks. i did notice the other night that i used a std spice mix instead of the basaar (kashmiri masala) in the kasmiri curry i make. i was taken back by how poor the spice mix version was.

[Panpot]

Guys if it helps I noticed in my local TA the other night while back in Scotland that there were large catering jars of Pataks Ticka Masala which is the brand also used in The Ashoka. Cheers Panpot

[JerryM]

Guys if it helps I noticed in my local TA the other night

Panpot,

i really can't believe the Ashoka or any top notch BIR would use pataks. the chef at my local TA i'm sure would chuck me out.

for DD & yourself to have spotted them is real disappointing. not from the sort of "cheating" point of view but have u tasted them.

i tried the tikka masala a while ago as a midweek "tikka in a hurry" following the instructions on the tin - even the family spotted it as fake.

it even says on the tin not to taste unless cooked - having just about lived i know why.

despite my better judgement i will get the kashmiri version as DD recommends and report back.

[Derek Dansak]

While i dont use pataks paste much now my cooking has progressed, i always thought they were a cut above the other crap sold in supermarkets. eg uncle bens etc. personally i like the pataks approach of bold hot spicy pastes full of flavor. I guess some people prefer their curry mild, and hence find pataks OTT.

[Cory Ander]

I guess some people prefer their curry mild, and hence find pataks OTT.

I don't think it's so much that DD, it's the tartness (i.e. vinegar, preservatives, stabilisers, acidity regulators, and all that crap) in it that puts me off (at least from using too much of it).  It's bleedingly obvious when a BIR uses it to make a curry!  Cheap and nasty to my mind 

Having said that, I find they are OK if they are used in moderation (like a tsp or less per curry).