Topic: Me cooking Vindaloo

[Mikka1]

Thanks again folks.
CA yes it was a bit longer wasn't it. I don't usually time it to be honest but when I saw the clock running up I knew I'd gone a little too far.  :

I'm a confusing person as I'm sure many of you will know by now  ;D Chinois video was fantastic. That inspired me more than anything. I think videos are really important so the mystery of it disappears.

Someone said on here to use vinegar from pickled onions. (Forget who apologies). I'm going to try that next time. The hot sauce is trying to mimic that missing damnit I'm not getting. It's pretty close though. Yeah commentary would be good but I didn't know if I were capable of talking and cooking and didn't want to ruin it?

Thanks for looking again people.  Now get your cams out, I want to learn too! 

[JerryM]

Mikka,

fantastic video - u often forget how much better seeing is to words.

the cooking setup is very similar to how i was when i 1st joined CRO. the difference now is stark as i've changed overtime my pan, spoon, burner and cooking location. clearly each to his own - u don't have to make these changes to produce a decent curry.

back to technique and the thing that is crucial to me. i sort of have 3 stages: oil, spice, base. i'm still learning. in the oil stage i cook onion/pepper/fresh chilli and then g/g paste. spice is done off the heat and i add tom puree 1st, spice and some base all mixed in before back on the heat. base is then the rest of the ingredients added all in 1 off go ie fresh coriander, pre cooked meat, cream (carnation) etc.

things to try would be:
1) cook the garlic/ginger for less - it only needs the rawness out typ 30 secs
2) add the spice after the tom puree and base
3) add the extra water to the base up front - otherwise it craters too quickly

i stir constant during oil, not at all during spice, now and again during base. my stir is a swosh side to side before around the rim.

i don't have a video cam but will try to take some pics on my next go of the stages.

[Mikka1]

Hi Jerry thanks. ;D
I've no idea where the MyTake base it?  :

Yeah the pan I'm using isn't traditional, neither is the spoon. I use that spoon so as not to scratch my pan which is non-stick and that spoon fits nicely around the edges also. I do have traditional pans here and a chefs spoon but I'm concentrating on taste really. (I know we all are). I just don't like distractions from the real purpose of what I'm trying to achieve really.

I'm going to get a thermometer some time to actually test the heat of the oil. This was spice oil incidentally which made fat zero difference, in fact the one before was far better, used fresh whole spices and onion, it was cooked for longer too. Go figure.  (taste that matters however isn't it).

Answers:
1) The gray area - Garlic/Ginger. There was too much in this. The best results I've ever had where when I've gotten it to the point of just starting to smell as though it will burn soon. It's surprising just how good it gets if you can reach that point and no further and signifies my best dishes in total. Getting to that point however is another matter sometimes.

2) I've always added spices to oil in the first instance. I only go on what I'm told of course but don't spices have to cook?

3) A Chef told me not to add the water first, only at the end to thin out and only if totally needed. As you can see I went halfway and the base was too thick for my liking.

Other notes here for readers/viewers are:
The red stuff you saw going in was everything for that dish. Sugar/Salt/Spices etc. Green was just green pepper, obviously tom paste.

I'm simplifying it for myself really. The time it takes to add 5 spoons of this or that from several trays is just seconds before hitting the fire, it doesn't matter at all except perhaps for the sugar? (Another story sometime I suppose?).

Anyway I'll be doing a lot more when I've decided what they will be. Many thanks to everyone who has looked.

I hope more folks do this? It would be really interesting to see how you actually cook too?

Thanks again Jerry and folks. Get recording!  ;D

Mikka,

fantastic video - u often forget how much better seeing is to words.

the cooking setup is very similar to how i was when i 1st joined CRO. the difference now is stark as i've changed overtime my pan, spoon, burner and cooking location. clearly each to his own - u don't have to make these changes to produce a decent curry.

back to technique and the thing that is crucial to me. i sort of have 3 stages: oil, spice, base. i'm still learning. in the oil stage i cook onion/pepper/fresh chilli and then g/g paste. spice is done off the heat and i add tom puree 1st, spice and some base all mixed in before back on the heat. base is then the rest of the ingredients added all in 1 off go ie fresh coriander, pre cooked meat, cream (carnation) etc.

things to try would be:
1) cook the garlic/ginger for less - it only needs the rawness out typ 30 secs
2) add the spice after the tom puree and base
3) add the extra water to the base up front - otherwise it craters too quickly

i stir constant during oil, not at all during spice, now and again during base. my stir is a swosh side to side before around the rim.

i don't have a video cam but will try to take some pics on my next go of the stages.

[JerryM]

Mikka,

link to mytake http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3462.0.

just want to be clear on what i'm getting at in terms of equipment and starkness. my pan gets that hot that i have to use a cloth to pick it up by the handle. i need the long metal handle spoon as it would burn in the flames.

there is nothing wrong with your equipment for sure - it will produce very acceptable results.

i do have a pass me down web cam that i've never tried out - your video may just be the inspiration to try it over the hols.

real good post.

[Mikka1]

Thanks Jerry!  ;D
Yeah I know you meant nothing by that please don't worry about it. I just love that pan, it's great for a lot of stuff that I do and my pan less lid fits nicely on top too  ;D

I'd just love to see other folks posting vids of the actual cooking process is all and since the process is to fill in the missing data we all miss they are a must in my view since reading recipes at speed can be a problem for someone learning I feel.

Just MyTake. Pardon the pun.
Keep well Jerry and thanks.

Mikka,

link to mytake http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3462.0.

just want to be clear on what i'm getting at in terms of equipment and starkness. my pan gets that hot that i have to use a cloth to pick it up by the handle. i need the long metal handle spoon as it would burn in the flames.

there is nothing wrong with your equipment for sure - it will produce very acceptable results.

i do have a pass me down web cam that i've never tried out - your video may just be the inspiration to try it over the hols.

real good post.

[JerryM]

I'd just love to see other folks posting vids of the actual cooking process

Me too or even just their differences in method.

i've studied the malik video quite a lot and i know i don't cook exactly like them - they seem to vary whilst i use the same method all the time. i also try keep CA's method in mind as my yard stick http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1851.0

notes for info on the malik video: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3013.0


A - oil added to warm pan then all stage 1 ingredient, 2 ring burner
B - 1 chef spoon of oil to start dish, very little stirring during cooking
C - all stage 1 in within 1 min on low ht, then stage 2 for ~4mins full blast
D - stage 1 low ht - 1 min, stg 2 high ht 1 min, low ht 4mins, spice added at end stage 1
E - All in stg 1, pan on low ht, 1 min then stage 2 high ht 4 mins

F - 0.17 chicken in low ht, 1.05 spices pan off ht, 2.00 base & stir full ht, 3.00 off
F - 13.30 all in inc base & full ht, 15.00 stir, 16.00 stir, 16.30 stir, 17.30 stir and off

G - 5.30 base, passata, paste, 6.25 meat, passata, 7.00 spice, 8.30 9.30 stir, 10.00 base, 12.00 stir, 12.50 onion, 13.35 off

I - 14.45 paste, onion, spice, meat, 15.30 spice & base, 16.00 stir, 17.20 off
I - 18.00 all in, 18.35 base high ht, 24.40 stir low ht, 21.30 off

J - 8.20 onion, spice low ht, 9.10 base high ht, 10.20 10.40 11.00 stir, 12.00 off
J -12.30 all in, 12.40 stir, 13.00 spice & paste, 13.30 meat, 15.15 stir, base, 16.00 off
J - 20.40 paste, onion low ht, 21.15 spice, 22.00 meat & paste, 23.00 full ht stir, base, 23.40 low ht, 24.30 off

[chinois]

Thanks for making this video Mikka, it's really good quality! 
Having the camera steady makes it really easy to see what's going on. It's definitely helpful  having a window into other users' kitchens! Pretty exciting this use of technology i think!
Your method looks very similar to what i've seen in restaurant kitchens and videos except for:

1. The heat is pretty low after the initial frying section. Their pan is usually simmering constantly with possibilities of catching fire. The oil didnt look like it was about to float to the top.

2. You take longer to add and cook each ingredient. The spices in particular were cooked longer than i've seen before the tomato puree and gravy were added. Having a non-stick pan makes them less likely to burn but does cooking them differently changes the flavour? I havent cooked with non-stick for ages so i havent cooked spices like that for a while. Maybe one to check with a side-by-side comparison?

3. The ginger/garlic is cooked for a long time but it doesnt look over-cooked. I suppose as long as it wasnt burned/bitter then it was cooked well. I find that paste a hard one to cook, ginger being the real offender. It's so hard to tell when it's perfectly done! I find it easier to cook chopped garlic first until lightly golden and then add less of the g/g paste. Sometimes i forget to add it and it's not really worse off. In fact of the 3 places i've seen cooking, none have added ginger in the final cooking of the dish.

4. Did you add lemon juice? I find it really boosts most curries, in particular a madras, vindaloo and pathia. Adding it a few mins from the end gives it time to blend in and balance the taste, whilst 'dumbing down' it's distinct flavour. Similarly with coriander it works well too.

5. Did you use methi in the spice mix? I'd use it for this dish, fried with the spices.

Remember my points above are to initiate debate and are just suggestions as to possible improvements. Your cooking looks really practised and you remained a lot calmer than i have in the past! That man deserves a beer  ;D

[Mikka1]

Thanks Chinois.
It was actually your video that inspired me to take the plunge to be honest. (I wish more people would do this.  ) As you say it gives a bigger handle on what people REALLY do as opposed to seeing glossy pictures which are fun to look at but they don't tell you an iota about the cook, his/her experience or methods.

In explanation:
A) I'm not so sure what the heat is Chinoi's? this is something I will clear up shortly by measuring it at some point.
B) I probably didn't do this as good as I usually do to be honest? The Camera being there put me off a bit. Your right I kept the oil at a low ebb.

C) Yes the reason for longer cooking is that I'm tired of having better food the next day, I want it now  ;D

D) Longer Spice cooking: Do you know? I've not thought about that? I don't cook a 7 minute dinner really but I'll look at that next time. My Spice mix is not caustic though. I made it myself using purely my nose and I don't think in all honest without just slight modifications I'll change it? Yes I did use Methi. (This was ground very fine and placed in the mix powder.)

E) I had way too much Garlic in this which I think you can see. I wasn't happy about that at all and I agree, but it turned out all right. Again the heat may or may not have been lower? I'm not sure what heat I have running on that pan.

Absolutely Chinois. I stake no claim to fame and never think I'm always right. I want to perfect things. I'm a pretty good all round cook so do that wasn't a real problem for me, it was thinking about that infernal camera.

I may try another pan next time? My feeling is that what I'm missing/wanting is what I am NOT putting into my meal. Garlic will only cook to a point to provide a certain flavour, spices too for example. I've gone heavily into traditional dishes because I want to learn from the ground up and not just one or two dishes. Certainly so far its made a whole big different to the way I treat my Indian Cooking.

Thanks Chinois, keep well, I'll tag you if I haven't already on YouTube. Thanks for the gracious comments too.

Best regards. ;D

Thanks for making this video Mikka, it's really good quality! 
Having the camera steady makes it really easy to see what's going on. It's definitely helpful  having a window into other users' kitchens! Pretty exciting this use of technology i think!
Your method looks very similar to what i've seen in restaurant kitchens and videos except for:

1. The heat is pretty low after the initial frying section. Their pan is usually simmering constantly with possibilities of catching fire. The oil didnt look like it was about to float to the top.

2. You take longer to add and cook each ingredient. The spices in particular were cooked longer than i've seen before the tomato puree and gravy were added. Having a non-stick pan makes them less likely to burn but does cooking them differently changes the flavour? I havent cooked with non-stick for ages so i havent cooked spices like that for a while. Maybe one to check with a side-by-side comparison?

3. The ginger/garlic is cooked for a long time but it doesnt look over-cooked. I suppose as long as it wasnt burned/bitter then it was cooked well. I find that paste a hard one to cook, ginger being the real offender. It's so hard to tell when it's perfectly done! I find it easier to cook chopped garlic first until lightly golden and then add less of the g/g paste. Sometimes i forget to add it and it's not really worse off. In fact of the 3 places i've seen cooking, none have added ginger in the final cooking of the dish.

4. Did you add lemon juice? I find it really boosts most curries, in particular a madras, vindaloo and pathia. Adding it a few mins from the end gives it time to blend in and balance the taste, whilst 'dumbing down' it's distinct flavour. Similarly with coriander it works well too.

5. Did you use methi in the spice mix? I'd use it for this dish, fried with the spices.

Remember my points above are to initiate debate and are just suggestions as to possible improvements. Your cooking looks really practised and you remained a lot calmer than i have in the past! That man deserves a beer  ;D

[Mikka1]

Please peeps.
Come on. Don't be scared. Post your vids it can only help others yeah? There is always something that someone can learn from another. It's plain, simple and practiced every day.

So I guess I'm saying go do it.

If you need help once its done then I'm sure there are many people here including myself that could help you get it online.

Cheers.

[joshallen2k]

I've got it on my to-do list to do a video for naan bread. Coming soon!