Topic: A Novel and Interesting BIR Curry Cooking Technique

[joshallen2k]

I thought I would repost some of the latter discussion from an earlier thread I started on Chicken Vindaloo. I thought it was important to get some input on a new base and technique I've recently been working with, since I was particularly happy with the results.

]It's a shame you haven't had a response from the originator (yet).  Hopefully they will permit you/us to post more specific details soon (and hopefully they will be willing to join in discussions on, what is, a different and  interesting technique)

But, in the meantime, would I be right in saying that the "technique" roughly involves:

- a rudimentary base, containing about 400ml, or so, of oil, in a total volume of base of about 2 or 3 litres

- using no extra oil, at the cooking stage, but adding some of the base (200ml, or so), together with about a tablespoon, or so, of spice mix (similar to Bruce Edward's) and garlic, ginger and salt and boiling that, for several minutes, until it really reduces, the water has gone and the oil separates from it

- adding more base (about 200ml, or so) and chilli powder (to taste), tomato paste, dried fenugreek (and other pre-fried ingredients, such as onions, chillies, capsicums and meat)

- seasoning with salt and sugar (to taste)

- adding chopped coriander

- simmering until the right consistency is obtained?

And would I be right in saying that the interesting differences with this technique, compared to what might me called "normal practice" are that:

- the base has lots of oil (which is left in the base)
- no oil is added at the main dish cooking stage (it comes from the base)
- the spices aren't fried, as such, but are added to the boiling base
- the first amount of base (plus spices) is thoroughly reduced until the oil separates
- chilli powder is not added until later in the process (together with additional base)?

Anything (in general) that I've missed Josh?

]Yes, that's pretty well it.

The single biggest difference is in the reduction of the starting base, with no starting oil.

After boiling away the initial base, you are left with caramelized base vegetables, decent oil, and well fried, but inherently non-burnt spices. It looks very similar to the "usual" method after the initial reduction.

I do have some questions about the method, primarily:

- why the chilli powder (and possibly the methi) isn't added with the original spice mix in the reduction stage
- why the tomato puree isn't added as part of the reduction, or added before the second base stage starts
- how the method could be applied to sweeter curries, like CTM and korma

I suppose I could experiment with the above, but it would be beneficial to have the originator comment if the above have already been explored.

-- Josh

[Cory Ander]

Photos of curries Josh made using this technique can be found here:

- Bhuna: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=4110.msg37562#msg37562

- Madras: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=4105.msg37563#msg37563

- Vindaloo: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=4148.msg37561#msg37561

[JerryM]

Josh,

it sounds to me a derivative of what i call "slowboat" cooking.

i have in the past compared "slowboat" and "toffee". for soft spice dishes ie CTM both produce similar result. for hard spice dishes ie madras there is no comparison.

slowboat for me uses std base & ingredients and just chucks everything in at the start and u simmer till the oil starts to surface.

frying the chilli as BE stated is now for me too a crucial life factor.

[Cory Ander]

it sounds to me a derivative of what i call "slowboat" cooking.

I'm not so sure about that Jerry.  This is, quite specifically, using a base, which has lots of oil, with no additional oil being used for the main dish, and reducing an initial amount of the base (about 200ml, with the spice mix added), very significantly, before adding any more base, or other ingredients.  The oil from the base appears to caramelise the initial ingredients and cooks the spices (as Josh says).

Other than that, tha technique is pretty quick (about 10 minutes, or so, to a final curry)...so not "slow boat" at all (albeit, not fierce heat either).

[JerryM]

CA,

slowboat for me is around 20mins with everything added at the start including the dish oil and cooked at a gentle simmer.

there are a lot of if's and but's - i still feel it's a derivative of slowboat. the differentiator between the 2 methods for me is smoke which has a significant effect on taste. 

i do add 1 chef of base with the spices as std and see this as important (there is an existing post by someone that alerted me to it). the importance for me being in protecting the spices.

i'm sceptical about the value of the oil in the base being of use. i find it takes long in the cooking to release. u may as well just add it separately like we do already.

don't get me wrong i'm not trying to poo poo. i'm all for trying something new. i'm just not getting 4 as the answer.

[Cory Ander]

I'm not convinced Jerry, but maybe the originator is best placed to say whether it differs and, if so, how......

However, I think I'm right in saying that both Josh and PaulP have used it to good effect (as Josh's photos clearly indicate) 

[PaulP]

I'm just eating some leftovers from last night for my lunch at work. All I can say is it tastes good!!

I'm not sure if this is a good cooking technique or whether it is simply a good well-balanced recipe in terms of the spice mix and base composition.

I could well believe that if the oil in the base was reduced and added back at cooking time, and the same ingredients were used for a more traditional style cooking technique that it may well taste exactly the same.

What I would say though is that this is easy to make with not much chance of ruining the dish through burning. Just a pity we can't (as yet) publish the recipe for other cr0 members to try out and evaluate.

[Mikka1]

Curry is still a stew no matter what spin you want to put on it. I'm not convinced at all that frying at light speed and packing a dish in 6 mins or less produces what I like to eat in my food? On the contrary I've found that the longer I cook it the better it gets.

Of course they can't do that in a rushed kitchen but its a curry stew by any other name, just made quicker by doing different parts of it before hand then adding them all when they are needed, plus a few additions here and there.

I wish you guys could taste a spinach dish over here. It's just phenomenal, it really is. That's about spice and contents, not speed cooking.

Just my take of course peeps. Interesting thread.

[Cory Ander]

Curry is still a stew no matter what spin you want to put on it

Not really, is it Mikka?  The difference is the spices and how you get the flavour out of them, surely?  Which implies frying rather than (or as much as) "stewing".

[Mikka1]

Yah.
What I mean is though that after that frying of spices there is no need to conjure up quick fired pace and throw everything into a container, seal it then reopen it seconds later and pretend Lol!  ;D

You know what I mean?  ;D

Not really, is it Mikka?  The difference is the spices and how you get the flavour out of them, surely?  Which implies frying rather than (or as much as) "stewing".