Topic: Curry powder

[currypot65]

Hi,i bought a tub of roasted curry powder made by suryaa,its from India and its mild(which i assure you it is nothing but mild,its very hot!)

The ingredients are in order,red chilli,coriander,cumin,fenner?,fenugreek,turmeric,black pepper,clove,cinnamon,curry leaves.

I notice no garlic,ginger etc.

When cooked it is very hot,and not to my curry taste at all,i was wondering if anyone knows what would be good to add or a recipe,i see that most recipes on here all start with a base,but i would rather be lazy and cut all that out,or is that where i am going wrong?
When i use Tesco curry powder(don't laugh)i add other spices and those curries come out really well.
I was chuffed getting hold of this Indian curry powder,but as far a bit disappointed.
Help/advice anyone?

[Razor]

Hi Currypot

My advice would be to make your own curry powder/mix/masala, (it comes in many names)

It's very easy to do and for me, is essential, in trying to replicate that BIR flavour.  Here is a link to the relevant section for spice mixes http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?board=28.0

By all means, continue with your curry powder if you wish, but I don't think it will ever give you that BIR flavour, if indeed, that is what you are looking for.

As for cutting out the base.  Again, my advice would be, bite the bullet, and make one.  This is, the real revelation to the home cook trying to replicate those restaurant dishes.  Without it, it would prove very difficult to get it just right, although some members such as Domi, often cook without a base.

And as for trying to be lazy, think about this;

a), A base can be prepared and cooked in as little as 2 hrs.  Most bases will give you enough gravy for 10 curries.  That equates to 12 mins per portion.

b), Your spice mix takes all of about 2 mins to knock up

c),  Now that you have your base gravy and spice mix, your final curry can be on the table in as little a 6 mins.

All in all, a total of 18 mins per curry!  And that's how the restaurants and Takeaways can have your dish on the counter/table within 10 mins of your order.

My, Advice,

Ditch the curry powder as a "use alone" ingredient.

Make up a spice mix, choose a one from the link I provided.

Knock up a batch of base gravy, for me, the most essential component of the BIR curry.

Try to pick a Base that has a spice mix from the same source.  These will have been worked on by the recipe provider to compliment each other.

Here's is a link to the base sauce http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?board=2.0

Hope this has answered your question

Please, let us know how you get on, or feel free to ask if you need any help.

Ray

[currypot65]

Thank you Razor for your detailed help.
What you say makes sense,ill have to spend a day in peace making the recipes you gave.

Let me see if i understood all that.
1-make a spice mix
2-make a base.

I have looked at both of your recipes for these,so now this is where i get lost!!

I want to make a BIR,say a madras.
How do i start? lets say i have the base and spice mix ready made,what do i do first?
I guess i need to read the forums a bit more.

Incidently i was giving a recipe by my daughter who got it off a friends husband who was apparantly a chef in an Indian restuarant,but it has no base or mix,just a combination of spices and how to cook it,so i guess it cannot be authentic because as you say,the restuarants can knock out different curries every 10-20 mins,and with his recipe you would be waiting hours for each curry!!

Thank you again,john

[Mikka1]

Currypot there are some great videos banging around in the video section. That's where I would start so you don't become confused by wording.

Then choose a recipe and try following the various methods on show there. Just my take of course but I feel seeing how its done really does help.
I hope this helped?

[Razor]

Hi Currypot,

I'm always sceptical of recipe sourced from a BIR chef that contain no base.  Maybe some of the posh BIR's now do it this way.  They usually charge a great deal more for the dish, which covers the expense of making it from scratch if that makes sense.

So, you want to make a madras?  That is my favourate at the moment, here's how I do my chicken Madras.

Ingredients:

300g raw chicken breast or, pre-cooked chicken or chicken tikka.

3 tbs Veg oil

2 tsp of garlic/ginger paste  (you can make this yourself by blitzing equal quantities of peeled garlic and ginger with a bit of water or veg oil, or you can simply buy it, jarred, from most supermarkets although it's never as good as your own IMO)

1 chef's spoon of onion paste (this is simply 1 tennis ball sized onion, blitzed and fried in oil with 1/2 tsp of the mixed spice blend for about 5 mins on high heat)

2 tsp of Razor's mixed spice blend http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=4706.

1 or 2 tsp of standard chili powder.  (It's upto you, I add 2 tsp as I like it hot)

1 tbs of tomato ketchup  (I know it's weird, but trust me it works )

300ml of Razor's curry base http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=4596.0

1 tsp of lemon juice.

1 tbs chopped coriander

Method

Heat the oil in a suitable pan or wok on full heat.

Add the garlic and ginger paste, and stir continually for 30 seconds.

keep frying the g/g paste until it starts to turn golden,

Add the raw chicken at this stage and fry until the outside of the meat has turned white.

Take the pan off the heat and add the mixed spice blend and chili powder.  Stir this, frantically with the back of the chef's spoon until all the spices are well mixed with the oil and have coated the chicken.

Return the pan to the heat, and immediately add the ketchup and stir.

Add the onion paste and continue to stir 1 min.

Quickly followed by a chefs spoon of the base.

Stir this for about 20 seconds, ensuring the pan is sizzling all the time.

Add the lemon juice and continue to stir for 30 seconds.

Add the rest of the base, bring back to the boil and reduce until you reach your desired consistency. (Add your pre-cooked chicken or chicken tikka at this stage)

Towards the end of the cooking, the curry will give up a fair bit of oil.  If you don't want this much oil in your final dish, simply spoon off what you don't require but, DO NOT throw it away.  Strain the oil into another container and store in the fridge.  Use this oil for your next curry.  This oil smells and tastes Divine, and certainly adds a depth of flavour to your next curry.

Finally, add the chopped coriander, stir, and serve.

Enjoy ;D

Hope this is clear enough CP.

I would make up large batches of the G/G paste and onion pastes before hand.  Store in air tight containers in the fridge.  Just make sure that you cover the pastes with a bit of oil, and they should keep for at least 2 weeks, maybe more!

If you have any problem, don't hesitate to ask for help.

Ray

[currypot65]

Thanks Mikka i will have a look at those videos,that will help.
Thanks Razor,that all makes sense,perfectly written for a halfwit like me!!

Id love to try all this today,but the other half wants a roast,how bland!!

When you use 300ml of the base,how many will this recipe serve?

And one last question(sorry),the base recipe,how many ml's will this yield?
Obviously it will be a lot,so i guess i would have to freeze it in 300 ml batches,thats if 300ml feeds however many people?

I will try all this next saturday and will let you know how it turns out.

I take it that using your mix and base,i could not only make a madras,but a bhuna etc,just have to find the relevant recipe.

[Razor]

Hi CP,

And one last question(sorry),the base recipe,how many ml's will this yield?

It all depends, on how much you water your base down as indicated in the recipe. I usually get about 3 litres of base, and freeze them in 300ml portions.

300ml is for a single portion but, It does make a good quantity of curry so I suppose you could serve two people with this if you are serving starters and sides, no problem.

I take it that using your mix and base,i could not only make a madras,but a bhuna etc,just have to find the relevant recipe.

Spot on mate,  this base and spice blend will be good for any curry that you wish to make.  I purposely leave out chili powder in both to make them versatile for the milder dishes, CTM, Korma and so on.

I haven't had chance to post up all my recipes as of yet, but I will be doing so soon.  If there is any other specific curry that you want to make, give me a PM and I will gladly give you the recipe, if I can.

All the best of luck, and don't forget to let us all know how you get on

Ray

[currypot65]

Razor,looking through all your ingredients,i have them all apart from all purpose seasoning(no idea what it is) and Methi powder(again,not sure what that is)i guess omitting them would not be a good move?

[commis]

Hi
Currypot, could you please post the recipe you have as there maybe something about it which may help other members.
Regards

[currypot65]

Hi Commis,here is that recipe,this amount normally makes enough for 2.

3-4 TBS Oil or enough to stop the onions burning.
1/2-1 Onion
1 Chilli
1/2 TS Salt
1 TBS Ginger/Garlic paste
1/2 TS Cumin seeds
1 TBS Paprika
3-4 TS Curry powder
1/2 TS Turmeric
2 Cloves of garlic
1/2 TS Sugar
1/2 Tin of tomatoes
1/2 TS Tomato puree
1 TS Coriander powder
Cream(optional)
Water
Handful of fresh Coriander

Add chopped onion to oil.
Add salt
Add chopped Chilli
Add Garlic/Ginger paste
Add Garlic
Add Cumin seeds

Fry all these off until onions are soft.

Then add,Curry powder,paprika,turmeric,Coriander powder,sugar

Fry all of this,might have to add some more oil at this stage.About 5 minutes.
Add Tomatoes,continue cooking for about 10 minutes.Add water if needed.

Next blend all of this to a fine paste,this is optional,depends if you want onions,garlic etc or not.

Return to heat and add the puree and continue cooking for half hour,adding water if needed,depends on the thickness/thiness you prefer.

Add the cream and cook for further 10 mins (optional)
Add fresh Coriander then serve.

I do tweak this recipe from time to time,might add some cardoman pods and cloves to it,see what happens then!!