Topic: Undercover Curry - Anyone heard of it?

[joshallen2k]

That's one ugly dude.

[haldi]

Here he is

I didn't realise he wrote from Scottish BIR experiences
That may explain the different spicing

[Peripatetic Phil]

That's one ugly dude.

Well, until you post a picture of yourself, we shall just have to assume that this is a classic case of the (curry) pot calling the kettle black !

[Secret Santa]

...The base source was very good and I reckon this is because of the oil...This really uses gallons of the stuff.

Not really sure what you mean by gallons? The quantity of oil is about 1/18 of the total base volume. Neither excessive nor unusual for a base.

we had Bhuna and Madras. both up to BIR quality.

Ah, you must be one of the "if it doesn't taste only of lemon it ain't a madras" brigade. The lemon is so overpowering it makes it unpalatable for me.

Also Dave (author) is happy to email.

Unless you ask him any really deep and probing questions, in which case he isn't.

I'm a believer that flames should be involved in the early stages. I can only relate to the pyrotechnics I see at my local haunt. I'm sure this adds to the taste

I don't agree at all. The flames are usually a side effect of the cooking (when they happen at all) and are not in most cases intended or desired.

[JerryM]

The flames are usually a side effect of the cooking (when they happen at all) and are not in most cases intended or desired.

Secret Santa's words are exactly it. what's important though is not to miss (and i did initially) the fact that when flames can occur is confirmation of the right heat and intensity. the flames actually burn off the oil which is not want you want at all.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Further to my report on preparing pulao rice using Dave Loyden's method :

Just cooked Dave Loyden's pulao rice from Undercover Curry ...

I have just received feedback from Dave in which he confirms that my estimate of the amount of milk to be used was about right.  Dave writes : "You've done exactly what I would've done with the milk content of your rice. It's not essential to use milk but especially when its combined with the addition of some ground almonds or cashews, it gives a lovely flavour that I find hard to describe  but I'm sure you will see what I mean when you taste it."

** Phil.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Yesterday I decided to try some of the ideas from Dave Loyden's base recipe, and in view of the discussions in this thread, added one teaspoon hing [1] and one teaspoon fenugreek to a green base consisting of pureed leeks cooked in rabbit stock(it was meant to be chicken stock, but my wife didn't bother to tell me she had already frozen the freshly made chicken stock and made room for it in the freezer by taking out some rabbit stock !). Anyhow, apart from those two ingredients I made the sauce in my normal KD-ish way, and then this evening cooked a chicken madras using yesterday's base.  I omitted the fenugreek as this was already in the base, and -- to be honest -- the end results were not markedly different from any other madras I have ever made.  Very pleasant, good texture and flavour, but you wouldn't drive ten miles to eat it if you had a perfectly good BIR in your own village !

** Phil.

[1] Yes, really a teaspoon, not a desert or tablespoon.  These days I make just enough base for a couple of curries, so all ingredients are scaled down accordingly.  To give an idea of the scale of the operation, there were just two leeks in the green stage-1 sauce.

[telecaster445]

Secret Santa. If being pedantic was a quality of a chef, then you deserve 2 RAC rosettes.

Stick to cooking and not opinions on what people may or may not believe.

[George]

the flames actually burn off the oil which is not want you want at all.

I don't know on this one but if it was so undesirable to have flames, then I'm quite sure the BIR chefs would avoid it. One can only assume the flambe approach has some advantage, and I doubt if it's pure theatrics. I also doubt if very much oil is burned off with each sheet of flame.

[Secret Santa]

Secret Santa. If being pedantic was a quality of a chef, then you deserve 2 RAC rosettes.

Stick to cooking and not opinions on what people may or may not believe.

What, so we're supposed to take your word as gospel and not question it? You're in the wrong place for that mate!  ;D