Topic: Undercover Curry - Anyone heard of it?

[solarsplace]

Hi

Sorry to double post, but has anyone else that has this book noticed that the base gravy recipe has been specified with really no precise measurements?

Basically there is a recipe for a large quantity with an 18 ltr pan filled 3/4 full of onions.

Then there is a small quantity recipe for a 2 ltr pan filled 3/4 full of onions, with some of the other ingredients quartered down and some halved. So that the reduction is not in proportion with the reduction of the onion and not linear across the board. Also coriander is mentioned in the small portion and not the large, but no mention of quantity?

He goes on to explain that things are mostly judged by eye in the BIR kitchen, but surely we need something a little more precise to begin with at least?

This all seems a little tedious to me as it means much thought and calculation will be needed to rescale his 18 ltr stock pot to my 11 ltr one

[chriswg]

Or you need a bigger pot...

[Ramirez]

Or you need a bigger pot...

Yeah, and an extra freezer to store it all in.

Then there is a small quantity recipe for a 2 ltr pan filled 3/4 full of onions, with some of the other ingredients quartered down and some halved. So that the reduction is not in proportion with the reduction of the onion and not linear across the board. Also coriander is mentioned in the small portion and not the large, but no mention of quantity?

Even though it is not a consistent reduction across all ingredients, I wouldn't say that necessarily sounds wrong. Probably best to just give it a go - I would probably make it to the letter the first time then look to make adjustments thereafter.

[George]

He goes on to explain that things are mostly judged by eye in the BIR kitchen, but surely we need something a little more precise to begin with at least?

I agree. With his pilau rice 'recipe' for example, he says to add 'your flavourings...you could try cloves' (and a list of typical spices follows). And that's it...there's no indication of what his restaurants added or his favourite mix, quantities or anything. This is very disappointing. A key aspect of a good pilau rice is the flavour and you'd expect the spice quantities to be included in the recipe.

There's definitely enough 'new' stuff to try but anyone can write convincing text. For me, the jury is out on whether this is yet another scam or whether he really does know his stuff and has chosen to hold back quite a bit.

[Mikka1]

The one thing that worries me about said books is that, well... The person purportedly worked for 3 years in Indian restaurants and doesn't have a set base sauce recipe? 
I don't know which is worse? Someone who is not Indian telling you they know everything, or a true Indian chef defiantly not telling you what the real recipe is?   

It seems in either case  ;D That we'll never know  ;D
============================

///////// On other matters. I finally got some tomato powder. I know it goes in a couple of dishes, I'll make my own in future, the aroma is that of the Vindaloo that I get here albeit without other spice aromas.
Let you know once I've played with it a bit.

Cheers.

[naga dave]

    Just had a look at the author's website, and it seems that the style of language used has more than just a passing resemblance to this site. Makes me wonder if he hasn't been a member of cr0. After all, where did the term 'BIR' originate? Anyone else noticed this?
         D.

[George]

    Just had a look at the author's website, and it seems that the style of language used has more than just a passing resemblance to this site. Makes me wonder if he hasn't been a member of cr0. After all, where did the term 'BIR' originate? Anyone else noticed this?
         D.

Yes, I noticed aspects which could have been lifted from here and turned into neat prose by the co-author. A good example is the recovery oil from the base sauce, which he mentions. I simply don't know. Either the guy is genuine, really did work in numerous BIRs and the book is an honest account, with quite a few gaps, or it's just a well written fabrication.

[parker21]

hi guys just my twopeneth 11ltr pot just fill it 3/4 full of onions lol, regards the authenticty of the author pat chapman has been feed us crap for years and he's knwon as the curry king( no offence CK) book after book promising the world and getting a pea! oh and PC uses pinneapple in his dhansak. omg he's poached from here PC and another not so well known site lol!
with regards to the scum skimming it makes total sense ( i do remove it but then again i follow mouchaks recipe not posted, and it to release the oil to the surface of the base sauce) but if you smell it you get that waft of mildly sweet cooked onions lightly spiced, omg EUREKA i've found it lol ;D.
regards
gary

[emin-j]

My copy came today and I think an excellent read , very recently in another post the amount of Onions spotted in a container at a Restaurant was far more than any Base recipe I have tried or seen in this Forum and the book recipe states 3/4 of ( well any ) container of Onions  plus the usual other ingredients we mostly all use on the Forum .
This is a massive amount of Onions which I will be trying when my present batch runs out plus the use of reclaimed oil being important to the flavour of the Base , this has been mentioned previously on the Forum but how many follow it up  :-X
I have only read just past the Base Gravy recipe but I do like the way this has been written , confirming things like ' no actual measurements ' when making Curry's , how often have you seen a BIR Chef put Spices in using a teaspoon 

[Secret Santa]

The person purportedly worked for 3 years in Indian restaurants and doesn't have a set base sauce recipe? 

My memory is a bit vague because it was a while ago but didn't Andy, who went off to form the other curry website, also claim to have worked in a BIR for three years?