Topic: Malay chicken biryani

[Kashmiri Bob]

Shan. Chicken thigh. Some interesting additions suggested for the supplied recipe. Curry leaf, cucumber and tamarind. I also added saffron.



Planned Masala fish (cod) as a starter. Changed my mind last minute and went with an English/European menu dish. Fish and potato fritters, with petits pois. Hollandaise.





Rob

[Peripatetic Phil]

Bu pure coincidence, I too fried (or rather re-fried) some cod for dinner yesterday.  A whole portion of fish-and-chips is now too much for me (even with the smallest size portion of chips), so I put whatever remains into a sealable container in the 'fridge and then re-fry it, usually the next day.  In the past I have cheated and used a commercial dosa mix, but last night I decided to do the job properly and make my batter from scratch, using the recipe at https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/next-level-fish-chips —

For the batter

•     75g self-raising flour (plus extra for dusting)
•     25g cornflour
•     small pinch of ground turmeric (I used Knorr Chinese chicken stock powder)
•     125g cold lager or soda water (I used Staropramen zero)

When you’re ready to fry, prepare the batter. Tip the flours and turmeric into a bowl with a pinch of salt, pour over the beer or fizzy water, and mix quickly until everything just comes together to the consistency of double cream – do not over-beat, a few lumps are fine. Keep chilled.

but the proportions seemed completely wrong — I needed to add about twice as much of the flours as the recipe stated in order to get a batter that would adhere.  That apart, a very successful batter, and I shall eschew commercial dosa mix in the future (apart from for masala dosas, of course !).
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** Phil.

[livo]

The flour proportions don't appear too far out Phil. I usually go equal parts flour and liquid, or 100% hydration and then adjust from there.  Do you dry flour your fillets first? This will assist in adhesion.  I don't like thick batter on fish.  The original author appears to have misunderstood the use of turmeric in substituting chicken powder.  It is purely for colour, not flavour.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Maybe not "the original author", Livo — the "(I used ...)" parentheses were mine, not the original author's.  And no, I didn't pre-dredge, and maybe I was aiming for a thicker batter than you would have elected to use.
--
** Phil.

[Kashmiri Bob]

This is actually proper stuff.  From Yorkshire.





Found it in a cupboard unopened and only 8 months past its use-by date.  Perfect with yellow sticker cod (two fillets). The fritters were also reduced price.  Last, but not least, the Hollandaise was "free with any purchase" from Rogers (Wolverhampton).  Got a box of 6 jars.  Seriously out of date.  Perfect!

Rob