Topic: Anyone consistently making restaurant-quality dishes w. "the taste"? If so, how?

[Peripatetic Phil]

I've just searched for 12 recipes from the list Phil provided.  Only 1 of these had the recipe. The Bulk North Indian Chicken Special - with Taz's Base.

Oh.  Bum.

[livo]

One question, if I may Stephen ?  Why have you decided to "make all [your] curries with Chicken Tikka" ? 

We will have to wait for Stephen to answer for himself, but I know what I've just found.  Stephen has referred to the Cook4one website resource.  I've seen it before but never really paid it much attention.  I think that may have been a mistake.  So, today I found another future "go to" pre-cooked Chicken.  I usually do Misty Ricardo's because I like the depth of flavour he gives to both chicken and lamb pre-cooks, and I will continue to use it.

However, if you haven't yet tried it, you need to try Cook4one "fake" chicken tikka pre-cook.  I'm planning on a Butter Chicken (Makhani Gravy already made) and probably a CTM.  This chicken isn't Tandoor or oven or grill. Simply spiced and boil, like other pre-cook chicken.  Amazing for tikka / tandoor style chicken curry and so easy.  I used Tandoori Paste instead of powder masala and I pimped it out by adding some G&G paste, dried mint leaf and a squirt of LJ plus a little Deggi Mirch for good measure.  I think next time I do it, I'll also include a splash of Mustard Oil.

My Taz base dishes have been put off till tomorrow because we have too many leftovers in the fridge.  Taz base done. Mixed Powder done. Pre-cook lamb, chicken and fake chicken tikka done.  Makhani gravy done. Frozen Roti Parathas in the freezer.  Spice sensitive daughter on holiday trip for 10 days.  Mrs Livo will be over curry by the time they get back.

[Robbo141]

I have that Cook4one website bookmarked and have typed up a couple of the base gravy recipes to try. One quick base suggests using canned French onion soup and tomato soup. Not sure about that one but there are so many curry recipes on that site, it’s mind boggling.

Robbo

[livo]

The chicken tikka pre-cook could be a game changer for me. It certainly tasted pretty good straight out of the pot.  I will need to use less water next time as Ì was unable to get to the nearly dry point.  It has been observed here that our chicken breast is possibly being pumped full of water.  I know that when I try to fry some it tends to release a lot of water which bubbles away before browning begins.  I cooked some chicken breast a few months back and weighed it to find there was a 30% loss.

[livo]

Livo, I have one recipe typed up long ago that uses Taz base.  I just entitled it ‘Taz Basic Curry’. Must’ve been ok for me if I typed it up -

Well Robbo, that one's pretty good at cook's taste test. I'll know better when it's dinner time.  For some reason I'm finding the Taz Base a little salty even though I followed the recipe.  I'll be leaving the salt out of this dish next time.

I've also cooked a basic Mild Lamb Curry using 1 heaped TBSP of Ashoka Mild Curry Paste, with the first reduction of Taz Base.  Again, pretty tasty on cook's test although, again a little salty.  Both used Misty Ricardo pre-cooks so I wonder if I was heavy handed there.  They should be fine when served up with rice.  I won't mention it to the other diners and see if it's just me.

The third curry so far is a Butter Chicken that used the fake Tikka pre-cook from Cook4One and a mix of about 1 part Taz base and 3 parts Makhani gravy.  I like it a lot.  The tikka pre-cook is a regular from now on.  I used it all, so I'll need to do it again to try a CTM.

Curry number 4 is Masala Prawns which is a favourite here but does not use BIR method or Base Gravy.  I'm about to cook it soon because I always do it right before serving.  It's meant to be served on Saffron Rice, but I have no Saffron.

[Unclefrank]

Hi all if any recipes needed please give me a shout and will have a look, have all the Taz recipes, which are excellent and also the Cook4One recipes too which i have tried nearly all of them.
I do still sell curries around 40-120 a week, better than the restaurant, that's what my customers say lol.
CTM is my best seller by far making 20-30 every week.

[curryhell]

With that number of orders you're obviously doing something right UF. More power to your curry pan  .

[Unclefrank]

Cheers CH wouldn't of been possible without the help from this site and the members.

[peshwarinaan]

Hi all if any recipes needed please give me a shout and will have a look, have all the Taz recipes, which are excellent and also the Cook4One recipes too which i have tried nearly all of them.
I do still sell curries around 40-120 a week, better than the restaurant, that's what my customers say lol.
CTM is my best seller by far making 20-30 every week.

That's amazing UF. Is it just you doing everything yourself from home, like a cottage industry? I dream about being able to do that, if only so I have an excuse to buy ingredients in bulk.

If you have all the Taz recipes saved offline, could I PM you with my email address for a copy of them all, please? I can then post them (with credit to you) in their respective threads.

[peshwarinaan]

As to the topic of this thread I should say that I'm making curries with a BIR taste most of the time, but it's not quite 100%, and that's why I asked if anyone else has got the consistency down. The missing pieces for me probably just come down to things like ingredient brands, spice ratios, and strength of the curry base etc.

My view is that the fundamental BIR taste is a combination of onions, GG paste, spices, and reclaimed oil. How accurately this taste can be reproduced at home will vary from person to person because of their own preferences and the techniques/ingredients used by their local curry houses, but I definitely think those four elements make up the majority of the "secret".