Topic: Mridula Balljekar's Kadhai Restaurant Base Sauce

[raygraham]

Hello Folk's,

It's amazing when you look just how many versions for a base sauce there are!

I have just found this one in a book by Mridula Baljekar ( 1996 ) for a base sauce used in restaurant's.
Her acknowledgements in the book mention a few restaurants whose recipes appear in the "100 Best Balti Curries" book.

She calls this a Kadhai Gravy specifically for the restaurant style..

Makes 1.2 litres (2 Pints)

Ingredients:-

450 g ( 1 lb )Onions, rough chopped
40 g ( 1 1/2 ozs ) Garlic Cloves, peeled
40 g? ( 1 1/2 ozs ) Fresh Ginger, chopped
2 tsp Coriander Seeds
1 tsp Ground Turmeric
1 1/2 tsp Salt
425 g ( 15 ozs ) Can Tomatoes with the juice
1 TBSP Paprika
2 TBSPS Methi Leaves
1 TBSP Sunflower or Corn Oil
600 mls (1 pint ) Water

Method.

Put all ingredients in a large saucepan with the water
Bring to Boil
Reduce heat, cover pan and simmer 35-40 mins
Remove from heat and cool
Blend in a processor

There is also a Makhani Gravy which some recipes use.

Ingredients:-

4 x 2" Pieces Cassia Bark
4 Black cardamom Pods , split open
8 Cloves
2 tsp Garlic Paste
2 tsp Ginger Paste
700 gms ( 1/1/2 lbs ) Can Tomatoes including juice
225 gms ( 8ozs ) Tom Puree
2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Chillie Powder
2-4 Whole Fresh Chillies
8 ozs Butter
7 fl ozs Double Cream
2 tsp Dried Methi Leaves
600 mls ( 1 pint ) Water

Method
Put all ingredients except Butter, Cream and Methi in a saucepan with the Water
Bring to boil
Cover and simmer for 30 mins
Remove Whole Spices and Chillies
Cool and Puree in a blender
Return sauce to the saucepan on medium heat
Add Butter, Cream and Methi and simmer for 10 mins.

She also goes on to give recipes for 12 Restaurant Style dishes:-

Lamb with Spinach and Chick Peas; Lamb with Cabbage, Potatoes and Peppers; Lamb with Lentils, Marrow and Peppers; Lamb with Potato and Spinach; Minced Lamb with Potatoes and Peas; Chicken with Sweetcorn and Mushrooms; Chicken with Lentils and Peppers; Chicken with Minced Lamb and Mushrooms; Prawns with Spinach and Indian Cheese; Prawns with Aubergine and Eggs; Prawns with Mushrooms, Minced Lamb and Peas; Chicken with Potatoes and Chick Peas.

I will get some of these on the site as soon as I can if anyone is interested.

Regards

Ray

[pete]

The first base uses very little oil
The second uses no oil, no onion but a lot of chilli
Both have methi (fenugreek leaves)
This is like the two base approach we  were talking about
I would be interested to see more
I feel sure now, that there is no set recipe for a base
I remember reading how the whole indian restaurant industry was spawned by one restaurant.
Chefs left and opened their own places
The recipes were passed on chef to chef
It was thought there was no difference in recipes
This is obviously not true
But they all seem to be able to make similar tasting meals, don't they?

[traveller]

I have her book "Real Fast Indian Food" (2002) and the recipes for the kadhai and butter and madras sauces are quite different from the ones you posted!  Too many variations

Payal

[raygraham]

I have her book "Real Fast Indian Food" (2002) and the recipes for the kadhai and butter and madras sauces are quite different from the ones you posted!? Too many variations
Payal

Yes Payal, It is a bit confusing isn't it!
Most of the books I seem to have are mainly on traditional Indian Cooking.
It was only through re-reading some of the books I have discovered a few references to "Restaurant Style" recipes.
In other books there are also one or two recipes that seem to border both style's of cooking such as in the "Daag" sauce I posted earlier which is "supposedly" used widely in Asian homes yet resembles the Curry Base we make on this site. The question could be asked "do more Asian families than we think use recipes close to the restaurant style in their home cooking as it is simple and convienient" ?
In this book Mridula has a whole section on the restaurant style which I never realised before.
Her recipes are for mainly the more modern (if you can call it that) "Balti" dishes and not the simpler restaurant curries ie Madras, Vindaloo, CTM we talk at length about.
I have not seen her recipe for the "Madras" sauce! Is there any chance of copying it and posting for us all to see??

Regards

Ray

[raygraham]

The first base uses very little oil
The second uses no oil, no onion but a lot of chilli
Both have methi (fenugreek leaves)
This is like the two base approach we? were talking about
I would be interested to see more

Hi Pete,
Would you scan the list of recipes I included in my original link and let me know which ones you would be interested to see first. I know you are a Vegetable Vindaloo fan so maybe you would like the Veg ones first?
There are 12 all together so typing ALL of them would be a bit long winded but if the demand is there I can start getting the job done.

Regards

Ray

[raygraham]

Ooooops!!, sorry Pete, have looked again and she doesn't give an "all veg" option!

Ray

[traveller]

Yes, I can do that very soon - post the madras sauce that is but it has fresh curry leaves - hence the "madras" label I assume.  I am actually making it right now and will use it as a base in another recipe from the book.  So I will let you all know what happens...i just hope the chicken is not leathery again!  The only time it wasnt was when i sliced it into thin strips, not chunks.  I cant wait to finish this frozen chicken - I will never buy the frozen chicken breasts again - at least not from Costco.

Payal

[Curry King]

I cant wait to finish this frozen chicken - I will never buy the frozen chicken breasts again - at least not from Costco.

Thats what I always say when I buy them, im always tempted by an offer and ALWAYS regret buying them!  I don't think it matters where you get them from I can never get the same results with frozen chicken breasts.

[DARTHPHALL]

I mainly use frozen breasts (Lidl) & have absolutely no problem with getting them as tender as can be, try my method..........  http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=80.15    .
 

                                 DARTHPHALL.... ....

[Curry King]

Its not so much the tenderness its the shape and texture.  The frozen chicken breasts ive bought are flat and soggy, I like nice big chunks in my currys.