Topic: Fast curry Cookbook?

[traveller]

Does anyone have an opinion on this cookbook by Pat Chapman?  I just picked it up from the library - just came in to them - 2005 book.  I want to try making a curry but am not sure where to start - that system to rate the curries would be great!!

Payal

[Yellow Fingers]

I had to stick a fork in my eye to stop myself replying to this one!

Oh, wait, now I have replied. Damn!? ?


Payal, I and others on this forum consider this man the greatest charlatan since snake oil salesmen went out of business, although you'll probably find as many who think the sun shines out of his proverbial!

[traveller]

Thats the impression I was getting from this website!  I was asking more about the particular book, not the author   But this book has "fast" curries - so that sounds interesting and almost contradictory to how a curry sounds like it is made.

Payal

[raygraham]

I have his book "Quick After Work Curries" and must say after trying some of the recipes many years ago now use the book as a doorstop although it isn't much good for that either!!

As much as I try to find the positive side to his work I always seem to end up dissapointed with the end results although with credit to the guy he has put a lot of work into the subject over the years ( and made a lot of dosh, no doubt!!).
Ray

[pete]

Hi Ray
I do rate his "favourite restaurants" cook book, but "Quick After Work Curries" is the worst cook book I have ever bought.
I tried and failed to sell it on ebay
No luck!
Mine is in the attic now

[raygraham]

I will look out for his "Favourite Restaurants" Book. What makes you rate this one as I have never read it?

Ray

[pete]

Well, it's got the basics for making restaurant curries
It was my first introduction to curry gravy and it gives a stock recipe too.
He even mentions the possible addition of bones for the stock
I went all around the houses before I realised that was what chefs did
It gives madras ,vindaloo and phall recipes but they are very wrong
I still tried them though
It tells you about garlic and ginger purees
At the time it was published there was nothing like it
We have got better stuff on this site, but it's still worth checking out
I have seen it in libraries, but I think it's now published under a different title
In truth, I think the 100 best baltis is a much better book, but I bet the authors of that, had read Pat's book first!

[traveller]

I finally read through this new book - "Fast Curry Cookbook" last night and must say I am so disappointed.  There is not 1 recipe I want to try!  The ingredients seem strange - fried dried onion flakes and tomato soup powder....the dal recipe has 1 masala and it is dried methi leaves!!

Payal

[pete]

The taste of the fried dried onion is awful
There is nothing restaurant like about it
I use precooked fried onions, but the dried ones are a totally different flavour

[traveller]

I have never even heard of fried dried onion!!