Topic: Questions for my chef

[jb]

Hi guys(and girls).Just spoken to my chef regarding my first cooking lesson on Monday(base sauce).Just wondering if anyone has any questions they would like me to ask him.

Here are the fresh ingredients I have to get....


Sauce
 
2kg of Onions
A small Yellow Lemon
Corriander
One Green Pepper (yellow or red whichever you prefer)
One Carrot
Three small Red Potatoes
10 Green Chillies
Small packet of Haldi Powder
Cooking Salt
Vegetable oil
Tube of Tomato Puree
Small Natural Yoghurt
one Garlic
one Ginger
Blender Machine
A few cooking pots
I will bring the main powder
 

[Ramirez]

Not a question, but is he going to tell you what is in the 'main powder'?

[Stephen Lindsay]

jb I think what you are doing is fantastic and I'm sure it will contribute greatly to the forum so I am looking forward to reading anything that eminates from your thread.

My question is not connected to your ingredients jb and I'm not sure if this is on your agenda but I've never been satisfied with my naan breads and wondered if he would share recipe and/or methods?

[jb]

He is bringing the main powder or massala has he calls it just for convenience BUT he he going to show me EXACTLY how it is made and what goes in it when I have my first lesson.Naan breads will be in another lesson in the future as well as rice etc

[Secret Santa]

jb I'd be grateful if you'd ask him if he thinks there are any ingredients that MUST be used to give the right BIR taste.

So, for example, would he use only White Tower tomato puree or perhaps a particular brand of asafoetida or curry powder etc.

[gazman1976]

the powder he is bringing you jb, ask him exactly whats in it and you buy those ingredients also, then get him to make the poweder in front of you and use that for the base, just so you are getting everything !

maybe a good chicken pakora recipe 
Good luck !

Garry

[peterandjen]

Most spice mixes seem to use a few basic ingredients
Corriander
Cumin
Paprika
Turmeric
Curry powder, usually rajah
If you keep these handy then he should be able to use them if needed for making the mix.
Also as you are paying for this lesson, dont be polite when a question springs to mind, ask it and if you dont understand the answer, then ask again until you do.
You are the boss, make him earn his wages.

[Cory Ander]

As gazman suggests, you really need to ask (tell) him that you'd like to make the "main powder" up yourself.  He may feel that it's his "closely guarded secret" and you might otherwise subsequently find it difficult to replicate.  You really need to know precisely what has gone into the base that you make.  No unknowns or assumptions.

Seems like you won't be needing such a huge pot, after all, then.

I'd also ask him for the full scale base recipe...just as a double check on quantities, etc.

Good luck with your lesson.  I look forward to hearing about it 

[gazman1976]

very excited about your lesson JB , think everyone is , hope you can get good pilau rice, i can make rice but can never get that flavour - the countdown has begun lol

[chriswg]

Hi JB

As with everyone else I'm excited about hearing the feedback from the lesson. Have you had a chance to eat at the restaurant that he cooks from? It would be good to have a benchmark of what you are trying to replicate at home.

I'm guessing lesson one is just going to be about the base. It looks lke it might be a spicy one with those chillies in it!

My advice at this stage is just learn the base properly and only ask questions about the base. I think you mentioned you have 10 lessons booked so there is no point at this stage asking hundreds of questions about various main dishes and starters. Just learn the base correctly and learn the rest one step at a time. In 10 weeks you'll be a master!