Topic: Your most "powerhouse" of curry recipes please!

[Chiz]

So, we've gone through the list of BIR recipes and specialities and had some crackers (our most favourite by far has been the Chasni) but what we really, really want is a cracker of a curry that maybe isn't listed on here already, or buried deep down somewhere in the confines of this site, or even one that is viewed on here all the time but you have modified it a bit. You get the drift.

I'm open to try anything, mild or hot (because if it's mild then we'd just add more chilli anyway because we like 'em hot!), but I'd love to know what your own powerhouse recipe is. You don't win a prize for the best recipe but it's the taking part that counts!

Mrs Chiz (on Chiz's login)

[976bar]

This has by far got to be the best curry I make. The kids absolutely love it, even if it does bring them out in a sweat just thinking about it!!

300ml base
2 tbsp rapeseed oil (more if you want it BIR style, I have to watch the oil content)
2 tsp garlic puree
1 tsp ginger puree
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced.
1 1/2 tbsp tomato puree mixed with 3 tbsp water
1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
1 habernaro chilli (I buy the dried version from Aldi and soak for 15 minutes to make it soft. Then chop finely, but be careful, this has the same heat scale as a scotch bonnet and is 10 on the Richter scale! If you handle it don't go to the bathroom soon after Or use whatever fresh chilli's you want to use, but this is supposed to be a hot garlicky dish
1 tsp curry powder (I use Rajah Madras hot)
1 tsp spice mix (I use CA's)
1 tsp methi leaves
0.5 tsp salt (I find that the Chicken Tikka has enough salt in, but add to your tasting)
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
1/8th tsp orange food colouring
a good pinch of fresh coriander

Heat the oil on a low heat in a large pan, add the ginger, garlic, garlic slices and fresh habernaro or whatever fresh chilli's you are going to use. Fry this gently and keep stirring all the time until the garlic has turned light brown and the chilli has heated enough to make your nose run!! Trust me, the aroma will do that

Next add the spice mixture, curry powder, salt, sugar and chilli powder and stir into the mixture for around 30 seconds.

Next add the tomato puree mixture and it will sizzle slightly, just stir in.

Then add a ladle at a time of the base sauce (which should be warmed in a saucepan first) and turn the heat up. Stir it in well and cook until the water content has more or less evaporated then add another ladle and keep doing this until all the base sauce has been added.

Now add the lemon juice, food colouring and methi leaves and start simmering that sauce on a low to medium heat, watch it bubble and reduce in size and the oil start to separate from the sauce itself, I normally cook this through for about 5 minutes, just add a little water if it gets a bit too thick.

(If making a garlic/chilli chicken, and I use chicken tikka, I would add the chicken about 2 minutes into cooking the sauce through if the chicken tikka has already been cooked)

Turn off the heat, add the freshly chopped coriander and let it sit for 1-2 minutes before serving....

You will not be disappointed!!

[Razor]

Hi 976,

I take it this is a Madras judging by the ingredients (with the exception of the fresh chilies)?

Ray

P.S Mrs Chiz, does Mr Chiz know your on his login

Ray

[976bar]

Hi Razor,

I don't think a madras uses so much garlic or a habernaro chilli. They are as hot as scotch bonnets, which are not used in Madras

But! If you can think of anything else that would enhance the dish then I am all ears...

[Razor]

Hi 976,

I agree, quite a bit too much garlic and chilies for Madras but everything else is quite similar.  What would you describe it as?  Sounds very nice either way!

Ray

[976bar]

A garlic chilli chicken masala?

I only recently just started to add the lemon juice and sugar as before I always felt there was something missing. The addition of these 2 ingredients gives it a nice balance of sweet, savoury, salt and sourness

[Chiz]

Lovely, I'll give that a try. Thanks. Any others anyone?

Just as a way of saying thanks, this is our recipe for pilau rice. It's by far the best one we've had and the key is to steam the rice, as we never got such good results by boiling it. I'll put this recipe up in the recipe section of this website too.

For 2 people
1 cup of basmati rice
2 tbsp oil
4 cloves (whole)
6 cardamon pods
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
1/4 tsp salt or msg
1 tbsp sugar
1 cup water

Ground the fennel, cumin and cardamon seeds in a pestal and mortar.
Fry all the spices, sugar and salt together in the oil for about 20 - 30 seconds
Add the rice and stir in. Fry for about 30 seconds
Put in the rice steamer, add the water to the rice and steam until all the water is absorbed.
Lovely!

p.s. Mr Chiz does know I'm using his login, but he wouldn't dare complain because he'd have to make his own dinner!

[Panpot]

Chiz, The Ashoka Chiken Bhuna Karahi. Now my signature dish for the perect Glaswegian BIR replication. But everything is from the Ashoka posts as is no changes. Thanks for the Pilou recipe I will have a go soon.PP

[Derek Dansak]

i agree panpot, its up their with my all time favourites. i use lamb in this dish, and not chicken, and add a tbs of the lamb stock. this tastes like a real bir ta once the stock is added.

[Fi5H]

hi 976..  the wife's away this weekend so im gonna give your recipe a go.. looks interesting

i`ll let you know how it turns out.

Andy