Topic: Prawn Madras & Chicken Balti demo

[blade1212]

I think it is worth trying a 1/4 tsp of that homemade garamasala (blend posted recently) along with the KD base and these final dish recipes. The garamasala makeup had only 4 whole spices in total one of which was Cloves........... Cloves are part of the secret along with a pich of methi. I'm sure of it

I need to get a new coffee grinder to try this -  I hosed my last one making the restaurant mix a few months ago.

Anyone prepared to risk a few ladels of KD base to try this out  ?

[pete]

I think it is worth trying a 1/4 tsp of that homemade garamasala (blend posted recently) along with the KD base and these final dish recipes. The garamasala makeup had only 4 whole spices in total one of which was Cloves........... Cloves are part of the secret along with a pich of methi. I'm sure of it
I need to get a new coffee grinder to try this -? I hosed my last one making the restaurant mix a few months ago.
Anyone prepared to risk a few ladels of KD base to try this out? ?

I can't try for about a week
I am in the doghouse for stinking out my home with the KD sauce.
But I'll give it a bash as soon as I'm back in action
What's the mix again?

[blade1212]

Yeah, doghouse I know what you mean... That's the only problem with the KD base - it's a chemical weapon.

It was Naill who posted the Garamasala mix which came from Camellia Punjabis 50 curries book :

"put in 1/2 tsp of garam masala - NOT COMMERCIAL MIX - equal weights of cloves, cinnamon, blk cardomon seeds, pepper"

Don't dry roast the spices, they just go straight in the grinder. I'd be tempted just to use 1/4 tsp in the final dish though.

He also talks about "MDH Chicken Curry masala powder" available from asian grocers. Worth a try instead of the restaurant mix in the experiment if you can get you hands on it.

Please post your results when you are let out the doghouse.

[Curry King]

I can't try for about a week
I am in the doghouse for stinking out my home with the KD sauce.

Nasty 

[thomashenry]

This got me thinking. Could it be that it isn't tomato puree at all? Did you actually taste it, did the chef call it puree?
I think it could have been this red paste that a few people have mentioned. I wish we had more information on this red paste in general, even if this isn't what it was this time around.
Here's a thought though. Whatever it is, it is almost certainly tomato based. Could it be a well fried down can of tomatoes with a few added spices, paprika and turmeric for example? This is similar to what Kris dhillon uses in her base.

Of course! what a great idea YF, every time I have seen the red stuff the chef has called it tomato paste, doesnt mean its straight out of a can though (although 1 guy has told me it is), it could well be prepared /tarka'd etc in some way, interesting.

From what I have seen its the consistency of a slightly runny ketchup and very smooth, not at all like tomato puree

The stuff Pete used and saw is tomato puree doubel concentrate - regular tomato puree. The stuff you saw is creamed tomatos - Sainsburies sell this is cartons for about 40p. Its smoother and thinner than Passata - basically like a thinnner tomato puree. I'd hazard a guess that these could be swapped around, and 'the taste' unaffected. Will try Scientifically.

Big up to Pete for posting this recipie. MarkJ's stuff has allowed me to nail down my bhuna/korai/Jalfrezi sauce - this looks like its a goer for the Madras/Vindaloo taste.

[thomashenry]

Glad also to read at a new convert to Kris Dhillion sauce. That stuff WORKS.

I am not convinced that re-claimed oil is important though. I will find out in a few days time after some carefully conductred trials. We all need to stop changin our techniques so much - if we change more than 2 variables between dishes, it makes it imposible to pin point the areas we are failing in.

What I have found is that the EXACT same ingredients in the EXACT same amounts can sometimes produce a spot on dish, and sometimes can be some way off. It's in tehcnique, heat, and oil volume.

[curryqueen]

Hi Pete,

I have just made your madras sauce that you had demonstrated to you.  It's not bad - the only thing I can find wrong with it is that it had too much tomato puree/paste, which was dominating the flavour of the curry.  Although I added another tablespoon of oil at the end, I still think it probably needs more to emulate a decent consistency.  I know you don't like using too much oil, but in some curries I think they need it.  Well done anyhow.  Will try this recipe with my own base next time.

[pete]

? It's not bad - the only thing I can find wrong with it is that it had too much tomato puree/paste, which was dominating the flavour of the curry.?

This is the regional difference we speak about.
At this place I was shown, it is very tomato flavoured.
I copied exactly what I was shown and mine was as well.
I'm glad it was ok
It's very similar to the Bengal Cuisine recipe, isn't it?
I felt that the Kris Dhillon base was very close but needed some slight tinkering
I still have a small sample from a curry house to compare with
So I made up a fresh KD base
I added some fenugreek
it was ok but still missing something
I added more turmeric
for a moment that seemed to be really good, then it turned back to what it was.
Then I added knorr chicken stock and it ruined it
Nothing like the sample
Too salty as well
It lost all it's brightness
I started again with more kd base
I added some finely sliced lemon
Then 1/2 a teaspoon of Dried Basil
There is a danger of making it italian here
But I'm was very pleased with the result
It's definitely closer
We may just be missing a herb ingredient

[blade1212]

What about a tiny amout of mint sauce. It is very often used in BIR to make Tikka and Pakora sauces.

[pete]

What about a tiny amout of mint sauce. It is very often used in BIR to make Tikka and Pakora sauces.

Worth a try
I'm "testing" tomorrow
The trouble is that these tests take ages
It's got to be something easily available and cheap