Topic: Curryheads "Madras 2011"

[Peripatetic Phil]

No need to quote anything : your words will be burned into everyone's brain.  Brilliant report, and many many congratulations.

So that puts the "Madras 2011 Quest" to bed, I guess; what next, chaps ?!

** Phil.

[Stephen Lindsay]

cheers Ray that makes sense, am defo gonna give this a try and will try and do pics too.

[Razor]

Hi Phil,

So that puts the "Madras 2011 Quest" to bed, I guess; what next, chaps ?!

Well, it does for me but I strongly urge all the participants to give this a go!  Do it to spec first, that way, you can very easily identify what changes are need, if any are needed.

I'm not exaggerating when I say that, you really can taste every ingredient in this curry, that's why it's very easy to identify what you may wish to alter.

Ray

[Stephen Lindsay]

I guess it doesn't put the quest to bed for me cause I haven't made it yet but I think I know what you mean Phil. I'm feeling you have been more enthusiastic about this curry than in other posts Ray, even though you have produced results you have been satisfied with before. That gives great hope for this Madras project and I hope I have similar results.

[Curry Barking Mad]

Hi Ray,
What a report, great stuff.

Making the little changes that you feel takes you closer to the taste you want has clearly worked for you and I applaud you for it.
I am very pleased that you have obviously got the method correct.

Good work Ray,
Regards,
Mick

[Razor]

Hi Stephen,

I'm feeling you have been more enthusiastic about this curry than in other posts Ray, even though you have produced results you have been satisfied with before.

Yeah, I guess I have.  It really does replicate my fave TA's madras.  He is also Pakistani and I'm wondering if both his and Taz's methods are the same?  The outcome is so remarkably similar that I'm sure that it must be.

The thing with of the Taz/Mick stuff, is how simple it all is, which for me, epitomises what BIR cooking should be.  Afterall, they're not in it for love, they want to make a profit. So their methods would need to be so simple, to increase their margins.

I don't really know where this leaves my own base now, because I'm sold on this one.  I may try and develop mine a bit further but I'm sure that if I did, it would only end up being a Taz base clone!

My next experiment with this base, has to be in the blending.  I really need to sort out a decent blender to smash the coriander seed but apart from that, this is a BRITISH INDIAN RESTAURANT madras, lol

Ray ;D

[Razor]

Hi Mick,

I am very pleased that you have obviously got the method correct.

I'm totally gutted that the image hosting site is down.  I've done a step by step pictorial and it really shows each stage brilliantly.

The first reduction is great, as it becomes so obvious when it's ready to take the second lot of base.  Like I said, it's almost foolproof.

Many thanks Mick, I think this one is going to save me a few quid in the future, and ya never know, it may even make me a few quid along the way

Ray ;D

[PaulP]

Hi Ray,

I'm really pleased it worked for you 
I made a similar dish last night. I opened my sealed pack of Deggi Mirch and tasted it - I was surprised it was a bit hotter than I expected.

So I cooked following Mick's recipe fairly closely and used:

400 ml Taz base
1 Tablespoon chopped garlic
2.5 teaspoons Taz spice mix
2.5 teaspoons Deggi Mirch
Pinch of methi
1 Tablespoon tom puree
A squirt of real fresh lemon juice
Salt
Pre-cooked chicken
Fresh coriander

The curry was very nice and I have some left here at work for my lunch. If I don't sound so over enthusiastic I guess I've been cooking like this for some time so there were no suprises for me.

It will be great to hear what others think.

Regards,

Paul

[PaulP]

I didn't take any photos last night. It would be really helpful for people who have never tried this method to see the start and end of the main reduction.

It is difficult knowing when to stop reducing the first lot of base and now I'm wondering whether I go far enough with it.

Let's hope the image hosting gets fixed and we can see Ray's photos.

Paul

[Razor]

Hi Paul,

Let's hope the image hosting gets fixed and we can see Ray's photos.

Yeah, gutted about that because the picture really shows how far to reduce the first lot of base down.

My enthusiasm for this base/madras recipe is because, it is almost identical to my favourite TA's madras.

Some people may think of it as good, but not their "eureka" moment.  Everybody's tastes are different but for me, it's put to bed MY personal madras quest.

Can't wait to see what others think.

Ray