Topic: ?The BIR style wagon?

[abdulmohed2002]

Abdul,

They look great with your rice and will be making them soon. When you have time can you post up your rice recipe for this dish or is it in your book that i have?


Regards

Alan

Hi Alan,

You can use the rice recipe from the book but replace the mixed vegetable with sliced runner beans and do not add the egg.

Thank you,

Abdul

[abdulmohed2002]

Thanks very much Abdul for your posts here. Perhaps you  will understand that after nearly four decades of searching for The Grail I got behind the scenes at The Ashoka and found heaven. Having been given a full demo of cooking everything required and home version recipes together with the actual chefs handbook I have felt no real need to cook anything else. I was after The Glasgow taste and smell and now have it but that said I have been willing to have a go at the definitive English style now that I am living in Kent. I have made a full batch of The Ashoka kit this past week but my dinner party has been postponed this weekend so I now intend to make a batch of your base and Tarka so thanks for the inspiration. If you don't mind can anyone here give us feedback on your Madras. I have your book on it's way to add to my collection. I am sure we are all delighted that you have joined us not only to share your recipes but equally important your experience , thanks again PP

Hi PP,

Thank you very much for your comment  and I hope you will enjoy cooking the recipes in the book; if you need any further help then please let me know and keep an eye on the wagon where I will be posting different recipes.

If there is a particular dish you would like me to post then let me know.

If you do decide to make the madras then let us know how you find it 

Thank you,

Abdul

[abdulmohed2002]

Pre cooked mixed vegetable

Ingredients

Mixed vegetable (500g)
1 red potato  peeled and cut into small cubes
Olive oil  6 tbsp
2 onions ? finely chopped
Garlic and ginger mix (40:60)
Salt  1 and half tsp (according to taste)
Chopped Tomatoes 200g
8 spice  2 and half tsp
Tomato puree  2 tsp

Garnish
Fresh Coriander



 
Methods

1.   In a cooking pot add the olive oil and heat for 1 to 2 minutes.
2.   Then add the onion, garlic ginger mix, salt and cook until golden.




3.   Add the chopped tomatoes and cook again for 2 to 3 minutes.



4.   Add 8 Spice, tomato puree and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
5.   Then add 1 cup of water.
6.   Cook for 2 to 3 minutes to ensure the masalas are cooked well.
7.   Finally add the mixed vegetables and stir well.



8.   Cover the cooking pot with a lid and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes stirring occasionally. Then simmer for 10 minutes (est.). Check to ensure the vegetables are cooked. Bare in mind that the pre cooked mixed vegetable should be dry.
9.            Garnish with coriander




Now you can make a vegetable dish of your choice

OR

cool down (est. 90 minutes) and store (preferably use within 2 days) in a fridge (0-5 celcius).

[Panpot]

I bought myself enough to make two batches of Abdulmohed's base. I also decided to make a half batch of the spice mix but even that I suspect is way too much for the average contributor here unless you are having curry every day. If it works for me in future I will make quarter batches. Anyway I have now made two batches of the base. It has a pleasant taste but certainly needs additional water before blending as it is too thick for me. Having said that once it was about right I got 17 portions in bags and into the freezer from the first batch, so I am more than happy with that. I am however confused with the book in that there is no mention of the Tarka and it's not used in the recipes indeed not may use ginger and with no bread or rice recipes I feel it would be disappointing for a beginner. Also I would have expected to see a recipe for a Madras, so I am delighted to have yet another book or in this case a booklet but would be more inclined to follow the authors post here. I feel that Abdulmohed should post here understanding that most if not all of us are looking for additional insights or definitive BIR recipes and should not assume we would be beginners as the book kind of does. Clearly I have yet to have a go with the recipes and will do so sometime soon. I don't want to waste precious time and effort cooking The Madras on page four if it has been adapted for beginners and home kitchens rather I would be grateful for any Madras loving and proficient member here to comment either having tried it themselves or who from experience can give a reasoned opinion on it. They say life is too short to drink cheap wine but life is too short to cook inferior curry when you already know how to get it right for your own regional taste buds. I am genuinely grateful for the opportunity to stock up on another base and for these posts and recipes but I do want my first Madras ever to be on the mark in terms of our high standards here. I hope this helps and if any additional input can be given to those of us who are very confident in our reproduction of BIR quality to better use these recipes then I am sure it will be appreciated. Cheers Panpot

[Panpot]

I've now bagged my second batch and this time got 13 portions. Slightly thicker in consistency and perhaps the veg was smaller, who knows.

I have pre cooked the chicken as per the post and will cook a couple of curries tonight from the posts or the book.

Once the cooked chicken is removed I intend to blitz it and keep it for a base to a veggie curry some time in the future. Will report on my results, thanks again Abdulmohed. PP

[976bar]

Hi Panpot,

I too have bought the booklet and have made my second batch of base. It is a very thick base and I put this down to the potato added, which will always thicken a dish. I actually got 3 1/2 litres out of the basic recipe but after adding water because I thought it was too thick ended up with over 5 litres of the stuff, which I find hard to freeze in my small freezer.

I like the base because of the chili kick but I am thinking that I prefer Taz's base because of it's flavor.

I think my next quest will be making both bases and then making my favorite dish which is Garlic Chili Chicken using both bases and then deciding on which base I prefer most.

Indeed, I would have thought that the booklet would have contained at least a Madras dish, and I have e-mailed Abdulmohed on making a Bhuna which is my favorite dish and even sent him the recipe that I use, but never got a reply.

It makes me think that this could be just a money making exercise for Abdulmohed as I have not seen any significant changes in what I currently produce compared to anything of his....

I've made the Chicken Tikka from his booklet and it doesn't come anywhere as near as nice as Blades recipe, and I have also made the Chicken Tikka Masala, which again doesn't compare with what I am already making.......

So, once again the quandary is.....

No matter where you go or what you try whether it be someones home cooked curry or a restaurant curry or a curry from someone else's book, does it suit you're palate? and if not, is there a definitive curry that would suit everyone's palate?

I think that everyone here is trying to dig for gold, when in practice, most have already found it.......

Those that haven't, I guess need to spend the 5 or 6 or more years that the rest of us have in practicing until they get their preferred dish...

I hope this doesn't sound too harsh as I have found everything I needed to make my perfect dishes from this forum and I thank everyone for their contributions over the years, I just hope everyone else does too

[haldi]

Pre cooked mixed vegetable

Thank you so much for this
I have seen quite a bit in takeaway kitchens but it's so easy to miss something
I look forward to a vindaloo or something similar to go with this
Thanks

[chewytikka]

I bought myself enough to make two batches of Abdulmohed's base. I also decided to make a half batch of the spice mix but even that I suspect is way too much for the average contributor here unless you are having curry every day. If it works for me in future I will make quarter batches. Anyway I have now made two batches of the base. It has a pleasant taste but certainly needs additional water before blending as it is too thick for me. Having said that once it was about right I got 17 portions in bags and into the freezer from the first batch, so I am more than happy with that. I am however confused with the book in that there is no mention of the Tarka and it's not used in the recipes indeed not may use ginger and with no bread or rice recipes I feel it would be disappointing for a beginner. Also I would have expected to see a recipe for a Madras, so I am delighted to have yet another book or in this case a booklet but would be more inclined to follow the authors post here. I feel that Abdulmohed should post here understanding that most if not all of us are looking for additional insights or definitive BIR recipes and should not assume we would be beginners as the book kind of does. Clearly I have yet to have a go with the recipes and will do so sometime soon. I don't want to waste precious time and effort cooking The Madras on page four if it has been adapted for beginners and home kitchens rather I would be grateful for any Madras loving and proficient member here to comment either having tried it themselves or who from experience can give a reasoned opinion on it. They say life is too short to drink cheap wine but life is too short to cook inferior curry when you already know how to get it right for your own regional taste buds. I am genuinely grateful for the opportunity to stock up on another base and for these posts and recipes but I do want my first Madras ever to be on the mark in terms of our high standards here. I hope this helps and if any additional input can be given to those of us who are very confident in our reproduction of BIR quality to better use these recipes then I am sure it will be appreciated. Cheers Panpot

Hi Panpot
Abdul's Madras is very similar to the Madras I know well, here in the Northeast.
I think it would be worth your effort, to give it a try.

You could possibly compare the two, especially when you have all that base to play with.
I've posted my Madras video recipe, it explains the Tarka technique here
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=5634.msg55685#msg55685
On joining cr0, I posted a pdf recipe, which I made from footage at a local restaurant
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=5376.msg53069#msg53069
Hope this helps.
cheers Chewy

[abdulmohed2002]

Hi Panpot and 976bar,

Thank you for your feedback, sorry that the dishes are not to your taste, however, before all the dishes were put into the book they had been tasted both in the restaurant and at home.  Every feedback is important to me as it will help me to improve on my next volume.


I have just double checked my email, if you still would like a recipe for the bhuna then let me know as I have missed replying.

Although, after weeks of puting effort into posting recipes onto this site, breaking down the BIR process to make it easier for our members I am suprised that the 'money making' comment has arised. Baring in mind that I have not advertised in my posts.

Thank you,

Abdul

[Panpot]

Thanks guys and especially Abdul for providing the recipes. I made the Chicken Madras and the Chicken Ceylon and both were very good, indeed my wife loved them both. I can't compare with anything as I have never ordered either before believe it or not. So if someone else can I would certainly appreciated their opinion. I had no Coconut cream so mixed about a 5th of a can of coconut milk and coconut powder to make a paste before adding a little more coconut milk as it cooked through.

I also added the rest of the can to the remains of the pre cooking sauce for the chicken to make a rather tasty base for a korma sometime in the future. I got 8 portions out of it so please there too.

If I can be so bold as to suggest to Abdul that you post the requests for recipes that you can give us on here rather than reply privately to emails it will help us all. If you are going to do a second book it might be best to do direct recipes for the reader and don't make changes but be absolutely strict about authentic ingredients as per the BIR kitchen and let us do our best to duplicate. That would be a best seller and a must buy for all of us here past and present.

I look forward to any more of your recipes you can give us as I have 28 portions or there abouts of your base and a tub full of your spice mix. Thanks again and I wish you every success with the book and don't personally think you have been selling it here. PP