Topic: ?The BIR style wagon?

[abdulmohed2002]

Hi Abdul could you explain Method 6 please, how much gravy and water are you using.

Hi Unclefrank,

I have modified the post, thank you for pointing it out!  ;D

1 pint of gravy and quarter pint of water, I had forgotten it does not show symbols 

Abdul

[Les]

Abdul
Could you please tell me how many servings your recipes produce, Thanks,

BTW Made your staff chicken recipe last week for the family, and it went down a treat, especially eating the chicken off the bone, never had such a mess at the table but all good fun, which is what food is all about

Cheers HS

Hi hotstuff09

The dishes are enough to serve 2 to 3 people.

I am happy that you have tried it and had a wonderful time  ;D, thank you once again 

Abdul

Thank You Abdul

[Unclefrank]

No problem Abdul 

[alarmist10]

Hi Abdul

Thanks for the reply to my question about the oil in the recipes!  Feeling reassured, I went ahead and made a batch of your base gravy 2 days ago and used your Madras recipe to create a main dish.  The results were disappointing.  While the gravy had a good smell to it and certainly looked 'the business', the finished Madras lacked strength of the spice flavour I'd alsways associated with a Madras. 

It was only last night as I reviewed my use of ingredients and the process I'd used - I refused to believe that your recipes were in any way deficient! - that I realised what had happened.  When I was making the gravy I managed to confuse myself over 2 sets of measurements that I had in front of me.....so I'd not used the correct quantity of spices given all the ingredients in the base.  For example, where your spice mix calls for 100g of Mild Madras curry powder, I had only used 4 tsp!  Instead of 100g of Ground Coriander I had used 4 tsp; instead of 50g Garam Masala I had used 2 tsp.....etc, etc!!

Little wonder the damn thing tasted a bit bland!!!!!  I am now suitably angry at my own stupidity.  My only excuse is that this was my first attempt at a base gravy of any sort.......but it does reinforce a message for newcomers such as me:  make sure you check all your ingredients/measurements before you start.

One final observation:  although the dish lacked 'strength' and 'depth', there was a sufficient taste there to convince me that, when I get things right, it will be a great base gravy!!

Again, thanks for the recipes.....and the lesson!
Best
al.

[Les]

Abdul
Do you have a "Kachumber" recipe please, The one you use in your restaurant would be nice if you don't mind.

HS

[Unclefrank]

Hi alarmist get a few of the little metal pots they sell in Poundland or similiar shops think you get 5 or 8 for a pound heres a pic they are the same but without the lip http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=small+metal+indian+chutney+pots&um=1&hl=en&biw=1024&bih=533&tbm=isch&tbnid=yEJp1E2pXJyxoM:&imgrefurl=http://foodisthething.blogspot.com/2010_04_01_archive.html&docid=f3RdS5YkIGuVcM&imgurl=http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_JTHkIoacY6Q/S9gZ97NzlyI/AAAAAAAABok/VEhrtEGIWBk/s1600/DSC_0814.JPG&w=1600&h=1071&ei=2MOrTs_3OInj8APFyMT5Dg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=492&vpy=197&dur=491&hovh=184&hovw=275&tx=146&ty=101&sig=114311395176517461902&page=20&tbnh=141&tbnw=183&start=165&ndsp=8&ved=1t:429,r:6,s:165

or one of these http://www.spicesofindia.co.uk/acatalog/Indian-Food-Masala-Dabba-Complete.html

I ALWAYS use these pots, as i read the recipe i place each spice in each pot in order they go into the recipe.

[alarmist10]

Hi Unclefrank

Great idea.....thanks very much.  We don't have Poundland stores here in the Philippines, but I'm sure that I have seen something similar now that you have jogged my memory!!

[Unclefrank]

Didnt know what part of the world you were from but you get the idea  .

[natterjak]

Hi Abdul

Thanks for the reply to my question about the oil in the recipes!  Feeling reassured, I went ahead and made a batch of your base gravy 2 days ago and used your Madras recipe to create a main dish.  The results were disappointing.  While the gravy had a good smell to it and certainly looked 'the business', the finished Madras lacked strength of the spice flavour I'd alsways associated with a Madras. 

It was only last night as I reviewed my use of ingredients and the process I'd used - I refused to believe that your recipes were in any way deficient! - that I realised what had happened.  When I was making the gravy I managed to confuse myself over 2 sets of measurements that I had in front of me.....so I'd not used the correct quantity of spices given all the ingredients in the base.  For example, where your spice mix calls for 100g of Mild Madras curry powder, I had only used 4 tsp!  Instead of 100g of Ground Coriander I had used 4 tsp; instead of 50g Garam Masala I had used 2 tsp.....etc, etc!!

Little wonder the damn thing tasted a bit bland!!!!!  I am now suitably angry at my own stupidity.  My only excuse is that this was my first attempt at a base gravy of any sort.......but it does reinforce a message for newcomers such as me:  make sure you check all your ingredients/measurements before you start.

One final observation:  although the dish lacked 'strength' and 'depth', there was a sufficient taste there to convince me that, when I get things right, it will be a great base gravy!!

Again, thanks for the recipes.....and the lesson!
Best
al.

Alarmist, why would making the 8 spice in a smaller batch affect the taste of a finished curry? Surely all that matters is the proportions of the spices in the 8 spice mix and the amount of that 8 spice mix used in the final curry? 

[natterjak]

Hi alarmist10

Appreciate your question is directed to Abdul and I am not trying to answer necessarily on his behalf - just giveing you what I know from experience of making Abduls base 3 times now.

Basically, large stock pot, everything chucked in and cold, give it a good stir. On hob, bring nearly to boil and turn down to get a good hot simmer going and start the time from this point for 30 minutes. Allow to cool sufficiently to blend and with the standard quantity of ingredients everything is more than soft and ready to blend. Have found I needed to add extra water though at this stage. Always seems to come out a little too thick for me.

In my opinion, this is a top base coupled with Abduls 8 spice mix, really turning out some cracking curries and not looking to change base or spice mix anytime soon now I have found this, really suits the taste I am personally after.

Thanks Abdul - get book 2 out

SS are the good results you are obtaining using Abdul's recipes for curries, or using Abdul's spice mix and base to cook other curry recipes?  One thing which surprised me about some of Abdul's curry recipes is the lack of frying of the spices at the start. Normally it seems he fries onion, garlic and salt until golden then adds 8 spice and base sauce at the same time. So the spices would appear to be boiled and not fried?

This is different to most other recipes I've seen.