Topic: BIR Curry Lessons

[chriswg]

It might sounds like a cop out, but the big thing was all about the method and speed to get ingredients in the pan. If you take too long getting the tomato puree in the pan the spices and garlic burn. Working at a high heat takes practice, not just a method. That said, there is nothing I saw or did that couldn't be done at home on a normal hob. You just need to make sure the veg ghee is really hot before starting the dish.

The garlic had maybe 10 seconds in the pan (it went brown and sticky quite quickly) then it was quickly in with the chilli powder, mix powder, a TINY amount of salt, some thin tomato dilute (a chefs spoon) and a squeeze of lemon dressing. This was back on the heat for maybe 30 seconds and quickly formed a paste with the tomato dilute mixing with the powders. As soon as the paste was done in went the gravy and meat, it bubbled down until the right thickness (thinner than I would think). Then in with a small handful of coriander and into the tray ready to be packed.

I did a couple and the second was much better as I was starting to get the hang of getting things in quickly. None of the customers complained so it couldn't have been too bad

[emin-j]

chriswg, how much veg ghee was used please.

[976bar]

Count me in Chris.

I am currently in the USA in Florida and went to the Green Chili in St. Petersburg last Saturday for what I thought was going to be a cooking lesson. It turned out that there were 12 of us at $80 each for an hour and a half watching the chef prepare a chicken curry, a vegetable byriani, some raita and took us into the kitchen to show us the tandoor making a naan bread. It was only that my girlfriend had a voucher for $40 each that we attended, but otherwise this would have cost us $80 a piece.

As I suspected, they do not use a base sauce here but cook everything from fresh, but it did not taste like BIR as we know it, more like traditional Indian home cooking, but they have a thriving business here with food like that. I am sure if one of us were to open a BIR style restaurant over here, we would probably put the rest out of business....... it really is not that good........

So all in all, a mediocre meal, quite bland and if you do the sums, $880 for 1 and 1/2 hours demonstration....... not a bad little earner for a Saturday afternoon once the restaurant has closed from the lunchtime session and before they open for the evening one...........

[chriswg]

He didn't use very much veg ghee at all. He doesn't like to produce really oily curries but I guess this is dependant on your personal taste.

When he was cooking he would often put a chefs spoon of ghee in the pan get it really hot then pour it all out into the pot leaving just an oiled pan.

[976bar]

He didn't use very much veg ghee at all. He doesn't like to produce really oily curries but I guess this is dependant on your personal taste.

When he was cooking he would often put a chefs spoon of ghee in the pan get it really hot then pour it all out into the pot leaving just an oiled pan.

Sounds good to me

[Razor]

Hi Chris,

You mention in your opening post about the gravy being much weaker/dilute than you would have expected.  Just to clarify, would you suggest making the base as usual but add a greater volume of water after blending?

For some time now, I've always thought that my sauce is a tad thicker than that, that I would get in a BIR or TA which is fine for the Bhuna type dishes, not so good for a Madras though!

Think I'm going to do a little bit of experimenting with a thinner base, less garlic and less spice.

Ray

p.s, 50 quid for 4 hours tuition, awesome value for money, may even be worth me making a trip from up north lol

[Ramirez]

So Chris, what are the next steps with this? Definitely up for it if Az is.

[chriswg]

He's only taking over the restaurant on the 2nd October and he wants to get some refurbishment work done. I suggest if we can come up with a Sunday when a few of us can make it I'll get it booked in. I suggest maybe the 30th October or 6th November as possibilities. I'll suggest maybe teaching and cooking from 10am - 1pm then eating and Q and A from 1pm - 2pm. Does that sound like a plan?

[Peripatetic Phil]

6th November would be better for Lynn and I, Chris.
** Phil.

[Ramirez]

Both dates are fine for me at the moment.