Topic: Just got my Kushi Balti Book!

[Mark J]

Indeed, Im not knocking the book, its great, Ive just given it a glowing review on amazon.

It may not generate the taste (not that any book would really) but its got recipes from a BIR chef, what more could you ask for

[pete]

I've tried some of the recipes
I froze myself to death yesterday, getting mace for the base
I made the base
On it's own it's ok
I like the method it's cooked, so you add a spiced water, to the onion mix.
You end up with the right runny consistancy
But, hand on my heart, I don't think it's a patch on Kris Dhillon's.
Too many aromatic spices
If you have a spoon of KD's base, there is something familiar and restaurant about it.
But this is like a spiced stew

So I carried on and did the precooked veg
That was a major success
The best I have ever done
Excellent method
I will do this again
But salty!!
You don't need any salt in the finished curry

I made a veg balti madras
I was so dissapointed
Maybe it's the spice mix, maybe the base
Who knows?
I was so excited, but this was an absolute stinker
Even an amateur would be ashamed
Nothing like anything I have ever had
If I found somewhere that sold this, I would never go back

I tried the red "Masala" to go with CTM
I had everything except the pomegranite seeds
This would be excellent but for the "kewra" water
On it's own kewra water tastes like you are sucking a joss stick
When you reduce te sauce down, this smell dominates
I don't recognise it
There is a red sauce added to CTM, perhaps a version of this is used.
But what I saw
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=538.0
was a much runnier mixture than this turns out.
The chef told me that it did have coconut powder and sugar in it.
The Kushi version is almost like jam
Very nice, except for the Kewra bouquet

I am overall saddened by today
I haven't made a curry that was anywhere as good as stuff we do here
Any one else tried?

[blade1212]

That's disappointing news. I might try the KD base with the Kushi final spice mix tonight. That's about the only thing in this book that looks half decent.

I'm making Chicken Tikka and was going to use the Kushi method but have you seen the quantity of powdered spices that goes into the marinade. I can guarantee this recipe would be rank.

Chas posted a good recipe for Tikka recently, but I'll try the "Balti Kitchen Video" version tonight for a change.

[Yellow Fingers]

Hi Pete

I really thought the madras would turn out quite good just because of its simplicity, it's discouraging to hear that it was a pig! I think the spice mix is reasonably close to the Bruce Edwards one, so I suspect it's the base that's the problem.

When I first got the book, the first thing I looked at was the base sauce recipe and it immediately reminded me of recipes I had used in the early days, which were more authentic Indian, because I didn't know any better at the time. There is always a preponderance of whole spices.

Looks like it's back to the drawing board then, but I will still try it once I've got through my current batch of base.

Oh BTW, did you cook it as per the book, or did you employ the techniques we have developed on this site, high heat, reused oil, that sort of thing?

[pete]

Hi YF
        I did it exactly as the book
Using our methods ,on this site, we can  still use a lot of the info, in the book
I think you're right
The trouble was in the base

[Mark J]

I will do the rogan josh tonight, but will only use the final dish recipe. I will use spiced oil, base and precook chicken from my cracked it thread (and if anyone hasnt tried the recipes in that thread I strongly suggest you do)

[raygraham]

Hi All,

I have just finished the base myself and must say it is fairly aromatic. I travelled 20 miles to get the Mace which on the face of it is only a small part of the spicing used. On it's own it is a pretty pungeant spice isn't it!
 
I have had three replies from the Kushi "help line" so far so at least they seem keen to help. I thought the base smelled and tasted nice, and reminicent of one or two I have made before "100 Best Balti's" perhaps. It does seem to me to have a predominant "cinnamon" taste so maybe I put in a bit much.
I think it has some potential so it may well be spoilt by the addition of the spice mix? I can't give my findings yet as I am not making a curry from it until tomorrow so will report again then.

I have not made KD's base for some time so it may be the time to give it a try again for a comparison.

Ray

[Mark J]

Made the rogan josh using the different base and pre cook method as i said, I used the kushi spice mix and followed the recipe exactly apart from the base and pre cook.

I thought the end result was ok but not spectacular, this maybe because in one of the stages I under did the onions, they were a bit crunchy

[Mark J]

This would be excellent but for the "kewra" water

I was very suprised to see this, cant say Ive seen too much kewra water in the BIR kitchens Ive been in  ;D

Pete, for the main dishes dig you start with veg oil or spiced oil?

[pete]

I have just finished the base myself and must say it is fairly aromatic. I travelled 20 miles to get the Mace which on the face of it is only a small part of the spicing used. On it's own it is a pretty pungeant spice isn't it!
Ray

Twenty miles!
That's dedication
How far is it to your nearest BIR?
I went out Friday night to get my Mace
It was freezing and I was on my push bike
Very few places seem to sell Mace
Including Asian supermarkets
Do you know why?
It's because restaurants don't use it
Well maybe one, in the entire UK
I weighed all ingredients (for the base) and it tastes like a spicy soup/stew
I am sure this is a genuine book by a genuine chef
There is a lot of usefull information in it too
But you are never going to make anything like a BIR using this base
You might as well use a can of Baxters Country vegetable soup, then add a teaspoon of curry powder.

Sorry George, you were right.

Pete, for the main dishes did you start with veg oil or spiced oil?

I used ordinairy fresh veg oil

I actually threw the finished curry away
It was that rubbish
The aroma is horrid
All this brown the garlic then brown the onions is totally over the top too.
The whole thing runs too close to being burnt
Not much fresh about that
I think the onions should be cooked for far less
The author cannot cook as this book describes
I don't believe it
I  had a bought veg Balti only a week back, and it was absolutely delicious
It was full of extra tomato & onion and it also had the "taste"

I will use spiced oil, and base from my cracked it thread (and if anyone hasnt tried the recipes in that thread I strongly suggest you do)

These methods are brilliant
Thanks Mark

Hey, what's happened to Blondie?
No posts so far on this
He tried a few of these recipes before publishing, didn't he?