Topic: Cooking Lessons with Az

[martinvic]

Yep, separate thread please.

Maybe ask members not to post/comment on it till all you guys have finished adding all your notes,videos etc., and are happy with it first.

Cheers
Martin

[natterjak]

Just reading back the Roshney Chicken thread it makes so much more sense now I've cooked it with Az next to me providing guidance. http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=5419.msg57274#msg57274

All the key elements are described right there in the previous thread. The burning of the spices, the masala sauce 1/3 chef spoon and the browned garlic added towards the end.

[natterjak]

Hi

I have a lot of video footage from the day such as forum members cooking various dishes under direction of Az including Bhuna, Roshney, Phal and Az cooking Saag Bhaji for example.

Planning to make a start on trying to get this tidied up and may be to start uploading tonight. Would these be best posted in this thread or would a separate 'Cooking Lessons with Az - Video Clips & Notes' thread be better?

Perhaps JB would care to post his notes in there too - maybe more helpful to the forum members if they are together?

What do we think?

Thanks

I would suggest both. The videos are at home in this thread but it will also provide easier access to have a record thread with them all kept together. I think we have a section for videos do we not?

[natterjak]

By the way, on the subject of cooking lessons with Az, I would be up for an "advanced course" (if you want to call it that) but essentially a return trip to focus just on the final dishes and some veg dishes and maybe naans to cement what we learned this time, ask further questions arising from our own efforts at home and hopefully learn some of the finer points.

For me the most useful part of the lesson yesterday was the cooking of the final curries but it was also the point where I was most frazzled after 3 hrs or so and of course it all takes place so quick it's hard to take it in. With multiple dishes being cooked simultaneously it was hard to stay across the various dishes and understand their differences.  What would be an excellent would be to arrive after the prep is done so we have base sauce, pre cooked meat, masala sauce, etc all available and have more of a demo format, where Az cooks a dish then we attempt it ourselves. We can then eat as we go, or pack them into takeaway cartons to take home. I appreciate this would cost more as we would get through more ingredients in a session.

Well I'm just talking out loud anyway, would be interesting to see what anyone else thinks. And maybe after yesterday Az wouldn't want us back 

[abdulmohed2002]

I would like to congratulate everyone who had the opportunity to go and experience the real thing yesterday and sharing it with the form along with videos. I am waiting for JBs report and I hope his previous experience was a help.

Abdul

[natterjak]

Does anyone know whether this "Coconut milk powder" is suitable for use as the coconut powder in Az's Masala sauce?

http://www.theasiancookshop.co.uk/coconut-milk-powder--maggi-2229-p.asp

[ELW]

Does anyone know whether this "Coconut milk powder" is suitable for use as the coconut powder in Az's Masala sauce?

http://www.theasiancookshop.co.uk/coconut-milk-powder--maggi-2229-p.asp

I use it nearly every time coconut is called for, the only stuff that doesn't work is the desiccated stuff

Regards
ELW

[jb]

I would like to congratulate everyone who had the opportunity to go and experience the real thing yesterday and sharing it with the form along with videos. I am waiting for JBs report and I hope his previous experience was a help.

Abdul

Hi Abdul hope you are well.Just about to start typing up my notes.My lessons with you certainly gave me an excellent footing to go on and experience cooking in a genuine restaurant.Some things were different and some things very similar indeed.As Az pointed out,especially with the gravy there is no right or wrong way,just a different interpretation by each chef.

[natterjak]

Does anyone know whether this "Coconut milk powder" is suitable for use as the coconut powder in Az's Masala sauce?

http://www.theasiancookshop.co.uk/coconut-milk-powder--maggi-2229-p.asp

I use it nearly every time coconut is called for, the only stuff that doesn't work is the desiccated stuff

Regards
ELW

Great, thanks ELW. I won't be buying from that link by the way, it's only

[jb]

By the way, on the subject of cooking lessons with Az, I would be up for an "advanced course" (if you want to call it that) but essentially a return trip to focus just on the final dishes and some veg dishes and maybe naans to cement what we learned this time, ask further questions arising from our own efforts at home and hopefully learn some of the finer points.

For me the most useful part of the lesson yesterday was the cooking of the final curries but it was also the point where I was most frazzled after 3 hrs or so and of course it all takes place so quick it's hard to take it in. With multiple dishes being cooked simultaneously it was hard to stay across the various dishes and understand their differences.  What would be an excellent would be to arrive after the prep is done so we have base sauce, pre cooked meat, masala sauce, etc all available and have more of a demo format, where Az cooks a dish then we attempt it ourselves. We can then eat as we go, or pack them into takeaway cartons to take home. I appreciate this would cost more as we would get through more ingredients in a session.

Well I'm just talking out loud anyway, would be interesting to see what anyone else thinks. And maybe after yesterday Az wouldn't want us back 

I agree by the end of the day it was hard to stay focused on everything that was going on.I'm hoping Az would be up for another lesson.I know he was a bit nervous but he did a great job and I think he enjoyed having us.Natterjack's idea seems a good one to me,I too would like a bit more practice cooking the final dishes.Maybee also making naan breads and onion bhajis as well.