Topic: My Old Favourite Chicken Tikka Jahl Freizi with singed spices

[Terramamba]

With huge interest and inspiration I was ready to singe the spices. WOW! This curry (take one) was probably, no definetly the best curry I have ever made, because the taste, colour, depth of flavour were all there. It was not as good as my local TA, but I was happy.

Lessons learnt from earlier attempts, ingredients in order.



And rice remembered.



Then it all starts to go mad as the aromas of a great curry emerge in front of me. Spatters (Artistry!) of sauce dapple everywhere, I think I could have singed the spices for longer but I was a bit scared of over doing it. I followed Chewy Tikkas tip of using the spoon around the edge of the pan to bring in the caramalisation of the sauce into the dish.

Waiting for the oil to rise.



I had already grilled the naan bread, as in an earlier curry, so carried away with the cooking of the curry, alarmed by the definite burning smell, decided to grill naan beforehand. Always learning. No, what I need is a commis chef!

Take one results, the rice looks plain and boring, but I guess that is rice. Although a few days ago the local TA gave me plain rice instead of vegetable, there was something so delicious about this rice that went so very well with my Vindaloo that I am now a fan. The naan bread, having been grilled some time before is cold, but edible, the home made chutney is fab, the home made raita is good, the beer, is well good beer.
The curry, wow, yes I am blowing my own trumpet here, but it was amazing, tasty, savoury, had that deep rich red colour I am after, I really felt I was getting close to the BIR taste.
Roll on Take Two!

Take Two was tonight, hopeful of re-creating last weeks dish I get all my prep nicely organised.

Naan cooked beforehand



Rice on the go



Singe those spices, scary!!!



Are they too dark? I thought so, but no taste of bitterness in the final dish.



Followed the recipe http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=5699.0 Chewys video recipe  ;D



Alarm bells are ringing, the curry is not the same colour as Take One, I did add more veg, trying to make it healthy, would that really have made such a difference? Waiting for the oil to rise.



Final dish, used Tilda Basmati, never bought before as shop brand is cheaper, but wow, quite a difference, naan gone a bit cold, but not burnt! Shop bought poppadoms, ok but not as good as freshly fried, all my chutneys are excellent, the raita was a bit hot as I shook the chilli powder in, instead of using a spoon. The curry itself was a bit disappointing after Take One being so good. At this point I got curry sauce on my camera lens, doh!!!  :



The colour is the first thing I noticed that was different, taste was ok, BUT I will keep calm, drink more beer, and curry on!



I do like the proper curry serving dishes, after seeing some great looking curries on here served in these I thought they might improve things for me, sadly I was wrong.

Strikes me I have still got a lot of work to do, but I will get there.

My new Ali pan is great, thanks for the tip

Try here Terramamba 

http://www.dadibhais.com/index.php/kitchen/cookware/frying-omelette-pans.html

6.50p for postage upto 20kg

Frank 


http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=5632.0

All the best curry lovers
 ;D

[fishy]

Nice post, i like the fact your drinking special brew with your curry it cleans the palette better than wine

[Razor]

Hi Terramamba,

Could you list the ingredients that you have in your first picture please?

I'm trying to work out why it went so dark and my first thought was, too much spice?  I see tom puree but I also see another bowl (4th one along, top row) which I'm struggling to recognise?  Tom puree can burn (go very dark) if it has not been diluted enough with water!

My tip (others may dissagree or use an alternative method) "heat, cool, heat, cool, etc....  What I mean by that is, control the heat by adding each ingredient one at a time, getting the pan very hot, and just as you've gotten as brave as you can, quench it with a spoon full of base gravy.  This should ensure that nothing burns but extracts as much flavour as possible from each ingredient.

Ray

[Terramamba]

Hi Terramamba,

Could you list the ingredients that you have in your first picture please?

Hi Ray! 

Top row, left to right
1. coriander
2. uncooked tomato, onion and peppers (I like to add near the end for texture)
3. cooked chicken
4. Tikka masala
5. chopped chillies

Bottom row, left to right
1. dilute tomato puree
2. spices
3. cooked peppers and onion
4. G and G

Too much spice, you may well have something there! I used mix powder, methi, chilli powder - two types and mild one and some Deggi Mirch.

The tom puree was very dilute, a tip that was given me a while back.

I like your tip, thank you, perhaps I need to follow that heat, cool, heat, cool thing more.

Cheers Colette  ;D

[Terramamba]

Nice post, i like the fact your drinking special brew with your curry it cleans the palette better than wine

Thank you Rich, I have to disagree with you, (sorry  ) nothing cleans the palate better than wine, but nothing goes with a curry better than great beer, especially Special Brew! 

[fishy]

Thank you Rich, I have to disagree with you, (sorry  ) nothing cleans the palate better than wine, but nothing goes with a curry better than great beer, especially Special Brew! 
[/quote]

Yeh gotta argree with you there, i like a phall after several brews (numbs the pain) ;D

[gary]

Hey Terramamba,
Did you neglect to add the tikka masala sauce on take 2? that could account for the difference in colour.

On the colour of the singed spices, I'd say brave, borderline, but still ok

Quick chefs' tip: pour rather than shake  seasonings in to the dish if you can, that way you can physically see how much you are putting in.

Nice post

Gary

[Razor]

Hi Colette,

Too much spice, you may well have something there! I used mix powder, methi, chilli powder - two types and mild one and some Deggi Mirch.

I see.  In my current Jal Frezi, I only use 1 tsp of mixed powder and 1 tsp (heaped) of Kashmiri mirch (MDH brand, as it gives great colour)  I use about 4 - 6 green chillies, sliced lengthways to get the heat right and of course, peppers, onions and tomatoes.

The tikka masala that you're using, is it the type you would use as a marinade or actual tikka masala sauce (if that makes sence?)

It's good that you dilute your tom puree well as this can be used as one of your "quenchers" as can base gravy. 

I'm still thinking that the amount of powdered spces may be the culprit but once you have confirmed the quantities, we'll have a better idea.

.....and Carlsberg Special Brew......are ya mad or what?

Ray ;D

[Terramamba]

Hey Terramamba,
Did you neglect to add the tikka masala sauce on take 2? that could account for the difference in colour.

On the colour of the singed spices, I'd say brave, borderline, but still ok

Quick chefs' tip: pour rather than shake  seasonings in to the dish if you can, that way you can physically see how much you are putting in.

Nice post

Gary

Hi Gary 

The tikka masala is just out of shot on take two, well noticed though!

Thank you, yes I will be measuring spices more carefully in future! A careless mistake, but then that is how I learn!

Thanks for your comments, all the best  ;D

[Terramamba]

Hi Colette,

Too much spice, you may well have something there! I used mix powder, methi, chilli powder - two types and mild one and some Deggi Mirch.

I see.  In my current Jal Frezi, I only use 1 tsp of mixed powder and 1 tsp (heaped) of Kashmiri mirch (MDH brand, as it gives great colour)  I use about 4 - 6 green chillies, sliced lengthways to get the heat right and of course, peppers, onions and tomatoes.

The tikka masala that you're using, is it the type you would use as a marinade or actual tikka masala sauce (if that makes sence?)

It's good that you dilute your tom puree well as this can be used as one of your "quenchers" as can base gravy. 

I'm still thinking that the amount of powdered spices may be the culprit but once you have confirmed the quantities, we'll have a better idea.

.....and Carlsberg Special Brew......are ya mad or what?

Ray ;D

Hi Ray 

I used a heaped tsp of mixed spice, heaped tsp mild chilli powder and one tsp MDH chilli powder.

The tikka masala I use is yogurt, Pataks kashmiri, tikka and tandoori paste, tsp each, mix powder, G & G paste, tsp mustard oil, red food colour, I use this to marinate the chicken and add to final dish, near the end of cooking.

I hope that helps, any suggestions are very welcome  ;D

Carlsberg Special Brew, Mad Me Nah, just human, I like my beer 

All the best
Colette