Topic: Chicken Jaflon vid

[curryhell]

Just a note on quantities in this recipe... I never quite agreed with those shown in the captions on the video when I freeze framed it and compared. Well in any case, having now made this around 25-30 times I've arrived at the following proportions which work for me:

- one third of a level teaspoon salt
- one level tablespoon mixed powder
- one level teaspoon tandoori masala
- one level teaspoon garam masala
- one heaped teaspoon Mr Naga

It always seems like a lot of garam masala to add to one portion, but it works well in conjunction with the other flavours.

Well that's save me scutinising the vid.  Cheers Chris

[natterjak]

Just to further clarify, I think I should be more specific by saying the spoonful of Mr Naga I usually use is more rounded than heaped and I don't add any chilli powder, there's enough heat from the Mr Naga to make a medium hot single portion. I use a third of a level teaspoon of salt but tastes differ in this respect and some might find that insufficient.

[Naga]

...and I don't add any chilli powder...

Hi NJ. Just to clarify - should there be any chilli powder in this dish? I didn't note it during my transcription of the video, but I could have missed it. And I definitely agree that there's sufficient heat from the Mr Naga after exposing my tastebuds to the stuff for the first time this afternoon!

[natterjak]

Hi, I don't add chilli powder. Without watching the video through again I can't say for sure whether the chef at the manzil adds any, but I guess my point is simply to say the Mr Naga adds enough heat a no chilli powder is necessary.

Ps, try to get some of the oil from the Mr Naga jar included in your spoonful. It really helps impart the special Mr Naga flavour. In fact I always add extra oil to my jars of Mr Naga to get those flavours into the oil.

[Naga]

Thanks for that, NJ. And thanks for the tip about the Mr Naga oil. I'll make sure I get some of it into the pan.

[meggeth]

Was going to cook this today, but in the end went for butter chicken. I love naga!! Adds a great flavour, but as mentioned, it is very powerful stuff! Think this recipe might be next on my list.   

[Naga]

I cooked this for tonight's dinner after transcribing the recipe from the video a couple of days ago.





I have to echo NJ's comments about the amount of powdered spice used, but it works very well and the curry turned out to be very nice indeed. First time using Mr Naga, but it provided a nice mouth heat and good flavour and I think I'd probably add a little more the next time.

It's on the list of favourites now.

[natterjak]

Looks very good naga, but where's the rest of the sauce? When I make it it's a runny curry!

[Naga]

...but where's the rest of the sauce?...

Aye...well...I would definitely use more base for this dish than I normally use for a double quantity. Also, I refrigerated half the curry for Friday (no curry for St. Valentine's Day dinner!) so I saved extra gravy so it wouldn't be too dry on reheat.

I know it looks a bit dry but there was plenty of sauce to coat the rice and it was certainly very palatable. I took note of your amendments to the spice quantities which were very welcome. But making a double quantity meant that when the dry spices hit the oil, they turned into a thick sludge and I had to add more oil. As soon as the first ladle of base hit the spices it was absorbed right in, so I had to add more gravy right at the start of cooking the spices though through.

I ended up cooking it longer and over a reduced heat to save losing too much sauce, but it turned out very nice and its definitely a keeper.

[natterjak]

In situations like that (spice sludge) I tend to add some base rather than extra oil. Enough base to loosen it up but not so much that it's watery. Hence I keep the spices frying rather than boiling. Bit more base as it dries (still not much though) and after a couple of "fry downs" like this I conclude the spices are cooked out and move on to add the bulk of the base.