Topic: TALKED TO BIR STAFF

[DARTHPHALL]

I had a little chat to a member of staff in another BIR tonight.
I asked about the smell that comes from the Vindalloo.
He was very elusive about it as usuall,but did say that you will get the same smell from several dishes etc..etc..
He said that you wont get it right using recipe books because they tell you to use the same Spices again & again, he said that it is the variation of Spice mixes that give Take-away meals that difference in flavor,he also went on to say that this method is employed in authentic Asian food & has translated on to BIR food to a lesser extent.
This does seem to be logical & most recipe books i have seen do use the same Spices for most of the dishes & when Ive made them there is a sameness about them & not the quite distinct difference you get in BIR cuisine.
The more i learn has brought me to the conclusion that i put in too many various Spices & now will do some experimenting with much more simpler Spice mixes as my Curries are much more heavily spiced than this particular Bir (my local is still being rebuilt  ).

[DARTHPHALL]

And to add on the taste of their Curries.
If you followed KD's Curry secrets book you will make exactly the same,they had a different Chef on last night.One can cook Curries with the taste & one cant,strange eh !
And the Rice was not fried this time either.Nothing special at all 

[extrahotchillie]

I don't think we are far off the mark using KD's base, its all about the heat of the oil and when we add the spices.

I use a lot of oil, you can always decant the excess off at a later stage. We keep experimenting and why not? but we always seem to end up at the beginning, good old KD.

I hope I will be able to subnit some new ideas when I come back from Spain a week Sunday, if the chef is still there, and if he as open as he was the last time; perhaps I Will get him drunk on San Miguel LOL

See you soon;  Chas

[DARTHPHALL]

I'm finding that when i use the KD recipe it turns out the same as Bir's that i would not eat from again as it is easy to emulate that version & get it right but ends up making a Curry that isn't all that good but ok'ish.

[extrahotchillie]

I agree with you its a good starting point though, I don't know if you have read "my best base to date" yet I started of with KD and changed with the last lot of advice I was given and I am getting some good results.

[pete]

He said that you wont get it right using recipe books because they tell you to use the same Spices again & again, he said that it is the variation of Spice mixes that give Take-away meals that difference in flavor

Hi Darth
             In all the kitchens I have been in, they DO add exactly the same basic spice mix, to each meal.
They vary it by also adding chilli powder, dried fenugreek, fried garlic, fried onions, fried peppers and fresh (or fried) coriander.
Every meal has some curry gravy in too
Perhaps it is a regional difference, but I think the curries do all taste, more or less, the same.
There is a heat difference and a main ingredient difference too, but really the same thing
But it's a flavour to die for

[DARTHPHALL]

I have to agree with you Pete ,sorry all i wrote the post in a way that was slightly missleading.
I do think there is a general Spice mix & then as Pete has posted with added Spices/ingredients to individual dishes to give them variation in flavor, bloody Absinthe has fragmented my braincells  .
Humble apologies from the.........DARKLORD.........DARTHPHALL..... .

"And another thing whats this fish doing in my bed"?  ;D

[ifindforu]

 CURRY BASE
 
CUT EIGHT ONIONS 1 GREEN PEPPER AND BOIL.WHEN STARTING TO BOIL ADD A  HALF TEASPOON OF bicarbonate soda AND HALF CUP OF OIL (more flavour is had by boiling about 5 potatoes and removing when boild
AND 1 TEASPOON OF TERMARIC A  HALF TEASPOON OF SALT,BOIL  FOR ABOUT 5 MINS THEN SIMMER FOR ABOUT 10 MINS THEN LEAVE STAND FOR 10 MINS  THEN LIQIDIZE WITHOUT STRAINING THEM,THEN LEAVE TO STAND
 IN A SAUCEPAN PUT 1 MUG OF OIL FRY 5 TABLESPOONS OF GARLIC PASTE,HOME MADE OR BOUGHT AND 2 TABLESPOONS Of GINGER PASTE AFTER FRYING FOR 2 MINS UNTIL A LITTLE GOLD BROWN, ADD THIS PASTE (1 MUG OF WATER 1 TABLESPOON OF RAJAH GOLD MADRAS AS WHAT MOST B.I.R. RESTAURANTS USE .2 TABLESPOONS OF TURMARIC,HALF A TABLESPOON OF CUMMIN,1 TABLESPOON OF CORIANDER,1 TEASPOON OS GARA MASALA, 1 TEASPOON OF CHILLI POWDER OR LESS. FRY FOR A FUTHER 3-4 MINS MOVING ABOUT IN THE SAUCEPAN NOT TO BURN.NOW ADD ABOUT 2 HEAPED TABLSPOONS OF DOUBLE CONCENTRATED TOMATO PASTE AND FRY FOR ABOUT 3 MINS ADDING A MUG OF WATER TO STOP BURNING.ADD ANOTHER MUG OF WATER AND FRY FOR ANOTHER 3-4 MINS,ADD A TEASPOON OF ADJOWAN SEEDS,ADD ANOTHER MUG OF WATER AND COOK FOR A FUTHER 5 MINS. NOW ADD TO THE MIXTURE THE ONIONS THAT WERE BLENDED IN THE BEGINING AND MIX ALL TOGETHER.ADD 1 FULL BLOCK OF CREAMED COCONUT AND 1 Tablespoon sugar and half teaspoon salt plus 2 chicken stock cubes THATS YOUR BASE  To make vindaloo just use chilli powder and squirt of lemon TERRY when making your curry dish PS
I use all purpose seasoning instead of chicken cubes.as this is what they use in the take aways or retaurants

[Yousef]

ifindforu,

Where did you get this recipes from? 
What does adding Bicarbonate of soda do?

[extrahotchillie]

Bicarbonate of soda? never ever heard of his in a base sauce before; not to say it dosen't have a place in it, maybe i will have to give this a shot.