Topic: New BIR e-book, by Dan Toombs

[Salvador Dhali]

Looks like another to check out. My main concern, as with Mr Loyden's book, is the existence of recipes for chicken AND lamb Madras, though not having looked at the book they may of course be different. If not I have to say I personally hate the needless doubling up of recipes, which is a sloppy and lazy way of filling pages when a simple note to substitute lamb for chicken if so desired.

Fussy old git, I know...  ;-)

[Peripatetic Phil]

Looks like another to check out. My main concern, as with Mr Loyden's book, is the existence of recipes for chicken AND lamb Madras, though not having looked at the book they may of course be different. If not I have to say I personally hate the needless doubling up of recipes, which is a sloppy and lazy way of filling pages when a simple note to substitute lamb for chicken if so desired.  Fussy old git, I know...  ;-)

I completely agree.  Unfortunately when I mentioned it to Dave (as my only complaint), he stopped replying; until then he had been quite helpful and chatty ...

** Phil.

[StoneCut]

Actually looking at the list only chicken/lamb madras and dopiaza seem to be duplicates. I had a look at both the lamb madras and chicken madras and they are indeed different recipes!

[Stephen Lindsay]

Does the fact that he uses the term BIR imply he has been on this site? Or does the term originate elsewhere?

[Peripatetic Phil]

Does the fact that he uses the term BIR imply he has been on this site? Or does the term originate elsewhere?

Do you not think that use of the term is now ubiquitous amongst BIR aficionados, Stephen ?  Google reports nearly 1000000 hits for '"BIR" curry -site:cr0.co.uk' and a mere 6500 for '"BIR" curry +site:cr0.co.uk'.

** Phil.

[Stephen Lindsay]

Phil I've never heard anyone in my peer group use the term BIR, and books like Mick's which have it in the title are of course connected to this site via membership. My main reference for the term has been from this site so in terms of it being ubiquitous I don't really know.

[chewytikka]

BIR _CRO_RCR only ever seen reference to it here and used by members.

cheers Chewy

[sp]

I had always thought that hing ("asafoetida") had a role in BIR cuisine.... but on checking KD1 and Dave Loyden I see neither make any mention.

Dave Loyden specifies hing as part of the base in the Undercover Curry book (page 22)

[Peripatetic Phil]

Dave Loyden specifies hing as part of the base in the Undercover Curry book (page 22)

Well I'm d@mned : so he does.  I wonder why he doesn't include it in the spice list on pp. 139--145 ?
** Phil.

[beachbum]

Whenever I mention "Australian Indian Restaurant cooking" to people they always go "huh?" - I mean Vindaloo and Madras and Chicken Tikka Masala are all authentic Indian Recipes aren't they, right?  ;D

I would guess it's similar in the UK with the concept of BIR although it gets discussed a bit more in the UK media.

AIR uses hing extensively in vegetarian dishes, such as Aloo Ghobi and dals. It's a component of Chat Masala that also gets used a lot.