Topic: Trial and Error, but slowly getting there....

[976bar]

one of the other problems I have encountered is blending the base sauce using a large commercial hand held blender. I cannot for some reason no matter how long I blend for, get the base as smooth as I can at home on a much smaller scale.

I think this is why some BIRs use that hand rotated mouli type thing (sorry I can't think of the name for it - is it mouli?) after they have used the industrial stick blender.

Thanks for the tip SS, I'll see if they have one

[976bar]

Bob, it's great to hear of your exploits at the Uni.  Those curries look quality mate.  I bet those eating them have only tasted something as good from their local BIR ;D.  And we thought we had problems scaling down   Nothing compared to you having to scale up and get the same results : . 
As you're making base now on a commercial (or bigger) scale, are your results similar, better or not as good as you're accustomed to at home?  Have you taken any base home and used it to cook with yet?  If so, how do the results compare.  Look forward to your next update.  Top dollar mate.  Well done.  Continue to enjoy it.  I'm off to warm up my NIS i cooked last night with a nice plate of keema rice and some saag bhaji (test dish)  .

Hi Dave,

The results from scaling up at the moment is the lack of BIR spices compared to commercial spices, which I have yet to replace and trial, but one of the other problems I have encountered is blending the base sauce using a large commercial hand held blender. I cannot for some reason no matter how long I blend for, get the base as smooth as I can at home on a much smaller scale. Maybe Chewy can help here having made base on a large scale for his restaurant?

Also the garlic puree they buy is pretty rank and a brownish colour compared to that I buy or make. But trying to make garlic puree on that scale unless they buy pre-peeled garlic cloves is going to be an impossible task right now..

For those reasons alone I have not yet taken any base home to experiment with but will hopefully be in a position to do so soon

Hii Bob

very interesting post.

have you tried splitting the finished but unblended base into two pots, should result in a better and more consistent blending thereafter?

regards

Paul

Hi Paul,

I could try that, but will see if they have a Mouli first, but thanks

[976bar]

Just loving it at this Uni, tonight was Indian Night, so have been busy since yesterday marinating chicken tikka. Today, I made, Chicken Tikka Masala, Beef Dhansak, Sag Aloo, Tarka Dhal with Chickpeas, Onion Bhajis and Pilao Rice. We had to make chips as students love chips and some popadoms and chutneys.

This time there was nothing left to put in the fridge for another day, so will be having more Indian Nights

[chewytikka]

Is the Chef Bengali or Indian as some gleaned recipes would be good.
A tip for the poppadoms, deep fry them 2 at a time and they will stay flat.
cheers Chewy

[976bar]

Is the Chef Bengali or Indian as some gleaned recipes would be good.
A tip for the poppadoms, deep fry them 2 at a time and they will stay flat.
cheers Chewy

Hi Chewy,

I'm sorry to disappoint you but the Chef is originally from London and now lives in Berkshire. It's me and I have been given a free hand to produce all the Indian dishes I want when it comes to cooking Indian Cuisine. That's why I have named this topic, "Trial and error, but slowly getting there". Everything you see in the pictures are curry's I have created from scratch but on a large scale. Sometimes they are turning out stunning, sometimes quite good.

Getting used to adjusting ingredients on such a large scale has been a bit daunting. Last Saturday night, we had to cater for 1250 new students, where I made another Beef Dhansak, (that seems to go down really well here), a lamb Rogan Josh and a Vegetable Madras. There was a lot of other food there as well from the other chef's.

We've spent a small fortune recently on buying and stocking up of decent spices as they were only buying commercial products before I started.

Many thanks for the tip on the poppadoms, very much appreciated

[curryhell]

There's not much i can say really Bob other than BLOODY GOOD JOB AND WELL DONE.  How lucky are those students getting BIR quality food at those prices.  I doubt whether the offerings under the guise of Indian  they would have got come anywhere near close to the food that you're producing.  How good it must feel to be putting your expertise and knowledge  to good use and seeing it paying off.  I mean, what higher recommendation can there be than "nothing left to put in the fridge".  Just about says it all really.  Some talk a great job but you've gone out there and done it.  I bet the chef's have learnt a thing or two from you regarding quality BIR food Kudos my friend   Kind of shocked you didn't know about the trick with the poppadums though ;D

[976bar]

There's not much i can say really Bob other than BLOODY GOOD JOB AND WELL DONE.  How lucky are those students getting BIR quality food at those prices.  I doubt whether the offerings under the guise of Indian  they would have got come anywhere near close to the food that you're producing.  How good it must feel to be putting your expertise and knowledge  to good use and seeing it paying off.  I mean, what higher recommendation can there be than "nothing left to put in the fridge".  Just about says it all really.  Some talk a great job but you've gone out there and done it.  I bet the chef's have learnt a thing or two from you regarding quality BIR food Kudos my friend   Kind of shocked you didn't know about the trick with the poppadums though ;D

I have to admit, I didn't do the popadoms lol, but would have still probably thrown four in myself  ;D

It's great there as I am also learning other things as well. Today head chef made some vegetarian burgers, a slice of goats cheese, breadcrumbed, deep fried. A large field mushroom covered in garlic butter, roasted in the oven until soft, then everything layered in a bun, with lettuce, tomato, mayo and caramalised onions. Now that is what I would call exceptional vegetarian food

Made my first Italian Strombola's yesterday too

We're looking at Thai stuff next, can't wait

[chewytikka]

Whoa, Bob 
Crikey, Are you doing all that single handed, hope your getting well paid.

I was confused as I'm sure I read somewhere you said you had a Chef called Raj
Anyway, all looks great and I'm sure there are plenty members interested
in YOUR recipes Chef. ;D

1250 Students (nightmare)
BTW Did you put any pineapple in the Dhansak

cheers Chewy

[Secret Santa]

That's pretty impressive mate. I would have killed for food like that when I was at Uni.

The bhajis look amazing.

How are you judging spice quantities for such a large amount? Are you scaling up from what you know of a single portion?

[976bar]

Whoa, Bob 
Crikey, Are you doing all that single handed, hope your getting well paid.

I was confused as I'm sure I read somewhere you said you had a Chef called Raj
Anyway, all looks great and I'm sure there are plenty members interested
in YOUR recipes Chef. ;D

1250 Students (nightmare)
BTW Did you put any pineapple in the Dhansak

cheers Chewy

Hi Chewy,

When I was working in the Founders building there was an Indian Chef named Raj, who actually made, "English Curries" as the English don't like em hot!!

Now I am working in, "The Hub" a different restaurant on campus, I am the one making the curries. Sure other chef's help prep, but they won't do much as else at the moment as they are not confident enough to do these themselves but are learning, the same I am learning other dishes from them.

I don't normally use pineapple, but on this occasion, 2 litres of the stuff