Topic: Interesting recent posts from in2curry "restaurant flavour" thread

[pete]

 

From:  Colin Smith
 Posted: 28/12/2004 22:50:03
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Hi People, what a great site! I have read with interest some of your recipe's posted. I have purchased the books and been cooking Indian food for over 20 yrs. Help maybe at hand. I have managed to get a job delivering for my local Indian (Best takeaway I've ever tasted) and have managed to get into the kitchens! I am keeping an eye on what goes on and can tell you a little that has suprised me. 1) Base sauce very thin like very thin soup. 2) A very small amount of pureed onion and a minute amount of crushed Garlic goes into nearly all dishes before meat added. 3) They use Rajah packet Garam Masala. 4) Tandori Ovens give off a lot of heat. Grilling will not come close. I will keep you posted, but will post some authentic recipe's that are so simple, and I think even better than takeaway.

 
From:  Neil
 Posted: 14/01/2005 18:57:11
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I have read a few comments here that suggest what we are all missing.SPICED Oil. I was lucky enough to spend an hour watching different curries being cooked in a well respected curry house. Everything was based on oil from this manky old looking pot with spices floating in it. I walked away knowing the types of ground spices to add(We all have them) but nobody seems to know what is in the Spiced Oil. Each meal took minutes to cook, and at the end most had flame from the hob introduced into the pan to remove the oil. I didnt see too many fresh ingredients, mainly powder, I have numerous recipes for the Onion sauce which gets my meals 70 % there. What about this Spiced Oil, is that the missing ingredient. Somebody post a suggestion please.
 
THE OIL HE IS TALKING ABOUT HAS GOT TO BE THE OIL FLOATING ON THE CURRY GRAVY.
COULD IT BE ANYTHING ELSE?
 
 

[Muttley]

Pete, I can't make out what is quoting and what you've added/are asking.

The spiced oil may be the excess oil retrieved from the production of basic curry sauce, but I very much doubt that is in any way a secret ingredient.

Since I worked out how to make a basic sauce, I've made dishes that are indistinguishable from those that you get from BIR's.

By that I mean that if you took my version of, say, Chicken Vindaloo, and put it in a bowl amongst similar bowls from a variety of BIR's you would not be able to pick out the home made one.

Others who have tried dishes I've made agree.

[pete]

Sorry Muttley
This thread dates back a couple of years when we were based on the "in2curry" forum
My post before, was the last two? quotes
Here is the address of the discussion
http://www.in2curry.co.uk/curry_chat/posts.asp?fTopicID=39
I expect there is a lot there that you know, but I'll be surprised if you don't find it interesting
This was before I spoke to a few chefs and actually got into the kitchens
One of the curry gravy recipes I got, is the main one that is posted here.
It's the "from a real takeaway" one, on the opening page.
I have since found out that there is not just one recipe
There are many variations
Two restaurants use chick peas in the base sauce
Quite a few use carrots
One uses carnation milk!
Their base sauce is a sickly yellow.
The reason I posted the recent "in2curry" quotes, was because I thought , that some interesting information might follow.

I am always looking to learn more.
I haven't tried your base yet, but what will make it good,are two elements.
1..... the garlic and ginger cooking on low for eight minutes. The browning flavour!!
2..... cooking for four hours.That will round the overall flavour and gives the oil something extra too.
You will find that if you can leave the sauce somewhere cool for a couple of days it will improve too.
They start making the base at about 4 o'clock in the afternoon and it is cooked all evening.
It is never used on the day of preparation.
I learnt from indian chefs that:-
All the meats, chicken, veg and lentils are precooked.
The prawns are kept in a large yoghurt container, in water in the fridge
I haven't managed to get a satisfactory Prawn Rogan Josh recipe yet.
I was dissapointed by David Smith's (Curryhouse) recipe
Have you got one?
In fact,using the base sauce, can you give me all your recipes?