Hi,
I was going to make SoberRats Dhansak last night but had a takeaway instead so I have just whipped up this little beauty for later.
It's SoberRats recipe https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,13673.0.html but I had no pineapple or Shakker so I just left them out. Everything else was the same.







It is really tasty. Has a nice earthiness from the lentils and is a perfect winter curry. I wouldn't have with rice, just a garlic naan and salad. Great recipe SoberRat

Hi Guys,
Any recipe ideas for using my dhal would be good. I was going to do Sober rats Dhansak but I have no pineapple juice, lime or shakkar.
Could I substitute with anything or should I just return the dhal to the freezer for another day?

Cheers, Lou

Plates were clean. Hubby said he prefered it over the usual chicken madras. Had with leftover H4ppy naans from the freezer

Yum!!
Recipe= https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,6248.0.html

But made with lamb

Hi Guys,
Can someone please post a link to a good tikka massala recipe . I have been going roud in circles and I need to get cooking,

Thank you 

First base was Zaal to spec (maybe slightly over spiced by my over zealous hands)and the second was Zaal to spec (correct spicing) and 20grams coconut cream and 1.5 cloves garlic tarka added.
new base at the top (slightly lighter)


I then made exact copies of Madras. Weighing everything exactly....
Original (first) base


New (second) base


Photos dont really do them justice(They look gloopy and they weren't)  they were both lovely and smooth. The new base produced a lighter fresher curry and I think I shall stick to that base (with the tweaks)as it hasn't changed it too much, just enough for me.
I did have an epiphany though as I made two curry sauces after.
I usually put my oil, then onion/chilli, then garlic/ginger but with one sauce I fried the chopped garlic in a mini frying pan, put this in the main pan and then did my usual routine and this made a MASSIVE difference. You could taste and smell a hint of nutty sweet garlic in the background and especially this morning when I have tasted it stone cold.
It is a flavour that was definitely in the Madras I ate at the local Indian restaurant last week.
I will be doing that again for sure.
So glad I have sauce left for today:)

So this week I had got to make base. I only had 2 portions of original Zaal in the freezer and depending on how many I have to feed  I can use up to 4.
I was gonna make JB's base BUT after having great success with Zaal I was reluctant. Saying that though, when I went to a local Indian rest. for tea Saturday I realised I had been over spicing both my base and probs the curry too.
I decided to take the best from Zaal and Jb's and it seems to be perfect.....
I took all the Zaal recipe (using 1 chef spoon= 3 level tablespoons) and also added 20grams creamed coconut (didn't fancy strong coconut taste) and 1.5 large cloves of garlic tarka added before final boil/ blend....btw that gave the most fantastic aroma and depending on curry results tomorrow I may add more garlic cloves next time.
Can't wait to use it, side by side to last months (defrosted)  base. it is lighter, fresher and has a buttery, nutty, garlic hint...yum!!

Will be making 2 identical (aside from the base) madras tomorrow and I wil post results / Pics

So these are what we chose last night. I didn't have time take a pic as I was too busy dishing it up BUT I did manage a doggy bag as we had poppadoms, starters and mains



The vindaloo is at the back, Madras at the front.


Vindaloo


Madras


Mixed starter for 2


Date night

We also had Pilau rice (standard) and garlic naan which was exceptional. Not that different in texture to H4ppy naans but think there was yogurt in there and also there were tiny pieces of freshly roasted garlic on top which was amazing.
Currywise they were lighter that my attempts. Smooth to the point of mildly thick soup and the base was lighter than mine (Zaal). Will be making a lighter base tomorrow if anyone has any recommendations?
The madras was the same colour as mine and I can tell they used ghee, it sort of gave a light buttery background, so I will also give that a whirl.
All in all a really tasty meal
Lou

Okay, so for the first time in FOREVER  I am off out to a local Indian for a meal. I want to compare it to my own efforts and hopefully have a decent meal (fingers crossed) havent had BIR for months (out or takeaway) so it's a real treat

Will hopefully get some pics ....
Lou  ;D

Hi Guys,
Just wondered if any of you are hosting an event for The big curry night for the soldiers charity?
http://bigcurry.org/

So today I have done about 5 hrs cooking (and cleaning up my own mess). 4 curries, pilau rice, tikka, shami, happy naan, dips for poppadoms and salad.
Curries were 3 heat levels of Chicken Madras and A North Indian special (from Andy Rhodes' e-book)
Here a few pics of a few portions.I fed 8 tonight with enough to feed 4 more tomorrow

Chicken Tikka


North Indian special


Mild Chicken Madras


Chicken Madras


Hot Madras (Scotch bonnet test)


Great reviews from the family. Hubby normally says his (mild) madras is too hot, tonight, spot on! The scotch bonnet test was a success, very hot, even had a bit of snap crackle and pop on the tongue.
Sorry n pics of the rest, I was getting tired and forgot,
Lou

Last nights tea was especially nice.
Don't know really what I did different but the naan dough was so soft I knew they would be awesome and they were.

Chicken Madras (Normal and extra hot. Theirs is in the foil trays )



Chicken Tikka



Shami Kebabs



Plain Naan (can't convert them on that one)



This was my prep....



Had texts and phone calls saying they were the best kebabs/ curry they had taste. (Biased? maybe but I was grateful for the praise )
Thanks for all the help guys!

Just made one as a test ready for tonights tea. Pretty tasty indeed

I had mad so much curry Friday night that I had 3 portions left and had made fresh base today and wanted to give it a whirl so made a chicken Vindaloo to have a bit on the side ohhh errr 

I don't know if you would try this recipe but it is lovely. We had them for tea tonight and I do cook them quite often. I wonder if they are similar to a sheek kebab? defo in shape which can be a little off putting due to the colour of the kebab 
This is the link to the recipe
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/lambkebabs_2214

Hi,
After joining here a little over a month ago I made the Zaal base (with some missing ingedients but with good results) and then this week made again with full ingredients (I would use a little less cinnamon in the base next time).
The second lot is a bit spicier as I used hot madras curry powder (my curries tend to be HOT!) I have experimented with CA's spice mix last month and am currently using Abduls 8 spice mix (as that is in my base) with good/ tasty results with both using a variation of 976bars madras recipe from Andy Rhodes e-book.

Just wondered what your all time fave Madras recipe is though as this week I want to try a couple of different ones and compare the flavours, cheers 

Made this for my dinner today (You may say lunch) and it was delicious. I used 3 tablespoons of chopped tinned toms instead of puree and boiled spuds in bit of mixed spice as I am out of Turmeric. I will be making it again.....maybe for tea as it was so nice

Hi Guys,
Took this up for my mum and dad's tea tonight. It's the third takeaway I have done them in 3 weeks. They only have plain naan so it doesn't have that buttery sheen but I think they are hooked
Tonights 4 naan's and Chicken Madras went with homemade onion chutney, mango chutney, lime pickle and a pack of poppadoms

OMG... There were clean plates tonight.

Made the H4ppy naans and tikka "Kebab stylee" for tea. The boys had chips wth theirs and it was all wolfed down

Thanks so much guys for all the help x

So I ordered some spices online as I thought I could not source locally (I can...Duh!!!)
I got some Kashmiri mirch and then today in a local ethnic supermarket I got the Deggi mirch but on the packaging it is descibed as Kashmiri chilli. Is it not the same?
Is it a different blend?
Sorry for being a dimwit but I am trying to give myself a crash course in BIR cooking

Lou