Hi, Just a quick one for you that like it hot as do i, when i worked in the indian restuarant we would not us too much chilli as we got a very sour bitter taste if uesd to much but instead use a little more peprica,also we would get some hot bonnet chillies and put them in a liquidiser with a little water and make them into a smooth paste you can use by the spoon or even put into an ice cube try and freeze for later.
Thanks Andy

Hi,This is my madras,here go's
Take a large high sided frying pan if you don't have use a wok
1, 1 heaped tablespoon ghee or 3 tablespoons veg oil
2, 4 Finley chopped birds eye chilies (for extra heat put an extra 4 chilies in liquidizer with a little water and reduce it to fine mass)
3, 1 teaspoon Chile powder
4, 1/2 teaspoon paprika
5, 3 ladles chili heads base sauce
6, pre cooked chicken or lamp etc
7, 2 level teaspoon garam masala
8, 1 teaspoon level cumin powder
9, 1 teaspoon coriander powder
10,1 teaspoon tom pure
11, 1 tomato cut in to quarters
12, big handfull chopped coriander(I love the stuff)
method
Heat the oil in the pan add the chillies and tom pure and cook for a few Min's till just cooked add chilie powder then add paprika and now the base sauce keep the heat high add the meats to the sauce and cook for a 2 Min's turn down to low and add the garam masala, cumin,coriander powder and toms and cook for another 2 Min's then add coriander and cook 1/2 min or so and serve (if sauce not thick enough just cook longer to reduce down)
And serve
Hope i not forgot nothing  : Andy

I have been going there for a few months now and the place is starting to catch on wanted it for myself lol,Anway they do a mixed starter that in my opinion is second to none with salmon tikka ect and the service is very good,It is not licenced so you may take your own drinks (cheaper)lol,It is very nice so i am putting it forward as a place to go in the midlands for a good meal.
                     Andy

Here is a photo of my madras with scratch and sniff lol,

Hi gang,
   I went out last night my local Indian and had my usual meal of mixed starter of salmon tikka,veg pakora,chicken tikka.Then my usual madras chicken and a gallon of beer Lol. And then not asked for the bill but could i have a little base sauce to try as i was vary curios to taste it, he got me a little i try it and to my suprise it was just like mine i would say a clone but mine has a slightly thicker texture,so it seems that i will stick with the base i have and work on spices in the meal,That's my next target when i go back there.Lol
Andy

I used to do big BBQ'S out in Greece on the sundays and the local Brits used to bring the meats to me to marinade for the BBQ and most of them brought me pork belly draft and it tasted good, shark don't work ???lol .
What meats/fish have you tryed to marinade and did it work ok
andy

What would you guys say are the best make of spices NETCO or RAJAH or another make?
I use rajah alot for the ground cumin and garam masala and really most the spices i use.
Do you use these or do you make your own garam masala or mixes to add?
Andy

I just thought i would put on something a bit off the normal and easy to make.
It;s a baked feta dish (starter)
  INGREDENTS
   1, slice feta cheese  about 3inch by 3inch and 1/2 inch thick (not exact)
   2, dribble olive oil about table spoon
   3, 2 thin slices of onion from the middle part (rings)
   4, 3 thin slices tomato
   5, pinch salt
   6, large pinch oregano
  method
   Place feta in dish or on tin foil
   dribble over olive oil
   place slices of onion on top then tomato's
   add salt to top and sprinkle with oregano
   cover with foil put in oven for 20 Min's job done easy meal
   Andy
           Next i will put up the taziki dip (cucumber and garlic dip)
   

From the guy that taught me to cook Indian food the base sauce recipe from his restaurant in Greece.Some details are missing but i will give it a go.
recipe,
     1 tin toms
     1/2 kg red onions
     4 cloves garlic
     2 carrots
     1 stick celery
     1 inch square bit of ginger
     1/2 cup veg oil
     2 heaped d spoons curry powder
     2 dessert spoons tom puree
     3 " " "    " " " Worcester sauce
     1 " " "    " " " garam masala
method
     cut veg up place in sauce pan and boil When cooked set a side. Heat up the oil in a pan add the curry powder when bubble's come to serface add tom puree and cook for 2 Min's then add it to sauce pan bring to boil again then allow to cool add the Worcester sauce and garam masala then blend
  Sorry did not get the water content in sauce pan but i would say just enough to cover veg,But you could all so use chicken stock in stead of water i think.
This is the recipe that came back with my in laws that went out there this week and ask my ex boss for it.I have not try this yet but he made very nice meals.
It seems very different to most base sauces ive seen or have you hard of this one before?
I will try it when i get the chance.
              Andy

Just been looking at the spices index and sew there were 12 posts on bay leaf's so i had a look and there is more than one type of bay leaf I've been using the wrong one,I always use rajah spices,Now i find I'm using the European one
My queston there for,Is the a big deference?
           Andy ;D

I have tryed this methord for cooking off chicken and it works as my wife likes the healthy option
Cut chicken to normal meal size portions
3/4 fill sauce pan with water
add 1 tespoon salt
    5-6 bay leaves
     3 tablespoons good curry powder
     2 teaspoons garam masala
     1  "  "  "   cumin
     2  "  "  "   peprika
     2  "  "  "   turmaric
     1  "  "  "   coriander powder
     1  "  "  "   chilli powder
  Add all exept chicken to water bring to boil the add chicken turn to simmer and stir and cook till cooked through about 7 mins all so just cut a bit to try there may be a froth skim it off.
    Andy

 makes 32 portions or 96 ladle's full.
take
3.2kg onions after pealed and sliced through once and washed well
210g garlic pealed
110g ginger pealed or scrapped and cut into thin slices if you use a garam masala with ginger in cut down to 80g
650g plumb toms tinned
450mls good veg oil
200g carrots rough chopped
2 table spoons turmeric
1 table spoon tom puree
2 teaspoons salt do not add to much salt as you can add at the meal stage
5 1/2 pints water or enough to cover onions
method
put all in a large sauce pan and Bring to the boil skim of any scum at this stage
then turn down to very low and cook slowly with the lid on for 2 hours more if you have the time but check water,
turn off the heat and allow to cool for a few hours or so,I leave it over night.
then blend a portion at a time through a colander as in my photo on base sauce (do not over blend)using the back of a ladle slowly rub the sauce through the colander whats left in there can be put through again if at this stage there is a bit not going through throw it away.
Before you make the portions of base sauce make sure that its all in one pot and stirred well then with a ladle take out in 3 ladles per meal stir now and again as you go and then freeze or use as you wish.

you should now have about 32 portions ready for the meals.good luck and let me no how it went Andy

HI gang
      just made a base sauce and put the pictures on the gallery.
    It has now been frozen and it made 32 portions the freezer is now full ;D
    You will see that i use a colander to put the base through this is so the big bits don't get through,I want it to be a thick sauce with lots off body this helps i the cooking stag has it should not take so long to reduce.
I only blend for a few second and not liquidise into a soup like texture you need it to be slightly lumpy it gives that thick sauce texture.
ANDY

I no this may seem a little mad but when i go into my local indian supermarket i an in total ore of whats around me,I spend ages just looking at the defferent spices and start to think i wounder if that would make a good curry or maybe thats whats missing my wife now will not come in with me as i'm in there ages ;D i then go to the halal part and look at the meat then the freezer section where yes i buy ready made and cut samosa pastry buy this time i have spent a fortune on stuff i will only try once and then put in my spice boxes or the 4 type of chillies i have put in my freezer ::)i love it there,
Am i mad? :
andy

A slight change that is when i made the naan doh i use a tinned milk called neo neo and which i now no to be evaporated milk instead of normal milk.
   Don't no if it helps but they allways came out good except the ones i dropped onto the charcoal which will have been burnt to a crisp ;D
          Andy

HI,
  Just wondered how many different meals you could cook including your own made up ones. ;D and what are they?
        ANDY ;D

Hi,
Just wondered how fast could you make main curry i.e. madras or korma.
The base sauce is ready all the prep has been done all you got to do is cook it.
          ANDY ;D

My nan who owned a farm near bridgnorth made for breakfast a mushroom sauce from a very old recipe handed down to her and then to me it tastes great but not good for the old cholesterol ;D the recipe is as i remember is.
3-4 OLD FIELD MUSHROOMS FULLY OPEN(NOT BUTTON)
NOB LARD (sometimes not used if the bacon is really fatty and makes own juices)
4-6 RASHES HOME CURED BACON (put on breakfast at end)
1/2 PINT GOLD TOP MILK
pinch TEASPOON SALT
PINCH PEPPER
CORN FLOUR TO THICKEN
METHORD
Put the lard in a frying pan add the bacon and cook when bacon cooked take out get a small saucepan add the oils from the frying pan turn heat to low add the milk chop the mushrooms and add to the saucepan add salt pepper leave to cook slowly for 10-15 mins or until mushrooms have cooked it will now have turned a grayish colour if it seems thin add some cornflour to thicken.As a small boy i loved this sauce and are really glad to still have the recipe to use.
           Andy

I have decided to build a tandoor oven in to my BBQ but i am having trouble trying to get the clay liner or pot i have emailed a few tandoor company's with no success do any of you no where i can get one from this would be great.
  Thanks andy

I dont know if this way has been posted before but if it has please delete?
Put a cast iron sizzler on the gas add a 1/2 teaspoon ghee or a little oil finely slice 1/4 of a onion add to hot sizzler cook well add your cooked tikka or tandoori etc heat 1-2 mins add sprinkle corriander then when very hot put on the wooden base add squirt lemon juice this will make the sizzling you get when it is delivered to your table.looks great tastes good.
  andy