The most productive 1 day, 9 hours and 31 minutes I've ever spent!

Great job, again, Mark!?

Quote from: pete on May 20, 2005, 01:22 PM
I don't know if one gas ring would be enough.
I suppose it just takes longer.

Timing will definitely be a problem.? It'll take longer to get to boiling, then (trying to sound scientific here ) will evaporate slower/faster than at the restaurant, depending on the diameter of the pot.? But as long as the final texture is the same, it should work.? I know I'm just stating the obvious...

Thanks, CurryCanuck.? That sounds like a South Indian recipe with tamarind, coconut, and curry leaves.? I can't imagine how it's going to taste, but I'll certainly give it a try.?

Do you think I could substitute dried, grated coconut for the fresh, and about how much?? I would still toast it, but maybe not as long.

-Mary

Thank you, Dylan.? I look forward to trying that.? Last night I tried a recipe for an aubergine and potato curry from a New Zealand cooking magazine, and it was my best so far.? I'll taste it again in a few days and see if it improves.? ?It didn't call for curry gravy, so I'm sure yours is more like a BIR.   

Quote from: joe2 on May 17, 2005, 10:32 PM
How can you not take a quantity of any ingredients and divide by 5, 10, 20 or 30 or whatever and not expect to get a similar result?

Unfortunately, it doesn't always work that way. ? From an article on scaling ingredients up/down:? "Spices and other seasonings, including salt, don't always need to be increased or decreased in the same proportion as the other ingredients. Instead add seasonings to taste until you get the results you want."?

Quote from: pete on May 17, 2005, 08:06 AM
Does anyone else know of takeaway lady chefs?

The back of the book says that Kris is "an accomplished Indian restaurateur."? I always thought she was the owner, and either she convinced the (male) chef to tell all, or she learned by observation.? Now I'm starting to wonder.? Not only have I never seen a woman chef (well, actually once in Boca Raton, Florida, but that's another story), but never a female owner or even a waitress.? ?

Quote from: Mark J on May 17, 2005, 08:24 AM
But surely the BIR's dont use an ingredient like black cardamom, apart from possibly in the base?

If I remember correctly, Kris Dhillon puts them in her garam masala, and then uses that garam masala in almost every curry.? ?

Quote from: pete on May 15, 2005, 09:31 AM
Perhaps it's a little obsessive...

Yes, it is, and that's what we love about you, Pete.? If it weren't for your obsession, we wouldn't be as close to true curry as we are.

Some spices don't have much taste.? I'm thinking of ground coriander, mainly.? I've often thought if it were omitted, nobody would notice.? Same with paprika and turmeric, to some extent, although turmeric adds a nice bitterness.? But cumin and fennel definitely change the character of a curry, I think.?

BIRs are in business to make money, and If they could make a curry without expensive spices, I'm sure they would.?

Quote from: stephen west on May 13, 2005, 11:20 AM
[I used Kris Dhillon's sauce and Mark J's techniques, and the restaurant curry I made was spot on.

Quote from: thomashenry on May 13, 2005, 09:32 AM
If you want BIR curries at home, then I suggest Dhillon sauce, followed by the techniques Mark J observed in his curry house.

What about Pete's 600-ml-oil sauce?? Have you tried that??

Does anyone have a recipe for an aubergine curry of any kind?? Not mashed like Baingan Bharta, but bite-sized chunks of aubergine that have soaked up way too much oil, and are floating in a spicy sauce.? It isn't consistent from restaurant to restaurant, so it's hard to describe.? Like a fool I tried Corfu Andy's aubergine last night and it was horrid, just simply horrid!?