That method of cooking the biryani seems quite common in traditional recipes. Check the cookbooks you already have, it's probably in one of them. The method of sealing the pot with dough and slow cooking it with coals underneath and on top (or buried in the sand) is called dum.

It's annoying how little detail they go into on these programmes and how short they are. Gordon was in india for about 8 days i think it said. That's ridiculous, he's only going to learn what his researchers want him to. Take this example, the first recipe i read on his channel 4 site isnt even indian! What a plonker! It's one of the chinese recipes that most restaurants over there serve.
http://www.channel4.com/food/recipes/chefs/gordon-ramsay/chilli-beef-fry-recipe_p_1.html

Quote from: joshallen2k on January 11, 2010, 01:55 AM
Luckily for me I guess I always used the same medium size pot. If I've needed to make more than one bowl of rice, I tend to make two batches, rather than start scaling recipes and run into problems like the one you describe.

Good plan. I've noticed that people are quite keen on using a specific pan or measuring device when it comes to rice. When me preferred pan isnt available it's quite a shock!

Thanks for making this video Mikka, it's really good quality! 
Having the camera steady makes it really easy to see what's going on. It's definitely helpful  having a window into other users' kitchens! Pretty exciting this use of technology i think!
Your method looks very similar to what i've seen in restaurant kitchens and videos except for:

1. The heat is pretty low after the initial frying section. Their pan is usually simmering constantly with possibilities of catching fire. The oil didnt look like it was about to float to the top.

2. You take longer to add and cook each ingredient. The spices in particular were cooked longer than i've seen before the tomato puree and gravy were added. Having a non-stick pan makes them less likely to burn but does cooking them differently changes the flavour? I havent cooked with non-stick for ages so i havent cooked spices like that for a while. Maybe one to check with a side-by-side comparison?

3. The ginger/garlic is cooked for a long time but it doesnt look over-cooked. I suppose as long as it wasnt burned/bitter then it was cooked well. I find that paste a hard one to cook, ginger being the real offender. It's so hard to tell when it's perfectly done! I find it easier to cook chopped garlic first until lightly golden and then add less of the g/g paste. Sometimes i forget to add it and it's not really worse off. In fact of the 3 places i've seen cooking, none have added ginger in the final cooking of the dish.

4. Did you add lemon juice? I find it really boosts most curries, in particular a madras, vindaloo and pathia. Adding it a few mins from the end gives it time to blend in and balance the taste, whilst 'dumbing down' it's distinct flavour. Similarly with coriander it works well too.

5. Did you use methi in the spice mix? I'd use it for this dish, fried with the spices.

Remember my points above are to initiate debate and are just suggestions as to possible improvements. Your cooking looks really practised and you remained a lot calmer than i have in the past! That man deserves a beer  ;D

Good work dude, looking good!  ;D

Beautiful stuff Josh! It all looks very tasty!
I like your rice method. I do mine very similarly but dont put it in the oven. Seems like a good idea for even cooking though. I find i need to make sure the rice isnt too deep in the pot or else i wont cook evenly.
I use the same method as you for korma too and it come out really well. I like to put a bit of turmeric in to help with the colour.

Yikes, sounds painful! Glad everyone's okay  ;D
Despite this i've always heard it's best to blend while hot. Ingredients dont blend so well/smoothly when cold. It also puts (a lot) more strain on your blender. If using a cheap stick-blender it shouldnt be kept on continuously for very long. Putting it in the freezer for 5 mins so the motor cools down can be a good idea.

Quote from: Cory Ander on November 22, 2009, 02:46 PM

Quote from: chinois on November 22, 2009, 10:30 AM
I want to see more videos from members, they'd be really useful in seeing where people are going wrong, i think

..but perhaps it would be nice to see where they are going right, too, Chinois? 

I agree, it is nice and more importantly helpful. Those videos already exist of course. A few members of this site and RCR have provided them and there are a few recorded in restaurants. Mick's youtube videos are well done:
http://www.youtube.com/user/CURRYHOLIC1#p/u/1/Z3b7h2TWp8s

The videos i'm suggesting, troubleshooting-style, dont seem to exist.
As i am satisfied with my results i'd like to try and help others. Videos seem a much easier way to do it than the current text-based method which is long-winded and inappropriate. It is very accessible - most people have access to video recording devices. Do you think it's a good idea?

Quote from: emin-j on November 22, 2009, 06:58 PM
Thanks' for your reply chinois , I've just bought a 10 litre stock pot for base and tried it out on Friday , other than a little mishap  I made enough base to make 3 Madras and 2 Korma's and had 14 T/A containers of base left over to freeze  What I have found is by the time you get everything prepared to make a new batch of Base Sauce you might as well make a ' good size ' batch as the cooking time isn't that much different . 

Yeah, i know what you mean when you've got everything set up!

Quote from: emin-j on September 25, 2009, 06:08 PM
The problem I have is the prparation of it all on Curry Nights , Rice ,Bhajis ,Naan , If I had to prepare for a Fresh base as well it'l be Midnight by the time it was all ready  ;D
I am very happy with my Curries even using a frozen Base but the majority of T/A use fresh so if your looking for the best results you need to use fresh.

Wow, you do the whole lot, that's a damn good effort!
The people i'm cooking for often find they have to make do with just main courses. I concentrate on the curries so much i forget to cook rice! I suppose i kind of want people to experience it in it's purest form like i do - with a spoon.
I've started making chappatis regularly now since i learnt to make them in india. They go down well although i always try to get someone else involved to take some of the work off me. "i'll show you how to make chappatis" is a classic line ;-)

Anyway, i was gonna suggest to you that you make the base sauce a day or two before your curry night. That way it doesnt need to be frozen.

Cheers dude! Since i tried the ashoka recipes i havent needed to come on the site really! I have a look in from time to time though. I want to see more videos from members, they'd be really useful in seeing where people are going wrong, i think.

I just realized you've posted more recipes from the restaurant! Three weeks ago, where have i been indeed! Nice one, there looks to be a whole set of ashoka recipes now. I'll have to test them out very soon, going back to the original as i changed the base to make it more similar to one of my fave restaurants. May as well try the recipes to the letter this time.