That looks fantastic Unclebuck!
This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.
#113
Lets Talk Curry / Re: Kris Dhillons - The New Curry Secret
January 28, 2009, 11:22 PM
Is that 'sheesh' as in kebab? ;D
#114
Supplementary Recipes Chat / Re: How to Make Spicy Oil ? The Secret to Truly Replicating BIR curries?
January 27, 2009, 11:45 PM
I have only seen ONE 'demo', a curry cooked for me years back, fresh oil was used. However it was a good curry, but not a fantastic one!
#115
Lets Talk Curry / Re: Kris Dhillons - The New Curry Secret
January 27, 2009, 05:42 PM
Frying tonight
It did occur to me that, in the book, she suggests spicing after the base to avoid people burning spice, i.e. making the process easier for inexperienced cooks. That is a valid point!
The other thing I would suggest is use plenty of oil, and reduce the base by at least half during cooking, this leaves a higher proportionate amount of oil which should provide the right environment for cooking the spice enough to avoid a raw tasting result. Even with all the base present limiting the temperature to 100c ('cos of the water in it)
Also worthy of note: when I made her garam masala, I used cinamon quill (not the bark), her recipe is a bit vague on quantities (it advises the correct length of cinamon stick to use - but, of course they do vary considerably in thickness). When I got a good result I used lots of cinamon, although surprisingly the finished dish did not taste as though too much cinamon was present.
I cut-down by half the amount of black cardamom, simply because it smelt TOO smoky.
My wife and I both suspected that the spicy sausage taste was the result of of the increased cinamon. Taste is a strange subjective phenonomen, two ingredients, each with their own distinctive taste can taste like something completly different when combined! That could explain more cinamon producing a flavour unlike cinamon, if you get my drift!!
It did occur to me that, in the book, she suggests spicing after the base to avoid people burning spice, i.e. making the process easier for inexperienced cooks. That is a valid point!
The other thing I would suggest is use plenty of oil, and reduce the base by at least half during cooking, this leaves a higher proportionate amount of oil which should provide the right environment for cooking the spice enough to avoid a raw tasting result. Even with all the base present limiting the temperature to 100c ('cos of the water in it)
Also worthy of note: when I made her garam masala, I used cinamon quill (not the bark), her recipe is a bit vague on quantities (it advises the correct length of cinamon stick to use - but, of course they do vary considerably in thickness). When I got a good result I used lots of cinamon, although surprisingly the finished dish did not taste as though too much cinamon was present.
I cut-down by half the amount of black cardamom, simply because it smelt TOO smoky.
My wife and I both suspected that the spicy sausage taste was the result of of the increased cinamon. Taste is a strange subjective phenonomen, two ingredients, each with their own distinctive taste can taste like something completly different when combined! That could explain more cinamon producing a flavour unlike cinamon, if you get my drift!!
#116
Lets Talk Curry / Re: Kris Dhillons - The New Curry Secret
January 27, 2009, 10:21 AM
Frying tonight
You make a very good point! I added the spices as she said, AFTER the base. However I asked myself the same questions that you are obviuosly doing.
Normally I add spice mix into hot(ish) oil BEFORE the base, this works because some of the constituants benefit from this vigorous treatment (turmeric, ground coriander), according to Camella Punjabi in her book: The 50 Greatest Curries of India (not BIR I know)
Conversely however, I remember reading in the same book, that some spices DO suffer from being fried 'hard', burning or losing flavour relatively easily, cumin is one of this type.
Considering also, what we all know about garam masala, i.e. that it should be added near the end of cooking to preserve the delicate flavours of most of its constituants; I think her suggestion of added cumin and GM AFTER the base made very good sense.
Two points about this, that immediately conflict with the received wisdom above, are immediately apparent: firstly typical 'spice mix' contains cumin, but this is added early on; also, GM contains coriander which is added later!! BIRs (and ourselves) use procedures that raise the first point, but I think this can be explained by convenience. As for the second, I dunno!!
You make a very good point! I added the spices as she said, AFTER the base. However I asked myself the same questions that you are obviuosly doing.
Normally I add spice mix into hot(ish) oil BEFORE the base, this works because some of the constituants benefit from this vigorous treatment (turmeric, ground coriander), according to Camella Punjabi in her book: The 50 Greatest Curries of India (not BIR I know)
Conversely however, I remember reading in the same book, that some spices DO suffer from being fried 'hard', burning or losing flavour relatively easily, cumin is one of this type.
Considering also, what we all know about garam masala, i.e. that it should be added near the end of cooking to preserve the delicate flavours of most of its constituants; I think her suggestion of added cumin and GM AFTER the base made very good sense.
Two points about this, that immediately conflict with the received wisdom above, are immediately apparent: firstly typical 'spice mix' contains cumin, but this is added early on; also, GM contains coriander which is added later!! BIRs (and ourselves) use procedures that raise the first point, but I think this can be explained by convenience. As for the second, I dunno!!
#117
Lets Talk Curry / Re: Kris Dhillons - The New Curry Secret
January 26, 2009, 12:24 AM
Derek, it was from the original book (the two editions before the one that's just come out).
I used her garam masala mix in it. I also used a squeeze of fresh lime/lemon juice to balance the flavours.
It had that moorish 'smoked sausage' flavour, on the couple of occasions I got it right! Getting it right I think may have been down to just how heaped my tps were with the requisite spices. She recommends 'slighty rounded', I recal being generous was more successful then being lean. For that reason I now use level MEASURING spoons (5ml) as opposed to 'normal' tps (anything from 3ml up, depended on level or how rounded you make it).
It still interested me how simple her spicing was: turmeric & paprika in the base; cummin and garam masala in the dish. The ultimate mix of spices in the fianl dish is not that dissimilar to Ashoka!! They are just added in different places: some spices (e.g. cinnamon) come from the bunjarra as opposed to the garam masala.
I used her garam masala mix in it. I also used a squeeze of fresh lime/lemon juice to balance the flavours.
It had that moorish 'smoked sausage' flavour, on the couple of occasions I got it right! Getting it right I think may have been down to just how heaped my tps were with the requisite spices. She recommends 'slighty rounded', I recal being generous was more successful then being lean. For that reason I now use level MEASURING spoons (5ml) as opposed to 'normal' tps (anything from 3ml up, depended on level or how rounded you make it).
It still interested me how simple her spicing was: turmeric & paprika in the base; cummin and garam masala in the dish. The ultimate mix of spices in the fianl dish is not that dissimilar to Ashoka!! They are just added in different places: some spices (e.g. cinnamon) come from the bunjarra as opposed to the garam masala.
#118
Curry Sauce, Curry Base , Curry Gravy Recipes, Secret Curry Base / Re: Base Gravy from Ashoka at the Quay
January 25, 2009, 04:22 PM
Did I read that red onions were suggested for bunjarra? That type often used in salads. I bought some the other day with the express purpose of using them for this, I noticed they are often seeem quite sticky on the outside where bruised or between layers, I guess that means high suger content, ideal for this purpose.
I'd be interested to know what sort of onions everybody has been using for bunjarra?
I'd be interested to know what sort of onions everybody has been using for bunjarra?
#119
Madras / Re: SnS's Madras using SnS's Base June 2008
January 24, 2009, 02:12 PM
Thank's for looking anyway, Panpot.
#120
Lets Talk Curry / Re: My best BIR effort yet
January 22, 2009, 12:12 AM
Well done!
I havn't tried Ashoka, but have suspected for a while that its success is down to bunjarra, rather than being any thing to do with the base.
Your madras sounds farily similar to 'mine', although I add 3 tbs of 'blitzed' tinned plum tomartos to sour, AFTER the base has gone in (so it does not fry-down and sweeten). I think I'll try some salt reduced bunjarra too.
I havn't tried Ashoka, but have suspected for a while that its success is down to bunjarra, rather than being any thing to do with the base.
Your madras sounds farily similar to 'mine', although I add 3 tbs of 'blitzed' tinned plum tomartos to sour, AFTER the base has gone in (so it does not fry-down and sweeten). I think I'll try some salt reduced bunjarra too.