I don't see how frying one clove of garlic and adding it to a single portion of a different base will tell you anything about jb's base recipe. Why not make it as posted then draw conclusions? I'm sure many folks will be doing the same over the coming weeks and I'll have a go too. Then conclusions could be posted, by folks who've cooked it.

Ps 68 guests viewing this topic right now. Is that unusual?

How much were your sharwarmas Ed? Look the biz.....

Which shop has the pascos at 99p by the way? My daughter is in Mncr so I'm often up there.

Why would you have to boil for longer at home than the takeaway does? Boiling is boiling isn't it, wherever it happens

Can you elaborate on how the garlic is cooked? You said it's finely chopped then fried till brown, Are we talking a subtle pale brown with care taken to avoid burning, or are we talking about a healthy semi-charred dark brown with associated bitter flavour.?

Ta

I read this thread right through the other night and this seems like a good base to try. One question though, in stage 1 of the cooking it says cook until the onions change colour. What colour am I looking for them to change to?

This is super-exciting!  Hats off to you for relating your experience freely to others in the spirit of sharing. Very honest behaviour.

Was the dhansak the reddish dish at the back? And the dhal the yellow soupy looking one at the front? 

I see their menu on the website says they cook their pilau in chicken stock, that's a lot of stock when you consider how much pilau a restaurant will shift. So how do they have so much stock on hand? Butchering their own chickens and ending up with a lot of bones to stew into stock? Doesn't seem likely. Or when they say chicken stock is this curried chicken stock, ie thin gravy residue from precooking chicken breast chunks in spices? More likely perhaps.

A good Indian is a rare find these days, worth a visit for sure

Hey Hedgerwallace. Think you'll find from the restaurant's perspective the "best restaurant" award is simply part of the marketing spend (and clearly one that works - you went and spent money as a result). Maybe worth considering what the business model of the awarding body is, ie from where is their income obtained? And after that brief reflection maybe you'll think twice before visiting a restaurant because it is "award winning" in future?  Exceptions to this policy can of course be made for recognised legitimate awards such as Michelin stars, etc..! 

Thanks for the welcome