Quote from: raygraham on August 23, 2005, 09:19 PM
Hi Payal,
Just remembered the other author of a couple of books of authentic Indian Food I have by Mridela Baljekur. I have made a few of her recipes and they are really delicious.

Yes, I have at least 1 of her books -  was very intrigued when in the states I saw a book of hers called "best Ever Curry recipes" !!  it is quite a good book with a variety of dishes.  I have made 1 or 2 of her chicken recipes and they were pretty good.
I understand this site is after the BIR taste.  I will post a recipe for the makhani sauce from the Bombay Palace cookbook - it may be an "authentic" BIR taste!!  I use this gravy for chicken tikka, vegetables and paneer.  I will post it today under the authentic recipes just so you all can try it.  Strangely enough, it is the only recipe in the whole book which you make a base sauce for and then take some of that base sauce and cook with further with other ingredients - sounds like most of the most recipes I  see on this site.  That seems to be the BIR style.  The main taste comes from adding ginger paste into the tomato sauce rather than frying it in oil.  I gurantee is is worth a try and tastes identical to the restaurant one.  Does not even use more unusual ingredients (no rye, curry leaves).  I will do that a bit later today.
Payal

Well, you mean you to put lentils with meats?  I have never tried that - but i know it can be done.  I mean just having lentils as a main dish - they are very creamy (when cook right) and can be flavored any which way!  Actually, I saw a lentil recipe on a cooking show recently...but the cook used a moxture of 3-4 lentils.  it didnt taste too great to me....usually we cook 1 at a time.  I will have to copy it here under the authentic food column as well as give my recipe.

I just took a quick look at the vegetarian recipes - only looked at 2 of them and they seem pretty authentic.  I will look at some more and tell you what I think.

I appreciate that response but if that could even be remotely true, then a vegetarian should never go there.  Honestly, I am frustrated here that I cant find "real" indian food.  The Derby place was good food - but not traditional.  Now I understand why the menus here have a list of ingredients and then you pick what curry you want with it.  I have never seen such thing in the US or malaysia or Singapore or Canada.  Those are the only other countries I have had indian food in.  I dont think people in england would even like traditional food because it doesnt have curries and no rich flavor like the BIR here.  I am waiting to try the Bombay palace in London just to see if it follows the same cookbook as the other ones across the world or if it has been adjusted to suit Brits.
Does anyone cook lentils at all?  Thay can be very very tasty and not at all heavy - thats where curry leaves come in handy oftentimes.

Quote from: raygraham on August 22, 2005, 10:15 PM
Not wanting to a be a spoil-sport Payal but could you perhaps outline for us just what IS worth us eating on this planet without causing serious disfigurement or to glow in the dark!!??.
Your postings only seem to point out the negative side of what most of us on this site consider a subject of enjoyment and worth pursuing.
I seem to feel if I took your advice on what was good and bad for us I would perhaps stop eating for good !!

I would still prefer you to give more positive input such as help with traditional recipes for Indian food which you have a lot of experience and sound excellent and I am sure would be great knowledge to share at. More of that would be spot on!

Regards

Ray

I was just pointing out what is important to my religion and the well-being of other indians. I never said for everyone to stop eating BIR food - it is the farthest thing from authentic indian food anyways.   I suppose those people who are not vegetarian could not understand how a vegetarian would feel if they found out there was chicken stock in their food!!  I wanted to post some recipes but have decided this site is not for me.  I imagine other people cannot imagine the shock of learning that chicken stock may be used in dishes.  I feel that is an insult to me personally.  About the MSG, I just pointed out what we are taught in the US - an advanced country in all respects.
I wish you all luck in finding that taste you are after.   I think it is strictly in the technique of cooking that can alter taste so much - not so much the ingredients even!  For example, onions cooked in various stages have very different tastes, textures and colors.
Best of luck.

payal

Quote from: Mark J on August 22, 2005, 09:10 PM
We have fairly conclusive proof that some BIR's use chicken stock in the base sauce

That would be really bad.  Thats the kind of thing that could cause shutdown of places - if those kinds of things happen here like in the US.  I know some relatives here who are pure vegetarian and it would make them sick to know that.  I am not going to any indian restaurants here - I do eat chicken as my only meat but just out of principle, it makes me sick

Curry leaves are great!!  I use them in most vegetable dishes as well as in the tarka for the dals I make.  Asda carries them..I have not seem them anyplace else - except for indian stores.  But they have rather large bags at the indian stores so I dont get them from there.  If I buy a larger amount, I wash them, and put them in the freezer in ziploc bags - they work as good as new!!!  Otherwise, they seem to go black and spoilt rather quickly.  I am not sure if anyone here in England even makes dals and the such.  if so, I could post a lentil recipe for anyone that cooks lentils.  They almost always go hand in hand with black small mustard seeds - the combination is used in south indian cooking mostly.  I plan on posting some recipes later this week.

Payal

Quote from: Mark J on August 21, 2005, 06:02 PM
Hi Paast, stock is used in British Indian Restaurant cooking (which is what this forum is mostly about)

Not having a go at you, just pointing out the relevance of my post?

cheers

Mark

Wow, that is news to me...I am hoping you mean veg. stock as lots of people are vegetarians and expect their dish to be vegetarian.  Please let me know as my dad will come to visit soon and he is pure vegetarian.
I have to admit, the best indian food here I have had was at "anoki" in Derby.  I tried a number of places in Derby but found their 2 dishes I tried to be closest to authentic (except they also had onions and garlic).  Besides that one place, I wouldnt go anywhere else again.  Anyone eaten at Bombay Palace in London?  I know from their cookbook that they dont use any stock..not even for meat dishes.  I ate at many of their locations on the US, 2 in Canada and also 1 in Malaysia and the food was identical in them.  I know, I only order my favorite dish each time ;D

Payal

Yes, I do have some experience with indian restaurants in the US as I have eaten in lots of them!!  I went to another indian restaurant today and did not like the food.  The indian food here is very very different from what I have eaten in the USA and also from the food I eat while in India.  But thats not to say that the food here is bad.  I personally dont like it but many people in this country are used to it and love it!!
I do mean to put some recipes up on this site - this week for sure...maybe some simple things i cook up like some paneer dishes and some dal dishes.  We eat dal every day and only occasionally eat the richer foods which have gravies ("curries").  I have some copies from the best cookbook I have even seen from my favorite restaurant - Bombay Palace.  This restaurant is in many countries and even in London.  I have yet to go to that one.  I have been to about 7 of their locations and the food is exactly the same in each one as the recipes are identical.  The cookbook actually gives all the restaurant recipes!! My dad has the cookbook in the US but I have some of my favorite recipes photocopied from it.   I will copy some of them this week and post them here.  You all might be interested in trying some other types of indian food.
By the way, my name is Payal.

Most of the stocks do contain MSG but stock is not used in indian cooking....the cube stocks always have it but in the US i buy some stock packets that dont have MSG and use it in chinese soups.  I will see if i still have the box or not - I doubt it.  But i dont buy any noodles or anything wiht it - not much junk food at all - make things at home instead.