Quote from: joshallen2k on September 08, 2009, 08:23 PM
Hi 976bar - glad it worked out for you. Pics look good.

Question - why would you add onion to the base, and then puree it again? Just wondering what you think that adds to the dish, other than suggesting there wasn't enough onion ratio in the original SnS recipe.

I couldn't see this being a BIR method, so was wondering what led you down this path.

Thanks!

-- Josh

Hi Josh,

My original Madras recipe had 1 tbsp of pataks Balti paste in it, and I wanted to steer away from this. So I thought the onion would give it more depth, then i thought why not puree it as well. I think next time i might just add the onions chopped, although I have never had a madras that has had onions bits in it before...... 

I made this tonight, and was extemely satisfied with the results. I couldn't believe it when I finally got that "Toffee Aroma" as the sauce was cooking. You can adjust the chillis to suit your personal taste, and I also like lemon juice in my Madras, again a personal taste.


Chicken Madras

Ingredients
2 chicken breasts
300 ml of SNS base gravy
1 Onion finely chopped
4 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp of garlic & ginger puree (Fresh)
1 tsp Deghi Mirch (Red Chilli Powder)
2 fresh green chillis sliced very thinly
1 tsp Tomato Puree
1 tsp of spice mix
1 tsp Turmeric
Pinch dried methi leaves (fenugreek)
Squeeze of Lemon Juice
Chopped fresh coriander leafs and stalks
Salt
Add water if sauce is too thick

Method
Cut the chicken breasts into chunks, put to one side.
Heat 3 tbsp oil in a wok and gently fry the onion until golden brown.
Add the garlic, ginger, green chillis, and fry for 1-2 minutes.
Add the tomato Puree and fry for 30 seconds.
Add the Deghi Mirch and fry for around 30 seconds
Turn up the heat and add a ladle of the base gravy, let it sizzle, then add 2 more ladles and let it heat up. Continue doing this until all the base gravy is in there. Cook for around 3-4 minutes to reduce the sauce. If it gets too thick add some water.
Remove from the heat and put in a food processor. Puree until smooth. Let it stand for a minute or two.
Meanwhile heat 1 tbsp oil in the same wok, add 1 tsp of turmeric, fry gently for 20 seconds. Add the chicken pieces and fry turning until it is sealed.
Add the puree?d madras mixture and boil hard on a high heat. You will then get that toffee aroma, which I have never had before. Then the oil starts to separate.
Add a pinch of Methi leaves, the coriander and about 1-2 tbsp lemon juice (optional).
Cook until the chicken is done. 
Serve at once with Rice and Naan.

All in all with the exception of the puree time I would say this took about 15-20 mins.

Quote from: chriswg on September 07, 2009, 05:35 PM
Do you guys like the taste of the Nagas? I find they completely overpower everything and the taste isn't that great. I put half of one on a pizza once and loved the heat but it tasted pretty gross.

Actually, the weekend before last I went out with some guys from the golf club for an Indian. There was a guy there that had a jar of Naga paste, which he puts on his curries because they just don't do it for him without....

I put a little on a teaspoon and tried it. Yep it had the same effect on me that I had when i was in Turkey and had a screaming hot chilli. It gave me the hiccups for about 45 minutes. Anything too hot has that effect on my diaphram......

However, apart from that I found they had a rather sweet taste. I'll have to find out where he got that jar from and what it contained and will report back

It was certainly a toilet roll in the freezer that night ready for the following morning!!!  ;D

Quote from: parker21 on September 06, 2009, 07:07 PM
hi i think that the description in PC's new curry bible they are called " penis" pepper chillies :-X say no more UB!
regards
gary

Hi Gary,

I was trying to be polite!! lol

Ok the challenge for this week is to come up with a ladies curry using these chilli's.....

Keep it clean!!! yeah rite!! lol

Quote from: haldi on September 06, 2009, 06:13 PM
I have just come back from Radford Road, Nottingham
Opposite, one of it's largest Asian shops called Medina, is a little passage way.
Along here, is a man selling fresh naans, cooked in his tandoor
They are four for a pound
Unbelievably cheap, but are they any good.............?

YES!!!!
They are absolutely amazing ,but unlike anything I have tried before
They are very, very light and have no onion seeds
The chap who cooked them was clearly not English, but perhaps he was not Indian/Pakistani either.
Perhaps he was Arabian?
Maybe that's why the naans are so different

The way he handled the dough was magical
So fast
He rolled each one out in about five seconds, then stretched them over the naan cushion.
Then Whack!........to the side of the tandoor
There were about six cooking at once
The naans were lifted with something like kitchen tongs and into a bag

Anyone living in this area, do yourself a favour, and pay  this place a visit
It's an education and a fantastic treat
I will be going again soon

FOUR a POUND?
Let's see Asda beat that!!

Sounds like a winner Haldi I'm also interested in the Medina store you went to as well. Are they really well stocked up on spices etc? If so, then I might take a drive up there............

Quote from: Cory Ander on September 06, 2009, 01:14 PM
Which others have your tried 976bar?

Also this one.......

Base Gravy from Ashoka at the Quay


Ingredients:
3 kgs of chopped onions
50 gms Cumin Powder
60 gms  Salt
water to cover the onions
Add 100 gms of Tomato paste
100 gms of the Garlic/Ginger paste
10-20 gms of Chili powder (to taste but he recommended 10 since more can be added when cooking)
15 gms Curry powder
20 gms Turmeric
1 block of Coconut block
250 gms Vegetable margarine (again he uses East End Brand)
250 gms of oil

Method:
Place in pot and cover with water and bring to the boil before simmering until onions are soft.  Make sure the onions don't become dry keep your eye on the water.

Once soft add the remainder of ingredients then blitz with blender and continue to gently simmer for 1 hour

Quote from: Cory Ander on September 06, 2009, 01:14 PM
Which others have your tried 976bar?

I can't remember who posted this, but its one that I used to use, but could never get a decent curry from it......

Vegetables
Cooking onions (1.5kg unpeeled, 1.25kg peeled)
1 large carrot (200g unshaved, 160g shaved)
1 large green pepper (225g whole, 200g trimmed and deseeded)
4 to 6 Salad potatoes (250g unshaved, 210g shaved)
Chop roughly and add to a very large cooking pot

Add:-
2 medium tomatoes (chopped into quarters)
2 cups (500 ml) of fresh vegetable oil
25g finely chopped garlic gloves (about 4 large cloves)
10g finely chopped fresh ginger root (about 1 inch cube)
1 tbsp (15 ml) salt
2.5 litres of water, which will cover all the ingredients

Cover and bring to boil. Remain covered and simmer vigorously for 40 minutes stirring occasionally.

Add:-
Half a tin (200 g) of chopped plum tomatoes (Italian Napolina)
Boil covered for another 5 minutes.

Add:-
25 ml cumin powder
25 ml coriander powder
25 ml turmeric powder
25 ml sweet paprika (or deghi mirch)

Boil covered for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat and blend for at least 5 minutes until very smooth. Add 1 litre of water. The gravy will now resemble a very thin soup.
Bring to boil. Simmer vigorously (almost a boil) uncovered for about 30 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove any scum * (not froth) forming on the surface. When the oil completely separates the gravy is complete.

LOL Corry Ander!!!

Quote from: Cory Ander on August 24, 2009, 02:41 PM

Quote from: Secret Santa on August 24, 2009, 02:23 AM

Quote from: seekingcurry on August 20, 2009, 08:27 AM
however I don't add the tin of tomatoes

Very sensible!

I agree with this point, succinctly put!  This base is VERY tomatoey...

...I'm sure this base would be more versatile if the tinned tomatoes were omitted (or the quantity of tinned tomatoes was certainly reduced, as SnS suggests). 

I don't like ANY tinned tomatoes in my base (I think they can make the base bitter).  I generally stick to fresh tomatoes or tomato paste.

Each to their own, I suppose....

If you use the Italian "Plum" tomatoes they are more sweet than any other variety. I made the SNS base with these and it turned out really well. Certainly the best base I have ever made from here

Has anyone grown or seen these before? Apparently their called Peter Peppers?..... hmmmm??? and apparently they can grow up to 18" long