Not sure if thas already been posted so sorry if it has. Just follow the link
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4532245984549289375

No probs.  This is my approach.  I marinate the precooked meat in a little tomato puree base.  Fry this on a high heat add the base and whatever spices you want.  Continue to fry stirring all the time.  I have mentioned this many times but a Bir secret is in HOW you stir and fry.  It is not good just moving the mix around as you will not 'fuse' it even if you are using super heat.  The technique is very simple.  Use a very hot pan, plenty of oil, and a metal chefs spoon, you can use a round cup ladle but you need to be good.  When you add anything, eg. the original meat & tomato or the base, spices etc., you press/rub the mix against the base of the pan to fuse it as though spreading butter (don't do this to the meat though!) and then scrape it off almost straight away before it starts to burn.  You just keep doing this for just a few minutes and then you will see the colour change and you will get that so called Bir smell.  It takes some practice to get it right, so be prepared for accidents.  I would also suggest you do not use a non-stick pan as you are likely to blow of the coating; I suggest a bog standard cheap cast iron frying pan as used by a lot of Birs (8" - 10").  You can get them from a lot of Asian grocers & wholesalers.  Treat the pan like a WOK don't wash it in any soapy water, just use plain hot water and a scrubbing brush.  This way you will infuse the flavours and season the pan.

No here comes the issue of water or not.  Birs use water for dilution, I prefer to sue and emulsion like milk of yoghurt as it doesn't change the spice flavour.  However if you are trying to do Bir stuff then use water by all means but the secret is to add very little at a time and let the mix reach temperature between each addition.  If you add too much at one time you will drop the heat too low and you will break up the spices and lose the flavour very quickly.

Hope this helps, good luck.
CP

PS this base stinks (nice stink though) so make sure you freeze it in good quality containers, e.g. the lock type, as it will expand when freezing and creep out like Quatermass's experiment :

Great tip Spicy!  Never thought of that one ;D  I fry Poppadoms and dry them in the oven also but I grill pappads as they come as they contain more oil; the latter are the ones that are more oily and usually contain spices, also the Birs usually fold them in half.  I think it was Cory that asked what was the difference between the types, my thoughts were they were made from a different sets of ingredients, and pappads contain more oil.

Mustapharuby - if you follow Cory's links and do some searching on the Forum you will find lots of info.

Good luck
CP

Absolutely and well thought out.  I am sorry to say this but pulses (dhall etc.,) are nearly as risky as rice (2nd on the H&H list of risks I think).  Spices are better bought whole and grind them yourself, but in the end as long as you cook your stuff at 80C or above you should be safe.  Anyway, many great minds on this Forum have debated this for long threads, and I respect their opinions; do your own thing just keep the risks in mind.

CP

Hi MA8  Yes I will be doing that, as it is somewhat confusuing if you want to make smaller batches.  Scaling it down in equal ratios doesn't work so well so I will have to experiment, which is why I need some time to do it in the New Year when I will be less busy.
CP

I had a good laugh at that Spicy  ;D ;D ;D
CP

It may be a bit anal, but here is some basic stuff from F&H sources

The Symptoms

Symptoms with the diarrhoeal toxin are nausea, cramplike abdominal pains and watery diarrhoea, beginning 8 to 16 hours after eating and are related to the lower intestine. With the emetic toxin the symptoms are more severe and acute and are nausea and vomiting beginning 1 to 6 hours after eating and are related mainly to the upper intestine.
The diagnosis is confirmed by a laboratory test on a faecal specimen.
The illness occurs when people swallow the bacteria or spores formed by them which then multiply and produce toxin in the intestine, or from eating the toxin already produced in food, e.g rice.

Reducing the Risk
Bacillus cereus exists in normal bacterial and spore forms in foods. The normal form is inactivated by cooking, but most illness is a result of the multiplication of spores during inadequate refrigeration of moist cooked protein foods and rice. Because cooking often kills competing bacteria and heat activates the Bacillus cereus spores, storing large masses of cooked food between 4 deg C and 60 deg C can allow the bacteria to multiply.

(Your fridge is probably operating at 8 degrees Celsius !!!!)

Preventive measures that can be taken to help avoid the illness include:

Ensuring adequate temperatures are reached during cooking of food mixes such as sauces, custards, and soups to inactivate the bacteria. (80 degrees C is the minimum, and take note this is for deactivation not killing the blighters)
Keeping cooked hot foods above 60 deg C (preferably 70 deg C) if not served immediately. (Health & Hygiene regulations state the maximum length of time that rice can be stored at this temperature is 4 hours)Ensuring the rapid cooling of cooked food by dividing into smaller lots and refrigerating in shallow containers (less than 10cm deep).
Storing cold foods at or below 4 deg C to prevent toxin being produced.
Avoiding storing protein-containing foods with cooked rice because this stimulates the growth of Bacillus cereus.
Reheating foods to 75 deg C or until steaming hot, as flash frying or brief rewarming is not adequate to destroy the toxin. (Please note)
Preventing cross-contamination from raw to cooked foods (by using separate preparation areas or sanitising between processes).
Thoroughly washing fruit and vegetables and rice with clean water of drinking standard (potable) before use.
Ensuring food handlers have good personal hygiene and adequate food safety training.

Try these links

Food Standards Agency (UK)
http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/asksam/keepingfoodsafe/asksamcooking/

http://www.food.gov.uk/ Just search on keywords Baccillus Cereus and Rice

quote: And that is:- if it tastes and smells good, then it's OK

A very dangerous assumption, you will not know in any way the rice is not fit for consumption.

Anyway I hope this clarifies.  And please everyone don't lets have another episode as before.    : :-[ ;D Everyone has a personal choice. 

I will say however that if you ever suffer from the effects of BC you will never take risks with cooking rice; I know I have been there and hospitalised  (not my cooking  :  I think it was that BIR in Bedford  ). 

One last point; if you are taking any medicines for reflux or severe indigestion (not Rennies and the like) you are at greater risk.

CP

Welcome Joe5 and enjoy the trip.  Night shift eh?  this means we have a true international 24/7 Forum now ;D

CP

Great stuff  ;D ;D ;D ;D.  I agree Turkey should cooked and eaten (if you have to) fresh for Christmas dinner and then consigned to the bin.  I have also (and my Chef Dad) have tried many things with turkey (cooking wise!) and it still tastes crap.

Capon........   yumyum sans balls or not isn't that an oxymoron .... a castrated cock?  :

CP

Great stuff and thank you for the feedback After8.  You are on the right track, and powdered Garlic and Ginger are the staple ingredient for Madras and Vindaloo Phalls etc.  There are many comments on this throughout the Forum. 

The earlier comments on cooking spices are sound advice so I will not elaborate, other than to add that if you are using onions you should always chop them very finely and cook until opaque in lots of oil before you add powdered spices (not a BIR method), you cook whole spices briefly before you add the onions.  It is also better to mix your chillies fresh garlic and fresh ginger in with the onions before you fry them.

I would not use Tomato soup because most of them have traditional herbs in them to enhance the taste but knacker the curry flavour, but BIRs do add Heinz CoTS to CTM.  I suggest you make a puree out of fresh or tinned tomato (remove seeds and skins) then cook in lots of oil with a little sugar and salt to balance the flavour and act as a preservative.  If you keep the puree covered with oil at all times you can keep it in the fridge for a while.

Hope this helps, happy adventuring
CP