Hi Mick

Not biscuity at all. It's restaurant quality naan...simple as.

Thanks for the good wishes, and good luck if you try this.

Hi George,

Fora 4 portion size, I would say probably a tablespoon  each of lemon and oil and a pinch of salt. We obviously cook much larger quantities, and we basically add a good glug of oil and lemon and a small handfull of salt.

Cheers Mike

This is how we do our rice.

Firstly, buy the best rice you can afford. We use "Aeroplane LA Taste". Expensive but you get what you pay for.

Wash the rice several times and soak in hot water for at least 20 min's

Boil up water (this is the excessive water method, so make sure you have plenty in there) and add some lemon juice, salt and oil to the water.

Put the rice in and stir. Keep a close eye, it won't take long because it has been soaking. When it is "al dente" strain immediately, put into a large enough container and work a bit of oil through the rice (stops it clumping together. Add some Shan Pillau Biryani mix. (If you are cooking enough for 4 servings, you will only need about a quarter of a packet). Then fry up a tarka of cumin seeds, Indian bay, cardamoms, cassia bask and whatever else takes your fancy ie cloves etc. Pour this into the rice.

Then make a mix of rose water with your favourite food colouring. Pour this into the rice and allow the colours to "set" for a couple of minutes. Mix thoroughly and ENJOY.

G'day everyone

I got Raj's naan recipe tonight. No real surprises except one...maybe

This is the batch he makes so you will have to scale it down....sorry

- 10kg self raising flour
- 4 or 5 eggs (depending on size)
- good handful of salt
- good handful of sugar
- 250ml milk
- 4 good chef spoons yoghurt (about 20- 24 tbsps)
- a bit of oil on your hands while working/kneading

No need to sift the flour. Mix it all up, add enough water to make a runny-ish, sticky dough mixture. Knead and put in container. Cover and then leave overnight in the fridge. This is the main tip. it needs an overnight rest for the yoghurt to do it's work. It CAN be used after an hour or two, but best to leave it overnight.

Raj puts this mixture into a 20 litre bucket and fits the lid loosely, and places it in our coolroom. When I come to the shop in the morning, the dough has pushed the lid off, and is creeping down the bucket onto the floor, so make sure you use a big enough container.

We obviously then cook it in the tandoor, so you can use your own cooking methods.

If using a tandoor, i am sure you are all aware that you need to wet the back of the dough with salty water to make it stick. No need to put any oil on the face of the naan before cooking.....unless you want to.

Good luck. More recipes coming soon

Quote from: Secret Santa on December 11, 2012, 03:27 PM
Congratulations Mick, I hope you continue to do well.

Can I ask a practical question? How do you pay your delivery people...is it by the number of deliveries or what?

Hi SS

I have a good arrangement.

Next door to us is an Italian deli. They are open from 7am to 7 pm 7 days a week. They hold a key to our place and delivery guys can get the key and put the stuff in our cool room. They leave an invoice and we direct credit the payment into their bank account. There isn't a delivery charge, as the people we use are also delivering to many shops in our complex.

Hope that answers your question mate

Forgot to say, I am now in contact with Rich via Facebook. He has done really well, and I hope to learn more, and share some stuff with him.

I agree, he looks very professional.

Quote from: Cory Ander on December 11, 2012, 01:37 PM
Hey Mick, you're brave enough (like Julian from Curry 2 Go) to dare to tread where many of us dream of, and talk of, but few of us dare to go!

You deserve the very best of luck in your endeavours (and your bravery); I hope it all works well for you (and I take my hat off to you)!

PS:  At least you're "North of the River" which is largely inundated with Poms! 

PPS:  I reckon we might be able to get a posse of expats to come and give your curries a go! 

PPPS:  No mention of a free curry then!? (I'll have Chewy's too!) 

PPPPS:  "loveitspicy" (Rich) is also doing something similar in Thailand...brilliant!  Love his packaging too!  ...you might want to swap notes?

Thank you CA. 

My friend, you are welcome to a free curry anytime you feel like venturing north. It is the least I can do for what you have taught me.

Just bear in mind that at present, we are operating as a takeaway only. I have purchased tables and chairs, but still need to get crockery, cutlery etc.  We are hoping to be operating as a "sit down" place early next year.

And yes, you are right. We chose the location because of the high proportion of ex-pats. We have had loads of repeat customers already. The Phall and NIS are very popular.......

I would say our biggest selling dish is Rogan Josh and I am proud to say (apart from base and mixed powder) ....it is MY recipe.....YAAAY. Balti is also v popular along with "your" CTM and Korma.  Chewy's Madras also goes down  a real storm too.

The vindaloo is a concoction of yours and Julian's with a bit of tinkering from me.

I will keep you all updated with our progress re: restaurant facilities, and give me a week or two and I WILL get Raj's seekh, tandoori and naan recipes on here for you all to try.

I am so relieved that 2 of the people that I most admire on this site, and have influenced me the most have given their "blessing" so to speak. I am talking about Chewy and CA!!!! There are plenty more on this site that have influenced me, but I won't go into names for fear of missing anyone out. We all like different base gravies/mixed powders/finished recipes, but between Chewy/CA and Julian at C2go, I have found my favourite.

I was really worried about making this post,and that I might have an adverse reaction.

I really never intended to do any of this when I stumbled across this site, but after feeding countless mates over the last few months/years, they were  unanimous that I should go into business.

I have just turned the big 50 and my knees and back cannot cope much longer with the pressure of my job (plumber/tiler). So, I thought why not give it a go before I am too old to do anything?

I am using a combination of Chewy's and CA's bases with an addition of cardamom powder and fenugreek powder...seems to be working. Cooked in 25 ltr pressure cookers.........all good. I use Julians mixed powder. I use CBM onion paste. And I now use a few tips and tricks taught to me by Raj, our tandoori chef.

All I can say is thank you, thank you and THANK YOU to ALL members of this wonderful site.

I promise I WILL share everything that I learn.

Thank you very much fellas. And a big thank you for all the likes on FB.

I will share any knowledge that I gain. Just give me a bit of time. As I say, I have been that busy, I have not had a chance to even look at Raj doing his stuff....serious!!!

Day off today, well cash and carry to do, butchery to collect and prepare, onions to peel and chop..........night off I meant to say. lol It's all good fun though.

G'day folks.

It's been a while since I was last involved here, but I do have a good reason.

I have set up a takeaway/restaurant here in Perth, Australia, called British Indian 2 go. Check out our Facebook link.

https://www.facebook.com/BritishIndian?ref=hl

If you can find it in your hearts to "like" our page it would be a massive help.

I originally set it up with a mate, but I am in the process of buying him out (long story....partnerships are not a good idea)

I've been trading for 4 weeks and it's bloody hard graft..........but very rewarding. We have many, many repeat customers, and it is great when people take the time to phone up and say that they enjoyed the food. We have had a bit of negative feedback too, but no business can please everybody..........some people are just (moderated) ..lol.

It has been a steep learning curve. I employed an Indian guy "Raj" to work the tandoor, and thank christ I did. Without him, I would have folded within a week. He has taught us so much, and continues to do so. But, by the same rule, he has learned a lot from us too. He had never eaten BIR food, and he is now a fan.

He cooks excellent seekh kebabs with no pastes..........recipe will be revealed soon (I haven't had the time to observe yet). His tandoori chicken is bang on too. Recipe also to follow. His naan bread is made without yeast. he uses no baking powder, just yoghurt and it is also excellent. Once again, when I have time to watch/learn, I will share.

If I hadn't found this excellent site, I wouldn't have been able to do this. Massive thanks to people who share their knowledge. I have tinkered around with different peoples bases/recipes, added a bit of this, taken out a bit of that and finally came up with my own recipes, that seem to be working..... so far.

There are loads of Brits here in WA who complain that they can't get a decent curry....well now they can. I am providing a public service  lol, and also (hopefully ) making a living at the same time. I am in big debt with the bank, and haven't managed to draw a wage yet, but given time, I'm sure it will start to pay it's way. We are managing to pay the rent, staff wages, and all suppliers, so the only way is up from here...hopefully. 

Thanks Cr0