One of the things that struck me first having recently joined the forums, is the use of pre-made gravy/sauce.  All the while thinking it isn't right but seems but to go along with an ever increasing trend in TA's and BIR's. Well, the ones that I have tried anyway.

I then had a read up of CA's topic on the changing faces of curry. It certainly seems like a reasoned conclusion.  This though, has placed me firmly as a lover of older style Bangladeshi cuisine.

The one and only time I was invited to look through the kitchen door at my local I was shown a huge stock pot (or should that read holy grail) containing what must have therefore been the most sacred and holy of ingredients, the pre-made stock.

Now I refer to it as stock as that is really what it was. The restaurant owner talked me through the importance of this stock and the main ingredients but essentially it was a stock made using mostly onion and some added spices etc. I do remember how he said it was cooked for some immense time to allow the onions to be broken down. They would then mash them to a pulp within the stock and remove the remaining skins.  Of course there was much more too it but essentially it was a semi clear stock not a gravy or sauce.

This formed the basis to all of the curry dishes that required a sauce of some description. I watched on as in minutes the chef demonstrated how to make a Korma Sauce. He added spices to his pan along with what must have been coconut powder and then added a ladle of the stock, brought it to the boil and then added from a tin, some condensed milk and there it was, the perfect Korma Sauce in literally 2 minutes. Not a runny modern take on a sauce but a sauce with body.

What I did note also was that they didn't have one spice mix, they had several. Which also seems a little different to what I have read here so far.

Has anyone else experienced this or can help me create this stock?

Much obliged CA, I must learn to pay attention to the search options. :

I have searched this on here but seem unable to find it so far.

but if anyone can put me in the right direction for making the unique gravy/sauce that goes in a Puri Starter, i'd be very grateful.

Thanks in advance

Malc.

Thanks Razor, how that glass of wine got there is anyone's guess, I can tell you it didn't hang around long though. 

The rusk worked really well. Baring in mind I have not tasted CA's published version I found my derivative to be full of sweetness. This was without adding sugar too. You may note from the picture that I used ASDA's own mint jelly, now I don't know if this is sweeter than Colemans, so this is something I will have to investigate. I will say that the mint sauce I made was also a little sweet for my liking. Mind you, I was heavy on the teaspoon.

The overall finish on the kebabs was good. They looked moist and smelt great. On cutting they were quite light and broke apart as opposed to being cut through, when using a fork. This as a result of not adding the egg I feel. I cooked these as a sausage under the grill and not on skewers. I don't think you'll have a problem with your skewers but I wouldn't recommend anyone using needle type skewers, as I think they would break the kebab when turning.

The taste was nothing short of delightful. Full of body but not over powering and finished with a nice round sweetness. I not a 'fiery foods' person, but I would have preferred a little more 'bite' from the chilli I used. I will put this down to experience, 1) adding too much mince and 2) using mild chilli powder instead of cayenne for instance. Trial and error will have this ironed out nicely.

As for colouring, well at one point in my life I was devastated to learn that restaurants are not to use colourings. Now though, i'm rather more 'if it adds nothing to the flavour why bother'. I must admit that a Chicken Tikka that looks orange rather than red is a Chicken Tikka that looks anaemic, but really, for me these days, its all about the taste with as little fuss as is necessary. That said, your kebabs do look very nice in all their full glory and splendour.

What do you mean 'will' ? 

Thanks for the welcome Chris.

This was really my first go at CA's seekh kebab but thought i'd post the meal as a whole.

So I started with my take on CA's Seekh Kebab. As I hadn't really prepared to do it I used what I had to hand but also made some deliberate changes to test the rusk theory for Jerry and Razor.

Ingredients:

1 tsp Garlic & Ginger Paste
1 tbsp Ground Cake Rusk
1 Enchilon Shallot finely chopped
1 tbsp Corriander Leaf
1/2 tsp Lemon Juice
1 tsp Mint Jelly
1 tsp Fenugreek ground
1/2 tbsp Pataks Rogan Josh Paste
1 tsp Garam Masala
1/2 tsp Tandoori Masala
1/4 tsp Chilli Powder
1 small red chilli.

I left out the egg as it makes the mix lighter but you can't play with the mince once you have it cooking. The sugar was also left out as the Cake Rusk is sweet and the Jelly is also sweet.

Threw the lot into a bowl with what was going to be 400g of mince lamb but decided that 100g left over was pointless so used it all.  ;D

It was then allowed to mature a while before being separated into 75g balls which were rolled into a sausage shape then in the fridge to set a little. Once ready to cook I simply put them in a pre heated grill turning once browned.







Next on the list was the Mushroom Bhaji of which we've had alot of since I found a really good recipe online and twisted it slightly. I halved the following recipe:

Ingredients:

1 Onion med-large finely chopped
2 tsp Garlic & Ginger Paste
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1/2 tsp Chilli Powder
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Corriander Ground
1/4 tsp Salt
1 tbls Tomato Puree
8 Ounce Button Mushroom quartered.

Heat enough ghee to fry the onion till golden add the Garlic & Ginger and stir through. Add the spices and cook for 2 mins, followed by the mushrooms and Tomato Puree. Stir well to coat and put the lid on stirring occasionally. Cook until most of the water has gone.





I then made up some mint sauce based on one of the recipes on here (sorry i'll edit the links in later).

This was made:

1 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Mint Jelly
1 tbls Boiling Water
200ml Yoghurt

After dissolving the sugar and jelly in the water, I added the yoghurt and stirred through. It was a little sweet for more liking so next time i'll just add the jelly or add sugar to regular mint sauce.




Clean plates were had all round and if you haven't tried CA's version of the Seekh Kebab then you jolly well should, it was divine.

Quote from: chriswg on February 22, 2010, 01:29 PM
Has anyone ever noticed that the BIR's pre-cooked chicken is usually stored in a tub or tray in a yellow, yoghurt thick sauce. When they add it to the dish that sauce is added to the curry. This isn't something I have ever seen menioned on here, yet it must impart a certain flavour to the curry.

I noticed this first at the curry lesson I had at a local BIR, but I also noticed it on the Maliks webcam videos. I doubt any of us would have the patience to pre-cook our chicken the day before and refrigerate overnight in the cooking sauce, but maybe that is how it gets the softness.

I've been looking over a few topics being a new kid on the block so to speak. One thing that strikes out at me is how different things seem to be compared to what I have picked up from my local restaurant. I guess the answer for this is here I just haven't found it yet.

However, they cook all the prepared chicken on skewers in the tandoor oven. Its marinated accordingly, then given a very fast and hard cook. Then stacked on trays to await use, but not in any sauce. The end result is always perfectly cooked moist soft chicken.

One of the perks (as I call it) of my job, is that I have frequented many professional kitchens. One I visited had Harrisa Chicken Skewers on the menu which I was offered to try. They were so succulent I was amazed. I was then told the key was to heat the oven as hot as possible 250c upwards and cook 1 1/2 inch size pieces on a skewer for about 12mins.

This is now how I cook all my chicken for our family curry feasts and I can promise you, given the appropriate marinate, you will get perfect succulent chicken everytime.

The Indian Garden in Burgess Hill is a cracking old style restaurant run with passion and delivers some of the best tasting cuisine I have ever had the delight to eat.

I have enjoyed many a good meal there and the staff always go the extra mile. It was even frequented by a certain Sir Norman Wisdom, who I had the pleasure to meet in the restaurant just after it was announced he was to receive his Knighthood.

I know we all have our favourites but I can honestly say that I have never found a restaurant that serves better food.

Hargiwald, perhaps you could try replacing the soup with Passata and adding your lactose free cream, would that work?

The thing is, you just don't know until you've tried it. I know from experience that the onion bhaji is more than just batter alone, it might just be that potato is that missing factor, for me at least.

Infact the more I think about it, the more i'm starting to lean towards it.

I will report back.