I have my opinions but I will keep them to myself as I see little point in debating the outcome of this good or bad, before such time there is something to debate.

It's not my forum and I have no right to tell any of you what you should or should not do, but I do feel it would be better if this topic was left alone by all, including Chris, until such time the book is released.

Courtesy of the Shanaz, tonight's meal is a Chicken Baguni, which I have nick named the Zonda.

The dish is essentially a madras with chicken tikka, tomatoes and aubergine. Its a wonderful dish, if a little heavy heavy on the oil.

Not I a dish I was familiar with and it isn't on their standard menu. Has anyone tried this dish or indeed has a bonafide recipe. I don't think it will be hard to replicate, but thought i'd ask.

Oh and it was devoured with a Tandoori Roti and onion salad.

Quote from: spiceyokooko on March 19, 2013, 09:51 PM
I still don't agree that we as home cooks should copy the practices of modern BIR's in using artificial colourings though.

Neither do I, I don't use colouring as a rule of thumb. Of course, it does exist is some products, like my Tandoori Masala but I can not take it out and it's not practical for me to make my own.

I would go for the first one Phil as out of two it looks less oily but I am not a big fan of colourings for colourings sake especially green.

Quote from: spiceyokooko on March 19, 2013, 05:49 PM
...sometimes you have to take a leap of faith from what your eyes tell you...

I agree.

Quote
No they haven't, at least not artificially coloured, that's a modern invention.

Not artificially, through naturally available plants etc. I have recently researched colourings though haven't saved any data (didn't seem relevant at the time) I do have this from a site I found:

The Kashmiri muslims use lots of onion, garlic and also the dried flower of the cockscomb plant commonly known as Maval in Kashmir. Maval provides the dish its distinct bright red color. Maval surprisingly is in itself a substitute for Ratan Jot (Alkanet Root) which was the preferred ingredient to impart color not only to Roganjosh but also Tandoori chicken during the Moghul period.

My only comment to add to this debate, is that in the many many video's I have watched of BIR kitchens, I have not once seen the burner turned up as high as the picture above. I could be wrong but that is just my observations so far, granted that videos have been of differing quality.

I do however believe that the flambe will change the character of a dish but I don;t think it is going to stop a home cook on a domestic cooker achieving very good results.

If it was practical for me to have a commercial burner, I would. But that hasn;t stopped me producing good results.

Just my opinion of course.

Quote from: spiceyokooko on March 19, 2013, 04:04 PM
Well I think that encapsulates in a nutshell what I'm trying to say.

I do understand what your getting at but I can't agree wholeheartedly with regard to the Haryali, primarily as I have never seen the dish before. So I could argue that looks are important. I would also point out that for centuries, curries have been coloured, which is presumably to make them look more appealing.

But as I said before and correct if me If I am wrong, the topic and those prior to it were really about what a bhuna should be; a dryish dish fried in a hot pan or a fried dish in sauce.

I guess one man's meat is another man's poison, as long as we enjoy what we eat it's all that really matters.

Quote from: chewytikka on March 19, 2013, 03:34 PM
Once the food is cooked in a pan and transferred to the Karahi it sizzles and smokes and gives
that extra (burnt smokey flavour) to the final dish.

Thanks Mike

I will have to double check with them again, it's been a while since i've been but I am sure they said they cooked in it. ot as big as a balti dish but bigger than a standard serving dish. I can't argue with your reasoning though and will report back when I find out for sure.

I have to say though, either way, the finished dish is still very different to modern expectations. Happy to report that the Shanaz still cook and serve in Balti dishes though.

Just Googled the Haryali and have to say, it looks very off putting. I'm sure it's not of course, it'll just take a few beers to get the head round it.

You knew this would provoke a response from me Phil, so as it's now removed from the topic it was posted too.....

Presentation of food is very important to me just as the taste and smell is too. That doesn't mean food has to be presented in a Michelin Star kind of way but if it doesn't look very palatable your unlikely to truly enjoy eating it. I am perhaps fussier than some but that is my prerogative to be so.

But to answer the point raised by Spicey, for me the argument is not so much does it matter what a bhuna looks like in the context of the thread it originated, rather that, is the bhuna still a bhuna when it's swimming in sauce? Because that is what I feel people were discussing.

The Indian Garden offers Karahi Chicken that is cooked and served in the Karahi. The dish consists of quartered half onions, same again in red and green peppers and tomatoes, fried bhuna style in a very lightly reduced and minimal sauce. When I speak to Bangladeshi/Indian people about this, they often agree that this is how a good karahi should be. Yet most restaurants seem to cook chopped onions and peppers in a frying pan with loads of base and transfer to karahi before serving. The two are completely different dishes and I would argue the latter is not a karahi just because it is simply served in the metal vessel. I would even go as far to say that modern karahi and bhuna dishes look the same!

Quote from: Gav Iscon on March 19, 2013, 02:02 PM
Right Axe, as you've got my taste buds fired up, I crumbled and had an omlette for dinner.

I didn't think it possible Gav but I think your madder than me!  Lovin' it though.

That looks like a plateful of cheesy omelette heaven.

Phil, could you not have added soy at the table too? I know your addicted to salt, but to throw it away!