Quote from: billycat on April 08, 2009, 09:24 AM
i can remember two of those curry houses SS is talking about  but they are from liverpool

one was the Kismet and the other was the kohi Noor

The Kohinoor was on Commutation Row and as the song says "ah yes I remember it well..."

http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/food/chef/2008/04/08/family-recipe-for-success-at-the-gulshan-64375-20732999/

CoR

I'd pretty much echo everything SnS has said but add that there is a veggie section (pp 133-142) with a few interesting looking dishes. I started doing the Cauliflower Keema last night to go with a chicken madras but it was so nice I thought sod the madras and just scoffed all the keema! Very nice indeed, next up I'm going to try the fried paneer, can't really see the new base being all that wonderful though there just doesn't seem to be near enough oil to make it work as she says.
CoR

In the new KD base the onion is gently fried first then the water etc. added. This is what makes it smell irresistible apparently, I wouldn't know coz I still haven't done it.

CoR

Hi CK

No I haven't had the chance to try the new base yet but all I can say about the new "legendary curry sauce which smells irresistible even in the making" is that the ingredients seem remarkably similar to the East End Nishaan Fried Onion Curry Base that I tried a few weeks ago i.e:-
onion, tomato, garlic, ginger, salt. (KD adds 1 tsp each of turmeric and paprika).

Can't see it being that irresistible somehow.

CoR

My copy arrived last Friday... cant wait to hear what you guys think of the new "improved" base.

CoR

Quote from: ThaiExpat on March 16, 2009, 11:56 AM




Mr Khondaker, who represents 12,000 curry houses, called for Government help for a school. 

I heard this joker bleating on about this on the BBC Today programme a couple of months ago. So what has been going on in the BIR trade for the last 40 odd years then? Importing cheap illiterate labour from the subcontinent so they can exploit the poor sods, paying pitiful wages for Dickensian conditions and ripping them off for slum accommodation, that's what. Now the Govt have, finally, tightened the rules this guy wants taxpayers' money for training, bloody cheek!!
Why doesn't his organisation get together with local councils and start training courses in FE colleges? Oh silly me, that would cost these guys money wouldn't it and they would have to have people going into restaurants checking on standards, if that were to happen there would doubtless be a whole lot more BIRs closing than is happening due to labour shortages.
::)CoR

Quote from: Onion B on March 10, 2009, 09:37 PM


I agree totally 'Butter' Ghee makes a better tasting curry, I have been using groundnut oil  for the past two or three years, avoiding ghee, but thanks to HOTRING and CoR, I'm using it again and enjoying it without feeling guilty.

Hi OnionB

Why not try a mixture, say 3 part groundnut/1 part butter ghee. Should give the flavour you like and a good balance of fats.
CoR

Quote from: HOTRING on March 07, 2009, 12:17 PM
My fav BIR uses Veg Ghee I know this as they would keep the empty tubs for me (for plastering) so this is what I use as its good for you....


More Here
http://begumskitchen.com/GoodGhee.aspx

Hi Hotring

All the info from GoodGhee is referring to butter ghee, if you scroll down to the bottom of the page you will see a highlighted warning concerning veg ghee.
This stuff is particularly nasty being virtually 100% hydrogenated trans fat which is to be avoided like the plague. I think we are all to a lesser or greater degree the victims of the global oil industries' propaganda which makes people think veg oil=good/animal fat=bad which is a gross over simplification at best. Basically any hard vegetable fats (including margarine) will be "partially hydrogenated" and should be used sparingly. These fats are all high in trans fatty acids, substances that occur only in tiny amounts in natural oils and fats but are to be found in great abundance on our supermarket shelves, prolonging the shelf life of cakes, biscuits etc., but shortening the lives of you and me by increasing "free radicals" in the body causing the high levels of heart disease/obesity etc associated with the affluent western diet. Best to keep to natural oils, preferably high in monounsaturated fat, and a little saturated fat such as butter ghee or coconut oil.
CoR

Any relatively flavourless oil should be OK which rules out mustard oil (I don't think BIR's would risk the wrath of the authorities, however mistaken, by using it but it is used extensively in authentic cuisine). I think BIR's tend to use sunflower oil thinking it is healthier than ordinary veg oil but this may be a little misguided. S/F oil is high in polyunsaturated fats but the current thinking is that we should be using oils high in monounsaturated fats. Olive oil fits that bill but is too heavily flavoured for curry so given the amount of oil used for curries perhaps we should be doing our arteries a favour and sticking to oils like groundnut, rice bran and the like. Plain ordinary veg oil is a blend of heaven knows what so you can never be sure just what you are getting. A little saturated fat is actually required for a healthy diet so using a small amount of butter ghee in a base would be OK.
CoR

Quote from: JerryM on March 06, 2009, 08:18 AM
... i not sure on the use of yogurt in terms of the pastes self life in the fridge ...

Hi JerryM

I've kept this stuff (covered in oil) for about a week in the fridge and have not suffered any ill effects...yet! It might be worth blending a tsp of set yoghurt with a couple of tbs of your preferred onion paste as a sampler and see what you think, I'd be interested in your comments.

CoR