Hi SL,

I have also always been unsure about the differences between a BIR Korma and a BIR Passanda. 

However, I agree with your assessment.  A Passanda, it seems to me, is simply a "pimped up" Korma. 

Having eaten both (generally chicken), in copious quantities, I would say they are VERY similar.

To my mind:

• both are sweet, creamy (and coconutty?)
• neither seem to contain yogurt that I am familar with (at least in significant quantities, compared to other ingredients)
• neither have ever had poppy seeds in them (at least, to my recollection; I have never seen them)
• neither have tandoori masala in them (definite)
• a Passanda (or "Passandra") is also generally more "almondy"than a Korma (my perception only)
• Passandas, that I have had, have also had things like egg in (or, particularly, on them)

I doubt this will help but will simply obfuscate! 

Of course, I could be completely wrong!  :

Hi All,

No offence, to anyone, at all,....

....BUT!.....would anyone be interested in having a FREE "e-book" available for download from this forum?

If so, I would be more than happy to compile (or, at the very least, contribute to) one.  Maybe others would also feel so inclined?

OK, some may feel that it (i.e. my) contribution would not be as valuable as others', BUT I am happy (and I am inclined) to make one available (to the best of my ability, knowledge and efforts), for FREE, on this forum.

After all, surely this forum is all about FREE contributions towards replicating British Indian Restaurant curries at home?

Opinions please?

Hi Josh,

Welcome back...and what a stonkingly great looking madras! 

Hi CCL,

I often freeze capsicum; there is no way I'm wasting it!

I simply dice it (quite small, raw, unblanched) and chuck it in a freezer bag for later use.  I have never detected any bitterness from doing so.  The only thing is that, having a high water content, it becomes mushy on defrosting.

So don't count on using it in things like a Jalfrezi where you want the capsicum to retain some "crunch"...cos it won't! 

But it's fine to use in things like a base and if adding at the start of a curry.  It would also be fine as part of a tarka (provided you don't want it to be crunchy).

Hope this helps.

Quote from: 976bar on March 04, 2012, 03:09 PM
Nice to see a decent post on the forum today!!!

Yet another "put me down", to all have posted on here today, 976bar! 

Is it really any wonder why noone wants to post! 

Here's what I think (for what it's worth):

The base is paramount to achieving the fundamental background BIR taste and smell.  I don't believe a decent BIR curry will be made without a good base.

"Proper cooking" of the spices (some might say "singing" - to extract their volatile oils) is paramount to achieving the fundamental taste and smell.  I don't believe a decent BIR curry will be made without it.

The use of ancillary ingredients (e.g. capsicum, garlic, ginger, tomato paste, dried fenugreek, fresh coriander, salt.....stock?) just adds nuances (and readily recognisable tastes and flavours) to the BIR taste and smell.

The problem for me, I am absolutely certain, is that if you put my curries alongside the best BIR curries of the 1970s and 1980s, they would pale in comparison (though my wife disagrees..I just asked her!).  But I know it's true.

To me, it is true, that this forum has been more focused on the base.  "Technique", though often mentioned, has never been well (if at all) defined (in my opinion).

I am glad to see that you (the, so called, 'Fantastic Five" have put an emphasis on this).

To be honest, it has always been there and, obviously so, it has always been important to cook the spices optimally (whether cooking traditional Indian or BIR dishes).

And, to be fair, it has been mentioned often.  In fact, to give credit to Andy (of RCR fame), he repeatedly pushed the importance of "fusing" the spices with the tomato puree at the early stages of cooking.  Similarly, Pat Chapman has always emphasised the importance of the "bhoona" process (i.e. frying of powdered spices).  Perhaps not enough emphasis has been placed on this for newcomers to easily grasp and appreciate (sorry if that sounds degoratory, I don't mean it to be so).

Quote from: curryhell on March 04, 2012, 01:21 PM
The base is only part of the jigsaw, as we all know.  As long as it's half decent, right consistency, right taste (don't ask me to define that one  ) it's then down to what you do with it.  That's what really counts ;D.  But i think now, most of us on here are well aware of that :-X

I think you should choose your words more wisely CH.  You sometimes seem to be speaking on behalf of too many people! 

I, for one, think that it is MUCH more to do with the base than you portray! 

Having said that, it really depends on which yardstick you are using to measure your curries against.....

Hi Colin,

As far as I'm aware, it's the garlic that is oxidising.  I am not aware of it causing any particular problems.

Try covering it (i.e. excluding the air)...or, as others have suggested, adding oil (rather than water) to it, when you mince it.

I mince mine, with water, and freeze it in ice cube containers...then into sealable sandwich bags.  No problems at all.  But I do notice it will go blue if defrosted and left sitting around for a while (e.g. hours).

Quote from: Salvador Dhali on March 03, 2012, 02:17 PM
I'm not sure why there should be any hostility towards the man. While it's true that his books didn't help me to attain the holy grail of BIR, I found them interesting and full of information about my favourite food.

Flicking through 'Bangladeshi Restaurant Curries', I was intrigued to read, under the section entitled 'Bangladeshi Curry Processes', that the most important process is the bhoona (or bhuna), in which the essential or volatile oils from whole or ground spices are released by frying in ghee or oil. Okay, nothing new there, but he goes on to explain that "an initial high temperature is required".

Could this be an early reference to 'singeing'?

You are so right SD! 

And understanding that this was over THIRTY YEARS AGO!   

Pat brought, to everyone's attention, the fundamentals of BIR cooking.  I can only think that only a total sceptic, or a total fool, would criticise his contributions, to the BIR cause, accordingly!  :

I accept that many people have failed to use his books and recipes to recreate BIR curries (and, yes, he seems to have reissued books to capitalise on his fortunes), but the fundamentals have always been there, for all to see  :

I have always found Pat's books most informative, on the whole.

Don't worry about it DP; I'm sure your's was harmlessly meant