Quote from: George on February 17, 2011, 06:30 PM

Quote from: Phil (Chaa006) on February 17, 2011, 01:32 PM

Quote from: chewytikka on February 17, 2011, 01:24 PM
They simply use a handful of par fried chips, which they have in abundance
as part of the prep for service.

Maybe I'm being naive (but not intentionally so) : why would an Indian restaurant or takeway have par-fried chips ?  What place do chips have in BIR cuisine ?

I think chwytikka might have a point. Many/most BIRs offer a selection of 'English' items on their menu. For example, the first Indian take away menu I just picked up, at random, offers: chicken nuggets and chips, plain omelette and chips and several other items, all with chips. This place looks like a pure Indian restaurant - it's not some kind of hybrid - and yet they still make chips.

Totally agree with you George.
Most offer some kind of non Indian restaurant alternative, chips included, but I know my local kitchen would not use leftover chips to make their pre-cooked potatoes. Nor have I seen this in the 6 kitchens that I previously have had access to.
When I said in my last post "not a chip in sight" I meant not in the pre-cooked spuds.
Regards,
Mick

Pre cooked potatoes being boiled in my local restaurant kitchen.
They start with oil, finely chopped onions, garlic/ginger paste, cassia bark, bay leaves, panch phoran and salt,



They then add tomato paste, turmeric and some mix powder.



Then in with the potatoes and lots of water.



...and not a chip in sight.
Sweeping statements can be misleading.
Cheers
Mick

Quote from: chewytikka on February 09, 2011, 03:47 PM

Great little video there Chewy,
BTW won't using a lid just keep recycling the water that you are trying to boil off?
Cheers,
Mick
[/quote]

Catch 22 Mick, but I don't think it's that critical.
Chewy
[/quote]

Quote from: chewytikka on February 09, 2011, 12:31 PM

Quote from: solarsplace on February 09, 2011, 09:11 AM

What I dearly want to know, is how the pan on the right is not splattering molten bubbles of sauce and oil over a massive radius like it always does in my kitchen

Hi Solarsplace

Don't let the vid fool you, the range gets covered with debris when the
service gets manic and non stop!
Cleaning down is part of the process and is quite obsessive in this kitchen,

At home, I use a lid, to try and reduce the mess.

Chewytikka

Great little video there Chewy,
BTW won't using a lid just keep recycling the water that you are trying to boil off?
Cheers,
Mick

Hi Ramirez,
How good does that look?
Nice work,
Mick

Quote from: Phil (Chaa006) on February 03, 2011, 07:33 PM
Quick but urgent question, Madras 2011 experts : when the recipe calls for 450ml warm base, is the oil to be stirred back in before measuring out the 450ml ?  At the moment I have about 1/2" oil floating on the surface ...

** Phil.

Hi Phil,
to follow Taz's method, you should stir the oil back in to get the correct ratio for the curry,
Mick

I apologise for not knowing how to do the multi quote thing....

@ CA,
Ist point...possibly correct but who would know if the method had been followed correctly?

2nd point...absolutely understood already and feeling just a little patronised..

Quote from: solarsplace on February 01, 2011, 02:18 PM
Hi Guys

These last couple of posts are starting to concern me and raise questions...

There still seems to be and air of general if not considerable disappointment regarding what we have just cooked.

Why are some, still so disappointed when myself and I think Razor have what we believe to be personally as break through moments?

Am I cooking something in a different way to some of you without even knowing it?

Are the restaurants round my way that I have become used to actually rather poor in comparison to your regulars? I still maintain, that what I have produced recently is far superior to my local TA and up there with some of the good restaurants that I know in the local area. It has every smell, taste and quality that is BIR.

I am not saying that it cannot be further improved, of this I am sure it can BTW.

For instance as Paul mentions, the use of spiced oil. Personally I think (I have no proof whatsoever) that most BIR's do not make a dedicated spiced oil, I think it is a by-product of a massive pot of base. This we obviously cannot duplicate in our home kitchens and so a dedicated separate process is necessary.

However, I did not miss the addition of the spiced oil with this last test. It had the smell and taste. As I cook now, I never seem to get a toffee, I do however when the oil and every other component is correct get a sudden change in aroma, like a switch and I know the dish is now ready to start the finishing additions of base etc. Do you all get this 'switch' in aroma?

I really need to know why we are not getting even similar results in some cases? and massively keen to keep some enthusiasm going and prevent us going round in circles.

Regards all

Hi solarsplace,
A good point and well made.

I have said that this will not be for everyone, so many different tastes for so many different people. Let alone the old favourite, regional variation.
It is also worth remembering that some will not get the method right resulting in what they believe to be an inferior curry.
There are those who will never be pleased no matter what, I wish I could have access to their local curry house :
I am glad that you have found something that works so well for you.
Regards,
Mick

Quote from: Derek Dansak on February 01, 2011, 11:41 AM
i assure you it was made correctly. but isnt 6 tennis ball sized onions to 400 ml of oil an awful lot of oil. even by my standards its alot. and i always use lots of oil per curry. The base tasted very nice after i made it. nice flavour. but when i actually cooked with it, i was spooning off far to much oil. it oozes oil, in a way i never witnessed in the bir kitchen i visited. i accept he had a different style of making base, but each to their own i guess.  I have spent 3 years practicing the bengual type method of curry making, where little oil is added to the base, (as taught to me by a bir chef)  i then add lots of oil at the curry making stage.  I guess i am interested in finding like minded members on this forum , who also advocate this approach.

hi DD,
Just so that I understand what you have done...
1/ Did you make the base as written?
2/ Did you remove any oil from the base?
3/ When making the final curry did you start the curry with the base or...
4/ Did you add extra oil to your pan to fry the garlic etc?
Regards
Mick

Hi solarsplace,
Either way they both look superb,
Regards,
Mick