Quote from: gazman1976 on April 05, 2012, 11:31 PM
Very good post

It has been mentioned along time ago about cooking the onions properly and I don't think any of us have tried it, I have been in 2 BIR kitchens and I noticed they cook their base early in the morning on a low heat , tons of onions, I believe we should try this and see how it fares

It's certainly what Julian recommends in 'The Secret to that Takeaway Curry Taste", and as he says: "I cannot stress enough the importance onions play in BIR cuisine and

Quote from: michael.t on April 05, 2012, 06:08 PM
SD  your gonna have to write a book, you'd make a fortune
You funny bugger ;D ;D

I've always been a fan of Nietzsche, who said "It is my ambition to say in ten sentences, what others say in a whole book."

So it would be a very (very) short book.

Besides, I need to acquire some life experience first, MT - I'm only 53.

Then of course I'd need to address my various addictions, which somehow conspire to rob me of spare time. This forum being one of them.... Then there's the motorcycles, brewing, pub pool team nights, women, Container Ship Spotters' Society meets, drugs...

The list goes on. It's a nightmare....

Quote from: GARY.R on April 05, 2012, 10:52 AM
Hi,
My local Ambala takeaway make the most fantastic Bombay aloo. I telephoned asked the chief for the recipe and he said Jerra masala is used. I have tried but cannot find this anywhere, has anyone used this Jerra masala if so where can I buy.
Many thanks
Gary.

Hi Gary

I'd ask him again and ask him to spell it, as I've never heard of that brand. That said, 'jeera' or 'zeera' is what cumin is called, so it may be a cumin based mix powder they use?

The only other thing I can think of that may have been lost in translation is Jalpur garam masala (http://www.jalpurmillersonline.com/proddetail.php?catid=150&prdid=5811), but as said, best to double check next time you pop in to the takeaway.

Or take Chewy's advice - his will be even better!

Quote from: natterjak on April 05, 2012, 01:31 PM
I'll be happy if a few people try this at some point and delighted if you feel it's better than your normal base, but would certainly be nervous about people rushing off to spend money on new appliances just so they can try it.

No worries - I was just having a bit of fun. Besides, being a serial buyer of appliances I need no encouragement whatsoever!

Interesting to note that you've combined different base ingredients/techniques though Natterjak. My best bases of late have been born from a similar approach, but regardless of base I find using the second stage frying produces the most consistent results.

Right - I'm of the the kitchen dept at Amazon! 

 

I can only second, third and fourth the above comments, natterjack. Sterling work bordering on sheer genius.

My only caveat is that I don't own a slow cooker, dammit, so inevitably I find myself faced with further CRO-generated expenditure.   

(Cue the usual suspects with a raft of helpful suggestions tempting me to shell

Quote from: solarsplace on April 05, 2012, 09:59 AM
Hi

Only 2 weeks ago, purchased the printed version of the book myself. These e-book versions are indeed a great idea, but I like to have actual cookery books on a shelf - and especially ones as nice as Micks book.

Great quality presentation & production on the paper, photographs and printing. Much better that some of the more main stream books available too!. Good thorough content and some new recipes to try! lots of books seem to skimp on the starters and sides and there are a few of those in Micks books that look very nice!

Another very worth while addition to the growing collection on the subject!

Cheers

Thanks for that, SP. I already have the PDF, but now I'm going to have to buy the printed version too, dammit...

Quote from: curryhell on April 04, 2012, 09:50 PM
If only a book like Julians had been available 20 or so years ago along with the instructional videos when many of us had begun our quest  

I was thinking that very same thing myself, CH.

But then if that had been the case, this forum probably wouldn't exist (at least in the same way it does now), we wouldn't be having this conversation or meeting of like-minded fanatics, and I wouldn't be spanking so many hours here when I should be working. ;D

I'd also be considerably richer, as I'd already have bought all the essential equipment and wouldn't be considering remortgaging the house to acquire a pressure cooker forged from hyper-duplex stainless steel and adamantium.

Indeed, employing the chaos theory (or 'butterfly effect') here, had Julian produced this book 20 years ago the world as we know it would be a completely different place. Domestic kitchens countrywide would be exuding 'that smell' and permanently spattered with the joyful juices of constant curry production, their walls resplendent with the golden hue of turmeric... Pressure cooker manufacturers would be luxuriating in the rarefied upper environs of the Fortune 500...  I may never have chosen to wear flip-flops to have a go in my mate's new motor...  Tony Blair may never have been prime minister...

My brain has just exploded with the enormity of the implications and multiplicity of possible outcomes involved in such a scenario, so I'm going to have a lie down...   

Quote from: jb on December 22, 2011, 09:44 PM
Fair play to you mate,I actually brough the PDF,thoroughly good read,I thought your videos were excellent as well.

Same here. And while I respect you wanting to stay quiet about it, I only found out about your book via someone mentioning it on here, otherwise I might never have chanced upon it.

Forums represent an excellent way of getting information out there, and as long as people don't go mad and turn them into free advertising portals, there's nowt wrong with a bit of pimping in my book. (Not that I've written one, or have any intention of so doing... ).

Quote from: George on April 04, 2012, 11:53 AM
The title refers to the secret. But is it still a secret or are you all chasing your own tales? Good luck to Julian with his book but if any of the previous books had truly delivered, why should there be so much interest in Julian's book, like it really is the breakthrough everyone has been waiting for. I don't understand. Is the consensus that previous books didn't really deliver what you are looking for? And, despite the excitement at the time, neither did the Fleet cooking lessons?

Everyone must have their idea of the best-tasting dishes you've ever had in, or from, a BIR. Are you saying that NONE of the previous books, or recipes on this forum or tips picked up from the Fleet lessons have quite got you there but you hope that Julian's book will finally deliver or get you closer? Or that you simply enjoy buying a new book, even if it's no great breakthrough? Fair enough, I guess.

I think the best thing that anyone can say is that, in life, no matter what the subject matter, you never stop learning.

Pat Chapman may never have taken me to BIR nirvana, but I still enjoyed his books tremendously, and picked up a wealth of interesting info.

Like many here, I've been knocking out what I consider to be BIR quality curries for a good while, and have long since ceased to chase a non-existent, mythical 'secret'. (If there is a 'secret', then it is contained within the Bruce Lee quote that Julian uses: "Simplicity is the key to brilliance".) But I will never stop chasing new information, and I will never stop buying books on my favourite subjects, as from each one I've bought I can honestly say that I've learnt something or harvested a nugget or two of useful information.

I've already got more than that from Julian's book, so money well spent and a happy customer here.

Quote from: jb on April 04, 2012, 06:22 AM

Quote from: michael.t on April 03, 2012, 09:41 PM
Even if i find only one recipe or an idea in a cookery book,I feel its worth the purchase and I think theres a few in this one
I think in cooking its about balancing flavours( which I struggle with curries) so I  thank Julian for touching on that
subject and look forward to trying out his techniques
looks like we need pressure cookers 

I'm not sure about needing pressure cookers.In his new base gravy video he uses one but in his book I'm sure he doesn't,although he does say you can use one to speed things up.The point I think he was making is that the onions MUST be slowly and completely cooked to get the right taste.Maybe Julian can confirm this as I may be wrong.

Having now fully digested the book, you don't need a pressure cooker - it's just a time saving thing. Julian does say that he uses a 15L pressure cooker at C2G for that very reason. (And it was apparently when he lost track of time while cooking a batch of base in one in the early days that he discovered 'that smell' and 'that taste'. All to do with cooking those all-important onions for long enough.)

You may not need one, but having recently knocked up 15L of C2G base using a big-boy pot and the slow-low heat method (which really does guarantee extracting all the sweetness from those onions, I've found), a pressure cooker is going to save you a good few hours.

Not as much of a time saver when making the smaller batches of base, but still, worth having anyway just for the perfect pilau method in the Rice and Breads section.

As intimated in another thread, I've long been lusting after a shiny new pressure cooker, and thanks to the machinations of Michael.t and his mate Heston, have been persuaded to part with most of my life savings to acquire the Rolls Royce of pressure cookers...  . But that's a different story...