Check here too:  https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1525.0

Looks great Vin! 

Also, which recipe did you use for your rice please?

Regards,

Quote from: Yellow Fingers on January 15, 2007, 12:43 PM
....Pat Chapman's take on Aromatic salt...

Yes, thanks for that YF.....I already have this.....PC books is the only place I've otherwise seen this mentioned 

.....I'm also rather interested in Andy's take on aromatic salt?  Andy?

.....also about the peppers please Andy?  If you woudln't mind? 

Thanks for your reply to my other questions Andy...most helpful 

Regards,

Quote from: Cory Ander on January 12, 2007, 03:34 AM
Hi Andy,

Thanks for this Andy.....it makes for very interesting reading 

I have a couple of questions that I would appreciate you clarifying, if you wouldnt mind, please?

• Presumably, a chef's ladle is 100ml and a chef's spoon is 60ml (as per your curry base thread)?
• no tomato puree or paste here then...is that right?
• why sunflower oil rather than vegetable oil?
• what's in the "aromatic salt"?
• most BIR curries I've ever had (e.g. madras, vindaloo, korma, CTM, etc) have a sauce which is very smoothe, with no sign of chopped onions or chopped anything else, will this also produce such a smoothe sauce?
• are chopped peppers used in most dishes then?
• are you saying that adding MSG influences the aroma?

Thanks for the posts!  And keep them coming!  I hope you have the tolerance to answer the many the many questions that will arise! 

Regards,

Hi Andy,

Any chance of a reply to these questions please?  Or maybe they are just dumbass questions?! 

Many Thanks! 

Quote from: merrybaker on January 14, 2007, 05:39 PM
Do you all have scales accurate enough to weigh 5 grams, or do you use a spoon and then count out the appropriate multiples of each spice.  I'm not sure that's clear, but what I mean is, do you use a scale or a spoon to measure?

Hi MB,

The scales I use have 1g graduations. 

And YF is correct, PC included teaspoon equivalents in his book....1 tsp = 5g (approximately).  Use this if you can't weigh to the required accuracy.  Simply try to keep the ratios the same....I'm sure the recipe is tolerant to a reasonable margin of error anyway.

I've revised the above recipe accordingly.

Quote
.....the total seems to be about 235 grams, not 250....

Well spotted MB!  I left out the 20g of beetroot powder and 10g of anatto seeds that PC prescribes in his book (prefering to use artificial colours instead)....I will update the above recipe accordingly.

Regards,

Yes, but you are being picky YF!  And it seems to me that you forced your own hand mate!  :

I also reckon there's a fair chance that PC would equally hate you!.....assuming he ever got to know of you of course!    

Plus I didn't say it was PC's recipe......I simply said it was from one of his books! 

And, anyway, it's execellent mate!  Go try it! 

Kindest regards!   ;D

Background:

This is a recipe for Tandoori Masala ("Tandoori Spice Mix") based on that in Pat Chapman's book "The Curry Bible".  Whatever else you may think of Pat Chapman and his books, try this Tandoori Masala, it is excellent!  I urge you to try it!  I have used it for many years and, unlike many other recipes, I have never felt the need to significantly modify it!  (I used it in my Chicken Tikka recipe here:  https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1195.0)

You can use it in any Tandoori or Tikka dish and in place of any pre-bottled tandoori or tikka paste that may be specified in a recipe.  Also try adding a little (i.e. a teaspoon or so) to kebabs or other types of curry (e.g. vindaloo).

It can be kept, for many months, in a clean, sterilised, air-tight, jar stored in a cool, dark, place and out of direct sunlight

Makes about 210g - 235g of Tandoori Masala

Ingredients:

• 40g (about 8 teaspoons) coriander powder
• 30g (about 6 teaspoons) cumin powder
• 40g (about 8 teaspoons) garlic powder (not garlic salt!)
• 40g (about 8 teaspoons) ground paprika
• 20g (about 5 teaspoons) ginger powder
• 20g (about 5 teaspoons) mango powder
• 20g (about 5 teaspoons) dried mint leaves (finely ground)
• 10g (about 2 teaspoons) chilli powder (optional)
• 10g (about 2 teaspoons) powdered red food colouring (optional)
• 5g   (about 1 teaspoon) powdered yellow food colouring (optional)

Method:

1.  Simply add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix thoroughly

2.  Store in a clean, sterilised, air-tight, jar in a cool, dark, place and out of direct sunlight

Notes:

1.  If you are unable to weigh to the required accuracy, use 1tsp = 5g (approximately)

2.  If any of the ingredients are too course (e.g. the mint leaves or garlic granules), grind them beforehand in a spice mill

3.  Half the quantities of artificial food colouring for a less vibrant colour

4.  If you are averse to using artificial food colourings (the colouring is aesthetic only anyway), either omit them or replace them with natural food colourings

5.  If you wish to use natural food colours, replace the artificial colours with 20g (about 4 teaspoons) of beetroot powder + 10g (about 2 teaspoons) of anatto seed powder

6.  To sterilise the jar, wash it in hot, soapy water, rinse it thoroughly, and dry it thoroughly, in an oven, at 100C

Quote from: Vinda looo on January 12, 2007, 10:08 PM
I cant seem to find the right king prawns that the restaurants use. Do you have to get them from specialist suppliers because they dont sell them in any of my local supermarkets. I dont want to use the chinese type king prawns but thats all what they seem to sell.  Any advice gratefully accepted

Hi Vindaloo,

What do you think is special about the king prawns that restaurants use?  By "Chinese type king prawns", do you mean the ones that Chinese restaurants use?  Aren't they anyway the same?  Aren't they just prepared/cooked differently?  Why don't you want you use them? 

Personally, I simply use the best quality "king" prawns that I can find and afford, whatever the variety (of which there are many!)!

The two things I'd suggest are:

• soak them in salted water (use any salt) for a while before cooking (as SA and CP suggest)
• take care not to overcook them...just until they change colour thoughout...othewise they will become rubbery (that's "rubbery" not "ruverry"!  )....5 to 10 minutes or so, only, should suffice

Regards,

Quote from: Chilli Prawn on January 13, 2007, 03:51 PM
....Yes they are tiger prawns (which are not crayfish - sorry Paul, crayfish are a totally different beast) and invariably they are fresh water - which is what the restaurants use (see later point).... 

Hmmmm, interesting!   

I thought that tiger prawns and lobsters are (different types of) marine crustaceans and that crayfish are fresh-water crustaceans (closely related to lobsters). 

Furthermore, just to add to the confusion, Australians call lobsters crayfish!   

Incidentally, lobsters ("crayfish") cost about 6 quid each and king prawns cost about 6 - 12 quid a kilo (depending on their size of course) in Australia     

Ha!  Who really cares anyway, they all taste superb!.....IF you can afford them! 

Quote from: spicysarsy on January 13, 2007, 09:00 AM
....the last is the Tiger Prawn which is a fresh water type of lobster called a Crayfish.....

Sheesh Spicey!     You wanna check that out again! 

Regards,  ;D