Hi CLNZ and Mark, 

Thanks for taking the time and effort to try this recipe.  Glad to hear it came out fine for you!

I would just like to add/clarify a couple of points:

• the point of this method (i.e. cooking the rice in excess water and draining) is that is is far easier to control than the absorption method.  The absorption method is fundamentally different in that it requires a defined amount of water to be used and careful cooking....hence the difficulty some will experience with the method and the results
• in this method, the rice has been "RINSED" thoroughly rather than "SOAKED" thoroughly.  However, if I cook the rice by the absorption method, I use 500g of rice and 800ml of water.  Again, I think it is preferable to use too little water than too much water
• 0.5tsp of salt is twice the amount of salt that the recipe calls for...hence more rather than less salt
• I also reduce the amount of sugar to 2 tsp (i.e. 1 desertspoon), if I cook the rice by the absorption method

I will post the recipe, for cooking basmati rice by the absorption method, shortly

Happy Christmas and New Year to all! 

Oh! And Happy Birthday to cr0.co.uk too! 

For those of you who may be interested, I've since described my method (in more detail) here:  https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1383.0

Hi Marc,

I agree that you shouldn't shy away from using lots of oil....either in the curry base, or in the final curry.  As others have said, you can always skim off any surplus oil prior to serving.

As an indicator, I use 700ml of vegetable oil in my curry base (to make 7 litres) and about 150 -200ml of vegetable oil in my final curries (to serve 4)

I never remove the oil from my curry base, before blending it, either (assuming you can actually even see it!).  I find that the oil (from the curry base) rises to the surface, when I'm cooking my final curry, anyway. 

One other thing I believe is important.  The oil will not rise to the surface if you don't cook the curry for long enough and/or cook it at too low a temperature.  There will obviously be a trade off between time and temperature.....i.e. higher temperature, shorter time and vice versa.   

When frying spices (paste) the oil rising to the surface is a good indicator that the water has been driven off and that the spices have been properly cooked.  It should only take a couple of minutes on high heat......longer on medium heat.

...I think this is probably why Darth has success with cooking his curries in an oven....

so:

• lots of oil
• lots of heat
• sufficient time

Hope this helps!?

Regards,

Hi All,

This site tells you just about all you need to know about spices.....interesting (well, I thought so) 

http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/spice_small.html#top_of_index

Regards,

I hope you don't mind CP, but I've copied the following from your UCB thread. 

I've done so because it's particularly relevant to the topic of this thread and is significantly different to the sequence that I've described above.  Hopefully, it makes things easier for peope to find too. 

Quote(from Chilli Prawn here https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1311.msg12465#msg12465)

...Raw ground spices do not need to be flash fried and you should not do this really unless you really are experienced; they will burn very rapidly.  Frying onions and adding spices is the traditional way of cooking not really suited as a Bir method.  You will find many approaches here in this Forum and there is nothing wrong with them just different

1. I dont use onions at the start if I am using a base, as they are already in there.  However I may add onions in one form or another at a later stage depending upon the recipe requirements.

so

2. Fry the meat briefly  (with tomato base marinasde) first
3. Then add the base in one go and heat quickly to bubbling and oil separation
4. Add spices and reduce heat to medium.
5. Now stir and fuse the mix, but remember to press scrape and stir all the time

Dont worry you will get there, we all made and make mistakes; in a while you will master the techniques and then you will be doing your own experiments.  Make sure you read the advice on spices and cooking in the hints and tips as there are a lot of good contributions there.

CP

Hi Mustapharuby,

These links might be of help:

https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=265.msg2065#msg2065
https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1002.msg8677#msg8677

Also, try doing a search.....there's tons more other stuff on poppadoms here

Regards,

Quote from: Chilli Prawn on December 06, 2006, 11:12 AM
....there is great concern about the cheap Basmati rice appearing in this country....I have already posted comments about this subject elswhere at an earlier point.....

Please could you provide a link to this CP?  I'm sure others may find it helpful?

Quote
...but briefly the cheap brands are being mixed with other types of rice and reject stuff, also the growing conditions may be somewhat undesirable (sewerage water etc).  So as ever you makes your own choice an live with it.  Just remember Rice is one of the most dangerous (even lethal) foodstuffs we eat....

...yes, but isn't this more to do with the growth of bacteria in cold rice (i.e. "Bacilleusereus", which is killed by heating the rice to a temperature above 63⁰C) rather than the growing conditions or the mixing of types of rice?

Quote
....so my advice (professional) is buy the best....

Is "the best" also the most expensive CP?  Is "the best" what BIRs use???   I suspect that BIRs will simply use the "best value" Basmati rice they can find....i.e. a compromise between "the best" rice and lowest cost!

Quote
...Another point: did you know that if you buy good quality rice and store it for aboyt 2 years or so in a dark dry place, you will have the finest rice you have ever eaten......

Yes, I understand that it can be "matured" for many years in fact!

QuoteThe Asians do and they trade with it!

Quite right CP!  As evidenced by this web site! http://basmati.com/  Clearly rice is a significant trading commodity!


Thanks for your comments CP...intrigueing as always!  .....though I do believe (only my opinion of course!) that we are at risk of becoming paralysed by paranoia....but forewarned is forearmed I suppose and each to their own! 

Quote from: Chilli Prawn on December 06, 2006, 10:36 AM
Hi KP,  We have created fixed areas called Recipes Index and hints and tips .  The idea being that we develop a theme, e.g. a recipe, or a 'how to' and then plonk it in the Recipes index, or hints and tips as appropriate.  So if it is your input on processes or content not recipes then maybe you should start it off in 'Lets Talk Curry'. The latter would probably be better as you can be sure that the thread will explode with questions and feedback for a while; then when it is developed and stable you can post the outcome in Hints & Tips.  The idea behind this is it becomes a reference area so that Newbies and Oldies et al do not have to go through complex searches.  IMHO of course ;D

CP

;D.....could you please rephrase all of that CP!!!!  You've confused me now! ;D 

Quote from: haldi on December 06, 2006, 08:06 AM
.....what brand of Basmatti are you using?

Hi Haldi,

Here, I've used "Sultan Pakistan Basmati Rice" supplied by "Spencers Gourmet Trading".  It's pretty cheap (certainly not one of the more expensive) at about seventy pence a kilo.  I find that there is no need to pick through it for loose husks and grit (cos there isn't any).  However, there is a fair amount of loose starch and it therefore needs a good rinse to prevent the rice from sticking. 

I've also used several other, similarly priced, basmati rices (such as "Elephant Brand") with very similar (i.e. good) results.  I should think that any other half-decent Basamati rice will suffice, provided you give it a good rinse beforehand.  Cooking times may vary though.

I also love Tilda Basmati rice which, I recall, cooks really quickly, is nice and fluffy, has nice long grains and has great aroma and flavour.  I also recall it being considerably more expensive though!   

Regards,

Here is the Chicken Biriani I made using:

• Pilau Rice to my recipe here:  https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1383.0
• Chicken Bhoona (to my recipe)
• Bhoona Gravy (to my recipe)

Shown here is the Chicken Biriani by itself (top) and served with a Bhoona Gravy (bottom)

What!  No tablecloth!   

It tasted pretty good!!