Quote from: Chilli Prawn on November 30, 2006, 02:29 PM
....would work very well for the home cook

Are you perhaps suggesting that there is there a difference between the cooking sequence used by British Indian Restaurants and that for home cooking then CP?  If so, perhaps you would care to elaborate please?

The following is the sequence in which I generally (there are exceptions) cook the primary ingredients (where I am using them) of a curry

• vegetable oil (plenty of it!)
• onions (if not pre-cooked)
• garlic puree, ginger puree
• chillies, peppers, tomatoes (if not pre-cooked)
• whole spices
• powdered spice masalas, spice pastes, dried fenugreek leaves, salt, tomato puree (I generally make a stiff paste of these ingredients, in water, and add them at the same time)
• a little water (if necessary - to stop the spices from sticking and/or burning)
• meat (if not pre-cooked), yoghurt
• curry base (a little at a time)
• stock, tinned tomatoes, lemon juice, coconut (in its various forms), cream
• pre-cooked onions, chillies, peppers, lentils and other pre-cooked vegetables, pre-cooked tomatoes, pre-cooked meat, fish
• garam masala
• sugar to taste, salt to taste
• fresh coriander

Note:  If I'm using them, I generally prefer to add pre-cooked onions, chillis, peppers, tomatoes and other vegetables towards the end of the cooking process.  Otherwise, they add too much water to the oil during frying.  This affects the subsequent cooking of the spices.  The vegetables also become overcooked and mushy.

I would be very interested to hear people?s views on two things:

• What alternative sequence others may use and why?
• What sequence people know that BIRs use?

To clarify, I?m primarily interested in the sequence employed by a typical British (generally Bangladeshi owned) high-street Indian restaurant (in contrast to a traditional Indian restaurant)

I very much look forward to hearing people's views!

Regards,

Quote from: After8 on November 29, 2006, 09:26 AM
....If frying them is best, then perhaps there is somewhere on the site that tells you how to do this without burning them....

Hi After8,

Frying spices is essential to:

a)  remove the "rawness/bitterness" associated with uncooked spices
b)  release the "essential oils" in the spices (and thereby release their flavour)

Frying the spices (whether whole or ground) is invariably done at the beginning of cooking....i.e. after cooking any garlic, onions and ginger.....and prior to adding any meat/curry base/vegetables, etc (at least this is how I do it  ).

However, some spices (e.g. garam masala) are generally added towards the end of cooking without frying.

If anything, I would air on the side of caution and undercook the spices.  As CK suggests, if you burn the spices, ditch them and start again, because they will be bitter and ruin your curry.

Personally, I generally add water to powdered spices to make a thickish paste (of similar consistency to tomato puree).  This reduces the chance of them burning during frying.  They are cooked when oil rises to the surface (the "bhoona" process). 

Alternatively, if you add the powdered spices directly (i.e without making a paste with water), add just enough water (no more than about 1/4 of a cup or so), a little at a time, after about 10 seconds, or so, to stop the spices from sticking and burning.

If I fry whole spices, I fry them (the "bargar" process) for about 20 seconds or so (until they just begin to change colour...no more), before adding the paste of powdered spices.

In my opinion, never skimp on the oil.  A reasonable quantity is essential to adequately cook the spices and distribute the flavours throughout the curry.......any excess oil can be removed prior to serving.....just my opinion of course 

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Quote from: George on October 29, 2006, 01:19 PM
....I found some guidelines on your pilau rice but essentials like spicing were not included.....

Hi George/CL_NZ,

I've now posted my recipe for Pilau Rice here:  https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1383.0

Please let me know what you think if you try it!

Regards,

Thanks Stew,

Pictures seem to be loading just fine now...thanks for your rapid response 

Regards,

Thanks for your prompt reply Stew,

I'll just wait until you've managed to fix the problem....any idea how long this is likely to be?  About a couple of weeks is it?

You won't ban me if I delete these posts will you?    

Regards,

Cory

Quote from: Admin on November 26, 2006, 10:09 AM
In the meantime, we'll have to keep plodding along.

Hi Stew,

I'm trying to post a recipe with photos to illustrate the method.  Unfortunately (yet again!), the pages will not load with the photos attached.   The page simply freezes and I have to log back in again.  This is the case even with only one 700 x 525 photo of 300kB size.  What do you suggest I do regarding "plodding along" please?

PS:  Sad, I know, but I've spent the best part of an afternoon putting this recipe and photo illustrations together......'er in doors is well 'appy of course! 

Regards,

photos:

Photo 13:  Perfect Pilau Rice, ready to eat!

(additional photos can be found here: https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1180.msg10229#msg10229)

photos (from top left to right, then bottom left to right):

Photo 9:  Draining the rice
Photo 10:  Drying the rice
Photo 11:  Colouring the rice (if using)
Photo 12)  "Fluffed up" rice

photos (from top left to right, then bottom left to right):

Photo 5:  Frying the rice
Photo 6:  Adding the boiling water
Photo 7:  Adding the sugar and salt (if using)
Photo 8:  Boiling the rice