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

Photo 1:  The ingredients
Photo 2:  Rinsing the rice
Photo 3:  Frying the garlic and ginger (if using)
Photo 4:  Frying the whole spices

Background:

This is my recipe for Pilau Rice.  It produces perfect Pilau Rice, every time.  It involves boiling the rice, in excess water, and draining the excess water once the rice is just cooked.  This is unlike the "absorption method" where all of the water is fully absorbed into the rice.  The absorption method no doubt produces a tastier rice (and is the method that BIRs no doubt use), but I find that this method is far easier to control and produces perfect, free-flowing rice, every time, and with minimal flavour loss.

I have separated the ingredients into those that I consider "essential" (i.e. the bare minimum that I believe is necessary) and those that I consider "optional".  I personally use all of the spices and ingredients that I've specified.  However, you should feel free to omit any of the spices (or add other spices) if you so wish.

I have included photographs to illustrate each step and I hope that this proves to be helpful.

I have also included variations for Plain Boiled Basmati Rice (see note 10 below) and Pilau Rice Cooked by Absorption (see note 11 below).

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients - photo 1:

Essential:

• 500g basmati rice
• 6 tbsp (90ml) butter ghee (or vegetable oil)
• 6 whole cloves
• 12 whole green cardamom pods (lightly crushed using, for example, the back of a clever or knife)
• 1 inch long stick cassia bark (or cinnamon stick)
• 4 dried bay leaves
• 2.5 litres water

Optional:

• 1 tsp fresh garlic puree (or bottled)
• 1/2 tsp fresh ginger puree (or bottled)
• 1 star anise
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp black (brown) mustard seeds
• 4 fresh curry leaves (or dried)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp sugar
• Red food colouring (liquid)
• Yellow food colouring (liquid)
• Green food colouring (liquid)

Method:

1.   Put the rice in a sieve and THOROUGHLY RINSE in cold, running, water - photo 2

2.   Leave rice, for at least five minutes, to drain and for the grains to elongate

3.   Bring the water to boil in a saucepan (or kettle, if big enough)

4.   Heat the ghee (or vegetable oil) in large saucepan

5.   Add the garlic and ginger purees (if using) and fry gently, stirring continuously, for 30 seconds - photo 3

6.   Add all of the the whole spices and fry gently, stirring continuously, for 30 seconds - photo 4

7.   Add the rice and fry gently, stirring continuously, for 1 minute.  Ensure that all of the rice grains are coated in ghee (or vegetable oil) - photo 5

8.   Add the boiling water and immediately stir to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan - photo 6

9.   Add the sugar and salt (if using) - photo 7

10. Bring the water back the boil

11. Cook the rice, uncovered, and stirring occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan - photo 8

12. Keep removing and tasting grains of rice to see if it is nearly cooked.  It is ready when the grains are soft on the outside but still a little hard in the middle (i.e. "al dente").  It will only take about 5 - 7 minutes for Basmati rice.  DO NOT OVERCOOK THE RICE!

13. When almost cooked, pour the rice into a sieve and drain for 5 minutes - photo 9.  If the rice is overcooked, immediately rinse it with cold water to prevent further cooking.  Otherwise, don't bother (you'll simply wash away some flavour)

14. Spread the rice, in a thin layer, on a large tray (e.g. a baking tray) - photo 10

15. Place a few drops of each food colour (if using) on the surface of the rice - photo 11

16. Allow the rice to cool, by placing it in a fridge, for at least an hour.  The colours will "fix", the rice will become dry and the grains will separate  (Alternatively, place the rice in a warming draw/oven, pre-heated to 80-100C, for 30 to 60 minutes, and "fluff up" the before serving)

17. Gently toss the rice, using a couple of forks, to separate the grains, distribute the colours, and to "fluff up" the rice - photo 12

18. Place the rice in a bowl, or on a plate, and reheat in a microwave, on full power, for a couple of minutes, or until the rice is steaming hot throughout - photo 13

19. Enjoy!

Notes:

1.  Unless stated otherwise, the following measures apply:

a)  "tsp" = 1 level 5ml teaspoon
b)  "tbsp" = 1 level 15ml tablespoon

2.   The following points are important if you wish to produce free-flowing (i.e. non-stodgy) rice:

a)  Thoroughly RINSE the rice in water (before cooking) to remove as much starch as possible
b)  DO NOT OVERCOOK the rice.  It is far better to undercook it.  Remember that the rice will continue to cook, once you've removed it from the heat (unless you choose to immediately rinse it with cold water of course).  It will also cook further when you subsequently reheat it.

3.  If you wish to omit the artificial food colours, but you still want coloured rice, simply add 1 tsp of tumeric powder in Step 9

4.  If you want a yellow base colour to the rice, instead of white, simply add some yellow food colour (or tumeric) to the water in Step 9

5.  The rice can be used immediately it has drained, but it is preferable to dry it for the grains to separate further and for the food colours to set (if using)

6.  Rice can contain a bacteria called Bacilleusereus.  This can make you seriously ill.  Therefore, to kill the bacteria, the rice should be thoroughly heated (to greater than 80C, for not less than 2 minutes), before use, accordingly

7.  This rice freezes excellently.  Simply put it into suitable sized sealable containers and freeze it after Step 17 (remove the whole spices beforehand, if you wish, because they can become astringent upon freezing).  To reheat, simply defrost and heat in a microwave, on full power, for 2 minutes, or until the rice is steaming hot throughout

8   Any other rice can be cooked using this method, but the cooking times will vary

9.  Other options:

a)  For a tastier rice, add Akhni Stock (a "spice infusion"), instead of water, in Step 8
b)  Add 2 tbsp of chopped onions and fry, until golden, prior to Step 5 (or add pre-fried onions in Step 17)
c)  Add a tbsp of finely chopped fresh coriander in Step 7
d)  Add 2 tbsp of desiccated coconut in Step 7

10.  For Plain Boiled Basmati Rice:

i)    Prepare the rice as detailed in Steps 1 and 2
ii)   Omit Steps 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7
iii)  Bring the water to boil in the cooking pan
iv)  Add the basmati rice to the boiling water and stir well
v)   Proceed with Steps 9 through to 19
vi)  Use immediately after Step 13 (without rinsing with cold water) or proceed through to Step 19 (omiting food colouring if you wish)

11.  For Pilau Rice Cooked by Absorption:

i)    Use a large saucepan (preferably flameproof) with a tight-fitting lid
ii)   Add 800ml of boiling water (for 500g of rice) in Step 8
iii)  Reduce the amount of sugar (if using) to 2 tsp in Step 9
iv)  Return to the boil and, as soon as the water starts boiling, put the lid on and reduce the heat to low
v)   Leave well alone
vi)  Turn the heat off after 3 minutes
vii)  Leave for another 3 minutes, check that all the water has absorbed (if not, leave for another minute or two), and stir the rice gently but well (lifting and turning it from the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking)
vii)  Proceed with Steps 14 through to 19.  Alternatively, leave in the saucepan (if flameproof) and proceed from Step 15, placing the rice directly into the warming drawer/oven.

Copyright Cory Ander 2006

Hello After8 and welcome,

Pat Chapman uses 50g of white radish (mooli) in his "Special Balti Base Sauce" in his "Balti Curry Cookbook" (an excellent book, which I highly recommend).

I have used this curry base, many times, and I also recommend it.  Being a mildly spiced, creamy (he uses milk too), curry base, it is especially good for mild curry dishes (like Korma) but can also be used for any other curry.  He also uses 50g of celeriac (the celery root - which has a more intense flavour and aroma than celery stalks) in this base.  This quantity is used to make about 450 ml of the curry base.

White radishes ("mooli") are large, white (unsurprisingly!), look like parsnips (but with a paler, smoother skin), and are very mild... unlike red radishes (as prescribed by Bruce Edwards) which are much smaller, red (unsurprisingly!), pretty damned hot, and are otherwise quite different to white radishes (albeit from the same vegetable family).

I found that white radish and celeriac add a very nice (vegetable!) flavour to the curry base.  However, I very (very!) much doubt they add much to that elusive "BIR taste and smell"....but, as always, I may be wrong!

Anyway, I very much look forward to hearing of your results and analysese!

Regards,

That also sounds like a sure-fire way to make you fart too, NB, if ever I saw one!  ;D

Quote from: DARTHPHALL on November 18, 2006, 07:39 PM
...does anyone know why we hiccup when we eat hot food?

Sorry, I see that we've digressed again...... :

....but the reason for hiccups is as follows (http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/talk/qa/hiccup.html):

"The part to blame is your diaphragm, a dome-shaped muscle at the bottom of your chest.  All hiccups start here.  The diaphragm almost always works perfectly.  When you inhale, it pulls down to help pull air into the lungs.  When you exhale, it pushes up to help push air out of the lungs.  Sometimes, the diaphragm becomes irritated.  When this happens, it pulls down in a jerky way, which makes you suck air into your throat suddenly.  When the air rushing in hits your voice box, you're left with a big hiccup (or lots of them of course!).

Some things that irritate the diaphragm are eating too quickly (that'll be you then Darth  ;D) or too much (you again?), an irritation in the stomach or the throat (yep!), or feeling nervous or excited (probably!).  Almost all cases of the hiccups last only a few minutes (yeah, right!).  Some cases of the hiccups can last for days or weeks (haha), but this is very unusual, and it's usually a sign of another medical problem (haha...breathing problems anyone  )".

Check here for stacks of cures http://www.well.com/~smalin/hiccup.htm

I particularly like the "cures you can do with no tools" e.g. "fart" or "make yourself vomit"!  I don't recommend that you "stimulate your clitoris" though Darth....you might be there quite a while trying to find it!  ;D 

The one that I do recommend you try though, Darth, is to "have someone deliver a swift punch to your abdomen".  That should do the trick! 

But "threateningly pointing a gun at the subject" has to take the biscuit though...especially when you shoot them stone dead!!    http://www.musanim.com/mam/hickill.html  ......there you go sonny, hiccups all gone now!  ;D

The obvious one, thats missing from the list, is to stop eating stinky hot curries (but that's a no-no I guess)! 

Happy Hiccupping!

Phals are absolutely my favourite curry.  The mark of a good one, in my opinion, is that:

• Your scalp starts to creep the minute the dish arrives at your table
• You start to hiccup before the first mouthful even hits your mouth
• The back of your head becomes damp?then wet?and progressively sweats, ever more profusely, as you devour the phal
• You hiccup in a rhythmic fashion and continue to do so for the entire evening
• Nevertheless, you can still fully taste the flavour of the prawns/meat and any other ingredients
• You continue to get value for money for several days after

One of my fondest curry recollections is when, in 1980, I took a King Prawn Phal (6 king prawns in a delicious, stinky hot, oily, rich, flavoursome sauce) back to my new found lodgings in Canterbury.  I had no rice, naans, or anything else (because I couldn?t afford anything else).  I simply ate the King Prawn Phal, from its foil container, using a plastic spoon.  They were ohhhh sooooo sublime!  I can still visualise and taste that King Prawn Phal today! 

I also have fond memories of our boys (about 2 and 4 years old at the time) waddling up to taste my Phal (a regular occurance)....then tearing off to the kitchen for some juice (yes, I told them milk or yoghurt was better for them, but what can you do  ).....then waddling back for yet some more! ;D  Funnily enough, they'll only eat mild ones now!  :

Oh?and of our dog?tearing around our living room coffee table....after sampling a piece of my naan... with some phal cunningly concealed inside it!  ;D  ?.and of me, in hot pursuit, with yet another tasty offering in hand!  Funnily enough, it never did stop her from scrounging though!  She's dead now, bless her 

Ahhh...those were the days...... ;D

Haha!  ;D

Don't tell me I failed to answer your intended question! 

If so, please ask again! 

In short, use them as and when you wish, synthetic or otherwise, to achieve your desired result!......just be aware of the health concerns regarding synthetic colourings and the limitations of natural food colourings!

Regards!

Quote from: chef1707 on November 10, 2006, 06:56 PM
...I would welcome advice on when it's appropriate to use food coloring in a curry and the the timing of when it should be applied.

Hi Chef1707,   

These are my comments:

BIRs generally use synthetic food colours (e.g. tartrazine) to produce their vibrant colours (particularly yellows and reds).  However, there are some concerns that these synthetic food colours (dyes), which contain E-numbers (e.g. E102 in synthetic yellow), may cause allergies and hyperactivity in some people (e.g. some children) and possibly even cancer (e.g. E123). 

Check out this link for more information: http://nac.allergyforum.com/additives/index.html

Nonetheless, this is what BIRs generally use in dishes such as Pilau Rice, Chicken Tikka Masala, etc. 

These synthetic colours arise in so many foodstuffs (e.g. drinks, sweets, pickles, cakes, crisps, ice creams, etc) that, in my (albeit subjective and humble!) opinion, a couple of drops, here and there, in home curry cooking, is very unlikely to kill me any faster!  This is my personal opinion, of course, and each of us should make up our own mind on whether to use them or not 

These vibrant colours are also purely aesthetic.  They add nothing to the flavour of the dish, they simply make the dishes look more attractive and appealing.  Any dish will taste equally good (or bad!) without them.  So you don't need to use ANY colourings if you don't wish to.  Having said that, some natural food colours (e.g. tumeric, saffron, etc) will also add flavour as well as colour.

Synthetic food colours are available in liquid and powder forms.  The liquids are not too intense and are suitable for most uses.  The powders are far more intense and are useful for making tandoori masalas, etc (where their powder form is maintained).  They can also be used in place of the liquid forms (e.g. in rice) by disolving a pinch or two in water.

I usually add the food colours towards the end of cooking.  For instance, for rice I add a few drops of yellow and red (and sometimes green) after the rice is cooked.  For Tikka Masala, I add a few drops of yellow and/or red (until I have the colour I want) just prior to serving.  However, for yellow rice (e.g. Pilau Rice), I add a few drops to the rice whilst its boiling.  For tandoori and tikka dishes, I add food colours (liquid or powder; it doesn't really matter) to the marinade.  I add powder colours when I make tandoori masala. 

Natural food colours are used in traditional (authentic) Indian cooking.  These can be used in place of synthetic colours for those concerned about using synthetic colours.  However, they are far less vibrant and their colour can deteriorate during cooking.  Red is generally achieved using paprika (particularly) and chilli.  Deep red (e.g. in Rogan Gosh) is achieved using Ratin Jot (a natural red root).  Beetroot powder can also be used.  Yellow is generally achieved using tumeric and saffron.  Anatto seeds can also be used for an orangey/yellow.

It is probable that your local BIR uses any one of (or a combination of) the above (including a little tandoori masala) to obtain a rich red coloured Patia.  They may also include red pepper, tomatoes and/or tomato puree.

Hope this help! 

Hi George,

Quote from: George on November 10, 2006, 04:24 PM
.....Does anyone know whereabouts the naans are supposed to be stuck on the wall of the tandoor?

As far as I know, the naans are stuck just inside the tandoor (i.e. in the neck of the tandoor, as it were.....obviously about half an arms length inside in fact!  ).  As you point out, the naans would therefore be stuck at an angle from vertical.

Quote...They say the teardrop shape comes from the naan hanging down...

I've also read this in several places, probably also mainly in Pat Chapman's books.  This sounds feasible to me, particularly if the dough is very pliable and elastic.  I've also read the opposite; that this is all tosh and that the naan is pulled into a teardrop shape prior to cooking.  However, I really can't see a reason for doing this (apart from that it looks "right"!), including how it might facilitate placing and removing the bread from the tandoor?

I've also read that the clay is a "special clay" only availble from certain parts of India.  Yeah right!   :

You simply need a clay with the right properties, such as:

• able to be moulded (if you are going to do this yourself...much better off getting Demi Moore to do it for you though  )
• sufficient "green" (i.e. unfired) strength to be handled in the unfired state
• able to withstand the high temperature and temperature changes in a tandoor without cracking (i.e. ceramic material)
• sufficiently porous to absorb juices/smells etc
• hasn't got any nasty impurities in it which may be detrimental to your health!

The purpose of any "hair", that CP mentions, would be to increase the "green" (unfired) strength of the tandoor for handling (i.e. for construction and shipping) purposes only.  Of course there are many alternative "binders" available in the more modern Western world!    

The tandoor is generally fired "in situ" (i.e. when it's first fired up for use)  whereupon, one would hope, any such hairs (or any other organic binders, plasticisers, etc) would burn off....and prererably not into your naan bread  ;D

As you probably know, Shahi is a major supplier of tandoors to BIRs.  You will find some downloadable product specs here:  http://www.clayovens.com/products.html 

Don't forget to check out their picture gallery here:  http://www.clayovens.com/gallery4.html

Regards,

PS:  Is it worth moving these posts to a new new thread called "building you own tandoor"?

Quote from: DARTHPHALL on November 09, 2006, 10:48 PM
....I'm not sure what you mean by bitterness in a curry.....

...just to add to this (and maybe it warrants sticking in a separate thread?):

I think that "bitterness" in curries may be caused by one, or all, of several things:

• from spices that have not been cooked adequately (to remove the "rawness")
• from burning the spices (as Darth points out)
• from burning anything else!
• from using too much of a paricular spice (e.g. tumeric, fenugreek seeds/powder, etc)
• from onions that have not been cooked slowly enough or for long enough (to remove the "rawness" and develop "sweetness")
• from tinned tomatoes, which can be quite acidic I find (consider using puree, paste or fresh)

Of course, some curries are intended to be sour (e.g. Vindaloo) and the desired sourness is achieved by adding things like tamarind, lemon juice, vinegar, etc