Thanks for confirming that Mark......I was getting pretty confused myself! 

I think YF has made a very good suggestion.  Maybe it would be even better to state words to that effect on the main "welcome" page? 

Whaddya think?

Hi CL,

I presume (but I may be wrong) that Pete means that he prepares the rice (as in his original recipe), but now boils it for 2 minutes (and then drains it) rather than reduce the heat and cook it (on low heat) for 5 minutes?

Once drained, I presume Pete then returns the rice to the pot, adds colour, and sticks it in the oven (as in his original recipe)?

Also check here for an alternative (simpler, foolproof and equally effective) method of cooking Pilau rice....https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1092.msg9533#msg9533

Pictures of rice, prepared in this way, can be found here....https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1180.0

Hope this helps 

Quote from: haldi on October 15, 2006, 04:16 PM
....these places make very tasty curries, so "crap" is a bit harsh.....

You're right Haldi.  My humble apologies!  After all, you did point out, in your first post, that they are, nevertheless, three very good takeaways that make very fine curries. 

I guess it was simply my (rather ignorant) presumption that any BIR that can't produce "the taste" must be "crap".....since it is "the taste" that I'm after.....

So, back to the subject matter of this thread then.....the ingredients used by BIRs that produce "the taste".....

SD/YF...you'll see that Darth has created a new thread for discussing the longevity (or not) of "the taste" here....https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1256.msg10932#msg10932 

Many thanks Darth  ;D

Great comments guys and a great question Darth.......but please can we keep this thread focused on the original question (i.e. BIR ingredients)?

Maybe other questions can rather be (and are better off being) asked in a new thread?

Humble thanks 

Quote from: Chilli Prawn on October 15, 2006, 03:20 PM
.....it is my belief it is because they are mainly Bangladeshi and all their cooks seem to be trained in the same cookery school and work to the prescribed standard recipes that are cost efficient and suit the majority of palates.  Sad isn't it........

But CP, it's Bangladeshi BIR curries (with "the taste") that I wish to emulate! 

So, sad that Bangladeshi's produce such curries?  Definately not! 

Sad that so many BIRs seems to lack "the taste"? Definately!.....but it is surely nothing to do with the reason you cited here! 

Thanks for your input Haldi.  At last!  Some more actual observations on the ingredients that BIRs actually use!....... ;D

....but I was a little (read "very"!) disappointed to see that none of the three BIRs produce "the taste"?

.....I had no idea that there are so many crap BIRs around? 

....do you have any observations for BIRs that DO produce "the taste" Haldi? 

Thanks again 

Personally, I don't really mind what measuring units are used, provided the recipes are reasonably clearly written and unambiguous. 

As Darth says, establishing a set of standards is one thing, but expecting a multitude of people (from around the world) to comply with the standards is quite another. 

I therefore think we need to be flexible (and not too anal) about it.....so....here's a suggestion:

Allow members to post recipes, using any format and measures they damn well please (or not!), as is currently the case.....but....

....before a recipe is "formally accepted" to a "formal recipe section", a moderator (?) ensures that the recipe conforms to certain basic standards (e.g. is reasonably clearly written and unambigous)?

Perhaps this would necessitate a "two tier" recipe section (i.e. an "informal" section and a "formal" section)?

A key requirement should be that the weights and volumes are clearly, and unambiguously, defined (whatever measuring units are chosen)

The aim should simply to be to ensure that members can replicate the recipe? 

What do you think?

Thanks for re-posting the recipe George 

Hi CC,

I'm pretty sure that this IS NOT a garam masala recipe CC....

...it looks simply like a Bruce Edward's type curry masala ("spice mix") to me?

I would expect a garam masala (i.e "hot spice mixture") to have hot/aromatic spices such as cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, mace/nutmeg, etc in it.