Quote from: Unclefrank on March 27, 2012, 11:26 AM
Hi SD i got a pressure cooker from Tesco (Tower 7 Litre)but wasn't any good, the amount of pressure build up in cooker didn't really save time on cooking, think it was a 7 psi.

Take a look at this http://fastcooking.ca/index.htm

Thanks Unclefrank - some good info there.

I suspected that might be the case with the Tower, but I'll see how I get on with it and when I win the lottery I'll get the one I really wanted, which is this German jobbie: http://www.wmf.com/pressure-cookers/65-liter_82511356.html?sid=F33DC536-B8B1-4332-8601-9698E5B33CBC

You can almost feel the quality oozing from the screen...

I've been after a pressure cooker for a while, but strapped for cash so the dog's bollocks stainless steel all-singing/dancing model I wanted is out of the question at the moment.

Then I saw that Argos are doing a third off this baby:

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/8605782/c_1/1|category_root|Kitchen+and+laundry|14418476/c_2/2|14418476|Cookware|14418537/c_3/3|cat_14418537|Pressure+cookers+and+steamers|14418546.htm

So I ordered it. Something of a bargain, or a crock of crap?

Time will tell, and I'll report back on findings as soon as I get to grips with the mother.

@Terramamba: Nice bike SD, very clean! The GSXr has really come on a lot (looks wise), always was a brilliant performer and handles so well.  Since I rode one in the early 90's, very ugly bike, but, once underway, what a fantastic machine? Do you find it encourages you to go faster and faster, never satisfied until your adrenaline is pumping around your body so much all you can do is scream, ok you win Gixxer! Alternatively, the flashing blues behind you make you stop, doh!  :

I'm not going to incriminate myself here, but yes to all the above! (Only on a track, of course...  )



The first time I rode one (a demo) it was unbelievable. I'd only opened the throttle for what seemed like a nano second, and suddenly the horizon was rushing towards me faster than the ground from a 200ft base jump, and I thought the speedo must be broken, such was the prodigious reading on the digital display. Once I'd stopped and retrieved my eyes from the back of my skull, I thought "F**k. I HAVE to get one of these!"

An hour later and the deal was done.

@Terramamba: My first big bike Honda 400/4 only good in the dry, HT leads always shorting out in the rain.

That was my first big bike, too (a blue one), and I loved it. (Never had the HT lead problem though.) I pre-ordered it and picked it up from Honda on a sunny summer's day in 1975 as a gangly 17 year-old, to be told that it was the first one in the country. I didn't believe the sales guy (who I later discovered was in fact Michael Aspel's brother, and a Honda head honcho, but that's another story), and I didn't care - it was the beginning of a man/bike relationship that only ended when I was wiped out somewhere near Bristol about 18 months later by Mr Magoo right-turning his Austin 1100 in front of me on the A34. Happy days...

Quote from: natterjak on March 26, 2012, 08:16 PM
Well you must be doing something right because the photo you posted of your CT Madras looks spot on, with a gorgeous 'flocked' texture which I rarely achieve and find hard to reproduce again following such an unusual success. Would be interested in your thoughts on how to consistently get this 'look and feel' to a finished curry.

Do you sieve your base btw? I've really appreciated the improvement this brought to my base so am more or less converted now.

That's very kind of you to say so, Natterjack.

As to my thoughts on how to consistently get this 'look and feel' to a finished curry, I have to admit I haven't really thought about it. It just happens (though I'd be the first to admit it doesn't happen every time!).

But for what it's worth, my best results always come when I get the texture of the base right (i.e. not too thick. I look for something that's closer to full fat milk than, say, a puree).  The base, after all, comprises 90% of the dish, so as far as I'm concerned it is the king here.

This was one of those seemingly small things that made a big difference to my curries. In the late 80s, when Pat Chapman described the base gravy found in restaurants as being "...pale orangey gold, quite thick in texture, like apple puree", that was what I was aiming for. Though I have much respect for Pat, it wasn't until I managed to get myself in a few kitchens that I discovered how wrong he was. 

I have sieved my base before, but don't normally bother unless I've made a bad job of the blending stage. Also, I pre-blend the ginger/garlic (or use ginger/garlic paste if I have any already made up), and don't always add coriander stalks to my base. (From my experience, whole ginger and coriander stalks are the most fibrous components of a base.)

Apart from that, I don't know what else to suggest. Maybe someone else has a 'flocking theory' they could throw into the mix?

Great pics, JA - that CT Madras looks spot on. (There are plenty of brilliant Madras recipes on this site, but ever since I first tried CT's I just haven't been able to stop.)

Have to say I'm extremely envious of that cooker. I'd cheerfully kill for something like that - or I would, if I had a gas supply. I have an 8.8kw burner (outside), but most of my cooking is done on electric, which to be honest produces more than enough heat to do the job. Where I think gas wins over electric (and especially the bigger burners), isn't necessarily the intensity of heat, but the spread of that heat across the bottom of the pan.

On a gas burner you get the flames licking around the edges of the pan, 'roasting' or 'caramelising' the contents right up to the edge. This just doesn't happen on an electric hob (at least it doesn't on mine).

This subject has been done to death, so I won't bang on. More importantly, welcome back, and I look forward to more tales of your curry exploits!

Cheers

Gary 

Quote from: curryhell on March 26, 2012, 05:41 PM
Well, i'm very fortunate SD. A friend of mine is responsible  for getting me on the stuff in the first place, having always been a real ale man.  I spent many a happy hour drowning out the day at Grays Athletic FC, when it had a decent team, not that I ever watched a game  , working my way through the 28 flavours available ;D.  It just so happens he was the steward. GAFC has now been replaced by new housing developments, as is any piece of vacant land round here, although the team survives, a shadow of its former self.  He moved on and now owns one of my locals and still continues to fly the Belgium beer flag with about 22 varieties, all at a very good price of no more than

Quote from: natterjak on March 15, 2012, 07:01 AM
Thanks for posting or reposting this Gary. The base sauce has the same structure as the Zaal or Chewytikka bases which is the initial boil of onions et al, then a frying stage of spices and tomato then blending and re-boil the combined sauce till the oil rises. In your version above the fried Tom mix is added before blending, in others it's added after. Not having tried every base I should be wary of making sweeping statements but this boil fry blend boil again (or boil blend fry boil again) structure seems indicative of a good base and it's how I prepared my last batch of base which has brought my own cooking on in leaps and bounds.

Having made a hell of a lot of base over the years - (and to the power of 10 since I discovered this site!) - I can only concur that this method does indeed produce excellent and consistent results. Not only that, but there's something about it that 'feels' right.

These days, whatever base recipe I'm using, the technique goes:

Oil in pot, followed by raw ingredients (onions, carrot, garlic/ginger, etc, etc).

Bring slowly up to temp to get things going, then add the salt, stir and lid on and heat down low. If I add any water, it will only be a cup or two, depending on the quantity of base being made.

Once the onions are properly cooked (soft, melting and translucent - I don't time it), I do the fry stage with the spices, blended tomatoes, and some extra garlic/ginger paste, add to the pot, and cook for a further 15 minutes or so.

Next, I blend to a smooth consistency (adding water to thin down), add some whole spices (cassia bark, cardamoms, Asian bay) and bring to a gentle simmer until the oil rises to the surface. (Time for this varies depending on the quantity of base.)

This, for me, produces the best results.

I used to be a chuck it in and boil man*, but thanks to the efforts of too many people to mention on this site I've picked up incredibly useful information and been able to develop something that puts a smile on my face every time.

So, thanks to all - and keep up the great work!


*Not saying that 'chuck in and boil' doesn't produce good results. I've just found the above better for me.   

Quote from: Aussie Mick on March 26, 2012, 05:34 PM
Noice SD.

I've had moe than a few bikes too. Went down the cruiser route for a while, but came back to "normal" bikes. Can't handle the sporty riding position nowadays......too old, so went for a big arse naked.

I've always had nakeds (always loved the butch looks of the 1400, too), and the GSXR is my first sportsbike. I bought it in 2008 at the age of 50!

It was a bit uncomfortable at first (my previous bike had been a much loved Triumph Speed Triple 1050), but the more miles you do the more you get used to it, and I've done many a 500 mile plus day across France and Spain.

But I'm going to stop there, as I'm just as crazy about bikes as I am about beer and curry, and I'll be here all night!

Quote from: alarmist10 on March 26, 2012, 11:20 AM
Sorry for the typo SD.......your cooking days should have read "Friday & Saturday".

No worries!

Quote from: alarmist10 on March 26, 2012, 11:20 AM
I can fully appreciate the 'shot tastebuds syndrome' that both you and Ausie Mick had to deal with.  It has been well reported by others on this site who have tried 'event cooking'.  I have to admire your stamina - all day Saturday + a further 3 hours - when I'm all done (with my Madras, of course) inside of 7 minutes!!!!!

I'd certainly appreciate it if you can post your brother's mushroom bhaji recipe.  I've never been one for the traditional onion ones, but mushroom.......masarap talaga, as we say here. 

Also have to say your old man sounds just the business!  I can't remember how many vindaloos I've taken back to T/As on the plate because they haven't been up to standard!  And not only did they replace the vindaloo, but they washed the plate as well.  More power to him in his quest against mediocrity!

al

Yep, the old fella is something of a legend. I remember on one occasion we were having a family celebration in our (then) favourite restaurant, where we'd all become friendly with the owner and staff over the years, and much to our disappointment the food was unusually mediocre. As the waiter made his customary approach to ask us how everything was, I looked around the table and I could see everyone thinking the same thing... "No... Pleeease don't ask the old man, please..." He was a few whiskies up at the time. (The old man, not the waiter.)

No chance. As the obvious patriarch, the waiter made straight for him.

"Is everything all right, sir?"

Pause...

"No it f***ing isn't!"

I'll cut the rant short, but it was one of many episodes involving my dad and under par food that have caused his family to suffer restaurant silencing moments over the years.

Full credit to the waiter. He apologised profusely, took my dad's vindaloo back to the kitchen, then returned shortly with a (better) replacement - AND a double whisky on the house.

Now that's how you keep customers happy.

Oh, and I asked my brother for his mushroom recipe, and all he could tell me was that he'd made it up on the day. He did mention that he always adds a touch of Patak's garlic pickle to it, which is a little trick he picked up from one of the chefs he knows (he used to refit BIRs when he worked as a builder/carpenter).

Next time I go to his gaff I'll ask him to knock one up and get the full story.

Quote from: Aussie Mick on March 26, 2012, 04:30 PM
I didn't do a search, so apologise if this has been done before, but I have noticed references to motorbikes.

How many other bike riding ex-home brewing curry heads are on this forum? ;D

I ride a Suzuki GSX1400. Fitted with a large top box, so I can ride to the Indian food shop and stock up and indulge both my main pleasures at the same time.

I've had many, many different bikes since I were a lad, but this is my current baby - a tricked-up GSXR-1000: