Hi after8

Just to confirm what cp said earlier.
Everything is done at full bore heat and speed. This cracks the spice and produces the correct aroma.

Regards

Andy

Hi after8.

A chefs pinch is between thumb and first finger. Dont over do it. I can only say that i wont guarantee results without our base, our method and the paste posted today. The paste is important. But good luck.

Regards

Andy

Hi all

CP has clarified that the fusing is the actual final dish production. The base is in effect just a flavoured stock and its combination with the final dish spices produces what everyone seems to be looking for.

Regards

Andy

hi layne britton.

I can safely say that NO Garlic puree or ginger puree is used.

Regards

Andy

hi stew

Definately do not work for cp's operation

regards

andy

hi yf

I will do my best to post a video as soon as

Regards
Andy

Hi

The bhargi's look pretty right to me.

Andy

Hi all.

There is no way that these gimmicky tandoori pots are any good. The bir's spend a lot of money on their tandoors. If these cheap substitutes worked then the take-aways and restaurants would use them and would save some considerable money. Temperature is so important
Regards

Andy

hi all
Just want to clarify what cp has said. I have compressed the text somewhat in the original post to save on typing. Perhaps not a good thing to do.

Pre-Cooking Meats and Vegetables.

The takeaway and restaurant list per example Chicken Madras or Meat Madras on the menu. The chicken is obvious but listing Meat gives them the option of using either mutton or lamb. The chicken and meat arrive pre-cubed in large plastic bags from the wholesale butcher.

I hope these are kept well chilled and seperated during the day

YES THE MEAT IS KEPT CHILLED AND SEPERATED. STANDARD FOOD PRACTICE

Here is what happens:-

Towards the end of the evening 2 large saucepans are placed onto a work surface.
Into each saucepan is put 2 ladles of oil, 1 level tablespoon of turmeric and 1 level tablespoon of tomato puree, about 6 asian bay leaves and four finely chopped garlic cloves. Both are given a good stir to mix. Then the cubed chicken is added to one and the cubed meat to the other. Everything in the pans is tossed to coat the meats with the mixture. They are then lidded and left overnight in the cooler cabinet.

OK with this providing all ingredients are chilled to the same temperature

YES EVERYTHINGIS KEPT CHILLED AND SEPERATED. STANDARD FOOD PRACTICE


This is to top up the already pre-cooked meat to the levels of what was started with at the beginning of the night.

This strictly illegal and highly dangerous.  Batches must NEVER be mixed and each batch must be labelled with a DAY LABEL and production date.  All catering establisments have to follow these rules or they will be closed down.

NO BATCHES ARE EVER MIXED. THEY ARE KEPT IN SEPERATE CONTAINERS AND DATED

They calculate this by adding up the amount of dishes sold (simple).

The following day at around midday when the kitchen staff arrive 2 ladles of the base sauce/gravy which is obviously cold are added to each pan and stirred in.
Heat is applied to both pans constantly stirring. When boiling the heat is reduced to a simmer and boiling water is added to just cover the meat in both pans stirring to mix.

This is OK and similar to the average BIR approach, but I must stress that clean ladles are used and a separate ladle for each meat product.  Also you must not let the ladles come in contact with the meat or you will cross-contaminate the base and meat and create bacterial growth which at best will just shorten the shelf life of the products or a worse cause food poisioning.  This does apply to home cooks so beware please.

THE TAKEAWAY NEVER USES SAME LADLES. THERE ARE ABOUT 12 LADLES USED SEPERATELY

The chicken is left to simmer for approx 20 minutes and the chicken is skewered to ensure it is cooked. The heat is removed and the chicken is removed with a slotted chefs spoon to drain the fluid and placed in a container and left to cool.

Yes, the chicken should be only just cooked, but must be left in the oil with no heat applied to cool down.  It should not be removed from the liquor as this will immediately cause bacterial growth deterioration.  The chicken and cooking liquor/oil may be transferred to sterilised container, e.g. that has been washed in a dishwasher, and topped up with fresh oil to cover it by about 1 centimetre, and a lid placed on the container.  This will prevent deterioration  and also means that it can be kept stored in the fridge for about a week (keep topping up the oil). The Chicken must not be stored dry as you suggest unless it is to be totally used up during the following Service period.  If this sounds familiar, I have already posted this.

THE MEATS ARE STORED IN OIL FILLED CONTAINERS WITH LIDS ON
The meat is left to simmer for approx 1 hour to obtain the tenderness. The heat is removed and the meat is removed with a slotted chef?s spoon and placed in a container and left to cool.

The comment above equally applies to red meats.

The Chef?s Note: The same measurements of turmeric, asian bay leaves, finely chopped garlic and tomato puree along with base sauce are used no matter how little or how much chicken and meat are being pre-cooked. The only variable is the water. I mentioned about other spices and he said no, no, no! The pre-cooked meat has to be used for dishes such as Korma and Passanda. No heat or spices he said.

Yes I agree, but I use as little water as possible as the Chicken and meat will release quite a lot during cooking.  I prefer to use lots of oil and a little water

JUST A DIFFERENT APPROACH USED
So to the vegetables.

Potatoes.

These are cut into small cubes and simply boiled in Water with a touch of salt and a tablespoon of turmeric. Nothing more, nothing less. The potatoes are only just cooked so they remain solid without breaking up. They are then kept in the fridge for use.

It is very unusal that no oil is used during the process.  I know that most Indian chefs will add a little oil to the boiling water and coat the potatoes with oil after cooking also.  This stops the potatoes drying, breaking up, and going black, and preserves them longer.  Also waxy potatoes should be used (see long discussions on this elsewhere)

OIL IS ADDED FOR STORAGE ONLY

Cauliflower.

Here frozen cauliflower florets are used and cooked exactly the same as the potatoes.

Yuch, I abandoned using frozen a long time back and when I have queried my cheffy friends they have done so as well.  Frozen florets are too tough so have to be overcooked.

THESE ARE PRE_COOKED FLORETS AND THEN FROZEN

Next post very soon

Regards
Andy

Curry Cooking Methods.

I have written down the method that I and the chef uses at the take-away. This should help you understand the technique and the order in which ingredients are added.
I will be posting the individual curry recipes later as mentioned in the base sauce/ gravy.

Lets first describe the kitchen.

The cooker is an eight ring gas fired unit. On the left hand back ring is the large pot of hot oil. Next to it is the large pot of base sauce/gravy. To the right of the cooker is a stainless steel table with tubs of spices, fresh herbs etc.
Let me first say that the pot of hot oil as well as being used for curries etc. is also used, with the addition of a wire basket for the frying of onion bhaji?s, samosas, king prawn butterfly, chicken rolls, keema rolls and occasionally chips. The oil therefore is always getting infused with the release of spices from the above produces. Therefore the oil takes on a slight aromatic and smoky smell. It is topped up with fresh oil when it becomes too low for the wire basket to be able to fry the above.

Now on to a typical curry.

I will not list the individual spices as these will be posted later.

1)   The gas on one ring is turned full up.
2)   One ladle of oil is added to the frying pan. The pan is placed on the ring until the oil just starts to smoke. (By the way the oil is sunflower oil).
3)   2 chefs pinches of aromatic salt is added, ? of a chefs heaped spoon of very finely chopped onion is added along with a 2 chefs pinches of very finely chopped garlic and  a 2 chefs pinches of very finely chopped mixed red and green peppers. Very quickly and in a circular motion the back of the chefs spoon is pressed into the pan bottom effectively squeezing the pan ingredients. The ingredients are then tossed using the spoon. As the oil is so hot this takes only about 20 seconds as you will see the onions changing colour.
4)   Then the spices are added for the required dish, with chilli powder and a chefs pinch of fresh methi leaves added last along with a chefs pinch of asafoedita. The spices again are pressed into the pan as above and scraped across the pan with the edge of the spoon again for about 20 seconds(The scraping stops the burning of them)
5)   Then 1 ladle of base sauce/gravy is added and stirred in. When this bubbles a second ladle of base sauce/gravy is added and stirred.
6)   Depending on the smell at this point a chefs pinch of msg may or may not be added (experience of smell only tells)
7)   The meat is then added which is usually 10 cubes. Stirring continuously now to avoid sticking and to get the meat fully heated through.
   At approximately 5 minutes a teaspoon of pre-made cooked paste is added (recipe to follow) and stirred in immediately followed by a chefs pinch of chopped coriander leaves(cilantro) and stirred again.
9)   The pan is removed from the heat rested for 30 seconds and the curry is placed into the famous foil container with another pinch of chopped coriander leaves(cilantro), lid on and labeled. Hey presto all done. A quick rinse of the pan and onto the next order??.

Hope this helps with the procedure. Of course any questions please ask. The key is heat, speed, and the mastering of the use of the spoon to extract the aroma and flavour. Once you have cracked it, it will become second nature.

Regards
Andy