This looks the dogs, 976bar!  The recipe and cooking instructions are simply stated......and I'm going to give this one a go as soon as my last portion of CA's Jalfreizi bites the dust.  Thanks very much for posting.

Cheers

al.

A few points of clarification on the Mushroom Bhaji recipe, if I may......

Stephen:  I'm really pleased you had success with the recipe!  Apologies that the quantities didn't all appear correctly in the posting of the recipe.  To avoid confusion, it should be "quarter of a green capsicum....", half a tsp of salt, and half a pint of basic curry sauce.  I use tinned mushrooms because we can't easily get fresh ones here.   As a help to others who might make the dish, how many fresh ones did you use??

jb:  of course you are quite right.  Old age, stupidity, and recent reading/viewing of CT's video made me put 'Zeera' when I should have typed 'Zaal'.  Sorry for the confusion.

JerryM:  "bhuna with amplitude".....what a great phrase!!

CT:  sorry to confuse you with the Zeera reference (see above).  The T/A in Sunderland was a small one on Hilton Road but I can't recall the name.  It used to do a brilliant Chicken Vindaloo as well.

Happy cooking.

al.

Thanks for the expressions of interest, gents!  Incidentally, I ate the remainder of the bhaji the following night just to make sure I hadn't deceived myself.....and it was superb.  Here's the recipe:

MUSHROOM BHAJI

Ingredients:

3 tbsp oil
1 heaped tbsp onion, coarsely chopped
1 birds eye chilli, chopped
? large green capsicum coarsely chopped
1 fresh tomato, quartered
1 heaped tsp tomato puree diluted with 4 tsp water
1 tbsp garlic/ginger paste ? I use 3 large garlic cloves + ?" ginger
1 desert spoon (dsp) spice mix
1 tsp chilli powder
? tsp salt
? pint basic curry sauce
Small can mushrooms (drained and washed to remove salt)

Method:

1.   In a separate pan, heat curry base to a gentle simmer
2.   Heat 3tbsp oil in wok on high heat
3.   Add onion, tomato, green capsicum & salt and fry for a couple of minutes or so stirring continuously
4.   Add garlic/ginger & fry for about a minute, stirring all the time
5.   Remove from heat & add chilli powder and spice mix.  Stir and return to heat. 
6.   Fry for about 30 seconds using the Zeera Restaurant technique, then  add tomato puree & fry for a     further 30 seconds or so on high heat stirring continuously
7.   Add 2tbsp basic curry sauce, stir for 1 minute & add rest of base gravy 2 tbsp at a time ? make sure first two are ?absorbed? before adding more
8.   Add small can mushrooms
9.   Cook on high heat for 3 minutes ? add water if it starts to dry out
10.     Reduce heat & simmer gently for 3 minutes
11.    Turn off the gas and let it ?rest?.

As usual to my mind, the 'Zeera Technique' is the key at step 6.  Timing does need care, but just when you think you can't go on any longer, that's the time to keep stirring!

Hope you enjoy the results as much as I did.

al.

I completely agree with you on this one Barry and for the reasons you state.

Also, last night I achieved one of those 'moments' we all hope to experience.  After more than 25 years trying to replicate the taste of a mushroom bhaji from what was then my local T/A in Sunderland from the 1980s, I finally made it.  In smell, taste, and texture it was precisely what I've been trying through so many false dawns to accomplish......and it was all done with fresh veg. oil, no fancy additions.

My feeling is that the Zeera group found the 'missing link' for us in the technique they observed.  Certainly the flavour of all my curry attempts has improved substantially as a result.   

al.

Thanks for the clarification, CA.  It's one hell of a good looking dish.
Cheers
al.

The photo's back.........and an excellent photo of a delicious looking dish, CA.  As Rich says, any chance of you posting the recipe?

best
al.

The photo seems to have 'done one' CA.  Any chance you can re-post........ with recipe as well??

al.

Hell's flames, CA, that looks brilliant.  Your sauce seems to just cling to the meat.  Out of interest, did you use less oil than you usually do or scoop off the excess after cooking.....only there's little evidence of the oil in the photo?

al.

That's a superb looking Vindaloo, CBM!

Quick question:  are those 3 very large pieces of chicken in the photo?  OK, it's only a photo, but they do look soft, juicy, tender.  Do you pre-cook them?

al.

Like you, SL, I have been cooking curry 3 - 4 times a week for the past 6 months or so.......and my technique has improved substantially as a result of info on the forum.  Mind you, so has my waistline!  Yesterday I tried on my suit trousers (not worn for the past 3 years) and they were a good 2 - 3 inches from meeting at the top.

Yes, I'm convinced we're all getting better, but we pay for it in the ever expanding waist.  Trouble is the damn curries are just so delicious............

al.