Tamala,

Quotetypical BIR practice

are u able to help us understand exactly what the differences are. if we can get the BIR result without the stickiness then that would be a dream come true.

ivangough,

really really good post  ;D. am sure all will find it very interesting.

i'm certainly going to have to give it a go - i particularly like the sort of slow roasting of the onions till brown

i am certain that the "3TSP CARDAMOM POWDER" should be coriander powder everything else sits fine with me.

the raw cashews are especially interesting (the family love them).

Tamala,

this is one that needs trying out to appreciate what's happening.

i must admit i was very sceptical (as you point out it's not conventional at all in terms of bread making) but now i am totally sold.

i'm no master baker (of course) but i make pizza dough and bread all the time. i know that kneading is very important but we (home cooks) have to accept we've not got the equipment and therefore need to improvise somehow.

what i do know is that with this recipe there is no need (sorry pun - i did like yours so could not resist) to knead. the high proportion of water has the effect of making the finished "bread" very soft. it also makes it very very sticky.

what mr clever (UB) has stumbled on is a way of dealing with the stickiness and get a top notch product - hence the pat a cake trick and throw the rolling pin away.

i too got very ugly (the dough only wants to stretch in 1 direction making the thing long and narrow not pear shape) shapes but the family were totally sold on the taste (much better than the KD recipe).

during the "throwing" of the naan from hand to hand i added a sprinkling of extra flour to keep the surface from sticking - the aim is to keep the inside volume wet/sticky but the outside floured just enough for the pat a cake trick to work.

as UB says we now just need to develop our pat a cake skills.

Tamala i would much appreciate your thoughts on the use of self raising flour - i find this adds a sort of sconey aftertaste whereas using plain flour with bicarb does not - is this right.

Tamala,

thanks for info on the yoghurt - had not realise its acid

Bobby,

QuoteHas anyone else used the standard base gravy curry method substituting spice mix for Pataks paste?

Don't go there it's just not up to it. it's fine for a quick fix for chicken tikka and the balti paste may add that little bit extra to a balti dish but that it's limitations.

the qty is for 3 people and yes 3 yes?s  ;D ;D ;D

Currytester,

agree entirely on your follow up post

Quoteif you remember I described the cooking procedure as a method of releasing the natural sugars from the carrots and onions

this is what attracted me to the method. i await your next output with 1/2 the ghee (i felt the rest of the curry was spot on).

interesting that u class madras as sour. i find my std madras to be not as sweet as the BIR taste i'm used to. i've tried adding sugar into the base at cooking stage but this just adds a sickly sweetness not a caramelised.

i also very much like pathia (my fav is UB's - it's the closest to BIR i've come across). i've got enough saffron so will try your recipe out for background understanding.

SNS's post is also adding to the interest in the post - many thanks CT for raising the issue (original post). i'm sure there's learning here and as u say we're only experimenting so no probs if any attempts don't deliver promise at the 1st go.

just 1 last thought what about the vegetable ghee i noticed in the local Asian supermarket (it would sort the cost and veg lobbies)

best wishes,

Tamala,

QuoteYou seem to get quite confused sometimes jerry

it may come across that way but i don't profess to be a cooking expert (i have no cooking training) so I would expect some confusion (ie the post on yogurt I haven?t a clue what it does and feel I don?t need to only the final taste being important). what i post is the output from actual experience in trying the cooking out. It?s not the travelling but the arrival that?s important to me.

i've lived on BIR's for years and i know what tastes good (and not so good) in terms of BIR. all that i say (and do) is aimed at being able to replicate this at home not to substitute the BIR either as visiting my local takeaway and restaurants is a way of life and will never change.

keep pointing out any points that need clarification though - i am very keen to keep learning.

best wishes, jerry

Tamala,

i'm appreciative you're interested in this as i too feel it to be important.

1) i've compared side by side the made madras sauce with a BIR TA. the bought sauce has more sweetness and a slight smokey flavour. i think the BIR smokey flavour is probably down to the heat at which they cook (i also have on my mind the use of reclaimed oil). the smoked paprika is merely a cheat to get a similar flavour and the chinata is the closest i've found.

i'd never seen it until Domi suggested it. i've started adding to my none Asian cooking and it's doing the same trick there (paella for example).

2) i really don't like tumeric. i made the KD sauce for years without it. in any base i make off the forum i reduce it down to 1tsp. i've only started using it since CA and i think Haldi pointed out that u can see it (the yellow oil) in the BIR - so it's clearly used. i've simply minimised how much i use of it so it does not overpower. the rajah curry powder is a real find. for years i tried to make my own and felt that the bought powders would just not come up to the mark. i was wrong they do. it really is good.

as with everything what someone finds nice is not always the case for someone else. i like garlic, onion and tomato based BIR curries. this is what i've tried to copy and i feel it's pretty close.

hope this helps.

Tamala,

thanks for thoughts - i would like to understand a little better if poss - i thought yogurt is added to make it sort of creamy - have i missed something - what does the yoghurt do that makes it key.

if i make the paste from scratch then i use yogurt and maybe this had something to do with the chicken being tougher.