What gets me is from watching vids is that I see this Chef person grabbing about 5 or 6 portions of powder whether it be salt and spices to add to the dish very quickly. I'm guessing this is max about 2.5 tsps? Or perhaps a little more depending on how indulgent the Chef is on a particular dish...?

You can use a lot more when adding water of course but we never see them doing that. : (BIRS)

I think the frying of onions first has some merit. I know I've seen fried onions lying around here and there and some precook chicken with onions.

What I am trying to do is NOT replicate an Indian Kitchen. It's impossible at home in any case for me. I'm just concentrating on taste and I really don't care how I get there in all honesty. ;D

Ah no this I have not tried at all, thanks for suggesting it I might give it a go sometime.
Cheers.  ;D

Quote from: chriswg on November 02, 2009, 05:41 PM
Hi Mikka

Have you tried making a base starting with frying the onions before boiling them? I find this caramelisation gives a much sweeter taste to the base which might be what you are looking for.

Huh?
They are sweet 'n' spicy. Just like I get them really. Funny how you can taste a picture, I sure can't but thanks for the grand advice.

Quote from: chriswg on November 02, 2009, 05:35 PM
Bhaji wise, I think you could do with a thinner batter and maybe a bit more of it - not too much though. Also, the onion looks a bit think which usually means a slightly raw taste. try slicing them with the slicing blade on a cheese grater.

Yes its all me apart from Naan.
Vindaloo/Spicy Onion Bahjis/Non oily Pilau rice.

Yes it a culture naan. The ingredients are Green Chilli/Pepper/Turmeric/Salt/Coriander/pinch of spice mix.

It's the cooking of the bread that gets me. I'll have a crack at this later this week though.

Quote from: Cory Ander on November 02, 2009, 12:44 PM
Errrrr...well no...I don't get the picture?  So it's not a kulcha naan (though I do get the  picture that you like them!), so what is it and did you make it yourself?

That's a toughy....  ;D And the other.  ;D
Erm. Well, you see....

It's like this...
I just don't know!  ;D

What I do know however is that when I used a marinade with Ajwain/Yogurt/Tamarind base and some spices is that I got a carbon copy of just one restaurant. (I missed Tamarind in my posted meal and boy does it show too.)

I will post the recipe of course I just need to dig it out.

But......
This dish as good as it is. Was no where near the others as regards that undefined element. I'll find it, I know I will.

MikChika  ;D

Quote from: Cory Ander on November 02, 2009, 11:58 AM
How an earth would ajwain seem so familiar to you Chi..um...Mikka? 
The only place I've ever seen its use mentioned is in Bruce's curry base recipe.

From carrot to ajwain!  Quite an extraordinary leap! 

Orrr man I wish!
I love Onion Culture bread, its my absolute all time #1 delicious, storming, gorgeous, sumptuous. Well you get the picture.  ;D

I've tried it several times. I can get it to taste the same but never quite get the cooking of the bread down. That's why I asked about Chef VahrehVahs recipe which looked as though it might work with this. Recipes for it are scanty at best aren't they. 

Thanks CA. 

Quote from: Cory Ander on November 02, 2009, 12:27 PM
Looks nice Mikka 

Is that a stuffed paratha too?  Or is it an onion (klulcha) naan?  Did you make it yourself?

I had the rest of my dinner last night but thinned out the sauce. Note the chilli oil oozing at the sides. I think after doing this a few times now that the spice oil definitely works and everyone should try this.

I can now formally announce it ain't carrots although the do have a place in the base....  (song there)  ;D

I'm thinking its my old friend Ajwain now. I did add some in some spice oil and reheated my dinner with watered down sauce. (Much better sauce). Trouble is I don't know how much to add? I see Bruce also mentioned this for the base.

Another thing I've started doing is adding green chillies with the garlic/Ginger/Spices. This fills out the middle ground nicely. (I'll post a pic later).

Cheers Jerry.

Thanks Cor/Lagarthy. Very interesting stuff.

The trouble is that I don't get any seed what so ever in restaurant food. No crunch or addition if you know what I mean? How many tsp's of seed do you use in this please? I love the idea of a smaller pan, never thought about that either, great suggestion.

I used about 2 tsp of black mustard seeds and about 1 I think? of Cumin. Plus other spices later on and it still tasted of Spinach LOL! ;D

Having read what you've said though it makes a great deal of sense. Thanks again.