Last night I got back and prepared what I had to eat. I do it like this so the food lasts longer to be honest. On the left is my attempt at Sag aloo local style. Rice and Lamb Vindaloo. The sauce on this was astounding. It was a little too think for me so I added more water to the rest and will cook that off later.

As regards the Spinach I'm having a word with a local lady here. Restaurants almost always have a roasted flavour in the background and you would barely know that spinach was the green stuff, scary.  ;D

I've tried this and other methods but I have to say I'm getting mixed results from it. Ofen the meat is yes 'tender' but its not like many of my takeaways.

I have a 2 inch slice of Lamb with the bone that my great butcher prepared for me. I'm going to prepare a rub from spices that I will use. Seal it in a hot pan then transfer it to the over just like you would a joint of meat.

Using water the fat on the meat itself vanishes and has no chance to impact the meat with its own flavours and juices. You remember how you get a small piece of fat on you meat every now and again but it almost melts in your mouth right? So does a joint in the oven so I'm going to try that this week.

I'm starting to use my oven a heck load more of late. I salt/Pepper/Spice on all sides. Make a yogurt marinade from the rest and let it sit for a few hours.

Bang it in the oven on about 320 for as long as it needs to precook. It's basically the same  process as cooking raw chicken with onions and oil. It coats it allowing the juices to remain within, making it tender.

I'll try the Pan/onion/oil/Spice thing a little more however. Maybe I didn't get it right first time?

I agree on these points Jerry. It would have to be a sooper carrot! In any case.  ;D
Trouble is of course we are talking about this in the rain and with no chance to measure and gauge tastes in the real world you'll never explain a taste properly will you?

To me though its something very like the the feel of a carrot or something like it? It's overpowering in some cases and in others just a hint. But its there. You know how Tandoori Chicken always smells like Tandoori Chicken right? I can tell what it is from the aroma and it drives me nuts since its familiar.

I said Carrot because if it were not for this overpowering and lovely aroma you would think it were a Lamb stew wit Carrots and potatoes. Does that make more sense? Hmmm so you use a quarter of the amount compared with onions? That's very interesting thank you. I rarely measure stuff to be honest..

I was in fact thinking more of the sauce really too Jerry. I was also thinking of frying off the Carrot to caramelize it, I don't really know at this point but I will find it, I'm so darned close which is why my meals get ruined sometimes through tinkering.

Had a good meal last night though, however I never get enough sauce that I can save on my meals.

Great input Jerry thanks very much indeed.

Ok I guess some of you might think I'm carrots right now for suggesting this but.........
You know I keep talking about fruity sweet taste? What annoys me so much about it is that I know it, remember it from somewhere....

The only thing that is compatible without being on the realm of the insane is the common carrot. On looking I am finding lots of recipes calling for carrot in Vindaloo. 2 usually. It's much stronger than just a carrot aroma but yah never know? After all a lot of folks but carrots in the base...

I use the hottest too. (Chilli Powder). Actually my last meal wasn't bad at all although I mucked up when adding the powders. In Shaans spice mix powders you are told to add the whole packet in most cases with water and pur?ed tomatoes & sometimes blended onions as opposed to base sauce. Not so far from a base sauce at all really is it?

I'm almost certain now this is how they do it here because they add either flour or another agent to thicken the sauce. When cold you can spoon it and it will stick to the spoon.

On that note I read somewhere that over here in some unscrupulous restaurants they add Baking powder as a thickening agent. You cannot digest baking powder but more importantly it leaves a horrid dry mouth effect.  : Will try to look those out sometime.

For me anyway its finding a way to enhance the RIGHT spices and use less.

I know there is a current argument on dry roasting spices but it seems to be the only way to get the flavours out in numbers for less content. It also helps in grinding it to a fine powder.

Takers, leavers?

I could eat this off the page right now. stunning image CA. I notice the oil broke into the sauce which is nice too.

How do you cook your chicken please?

Nice one.  ;D

I've no idea really either. What I do is fry off some cumin seeds and perhaps just a pinch of cinnamon and ground green cardamom for a few seconds in some oil then add dry rice to it and stir. Once the rice is fully coated in oil and spice I add more than enough water and just keep testing it with a fork.

Once I think its done I strain it very quickly and put it in a container with the lid open. Once cool, in the fridge.

This is one thing I've not had any troubles with at all. Treat it like Pasta and you won't go too far wrong. As for what they do? Still no idea.  ;D

Aha! It's you who built that fab furnace. Much Kudos and a very well planned project too UB.

What did you think of that recipe an process please? Did it work for you? I mean now it doesn't really matter but to someone who hasn't got a jolly old Naan furnace I'd appreciate any feedback before getting my hands mucky.  ;D

I used my version this afternoon. It did make a difference initially but after everything else went in anything from that was totally smothered, I couldn't really tell it was there to be completely honest.

Yesterday I didn't use it but used 'Whole' Garam Masala and fresh chilis along with my tom paste which was also missing today. That was a much better dish all round to be honest. (yesterday). After all I've said I don't think it will do much in a heavily spiced curry so along with the health factor in reusing oil I won't be doing this again unless someone or I can verify that it makes any intense difference at all?

Yesterday very hot oil and whole spices really did prove to win out. Not seen this however in any curry video I've seen that was 'supposed' to be a BIR. Odd innit.  :

The Indian Lady I know told me to boil the onions then blend them before adding them to my Spinach. I'll try this next time.