hi dev
they sell skewers on www.eurocatering.co.uk, come in different lengths and size packs 16 for ?3.20 plus vat.but i think you want the ones like they use in the restaurants.

regards
gary

hi josh
glad some one is listening Bruce edwards was way ahead of his time. it is a similar method without the graphics if you know what i mean, but unless he was actually told that he was looking for an aroma he wouldn't know to put it in the method try the Rajver recipe & method for your madras and i'm sure that you won't be disappointed

regards
gary

hi guys/gls
missus went out last night so i got cooking again! made BE chicken mushroom chilli masala and also a rajver vindaloo, i ate the chilli masala and saved the vindaloo for the wife if she felt hungry when she can in but shwe had a sandwich before i could tell her. so she's gonna have it tonight and i will make a rajver chicken phall fancy something hot ;D. i have also made a 2 jar lasagne topped with mature grated cheddar for the kids.tasted very nice (feel a bit like delia only i cooked the mince and used fresh egg pasta sheets) they loved it anyway as always plenty left though

hope you all have a happy and curry filled weekend

regards
gary

yes they are the same, great photo! they are also called (in the curry secret) as bhattori, its the same with nan/naan/nin/etc...bhuna/buna jalfrezi/jhalfrazee it depends where you are the regional differences.

regards
gary

well said domi
as i read down your posting regarding boiling an egg,never guess who sprang to mind....and there you said it and  big smile crossed my face ( why didn't we think of that earlier) and a chuckle, good old delia!!

i have a little experiment rai this will tell you if spices release their aroma above or below 100C.
boil a kettle (we all know that water boils at 100C)
when it has boiled, having already measured out say 2 dsp of you spices mix/chilli powder
add the water to the spices and stir well.put the pan on full power on what ever cooking device you use and wait for the aroma to change.the spices will only release the aroma when the water content has evaporated ie in excess of 100C. i know cos i just did it. i know that because the temperature of the water was already 100C having just boiled it this was boilng in excess of 3 mins. i was using  a nonstick frying pan. in the time for the water to boil away ther was no spices release, so i conclude that the spices need to be added to the pan of hot oil directly as a BIR chef would do as documented in most of the demos.


my biggest suggestion to all newbies is to read and take in the methods written by Bruce Edwards Curryhouse cookery which i have said many many many times but it all seems to fall on deaf ears! the oil should be hot enough to sizzle either garlic/ fine chopped peppers or onion as it hits the pan allow to sizzle for approxiamtely before adding the spice mix this should be stirred in well and again allowed to sizzle ( or as i have mentioned in my Rajver posts when adding the fine chopped garlic to the pan it will sizzle and start to float this is the time to remove the pan from the heat to add the spices so the oil is not too hot to burn the spices) which is easy as the recipes use 4tbsp of vegetable oil, unfortunately there is one thing he failed to mention and that is the "toffee like aroma" which is released when the spices have been "cooked"

Bruce edwards curryhouse cookery free download to all members in the downloads section of this forum!

oh just before i go rai i don't this thermometer is going to be of any help in this method of cooking  specially to anyone who is a beginner. since the birth of this forum back in december 2004 so many thousands of memebers have joined all trying to recreate their favourite Bir curries many have had their answers and acheived there goal following the methods and recipes posted. some have not found what they are looking for and so have adapted the recipes to personal tastes mixing and matching base sauces and recipes and all that has been done without the need for any thermometers. we all have had disasters and i'm no exception, even when my wife thinks that the curry i have cooked is fantastic i have still not been happy with the results, still questioning myself, the methods, ingredients and base sauce.
the best gauges availalble are your nose and ears and  eyes and mind put those four together with a good base recipe and method from those who have got the experience and then you will have what you want. this is not complicated, making mistakes you learn.

i have a question for you rai( ready domi)

do we really need to go any further with this? if the answer is yes please come back with the results to your experiment you will need 1 infra thermometer preferably in red and 3 people. 1 to do the cooking and 1 to point the thermometer and shout out the readings and 1 to document the readings. each of the persons present must know what they are doing and when to do it.

hope no one is too bored with the above waffle.



regards
gary

this is a recipe from the calcutta kitchenwhich was given to me by a friend. it is abit like floyd going round the med but this guy goes on a tour round his home state. this is the quote for luchis/pooris(remenising)

"luchi is referred to as a poori in other parts of india. well-made luchisgo down so rapidly that often you would be embarassed to count how many you had eaten! as a child i would love to poke a hole in a hot luchi and watch the smoke swirl out as it cooled. bengalis enjoy luchis with cholar dal(yellow gram with crunchy cocnut)"

ingredients -makes 12

250g(9oz) plain flour
salt
2tsp vegetable oil
about 175ml(6fl oz) tepid water
vegetable oil for deep frying

1) to make the dough, sift the flour into a mixing bowland add a little saltto taste. rub in the oil and add the water gradually and cautiously. knead to a malleable but firm dough. cover with a moist clot hand rest for 15 minutes.

2)divide the dough into 12 equal balls. heat the oil in a karai or heavy wok to smoking point, then slightly reduce the heat to maintain optimum temperature. roll out the balls of dough very thinly on a lightly floured or oiled surface. fry one luchi at a time quickly, flipping over in about 30 seconds. carefully splash hot oil on to the bread and watch it balloon. remove from the oil and drain. fry them all and enjoy them hot.(luchis connot be reheated back to their original fluffiness or crispiness.)

so all you have to do is cook the curry to top it as you would get in you local restaurant, patia/ bhuna or as the man says eat hot with a dip of your choice
i will try to post some more recipes some may get away with being posted in the bir sections but many will be authentic.
regards
gary

there is a recipe for shingara (fried pastry triangles with a savoury filling)
or......?

hi guys/gls
just a bit of trivia about green cardamoms pods
they are used in india to freshen the breath like we chew chewing gum after eating spicy food. and as many of you will also know an ingredient in ice cream. the girl from the indian restaurant in ramsays kitchen nightmares was chewing one when gordon returned to the restaurant the first thing he said as he got in the door was "still chewing gum then " she said "its a cardamom" it made me chuckle as he was taken aback and sort of looking for the whole to swallow him up

regards
gary

hi domi
but how hot is that? ;)lol

rai the whole spices/seeds are slow roasted to release the oils prior to grinding as it makes it easier. you fry the powder to cook out the rawness as i'm sure you wouldnot just mix the in with the base as we all know. as for the comment i made about the base sauce being added to the pan increases the temperature for maybe a couple of seconds if that. 

again when you smell toffee pull the trigger and zap the pan!

regards
gary

this could go on as long as the secret ingredient thread :

hi rai ofund the post it's called faking chicken tikka
regards
gary

hi rai yes i do add the powdered spices to the pan, just as i have been shown by the Rajver chefs. the reason for the choking and not being able to breathe (not myself)my wife and children i have to open the doors and window in the kitchen because when they built our house they decided because the kitchen has a window and a door into the outside world not to fit an extractor hood above the cooker. and the fact i generally cooking a vindaloo or phall, if you have ever tried the method i think it was on chicken tikka where it was done in a very hot frying pan with not much oil and turmeric and chilli powder were the only spices and only a pinch of each were used. the post said beware of using too much chilli or you may be in tears choking before you know it. if you check in the chicken tikka posts it may be there.

another good post to read and follow is the bruce edwards curryhouse cookery, because he says add the spices to the pan and stir allow to sizzle again if you are using 4 tbsp of oil that will be quite easy to do.

just for the record if you add the dry powders to the pan stir quickly and then close you eyes breathe in when you smell the toffee aroma( i keep going on about) (have you thermometer to hand) as soon as the smell hits you open your eyes and pull the trigger. then you will have the answer to your question!

and i do believe that you are a new age bangladeshi chef totting an AK47 point and zap infrared thermometer

regards
gary