Quote from: madeinbeats on February 01, 2012, 11:36 PM
How much rice? Thanks.

about 3 mugs of basmati rice

Quote from: George on February 02, 2012, 06:20 PM

Quote from: ifindforu on February 02, 2012, 11:17 AM
sorry george checked last night no fennel involved could you remove that from my post but as for the rest they are all in the pilau rice

Done! Good job I asked because I would have guessed it was included, and I'd have been wrong.

thank you

Quote from: madeinbeats on February 01, 2012, 11:50 PM

Quote from: ifindforu on February 01, 2012, 11:08 PM

Quote from: madeinbeats on February 01, 2012, 10:23 PM
I'm still knocking these out myself. Just tastes so fresh and vibrant... Made it on Sunday with lamb; lamb is the best meat for me in a curry. I also added 2 teaspoons of Patak's chutney (personal choice on which one) for some umami, or tomato ketchup will do the same thing.

try a few potatoes in it as you are cooking it all the best

Thanks, I always do mate :-)

talking to my boss last night,he said a little lime pickle goes well in the staff curry havnt tried myself though not yet

Quote from: George on February 02, 2012, 10:31 AM

Quote from: ifindforu on December 12, 2011, 01:36 PM
1 teaspoon fennel /optional

Please clarify. Why is the fennel optional? Does your BIR add fennel to pilau rice or not?

Or, when a customer orders pilau rice, does the waiter ask if they'd like fennel in the rice because it's optional?

Perhaps they charge 50p extra for the fennel option, like some places do for breast of chicken!

sorry george checked last night no fennel involved could you remove that from my post but as for the rest they are all in the pilau rice

Quote from: madeinbeats on February 01, 2012, 10:23 PM
I'm still knocking these out myself. Just tastes so fresh and vibrant... Made it on Sunday with lamb; lamb is the best meat for me in a curry. I also added 2 teaspoons of Patak's chutney (personal choice on which one) for some umami, or tomato ketchup will do the same thing.

try a few potatoes in it as you are cooking it all the best

Quote from: ootini on January 31, 2012, 04:07 PM
Hi all,

In the past when making traditional curries I've used Lamb Neck and Lamb Shoulder fillets, which after a very long time in the oven come out perfect, all the internal fat membranes etc dissolve giving it a very "lamby" flavour! Lovely stuff.
However, I've tried using these cuts in BIR style curries, precooking them in the "standard" way and the fat inside the meat doesn't dissolve, it says there and makes the whole thing a bit minging, the meat is squidgy and chewy.
I've heard talk of using Lamb Leg instead, is this the best piece of meat to use? Completely tender with no fat? Does it taste as "lamby" as a roasted, fattier piece of meat? What about mutton, as opposed to lamb?

Here's something I'm going to try, slowly roasting cubes of neck fillet in a tikka style marinade for about 4 hours at 130*c and see what it comes out like. I need the fat gone and the meat juicy, but still "firm" enough to be added to a curry without falling apart the way a 7 hour braised piece of shoulder would simply disintegrate during the final curry stage.

Any thoughts on the perfect bit o' sheep to use?
[/lquote]
you mean mutton just go to a halal shop and ask for some mutton pieces to cook them go here https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=7671.0

Quote from: chewytikka on January 25, 2012, 01:19 PM

Quote from: ELW on January 25, 2012, 11:48 AM
I would like to know what makes eastern Star CP, different to any of the other 10kg catering cp. It's not available here, but is at least 20% more expensive than Rajah Gold/ King Curry / Ship Brand etc. I would imagine it's superior somehow, going on the price alone. The catering brands are also unavailable in retail sizes/outlets, which leaves me wondering what they taste like(restaurant taste??), albeit it the small amounts used in a mix powder. Has anyone ever bought & used a 10kg catering CP for home use?

Regards
ELW

Hi ELW
Repeating myself again, but still don't get the idea of using ES Chinese curry powder in BIR, but hey...

I can't imagine anybody buying a catering 10kg tin of curry powder for home use.

But very interesting you mention Ship brand MCP, where have you seen this for sale in the UK, I'd love to get hold of some,
purely nostalgia, because I remembered the big green tins in the restaurants when I was a kid, but couldn't remember the name
until I asked around a few old Chef/Owner's and they said it was Ship but they can't get it anymore and haven't for years.

For me this would fine tune and complete my 70's curry base

cheers Chewy

an excellent curry powder up north is Triton brand and i believe they sell that in 10 kilo tins and 2 1/2 kilo packs check it out

Quote from: emin-j on January 18, 2012, 08:31 PM

Quote from: ELW on January 18, 2012, 08:24 PM

Quote from: emin-j on January 18, 2012, 08:19 PM
After watching my curry being cooked at my favourite T/A I was asking about their base gravy and the ingredients was no different to many of the gravy's on the forum but what he said has stuck in my mind '' If your gravy is not right your curry will not be '' make of this what you will but to me this seems quite an important statement.

Hi emin-j, have you ever tasted your local's base on it's own, in the kitchen? I've settled on that very statement  a while ago...in fact i posted it about 1/2 an hour ago somewhere

ELW

Hi ELW, Yes I had it in mind to ask if I could go into their kitchen so took a teaspoon with me to taste the base ( should have seen their faces when I took it out my pocket  ;D) I just dipped my spoon into their base gravy and it was just a lightly spiced onion soup and very thin in consistency.

just like the guravy in the T/A where i work

Quote from: Razor on January 21, 2012, 11:19 AM
Eh?  Am I missing something here Terry

i noticed it was moved by coryander so put it back

Into a muslin net (to make like a teabag thingy)

3 cloves
6 x 1 inch pieces of cassia bark
3 - 4 pieces of mace
3 - 4 green cardamom pods
2 star anise
3 bay leaves, dried

then tie a knot - making it similar to a large teabag.  Drop this into the pan, along with:

1 kg onion, roughly chopped
1 tbsp salt
1050 ml cold water
1/2 green and 1/2 red pepper, chopped
125g fresh carrot, roughly chopped

Stir well.

Put onto a high heat, and bring to the boil.  Cover and boil for 45 minutes stirring frequently.

While that's simmering, make another mixture to add to it.  Take:

30g peeled fresh garlic (about 3 - 4 cloves)
30g peeled fresh ginger

Using a blender, make into a paste with a small amount of water.  Set aside.

Then, in a seperate bowl, mix:

2 1/4 tsp chilli powder
1 3/4 tsp coriander powder
3/4 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp tumeric powder
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
1 3/4 tsp dried fenugreek leaf (Methi) finely chopped
3/4 tsp garam masala powder

Open a 200g can of chopped tomato and set aside.

Roughly chop 12g fresh coriander leaves, and also put to one side.  These will be used at the end of the recipe.

Into a seperat, good-sized saucepan (I use a wok) add 5 tbsp (75ml) of vegetable oil.  Heat the oil then add the garlic and ginger paste mixture.  Stir until it becomes golden brown.

Take off the heat, and add the mixture of spices.  It's important to remove it from the heat, as the spices burn easily, and should be treated with care.

Stir well, and return to a very low heat.  You'll notice the wonderful instant aroma of spices.

Add the can of chopped tomato, and bring to the boil, stirring constantly.

Add 600ml (1 pint) of hot water into the mixture, and bring back to the boil, stirring constantly.  Despit the fact that there's now liquid in this mixture, the spices can still burn on the base of the pan.

Once it has boiled for about 3 - 4 minutes, take it off the heat.

Go back to the large pan of onion mixture.  Once it's boiled for the necessary 45 minutes, remove the net containing the whole spices and throw it away.

Pour the spicy tomato mixure into the onion pan, stir well, and boil for around 5 minutes.

Leave to cool before adding the coriander leaves, and then reduce to a smooth gravy using a blender.  The base sauce is now complete!

This sauce should be enough for about 10 portions but I like to add more water, just to thin it out a touch as it is quite thick.