Thanks for your input here Kris.

QuoteFinally, the dried 'methi' (Kasoori Methi) available in packets from Indian grocers is a different variety of fenugreek considered to be far superior in flavour and aroma than the variety generally available fresh in the UK.  This is the variety that is usually grown in India to use fresh or dried. You can buy Kasoori Methi seeds online.

I planted fenugreek seeds (the spice type - not from a garden centre) last year (see earleir post). The resulting leaves were dried in the airing cupboard and I am still using these. I really cannot taste/smell/see the difference between these homegrown leaves and the prepacked dried methi leaves. Is it likely that the fenugreek seeds I used were the better quality 'Kasoori Methi' then? I am growing more this year from the same seeds and they are already filling the greenhouse with a smell of curry.

Rgds
SnS 

... same with the Garam Masala!

Quote from: Derek Dansak on May 29, 2009, 10:35 AM
Hi SNS, its the first time i used msg. i guess i put in around half a level tsp. maybe a bit less. does that sound the right amount? or is it too much. cheers DD

For one portion of curry I probably use about 1/4 to 1/8th tspn (whatever volume I pick up between thumb and index finger - a pinch!)

Quote from: Derek Dansak on May 28, 2009, 10:31 AM
Hi SNS, tried the madras recipe with my own base, and it was one of the best madras i have made in 3 years. great work sns. look forward to trying your next recipe. The main reason it worked well seemed to be the lack of commercial spice mix in the spicing. and also the replacement of salt with msg. and the garam masalla. A simple madras recipe, but deadly ! respect !  ;D 

Hi DD

Pleased you enjoyed it. The pinch of Garam Masala and MSG requires a little practice to get just the right amount ... otherwise it can be overpowering.

SnS 

Quote from: Derek Dansak on May 26, 2009, 10:59 AM
anyone tried adding lemon juice to this madras? curious to hear if that improves it

I'm not sure whether adding lemon juice 'improves' it as this is simply personal preference. Some (particularly in the North), swear that a Madras is not a Madras unless it has lemon juice added to it. I prefer it without.

SnS  ;D

Quote from: Derek Dansak on May 12, 2009, 05:34 PM
while i am here  anyone know how to get that smokey burnt flavor.

Chipotle paste 

Only joking ...  from discussing this with some older BIR chefs, back in the 70's (good old days), I gather they used to reclaim the oil from the base gravy.

However, the stock was made up using cheap old broilers (ex-egglaying hens) with the addition of extra oils (fat).

Quote from: Derek Dansak on May 12, 2009, 05:01 PM
............ fresh chicken stock etc + reclaimed oil. 

Oh no - not another reclaimed oil merchant  ;D : ... but that's another topic ..

Quote from: Derek Dansak on May 11, 2009, 06:57 PM
Hi Sns, i appriciate your help, however the basic BE style madras recipe with safron style base does not taste anywhhere near a true bir madras. i have tried hundreds of techniques and tweaks and varied bases, and nothing comes near my locals divine madras.

Perhaps it is your 'local's divine Madras' that is unique? After all, what is a 'true BIR Madras'?

Having tried many Madras's from many restaurants and TA's over many a few years, I know I can produce a Madras equal to or better than many of them : (using the SnS June 2008 Base).

There are of course a few exceptional restaurants where their 'special' (and probably unique) methods/ingredients also produce a 'divine' tasting Madras which I cannot match, although it is questionable to whether this is really a 'Madras' in it's 'original' BIR form (whatever that may be?). 

Some Madras dishes (and others) I've tasted from BIR's in the 70's 80's 90's and 00's have been really crap, despite coming from well established BIR premises  - so it would appear that there are many versions of this dish - as there are for all other curry dishes.

Even Indian recipe books will have large discrepancies in the ingredients/methods used to make a particular dish and subsequently the resultant tastes will differ - despite being classed as the same!

This may be due to regional differences or simply the chef's/author's preference, I don't know ... but they are different.

If all recipes/methods were the same, we would only need to buy one Indian cookbook and use just one Indian restaurant!

The same goes for BIR - one chef's version of a curry will be different to another. There is no 'Generic' recipe (unlike MacDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut, etc ..)

Nowadays, who is really qualified to say what is a pucker Madras or what is not? We can only aim to reproduce what is essentially meeting with our own particular taste preferences.

The fact that a Madras cannot be produced with the same taste/smell/colour/texture to your local Madras (or anyone else's local), does not mean that the recipes/methods used are wrong - just different.

Regards
SnS  ;D

Quote from: Derek Dansak on May 11, 2009, 12:24 PM
missing 5 percent? umm i feel its a missing 30 percent. there is so much taste and smell in a real bir madras that i cant account for. i dont get any of those bir smells coming from my kitchen. lets hope we get some break throughs this year. i am busy trying out new spice combinations.

Hi Derek

If you really think you are always 30%  off the BIR taste on a Madras, I guess you're probably either consistentally using wrong or inferior brand ingredients (or perhaps old spices), or you need to analyse/revise/practise your cooking methods ....

Which bases with which Madras recipes have you tried so far?

Regards
SnS