CA - looking good!

Question - do you cook your dishes still per your original recipes? or have you made modifications?

Curious to understand if/how your curry approach/ingredients have changed.

Cheers,
Josh

I've also read the lore about CTM coming from an improvised tomato soup base, and I think at least one of the recipes for CTM on the site uses it as an ingredient.

I've tried tinkering with tom soup in CTM, and it never seems in place and a backward step for me in recreating what I recall as CTM in the UK.

I've also never seen it on cr0 as part of a restaurant video. As far as I'm concerned, the answer is "possibly in the odd place, but no more than that."

-- Josh

Hello xerxesvi - I'm in a similar boat. I was born in the UK but grew up in Canada. I moved back to the UK for university and fell in love with BIR food. I moved back to Canada about 10 years ago, and found cr0 about 5 years ago.

Indian food here is more traditional, and very little like BIR. Since cr0, I've come probably about 99% to the best I ever had in the UK, and people here who try it are stunned.

Dont bother looking for BIRs here - I've tried probably a hundred or so. The closest I ever found was a Bangladeshi place in Peterborough called Shafiqs.

Where are you located? I'm downtown Toronto, and can probably give you some tips on where to get some the harder-to-source ingredients.

Good luck - grab a base, and some mains from the cr0 database and get cracking.

-- Josh

Thanks Ramirez - much appreciated.

I've been trying to replicate the CTM I remember from the UK for years. Many recipes come very close, but none so far have been 100%.

I remember trying CA's a few years back, and if I recall there was a number of "optional" or to-taste ingredients. That said, I tried a few variations and they all were very good. I figure somewhere in there was probably what I was looking for.

Since then, I've been toying with red masala-based CTMs (like Dips and CBM's), usually with good results - although you can always taste the Pataks.

I think I will re-visit CA's, this time with more critical thinking about some of the optional (or varying quantity) ingredients. The 6 tablespoons of coconut powder, now I believe, is way too much. I've found that anything over 3 tablespoons starts to make the CTM more sickly and syrupy. On the other hand, I also believe that the almond powder is a must-have ingredient.

Thanks again for posting your results. Hope some of the others involved would do the same.

-- Josh

Personally for making naan, it has to include at least a smidgeon of instant dry yeast.

I have not found a naan recipe yet using just self-raising flour that does not end up cakey. I find that can't get the same airy rise without using yeast.

I also find that active dry yeast (the tiny brown balls, similar to mustard seeds) leaves a noticeable yeasty taste. The instant dry yeast (even tinier pellets) does not have that taste.

Having seen so many BIR recipes that don't use yeast, I have to believe thats the way they do it (as Stonecut says, its easier to control). However, I have yet to try one I've liked...

-- Josh

Thanks Phil. I may try a small amount of fenugreek powder next time I make a Madras.

Just a note on your use Of chat masala. The BIR I frequented the most while I lived in the UK (which was superb), always used a sprinkle of chat masala on the surface of their Madras before serving. I always thought it was a nice touch.

Josh

Phil - that really does look like an excellent madras!

Couple of questions though - first why the ground fenugreek seeds? What does this add? Also why so many varieties of chili powder? Deggi, Kashmiri and bassar...

Thanks and great work!

Josh

I was recently reading through a few threads mentioning the use of panch phoran in Bombay Aloo, contributing to taste and aroma.

Does anyone use this mix in main curries? If so, where in the process do you use it? What does it add to the dish?

Thanks,
Josh

Agreed. Madras here in Canada sounds much the same... coconut milk, curry leaves... Spicing anywhere from mild to medium.

Can be quite a nice curry, but nothing at all like a BIR Madras.

-- Josh

Phil - out of curiosity, how is it that you're using the Kashmiri Masala beyond tikka?

Personally, I echo the sentiment of a previous poster on this topic that noted the use of Patak's is limited to tikka marinade and red masala (in CTM only). I've noticed over the last year or so, more dishes using small amounts of red masala, but not to the point that the introduction of Pataks materially affects the chef's ability to create a Madras or Vindaloo...

- Josh