I have just started on a new job site near Liverpool Street station and have met a completely new group of work mates. i introduced one of them to sweet & spicey on Tuesday, I had the Lamb Rogan made with Lamb Chops (3 in a serving). Yesterday I took another two, I had the spicy lamb curry. On leaving work last night another couple of the guys came to me and said they had heard about the place and asked if I would take them there today...well, who needs an excuse?

By the way, I tried the Indian food stall in Spitalfields Market on Wednesday. Very poor, I won't be doing that again. Neither will I eat from the Thai place a few stalls along, Thai food cooked in cauldrons was not very nice. I can't understand why these places get so busy when the food is so second rate.

I am going back to the very early eighties when I had that first curry in Pompey. I was working on the construction of the new crown courts if that helps to put it in its place in time. The curry house was near the train station but I was working on the Zurich Insurance building there about five or six years ago and I couldn't find that curry house so it may well have closed down, either that or it is my memory that is closing down!

I just remembered seeing the conning towers of one of the Carriers pulling out on its way to the Falklands from the roof of the building so that must be 25 years ago now.

I put about half of the liquid in that Camellia Panjabi recommends. I also use the fluid that the lamb is simmered in. It is one of those anomolies within the book that asks you to reserve or set aside something, in this case the simmering liquid, and it is never called for again. I always prefer a curry made with a stock rather than with water, and the stronger the stock the better for my tastes.

Another of my favourites

Rogan Josh - Madhur Jaffrey

Ingredient
2 1" chunks fresh ginger, peeled, coarsely chopped
8 cloves garlic, peeled
2 cups water
10 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds boned lamb shoulder or leg, cut into 1" cubes
10 whole cardamom pods
2 whole bay leaves
6 whole cloves
10 whole black peppercorns
1 stick cinnamon
2 medium onions, peeled, finely chopped
1 teaspoon coriander seed ground
2 teaspoons cumin seeds ground
4 teaspoons red paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, ground (adjust to taste)
1 teaspoon salt, to taste
6 tablespoons plain yogurt
1/4 teaspoon garam masala (your favourite)
1 dash fresh ground pepper to taste

Put the ginger, garlic and 4 tablespoons of water into the container of an electric blender.  Blend into a smooth paste.

Heat the oil in a wide, heavy pot over a medium-high flame.  Brown meat cubes in several batches and set aside in a bowl.  Put the cardamom, bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns, and cinnamon into the same hot oil.  Stir once and wait until cloves swell and the bay leaves begin to take on colour.  This only takes a matter of seconds. 
Now put in the onions.  Stir and fry for 5 minutes or until the onions turn a medium-brown colour. Put in ginger-garlic paste and stir for 30 seconds.  Then add the coriander, cumin, paprika, cayenne, and the salt. 
Stir fry for another 30 seconds. Add the browned meat cubes and the meat juices.  Now put in 1 tablespoon of the yogurt and stir and fry for about 30 seconds until yogurt is well blended.  Add the remaining yogurt, a tablespoon at a time in the same way.  Stir and fry for another 3-4 minutes.

Now add 1 1/4 cups water and bring the contents of the pot to a boil, scraping in all the browned spices on the sides and bottom of the pot. 
Cover, turn heat to low and simmer for about an hour or until meat is tender.  Every 10 minutes give the pot a good stir to prevent burning. When the meat is tender, take off the lid, turn the fire to medium high and boil off some of the liquid, stirring all the time, until the sauce is thickened.

Sprinkle the garam masala and black pepper over the dish and mix them in just before you serve it.

You may have seen this before, it did the rounds on UKFDI some time ago and for some reason I saved it.

The curried up version of Queens' Bohemian Rhapsody:


Naan-aa, just killed a man,
Poppadom against his head,
Had lime pickle, now he's dead.
Naan-aa, dinner just begun,
But now I've got to crap it all away.
Naan-aa, ooh-ooh,
Didn't mean to make you cry,
Seen nothin' yet just see the loo tomorrow,
Curry on, curry on,
'Cause nothing really madras.


Too late my dinner's gone,
Sends shivers up my spine,
Rectum aching all the time.
Goodbye every bhaji, I've got to go,
Gotta leave you all behind and use the loo.
Naan-aa, ooh-ooh,
This dopiaza's mild,
I sometimes wish we'd never come here at all...
************
Guitar solo
************
I see a little chicken tikka on the side,
Rogan Josh, Rogan Josh
Pass the chutney made of mango.
Vindaloo does nicely
Very very spicey
ME
Biriyani (Biriyani)
Biriyani (Biriyani)
Biriyani and a naan,
(A vindaloo loo looo..)


I've eaten balti, somebody help me
He's eaten balti, get him to a lavatory
Stand you well back
'cos this loo is quarantined
Here it comes,
There it goes,
Technicolour yawn.
I chunder
No
It's coming up again
(There he goes) I chunder
It's coming up again
(There he goes) It's coming up again. (Up again)
Coming up again (Up again)
Here it comes again
(No no no no no no no no no no).
On my knees, I'm on my knees, I'm on my knees
Oh here he goes
This vindaloo
Is about to wreck my poor guts
Poor me.Poor me.Poor me!
**************
Guitar solo
**************
So you think you can chunder and still it's alright?
So you want to eat curry and drink beer all night?
Ohh maybe, now you'll puke like a baby,
Just had to come out,
Just had to come right out in here...
**************
Guitar solo
**************
Korma, saag or bhuna,
Baltin, naan, bahji.
Nothing makes a difference
Nothing makes a difference to me.
(Anyway, my wind blows).

After posting the Pat Chapman recipe this morning I was given this recipe that is supposed to have originated from a restaurant in America.
The use of an Onion masala seems to indicate that it may possibly be of a restaurant origin.
I haven't tried this yet but may give it a go next week end.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Ingredients:

Chicken Tikka
1 ? pounds boneless chicken chunks
1 ounce ginger paste
1 ounce garlic paste
? ounce red chili powder
? ounce lemon juice
2 ounces hung curd
Salt, to taste
? ounce garam masala
? ounce oil

Onion Masala
1 pound onions
2 ounces cashews
4 whole cloves
6 green cardamom pods
2-inches cinnamon stick
? ounce cumin seeds
? ounce coriander powder
? ounce red chili powder
? ounce turmeric powder
Salt, to taste
1 ounce oil

Tomato Sauce
2 pounds fresh tomato pur?e
4 whole cloves
6 green cardamom pods
2-inches cinnamon stick
2 pieces mace
8 green chilis
4 large cardamom
? ounce ginger
1 ounce garlic
2 ounces butter
? ounce red chili powder
? ounce dried fenugreek leaves


1 ounce oil
? ounce garlic, chopped
? ounce cumin
? garam masala
? ounce dried fenugreek leaves
2 ounces heavy cream
1 ounce coriander, chopped
Method:

Chicken Tikka:
Marinate chicken chunks in the rest of the ingredients for 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350?F. Half cook 10 minutes.

Onion Masala:
Roughly chop onions and boil with the rest of the ingredients. Cook until the oil rises to the top and blend to a smooth consistency.

Tomato Sauce:
Simmer all ingredients together until the top is glazed. Blend to a smooth consistency.

Finishing
Heat oil over medium heat in large sauce pan. Add garlic, saut? until golden, then add tomato sauce, onion masala and chicken tikka. Cook until chicken is fully cooked through, then add spices. Finish with heavy cream and serve garnished with coriander.

From Pat Chapman's The Bangladeshi Restaurant Cookbook

I am not a CTM type of guy, but this is the one that I use when people come round for a meal and it always gets a nod of approval.

Chicken Tikka for 4
675g(1.5lb) fresh chicken breasts, skinned, filleted and cut into20-24x3.75
(1.5 inch) cubes.

Marinade
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons chilli powder
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons garam masala
1-teaspoon ground cumin
0.5-teaspoon turmeric
150ml (5fl oz) thick natural yoghurt (home made is best but not essential)
2 tablespoons mustard oil
4 large, plump garlic cloves very finely chopped
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1-tablespoon tomato puree
1-teaspoon salt
Approx 50ml (2fl oz) milk

1. Mix the marinade ingredients together in a large non-metallic bowl
2. Add the chicken pieces. Cover with cling film (Food wrap) and refrigerate for 24-60 hours. (If chicken has previously been frozen do not exceed the 24 hour marinating period, 60 hours can be achieved with fresh chicken which has not previously been frozen)
3. Just prior to cooking divide the chicken between four skewers. (Use the
marinade in a curry or discard it)
4. Pre-heat the grill to medium. Place the skewered chicken on an oven rack above a foil lined grill tray and place the tray in a midway position. Alternately the chicken can be barbecued.
5. Cook for 5 minutes, turn and cook for another 5 minutes.
6. Cut through one piece of chicken to ensure it is fully cooked through, it should be white right through with no hint of pink. Cook further as necessary. When fully cooked raise the tray nearer to the heat and singe pieces to obtain little flecks of blackening. Do not overdo it and burn the chicken
7. Serve with Indian bread, rice etc and a raita or reserve for use in Chicken


Tikka Massala.
Chicken Tikka Massala
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 large plump cloves of garlic, finely chopped
225g (8 oz) onions, very finely chopped
1.5 tablespoons bottled mild curry paste
1.5 tablespoons bottled tandoori paste
20-24 chicken Tikka pieces cooked to the previous recipe
6 tinned plum tomatoes, chopped
1-tablespoon vinegar, any type
1-tablespoon tomato ketchup
175ml (6 fl oz) canned tomato soup
Half a green pepper, chopped
0-4 fresh green chillies, chopped (optional)
100ml (4 fl oz) single cream
1-tablespoon garam masala
1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander leaves
Salt to taste

1. Heat the oil in a large karai or wok
2. Stir-fry the garlic for 30 seconds, then add the onions and stir-fry for 8-10 minutes until golden brown
3. Add the pastes and stir-fry for a couple of minutes, then add the chicken and stir-fry for about 2 minutes, adding just enough water to keep things from sticking
4. Add the tomatoes, vinegar, ketchup, soup, green pepper and chillies if using. Stir-fry for 5 minutes or so.
5. Add the cream, garam masala and chopped coriander leaves. Simmer for a further 2 minutes, adding a little water if needed. Add salt to taste and then serve

The link seems to have reverted back to a home page.

It was only a map of the location so it can be deleted if you so wish.

Situated in the former Plough Pub it provides reasonable fare at a reasonable price.

Very friendly service.

Decent bar with a good selection of Indian Lagers, Cobra and kingfisher etc

Very Typical of the BIR scene but it does have some hidden gems in the menu.
For starters the fish tikka and the Special Cotteage Puree are both very good.

Service has proven to be a bit of a struggle at peak times. They have been quick to take an order but slow to bring it to the table.

Wednesday is gourmet night when you get a starter, main dish, rice and Nan for ?8.95 per person (?2.00 surcharge for King Prawn dishes). get there early as it tends to fill up later in the evening.

Sunday is the special buffet day. eat as much as you can for ?6.95 (kids ?3.95) from a good selection of dishes.

Well worth a visist if you are in the area.

http://www3.accessplace.com/default_new.php

There appear to be a number of dimensions in Curry or Indian type cookery and the dimensions are expanding.

Most people first encounter this type of food in a BIR. My first encounter was in a Curry house in Portsmouth. The old matelot I was working with took me to a place he knew from his time in the services and took great pleasure in watching me struggle over a very hot Madras. (Well it seemed hot at the time, watering eyes, runny nose, sweaty brow and hiccups)

Then I found a different dimension, cooking the stuff at home, or more precisely cooking what are supposed to be authentic curries with authentic ingredients. From this experience I found that I started to prefer this type of dish to the BIR style.

Later on I experienced the restaurants and outlets aimed at the local ethnic communities and worked my way through the various Lahore restaurants in and around the Commercial Road in London amongst others. Again a totally different taste dimension.

I think the latest dimension is the style of food, cooking and ingredients that are turning out in books like Curry Everyday. These aim to provide a quick spice fix after work, when pushed for time and are tailored to be healthier than all the other types of Indian type cookery.

What do you think?

I like them all. I cooked one of these healthy option versions for dinner on Monday Evening. I am at a Curry House in Notley, Essex with friends tonight. Friday I am aiming for a lunch reunion with some old work mates in Sweet and Spicy in Brick Lane and Saturday we have friends round for a curry night that we are cooking.