Quote from: Robbo141 on June 11, 2023, 03:39 PMWhy the vinegar or lime juice?

It's just a pH adjuster as indicated by there being two options both of which are just acids (as livo has already pointed out). But the reason you'd want the water to be acidic, rather than basic, is because it produces a soft (or softer textured) rice. And much of the water in the UK is on the basic side of neutral pH. Good explanation in this web page: https://sciencemeetsfood.org/rice-science-101-introduction-making-great-rice-home/

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/may/31/the-culture-has-changed-end-of-the-boom-for-birminghams-balti-triangle

Quote from: livo on May 18, 2023, 11:57 PM
The pickling spice blend I use Tempest is completely different. I always use Yellow Mustard Seeds, Black Peppercorns, Dill seeds, Allspice berries and European Bay Leaves.

That's European pickling spices livo. Tempest is talking about achari pickling spices which are, as he stated, essentially panch phoran.

Quote from: Kashmiri Bob on February 21, 2023, 09:11 AM
Rusholme Tandoori Chicken on the bone.  Quite small thigh testers.  10 mins pressure cook at 90 kpa.  Allowed to cool/dry off.  Reheated in the micro followed by a brief blow torching.

Happy with this.  Ready to move on to a whole chicken cut into four pieces.  To finish will brush with butter ghee.  Fresh lemon and coriander.  Pickles too.

But why are you doing it this way? Surely the restaurant doesn't do it this way as they'll have a tandoor?

Quote from: Ghoulie on March 08, 2023, 05:33 PMHorrible bitter taste that can only have come from the chilli.

Very interesting. When I first made Chewy tikka's madras I used a packet of Kashmiri chilli powder that had exactly that effect. A very nasty bitter taste to the curry. I really gave a negative review of the curry based on that. I then tried the recommended MDH Kashmiri chilli powder and that was much more acceptable although, as I noted at the time, it still had an underlying bitter flavour that I'd never had in any curry I'd had previously. I've been using MDH kashmiri chilli powder on and off since then and I must be used to it now as I don't detect the same bitterness as I used to.
Anyway, moral of the story ... brand matters (in this case at least)

Quote from: Kashmiri Bob on February 10, 2023, 08:17 AMI managed to botch a MKI ... I think it was the Akhni stock, in fact I am almost certain of it.

I just don't get this. How can you mess up simmering a pot of spices in water for a given length of time?

On my first attempt I forgot to put a lid on it so I suppose that's a bit of a failure but it's still not the end of the world and that's about as far as I can think anyone could mess up this process.

You'll have to set me straight because I'm all ears.

Quote from: curryhell on February 07, 2023, 09:04 PMDid I find the curry "bland"?  Well this really does depend on one's interpretation of "bland".  For me this would suggest lacking in flavour, having no depth or body and lacking in any appeal.  Did I experience this when I worked my way through the dish?  All I can say is that I had managed to produce a tasty medium curry that I would be more than happy to cook and serve to any lover of a basic curry dish and be confident that they would enjoy it.  My taste in BIR has changed very little over the many years and I look for strong flavours as well as heat.  Whilst this is tame by comparison to what I normally eat, I enjoyed the flavours contained in the dish, its sweetness and the moreish aftertaste.  I will cook it again and see if I experience the same flavours and satisfaction as I did on this first occasion.  Whilst I'm not sitting on the fence, I can't rave over the flavours that the "Birmingham Balti" contains ...
Having just polished of the other night's vindaloo cooked with this base, I do certainly have to agree this is a quality base and most definitely will not disappoint anybody that takes the trouble to make it.

You couched it in slightly different terms to me but essentialy you're still saying it's bland by the standard of normal BIR but has virtue when considered on its own merits. So I think we fully concur in reality. Definitely give the original version of the base a go next time though.

Quote from: mickdabass on February 07, 2023, 12:12 PMI do find that the MK1 version of the base gives superior results to the simplified MK11 version.

Yes I'd have to agree. I've only done one batch of each version but I'd definitely go back to the original three pot method next time.

It seems the forum goes down more regularly and each time for longer. No forewarning, no explanations. I wish the forum was owned by someone who actually cared about curries and was invested in the furtherance of the cause.

curryhell it'll be interesting to hear your feedback on MDB's balti base and the basic chicken balti ... I assume you'll be doing that first? As you've not had authentic balti I want to know if you find it bland like I did.