George

If you're thinking of taking up smoking (disgusting habit I know), here is the manual for the smoke & grill model. Some information that may be useful.

I have about 25 of these in stock, but the stainless steel version (model now discontinued by the UK importer).

SnS  ;D

Quote from: George on February 18, 2008, 12:30 AM
SnS

>Are you thinking of building one of these George?

Yes, I might add a home-made smoker to my DIY projects to-do list but progress on these 'bright ideas' is slow. My long-standing intention to build a DIY tandoor in the garden hasn't yet happened. Perhaps this summer...

I never even knew about smokers as a mainstream cooking method before you mentioned them here. Thank you very much for your tips and suggestions. I could probably use my tandoor as a smoker by lowering the metal box of wood on to, or near, the charcoal which I will use to fire it.  What do you think?

Regards
George

Use an old tobacco tin. Put a hole in the lid using a small nail. Soak wood chips in water for at least half an hour. Place sealed tin/wood chips onto the hot charcoal.

If you're usng your own wood be very careful what wood you use, many give out poisonous residues with the smoke (Laburnum for example). Use oak, maple, apple or cherry ... safe and easy to find.

See here for commercial wood chips and pellets

http://www.planetbarbecue.co.uk/shopwoodchips.html

or here

http://www.thebbq.co.uk/default.aspx

or here

http://www.forfoodsmokers.co.uk/

The cast iron pot shown is one I use, together with the BBQ Delight compressed pellets (these don't require soaking). The BBQ Companion range are cheaper and are wood chips (do require soaking).

Regards

SnS  ;D

Quote from: ast on February 17, 2008, 02:16 PM
SnS, do you use your smoker very much?

Hi Ast

Not as much as I should. I tend do do a batch of smoked meat and then freeze most of it.

Beef rib, brisket, leg of lamb, chicken and turkey give great results.
Meat stays very moist and because it's cooked slowly the natural "bad" fats convert to "more healthy" fats (something to do with the fat molecules breaking down).

This year I'm going to see what temperature I can reach in the centre section. I know when I was conditioning it I got 325C, so if I can reach 400C perhaps I can start using it as a horizontal tandoor?

SnS ;D

Quote from: fatgit on February 17, 2008, 09:37 PM
I use a garam masala that a friends dad used to make shortly before he died, excellent stuff, but no idea whats in it. Luckily, I have enough to last me about another 5 years It is a bit powerful, so you have to be careful in things like a Korma though.

Hi Fatgit

I do hope you're not planning on using that homemade GM for the next 5 years.

It would most certainly have gone by it's "best before" date after about 4 to 6 months (in ideal storage conditions), and adding old "out of date" spices to curry is like adding burnt sawdust.

SnS  ;D

BTW, when making the Korma what do you do to the cashew nuts. Are they added whole, crushed or ground into a powder.

Thanks Jethro.

In the "Groceries" section ... of course, should've guessed.

Bit late for me now though as I've only just received an order from them and I'm bu**ered if I'm forking out 5 squid delivery charge for a bag of sugar.

I'll try Tesco's during the week.

Regards
SnS ;D

Quote from: Domi on February 16, 2008, 08:49 PM
BTW SnS you can get jaggery from spicesofindia if you can't find it locally although I'd suggest the mango chutney every time lol

Domi, I think I'd prefer your Mango's (option) to Secret Santa's honey pot - every time.  :

ps: I did look at spice of india site the other day, but couldn't find it.

Quote from: Dirk on February 16, 2008, 07:14 PM
I'm probably repeating what has already been said but, the smell that comes from my local takeaway is almost a barbecued aroma, suggesting that the secret is not an ingredient but the use of flash-frying to sear your final curry. All BIR's will do this but I bet not many of us do. We don't have big cookers or hoods or fire extinguishers.

Sorry to disagree with you Dirk. I'm not disputing what you're saying about the possible source of the aroma (albeit a bbq one?), but BIR's do not all do this. My regular restaurant doesn't for sure, neither do a few other "open kitchen" takeaways I've used. The aroma is still most certainly there. In fact their burners aren't much different to the largest gas ring I have at home, which most modern hobs now have as standard.

Having said that, if I did want to flash-fry a curry at home, my largest burner ring (3 kW) would be ample, but as you rightly imply, it would make a bit of a mess, and her indoors would certainly object .... and fire extinguishers are expensive ... and if you were right, I'd have a queue outside my front door!

Regards

Sn's  ;D

Quote from: Secret Santa on February 16, 2008, 05:07 PM
You should try jaggery (jaggery goor). It has a very intense flavour which is quite different to ordinary sugar, and as I suspect that all combinations of the other ingredients you mentioned are used in various BIR recipes you'll need to experiment to get the exact match for you.

Hi SS

I've seen Jaggery mentioned in many Pathia recipes, but never managed to get hold of any.
Have you actually tried it?
Where did you get it from?
What form is it in (solid block or prepared)

Most books say that dark brown sugar is the closest substitute.
Comments welcome please?
I'm not sure about using the honey option SS    Although I do love honey, but it's normally on toast!
SnS  ;D

Hi Domi

I shall try the Mango chuts next time - thanks.

Have you tried that recipe? It looks a very "fussy" ... so many ingredients.

... and as for someone who's supposed to have "10 years experience" and thinks a Pathia is a dish invented for the UK market back in the 60's ! Well .. speaks for itself really doen't it?

I notice that the recipe has coconut in it ... and has no souring ingredient (lemon, tamarind, amchuur, etc) ... unusual for Pathia isn't it (?)

(btw - I forget to include tamarind on previous post, I've also tried that!)

Regards

SnS  ;D

Pathia does have a very distinctive taste and I've never actually managed to achieve it yet.

I've used lemon juice and white sugar, amchuur powder + sugar, both amchuur powder and lemon juice and sugar and more recently anardana powder, lemon juice and sugar.

Perhaps it's the sugar that's wrong?

Never had a Jalfrezi egg omelette yet, sounds nice.

SnS  ;D