I've just had a go at making the massala sauce from this recipe.Been meaning to try it for ages and the recent positive posts reminded me that I still needed to have a bash.Still can't get my head around the addition of tomato soup,although it can't be tasted in the finished dish.I've run out of chicken tikka in the freezer but it was the sauce that I was most interested in.

All I can say Lorrydoo(who posted the recipe-does he still use the forum I wonder?) the dish is spot on,as you say a 100% clone of BIR CTM.Although I don't really eat them anymore it was very nice indeed.It will definitely feature in my next curry feast for my friends.The wife said it was just like a takeaway,and she is very fussy in her curry eating.Texture spot on and taste spot on....thoroughly recommended!!!

I had a go at making this today,it was lovely.I used some left over tandoori chicken and also added some fresh red chillis from my garden.I could really taste the spices in the finished curry,it actually had more flavour and aroma than last night's takeaway.A friend called in today and said my house smelt lovely.

Quote from: solarsplace on November 04, 2010, 01:31 PM
Hi George

Good suggestion, thanks.

The other videos on the site are all worth a watch too!

http://cbm-mick.blogspot.com/

Interesting how the restaurant chef adds fresh coriander near the start of cooking and at the end of his dishes.

Plus using a tablespoon of melted butter and some Shatkora pickle and paste in the Dopiaza dishes.

I've not seen these before,very interesting indeed,although I have seen a couple of videos on youtube which may be the same guy.Out of interest has he been on the forum at all??  Or has anyone brought his DVD???

Quote from: solarsplace on November 03, 2010, 10:33 AM
Hi JB

Please can you tell me which CTM recipe you use?

Many thanks

Russell

It's a mix and match recipe really from what I've learnt on this site over the years and from what I've learnt on my recent lessons.Basically the usual suspects mixed into a thick  paste....tandoori paste,tikka paste,kashmiri paste,Rajah tandoori masala powder,ginger/garlic,methi,mix powder colour and yogurt.Put into a low pan with some oil and cook the spice mix out.Add coconut powder,sugar,almond powder and base gravy.Leave to thicken and end with a swirl of cream and some sultanas.

Although not strictly a genuine BIR recipe I've cooked this a few times now and I think it's actually better than some of the takeaways near where I live.Usually they give you a fairly runny sauce overpowered with coconut.I'm pretty certain they must all use the same ingredients,they all produce very similar dishes.If my old memory serves me right I'm sure the CTM  from days gone by was far more tastier and had a distinctive flavour.

Blimey that was a feast...Ray can I ask what madras recipe you use? How do you rate it compared to your T/A??  Nine times out of ten I always order a madras...it seems such a simple dish but it's one thing that still eludes me

Yep they certainly missed out...and it was all for free for them as well!!

I know Haldi made the madras from the Curry Crunch book and wasn't impressed,I have to say the balti was superb,not far off from my local curry house.Obviously the addition of the Patak balti paste gave it extra flavour but to me the important thing flavour/texture wise was the bhuna onion recipe,it was lovely.The tikka masala was also good,although I feel I'd already cracked that one already.

Thanks guys originally a couple of friends were coming over but they let us down so it was just me and the wife in the end...there was plenty of leftovers for the next day!!!  It took all day to prepare and cook and by the end of it I was so blooming hot from the kitchen I thought I was going to melt.Trouble is I must have drunk about five stellas during the afternoon while I was cooking I was a bit worse for wear by the end of it as you can see!!!

The tandoori chicken was cooked in a high oven but not for too long otherwise it tends to dry out.The best method I found for cooking chicken tikka is under a low grill,this blackens the outside a little whilst keeping the inside moist.I've tried cooking that it an oven as well but I found it makes it go dry if you're not careful..You never know my wife might get me a tandoor for Xmas!!!

Another curry feast....base sauce,balti,pre cooked potatoes and tikka massala from the Curry Crunch book.Everything else my own invention!!!!!

Chicken tikka balti...



Chicken tikka massala...



Tandoori chicken...



Chicken tikka precooked ready for main dishes....



sag aloo....



bombay potato.....



mushroom bhaji.....



The finished result...a bonus you can all see my ugly mug as well!!!!

I had a go at some recipes from this book at the weekend.I tried the base sauce as well as the tikka masala and balti.I was originally going to try the base sauce I learnt on my recent take-away lesson but after Haldi's attempt I thought better of it,I invited some friends round and I didn't want a disaster on my hands,I will try that one when it's just me and the wife!!

Anyway all went well the balti was one of the best I think I've done so far(I used chicken tikka instead of prawns),just about to post the results in the pictures section.I followed the base sauce recipe as per the book,it struck me just how similar the ingredients are to most of the other base sauces on this site(including mine).The only glaring omission I thought is fresh coriander stalks so I added some of these at beginning.Curiosity got he better of me so I also added some coconut block.Not too much just about two desert spoonfuls.I couldn't really taste it overpowering the finished sauce,it just added a slight sweetness but not spoiling anything.

I also precooked my potatoes using the method of precooking vegetables in the book.These went into my bombay aloo and sag aloo...very nice indeed.

The biggest taste bonus for me was the bhuna onion recipe mix from the book.I tasted it when it was finished and the mixture become slightly sweet but still savoury.It went into the balti and certainly gave it extra flavour and texture,my wife actually commented that my balti was just how our takeaway used to make it,the sauce sauce was very thick and tasty.Here is a picture of the bhuna onion and precooked potatoes,I'll post the rest now in the pictures section....hope it makes you feel hungry!!!!

Ok I know I've got too many curry books(or so the wife says) but I had to buy this from Amazon...cost me the princely sum of 1 pence plus 2 quid postage!!!  I understand this particular book used to sell for quite a bit of money(I know some of it is included in the download section but it's nice to have the book and flip through it).Purports to be genuine balti house recipes but my question is it any good??