Hi Woodpecker

I am listening and will certainly try your recipes. I am in the middle of a cook run for my business so may try it for tonight with some of the Chicken.

As for time taken for Bases, I think its is fair comment that most BIRs would not take the time.  Certainly a lot of the up-market guys create small simple batches at a time and may make several different bases to suit individual dishes.  Your average high street guy does take time for cooking the base (just walk past one in the morning!), as some bases need to mature over a few hours or overnight.  Some of the restaurants I know get there Mum or dad to make the base as it is cost effective  ;D.

Anyway, happy cooking one and all
C P

Quote from: CurryCanuck on September 29, 2006, 04:30 AM
Just a little clarification on Chilli Prawns recipe for Shahida?s Kharai Quorma - did you really mean five green coriander seeds crushed ( in the ingredients ) or was it intended to be cardamom as stated in the method ? 

OOOPS, please accept my apologies, I must have done something to it when I copied it from my database (table conversion).  Yes it should be GREEN CARDAMOM pods lightly crushed. Incidentally in this dish I slightly split them with my nails as this releases the flavour more slowly

Sorry about that
happy Cooking
C P

Here is my contribution.  You can make it as hot as you like, but Sri Lankans don't make many hot curries as the norm, but they do use plenty of coconut and most on their curries are seafood/fish based.

Happy cooking

C P

Ceylon Prawn Curry

Ingredients for the curry

1kg    fish (cubed)
1    medium onion, chopped
3    cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp    finely grated fresh ginger
1    small stick cinnamon
1/4 tsp    fenugreek seeds
Large pinch    curry leaves
1    Small stem lemon grass, bruised
1    fresh red chilli, chopped
1 tblsp    Ceylon curry powder (see recipe below)
1 tsp    salt
1 1/2 cups   coconut milk/cream
   Squeeze lemon juice
   Ghee/oil

Method:
?   Prepare prawns:
?   Fry onion, garlic, chilli and ginger.
?   Add all other ingredients, coconut milk and lemon juice (except prawns).
?   Fry for 1 minute.
?   Add coconut milk, and simmer for 5 minutes until the spices are infused.
?   Add prawns and lemon juice,
?   Simmer for 5 minutes.
?   Add water if needed.

Ingredients - CEYLON CURRY POWDER

In Sri Lankan cooking, one of the main characteristics is that the spices are dark roasted.

This makes 4-6 tablespoons

1 cup    coriander seeds
1/2 cup    cumin seeds
1 tblsp   fennel seeds
1 tsp    fenugreek seeds
1    cinnamon stick
1 tsp   whole cloves
1 tsp   cardamom seeds
2 tblsp   dried curry leaves
3    red chillies

Method - Ceylon Curry Powder

In a dry pan over low heat roast the coriander, cumin, fennel and fenugreek individually. Why, because each spice roasts at a different rate. Stir the spice constantly until it becomes a dark brown colour, but not burned, (this takes practice).

When cool, place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high speed until combined.
Store in an airtight jar in a dark area.

Quote from: Curry King on September 28, 2006, 02:32 PM
Hi Chili Prawn,

If you PM me, Admin or one of the other mods we can edit the index posts.  I will add your base to it now.

cK

How do I do this please

Thanks

C P

Yes the KD base is a good starting point (but not to my liking), and yes all bases should be bland as has been pointed out before; they should not overcome the dish you are about to make.  I have mentioned in other posts that you should consider this Asian cooking process like a chemistry process, for that is what is happening here.  The base may be bland but when mixed with other spices etc., it releases all its overtones to create the typical BIR curry flavour.  You really do need high heat to kick this process off and medium to low to finish it if you wish to get the full flavours. Don't forget; lots of oil and salt :

good luck and happy cooking.

C P

I forgot to mention that I use TRS or East End  'Curry Powder' and 'Garam Masala' in the base.  You can use anything you wish as long as it does not take over the base, e.g. not too aromatic or flavoursome.

If anyone is interested I also have a Bargha (sp) recipe that I created many many years ago and still use today in most of my recipes (sometimes as well as the base).  Sorry a Bargha is a mix of whole spices fried in very hot oil, this releases the deep flavours and aromas locked in the spices (a bit like roasting).  My recipe goes a step further to become a sort of base.

Happy Cooking

C P

How do I add a recipe to the database other than replying to an existing topic please.  I also want to raise a specific thred/topic for methods and techniques.

Many thanks
C P

Hi Eric, I have the time to reply at the moment as I am at my other business (IT & Computer Consultants  ) so while I am fixing these silly boxes I am able to type up some stuff.

I do not pretend or wish to be regarded as some sort of Guru and I guess that goes for all on this forum.  I searched for the 'SECRET' for years and then found I already had got (for years), when some good chefs in the biz told me how they worked.  As I have said it is mostly to do with techniques; and methods that are specific to the curry-house trade, so hopefully we can all chip in on the new thread when it starts, and the light will suddenly dawn for many I hope.

Just a quick aside to keep you happy and patient; one of the main 'secrets' is flash frying.  The taste that you get from good restaurants is due to the use of very high heat and allowing the oil to flash thus searing the contents briefly (a bit like flambe).  Unfortunately you can't do this at home unless you have a very good gas hob and an extractor that is designed to resist flames.  I didn't have the latter at first (in my new kitchen) and promptly set everything on fire and blew the extractor out like a V1 rocket motor.

Happy Cooking
C P

I forgot to answer the first question: What about the Tomatoes?

Well this is because of the techniques for cooking the dishes using this base.  The 'product' e.g. the chicken pieces, are coated in a light tomato paste (usually concentrated paste with water added) before fast frying.  

Also freshly made tomato base makes a dish much more enjoyable and digestible, so add it when you add the base.  I think you will find (despite what you read in books or see on TV) that most Asian chefs add tomatoes in one form or another late in the preparation of the dish for this very reason.

Lastly when you add tomatoes late in the process it is much easier to get the salt & sugar balance correct.

Hope this helps.  I am sure you all know that it is almost impossible to get the BIR flavour the same when you cook at home.

Happy Cooking
C P

I will have to get used to this particular forum system!! :-[  I keep hitting a keyand losing all the text I have created; very frustrating.

Anyway Hi all.

You can get Knorr Vegetable Bouillon from all catering trade suppliers (sorry I forgot that I am in the trade and have accounts with them).  I get mine from Bookers or Makro.  I suggest you ask a friendly publican or professional chef to get some for you when they do their orders.  It comes in a one kilogram tub (shaped like a Polyfiller tub), colours - green and yellow.  This particular base is somewhat important in that it has a very good depth of flavour and requires very little in the mixing, it also keeps for ages in the fridge.  You could try the ordinary stock cubes but you will need a lot of them!  I use this bouillon because its asked for in the recipe and the chef who gave it to me says he tried others and they didn't work as well.

I have got this far without a restart (mis-key), great!

Now for Mooli.  It is common question this, but it is down to you.  The reason it is used is because it adds a subtle peripheral flavour and doesn't swamp other flavours; it is also quite mild.  You could use salad radish I guess, but my opinion is that you would need lots, they would be too hot, and lastly they have a greater water content and thus the wrong texture.

As I say in other posts, this is a wonderful art and all art is experimental and pushes the boundaries.  Life would be boring otherwise.  So experiment and learn what all this flavours do on there own and to other flavours in the pot!

I will try to set up the Techniques Topic as soon as I get a break.  I mentioned I was involved in writing an Asian Cookery book thatspecialised in techniques/methods.  I didn't mention that we tested our recipes and methods by giving them to eachother to do and then the victim had to ask everone round to try their attempt.  Sadly or frustratingly the Asian friends always did it better  : :-[, but it was a good learning curve.

Lastly I found that one important thing is to get to know how spices and herbs interact with each other, e.g Cumin kills everything if overused but works very well in support.  Curry cooking is a chemical process based on acids, heat, and emulsification.

Sorry i am getting carried away, so I will close.  I hope the above has not been too long winded or boring.

Happy Cooking
C P