I don't fully share this view. If we pretend that all the recipes found here are superb, and beyond criticism, then we do ourselves no favours at all; equally, if someone says that all the recipes here are rubbish, then he/she is clearly having a very bad day.  We need to strike a happy medium : criticism where criticism is justified, praise where praise is justified, and perhaps just a tactful silence when a recipe falls in between.  Nor do I think that it is necessary to offer recipes of one's own in order to be able to criticise, if one criticises fairly : I would sooner read informed criticism from someone who has no better recipes to offer than uninformed praise or criticism from someone who floods the forum with recipes right, left and centre.

My two-penn'orth 

** Phil.

Quote from: trucker5774 on November 15, 2010, 01:10 PM
That's pretty much what I'm getting at, Phil. In tins we see chopped and plum. The majority seem to be chopped and I would therefore assume they are the more common variety of tomatoes. I suspect the chopped variety may be beef tomatoes? When I have cooked Italian or chilli and have switched between the two, I have noticed a difference. So comparing like for like (all in tins) is there a difference? Or more to the point, will it make a difference?

I think (but I may be mistaken) that tinned tomatoes, whether chopped or whole, are almost invariably plum tomatoes.  However ... I have a tin in front of me as I write (the chopped variety, that is), and not only does the word "plum" appear nowhere on the tin, the illustration is of a conventional and not of a plum tomato.  Of course, we all know that labels need bear no resemblance to the contents, but the absence of the word "plum" anywhere at all does lead me to believe that these may indeed be chopped conventional tomatoes.  Do we have a food scientist on the forum who would be able to conduct an analysis ?

** Phil.

Quote from: trucker5774 on November 15, 2010, 10:28 AM
If I have it right, plum tomatoes are a different variety. They also seem a little sweeter to me.

Yes, they are definitely a different variety.  If you compare plum tomatoes and "real" tomatoes when fresh, you will see that the plum variety have a markedly different shape.

** Phil.

Well, I hope it's more effective than the one I bought from Sainsbury's : "Birds Instant Whip", it said on the tin, but it must have gone off because when I opened the can there was no signs of a whip at all, just some disgusting powdery substance

Quote from: Stephen Lindsay on November 14, 2010, 09:31 PM
I do what domi does (if that makes sense)

What, every month ?!   

Quote from: Annunziata on November 14, 2010, 05:55 PM
It is true that there are advantages of onions. But there are certain things that most if us do not know. There are some ill effects of onions as well.

1. Latex and sulphur are contained in onions.
2. You get tears when cutting the onion because of sulpher in it.
3. The PH of the blood can be reduced because of onions.
4. Can prevent correct absorption of drugs.

Not entirely convinced by this list !

I'm happy to go along with the sulphur content of onions, but on what authority do you base your claim that they also contain latex ?  Also bear in mind that some authorities argue that the sulphur content can be beneficial in combating the formation of cancer cells, reducing hypertension and assisting in the regeneration of hair follicles.

I'd also be interested to know on what authority you base claims 3 & 4 : I'm all in favour of keeping us curry chefs informed of the risks involved, but unsubstantiated claims can be more of a hindrance than a help.

** Phil.

Quote from: trucker5774 on November 14, 2010, 03:53 PM
In the past I have generally added my spices to the oil in the early stages of a main course. This seems to be the common way. I noticed in some of the base sauce recipes that the spices are added in the "water" stage.

Is it just preference/ease or does it make a difference to the base or main dish?

I think that it must make a difference.  If added to the oil, the spices will fry; if added to the "water" (sauce), they will braise but they can't fry.  Before I discovered the BIR style of Indian cookery, I followed the traditional recipe books and always fried my spices; now I am converted to BIR, I braise them, and (purely personally) I prefer them braised.  But there are many experts on here who will swear by frying them, and so it must be possible to get as good, if not better, results by frying than by braising.

** Phil.

Quote from: parker21 on November 14, 2010, 03:36 PM
it used to be served in the Maharaja in biddenden  in the 90's now called "gram spice"

Ah yes, Gram Spice : it is only a couple of months since I had a take-away from there.  I was returning to Chainhurst from Biddenden when I passed this place late afternoon, and all of a sudden I felt very hungry (as one does !).  I went in, explained I needed to see the menu as I hadn't eaten there before, and immediately was proposed various offerings from the "Specials" menu.  These I politely declined (thereby saving about GBP 8-00) and instead had some nice basic fare which tasted very good indeed when I finally got home.  I would certainly eat there (or have a take-away from there) again.

** Phil.

Quote from: Razor on November 14, 2010, 02:45 PM
Very interesting video.  I've seen this fellow plenty of time before hand.  As you are probably already aware, you can by Dosai batter mix from any Asian supermarket, so no need for the presoaking malarki.

Well, I've tried the Dosai batter mix, but completely failed to achieve that thin crispy texture that the chef so admirably demonstrated.  I will try again, using his slow gentle technique, but I suspect that the pre-mixed stuff is never going to adequately re-create that texture ...

Quote from: Razor on November 14, 2010, 02:45 PM
The fillings are endless really so I wonder why they've not made it to the BIR/TA menu?

You almost certainly need to find a Southern Indian BIR or T/A, but I don't know whether they exist in your region.  "Darn sarf" we have plenty, and there is a Southern Indian takeway in Glasgow, but I don't know about Manchester (how close are Bolton and/or Ramsbottom ?).

** Phil.

Quote from: Razor on November 14, 2010, 02:19 PM
Can't say that I have.  I have tried the Chicken Dosai in the KD2 but Im guessing that it's a different thing altogether, as is the spelling.

I suspect they are the same : "dosai" is a more faithful transliteration of the original, and "dosa" an anglicisation (but the chef in the video below claims otherwise).  Basically a crispy rice-flour/gram-flour pancake, stuffed with savoury wonders 

http://www.videojug.com/webvideo/how-to-make-dosa-dosai

** Phil.