I have now made both the base sauce and the Rogan Josh I was shown.
Very successful.
These recipes are genuine, and if we can keep getting stuff like this, this site will be amazing.
I bet you all our recipes will get copied and used all over the internet.
We'll probably see a new "e book" on ebay, with all our work in

chicken pathia

Quote from: Mark J on February 17, 2005, 09:51 PM
First off he started with the chicken pathia, on a medium-high heat he added a ladle of hot oil from a pot on the stove (not curry base oil, plain veg oil) then quickly added about 2 TSP garlic puree (no ginger), after about 10 seconds of spreading this around the pan he added about 3 TBSP medium chopped pre cooked onions (they looked a little yellow so I presume had been cooked in oil and curry powder, turmeric etc), he chopped these about a bit and then added about 1.5 TBSP tomato puree (very surprised to see this go in at this stage but the same was true of the balti, I wonder if this fried puree is the rich taste I am after?). He fried this for about 10-20 seconds more and then added the pre cooked chicken, about 2 TSP curry powder, 1-2TSP chilli powder, 1-2 TSP sugar, a few pieces of raw tomato, 1 TSP fenugreek leaves and maybe some salt. He quickly stir fried this mixture for about 10 seconds and then added a ladle of curry base which he evaporated off, he added a few chopped coriander leaves, a bit more curry base and a wedge of lemon and then left this to simmer as he got on with the balti. Whilst cooking the balti he stirred this occasionally and added a ladle of the curry base.
Both curries were simmered slightly then served garnished with fresh coriander (and they tasted superb as always)

I made the chicken pathia last night and was very impressed.
I like the way that the pre-fried onions seem to disappear into the base sauce
I was surprised at using sugar
I had wondered if that was something that we had made up.
That is what I love about these genuine recipes
You know that it's right, it's NOT a calculated guess.
I used Rajah Mild Madras Curry Powder.
The chef from my Bengal Cuisine lesson said they used Rajah.
What did you use?
I watered down the curry base too (Bengal Cuisine gravy was very runny too)
Anyhow the result was excellent
So, thanks!

Quote from: graeme on February 26, 2005, 07:45 PM

I have see the base in kitchens, it does not look blended to me.
Some onion is still seen, but well broken down under the red oil.

When i blend it all goes wrong, my base changes colour and flavour

I get better results with out blending.

graeme.

The sauce is definitely blended.
They normally use a large hand held "stick" blender.
The sauce is then cooked for a couple of hours longer and the oil? re-separates out and the general colour goes darker.
When they start an ordered curry they fry some finely chopped fresh onion and maybe peppers, before adding the base sauce.
These fresh onions are what you are seeing in your curry
There is no way a restaunt chef will finely chop up sacks full of onions
There isn't the time
Post one of your recipes

Quote from: George on February 23, 2005, 08:29 PM
I'm a newbie here and perhaps this is a dumb question BUT what is it the 'closest one' to? i.e. given that the basic curry sauce is only work-in-progress within a UK indian restaurant/take-away.
Regards
George

All the restaurant recipes fry a little onion then add a little garlic/ ginger puree and spices, then a large dollop of a basic curry gravy, main precooked ingredients then dried fenugreek and fresh coriander.
To get this restaurant flavour, it is important to have the right flavour curry sauce.
Using the above gives a very good finished result.
I have used this with excellent results more times than I can remember.
However, there are other basic sauces on this site.
Check out Muttleys "non rambling" sauce or the jpeg downloads from "curry house cookery" in downloads.

Quote from: Gareth on February 24, 2005, 06:21 PM
600ml sounds like a huge amount of oil to use - has anyone tried the recipe with less oil?

Also, I wonder what a good weight of onions would be - 2lb?

Gareth.

Try the recipe with the full amount of oil. You can always spoon off the excess.
If you don't like the recipe then modify it.
And 2lbs of onions would be fine.

Quote from: George on February 23, 2005, 12:07 AM
On their web site, they say it's a group lesson. Was there a kitchen full of visitors at the time of your visit?

Also, how certain are you that the methods shown are the ones used to produce their in-house curries, rather than other recipes or modifications which they may be more inclined to divulge?

Regards
George

When I went, it was just me but normally there are three of four people.
I was in a rush to catch trains back home (120 miles away) .This did spoil it a little.
I am 100% certain, the recipes I was shown, are the? methods used by other restaurants
There will be variations between chefs, but these are the basics.
One of the most important things is the evaporation of the curry gravy from the meal
This really concentrates the flavour, and can only be done, by adding a little curry gravy at a time

Quote from: curryqueen on February 21, 2005, 05:59 PM
Hi Pete,

Did you make your Rhogan Josh? How did it turn out? I am glad to see that someone has booked to go the the Bengal, perhaps I might book it myself.

I couldn't make it last Saturday but I will post the results when I give it a go.
I hope that loads of people go on that cooking course.
It is really difficult to get into takeaway kitchens, so this is a golden opportunity.
I have offered money at several places round me and I think the language problem is the main stumbling block.
They don't seem to understand what you want to do

If you cook the gravy for another hour the oil separates out again.
Or you can take it out before pureeing, then add it back again afterwards

That's a brilliant report Mark.
These observed recipes are what will make this site really special.
Where else could you get that kind of information?
Thanks

Quote from: Dylan on February 17, 2005, 04:16 PM
Hi Pete, you mention in your piece that they used coconut powder. Is this different from dessicated coconut? If so, where might I get it. (I have tried whizzing up dessicated coconut to a fine powder and it failed miserably.)

This is a bit of a mystry.
I have never seen this form of coconut
It wasn't dessicated coconut
It wasn't coconut milk powder
It looks exactly like ground almonds, but white.
You can buy just the insides?of coconuts.
I've seen that in Asian shops.
Maybe they grind that.

Quote from: curryqueen on February 15, 2005, 04:28 PM
I have just made the Rhogan Josh that Pete posted and it is great! I used gravy that was made last Friday and has been in the fridge and also the oil from the top of the gravy. This curry does not taste homemade and with the addition of some fresh chillies has given it a nice heat. I must admit that Rhogan Josh is not a dish that I usually have, but, has certainly tantilised my tastebuds today and will probably order in the future.

I'm really pleased that it turned out well.
I ill be cooking it myself at the week end
I would expect that the two pan method of cooking a curry is used a lot.
I've been looking at a menu and seen? Bhuna? described as prepared with "fresh onions,capsicums and tomatoes"
So that would be done in two pans
One for the main ingredient then one for the sauce and extras.
I'd love to go to Bengal Cuisine again, but it cost a small fortune.
I paid ?25 for the course then ?29 travel.
The journey totalled about five hours as well.
I'm really hoping someone else will go from this forum, then post their findings.
Someone must live near London
Let's see a Madras, Vindaloo or whatever!!