Ive just changed this to have only half a Tsp of fenugreek leaves, I think they have been overpowering my curries slightly

Ive wheeled out all the old favourite texts (Dhillons, Chapman etc) and they seem to make up a Tarka Dhal and then use some of that in the curry? Wonder if the restaurants do that or if they just pre cook the lentils with a bit a salt and turmeric

Saw this and thought it sounded rather nice, Im not partial to dried fruit so think I will skip this bit

Ingredients:

2 cups long grain rice (basmati)
2 cups milk
1/2 cup cream beaten smooth
1 tsp. sugar
salt to taste
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
3 cloves
1" cinnamon
3 cardamoms
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp. ghee
1 cup canned chopped mixed fruit (drained)
2-3 edible rose petals

Method:

Wash and soak rice for 15-20 minutes.

Mix milk, cream, sugar, salt. Drain rice, keep aside.

Heat ghee in a heavy pan.

Add cumin seeds, cinnamon, bayleaf, cardamoms, cloves.

Allow to splutter. Add rice and fry in ghee for 2 minutes.

Add milk, cream, mixture.

Add 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil.

When boil is reached, cover and simmer till cooked.

Each grain should be cooked, but separate.

Mix in drained fruit very gently.

Garnish by sprinkling finely broken rosepetals.

Making time: 45 minutes
Makes: 4 servings

I have never tried to cook a Dhansak before as I had it in a restaurant and I didn't like it (I believe they used pineapple which I hate), however my mum had it last time we went to the restaurant and they used a wedge of lemon instead of pineapple and it was absolutely gorgeous so I'm going to have a crack tonight.

Any enough rambling and on to the point, for a Dhansak the restaurants obviously use precooked lentils, does anyone know how they might prepare these for a Dhansak?

Name: Mark of course
Age: 33
Location: Chepstow
Cooking Experience: 10 years curry duty on and off, 1 year ago decided I would crack the secret of BIR cooking
Ambition: To be Pete's assistant Tandoori Chef
Sense of Humour: Deadpan

Just my 2 penneth, you say not casia, I'm sure the restaurants use casia and not cinnamon (close relatives). In my Asian grocer they sell cassia marked as cinnamon.

Quote from: PACMAN on April 01, 2005, 06:03 PM
incidentally instead of tomato paste at this restaurant they used a blend of tandoori paste and tomato paste

This is very interesting, we have heard before of restaurants adding a small amount of tandoori paste or marinade in all curries to enhance the flavour, do you know what the ratio was paul?

Chicken garlic is a popular dish, is that what you mean?

Hi Ghanna,

There's very little doubt in my mind they use veg ghee, they had an industrial sized container of it right next to the cooking base sauce, Bruce Edwards recipe I believe also had veg ghee in the base.

cheers

I dont reckon this makes much difference, as long as you dont keep ground spices for ages.

I must admit though, the smell after grinding cinnamon is absolutely incredible  ;D