Hi

@Secret Santa

Really pleased with the recipe and will certainly make it again. I think the slight taste that I was detecting was the Asafoetida. I'm not really used to it, and the container that I have (http://www.natco-online.com/acatalog/info_asafoetida.html) must be getting on a bit. I feel a bit of a hippocrit there as I would never let my other spices get that old - would be straight in the bin and replace with fresh even at 6 weeks usually (not that most live that long). Also looking at the ingredients in this it contains other fillers like you suggest. I will get some fresh Asafoetida in and try the recipe again. Do you have a link to the make / type that you recommend please?

@Ramirez

Many thanks for the kind words! - I gather you are a fan of this particular recipe too! and rightly so! - I think it was Natco pur

Hi

Thanks to SS for the recipe & to the forum members who recently tried this dish and posted - bringing it to my attention.

Made exactly to recipe spec. of original post. Really enjoyed the dish. However did feel there was a little - for want of better words 'tang' about the flavour. I don't know what caused it and wonder if that was the Asafoetida? as I don't usually use this and am not too familiar with the flavour it imparts. I found there is probably enough spinach / sauce mix for a double portion of chicken - which is excellent! means I can save some for the next day, or give some to the wife even...

Hi

Saw this post and thought I would give this a go.

Delicious! - made the Bombay version with a little curry gravy.

Many thanks for posting your recipe Chewy.

Regards

Not really sure if anyone ever looks at this post, however:

With great sadness I must revoke my recommendation of India Raj TA as mentioned in the first post.

It appears that the more experienced senior chef no longer works there and the curry has unfortunately descended into the territory of generally bland and disappointing.

Another good one bites the dust....

Haldi...

Step away from the edge! - Its going to be OK. No need to do something you might later regret....

Have to generally agree with you though. In my neck of the woods (Farnham, Aldershot, Fleet) there are now only around 3 or 4 restaurants that I know of that still produce exceptional curry either for a sit down or a take away. The smaller dedicated TA establishments are just a world of disappointment in my area too - I just don't buy from them any more because the curry is always so disappointing.

In fact, this reminds me that I must revoke a recommendation that I made on this site a couple of years ago. It seems the 'more senior' chef no longer works in my local TA and now all their curry tastes the same and very bland.

I guess it is like everything else - you get what you pay for and I would rather spend a few extra pounds getting a TA from a decent restaurant these days.

Cheers

Hi

Years ago, before I discovered CR0 and learned about base gravy etc I used to by curry kits from this place on the link below. They have been going years - I must admit to be very grateful to them - helping a complete novice at curry cooking actually produce a tasty curry.

http://www.123curry.co.uk/123curry/asp/instant-curry-kits.asp

The method to make curry with these kits is "interestingly" identical to the method described in the video where one creates a quick onion based sauce. Each curry kit used to come with a little recipe booklet too. It would probably be interesting to try the kit again having now more experience with how to properly fry spice etc for emergencies such as running out of base gravy.

At the time the curry produced was very tasty indeed but a long way from the curry from a BIR.

Cheers

Hi JB

Hats off to you! - I don't think I could cook that much in one evening to the standard that I see in those pictures!

Nice one.

Hi

That is ingenious! thanks for posting the video!

Was getting a little worried about the thickness of ingredients at some of the stages of cooking, but it all seems to work out after around 8 minutes or so!

Cheers

Hi Axe

Went to Zaal again last Saturday. I had a few questions saved up that I was hoping to ask him. However the restaurant was absolutely heaving - totally full up all the staff were rushing round like crazy and there was no way he had time to answer all the questions

Along with other stuff we ordered Saag Aloo - and this does use panch phoran in the preparation cooking of the potatoes. The food as usual was delicious. I can't think of much that beats sitting in a great BIR enjoying the aromas of all the sizzler's passing by!

Cheers

Hi Chewy & All

Please can you tell me - in what and how you use your Pilau Biryani mix?

Many thanks!