2012 Cooking Club Week 2b: Indian Resturant curries

irishproduce

Eating those Naga peppers is surely bad for you

tinner777

Mr curry when making tandoori does the meat have to have the bone in it. All the recipes seem to say so. Have a load of Turkey crowns, don't ask... And have been using them for your tremendous currys. Would love to tandoori some of it???

Heroditas

irishproduce wrote: »

Eating those Naga peppers is surely bad for you

I've been gradually building up my tolerance to spicy food for the last 15 years. They don't do you any harm so long as you're careful.

Curry Addict

tinner777 wrote: »

Mr curry when making tandoori does the meat have to have the bone in it. All the recipes seem to say so. Have a load of Turkey crowns, don't ask... And have been using them for your tremendous currys. Would love to tandoori some of it???

tandoori is traditionally for meat on the bone. for meat off the bone they make what they call Tikka which is very similar. If you use the Tandoori recipe on your turkey crowns it will still work very well and give a very tasty result. Its probably best to chop up the crowns and then marinade the pieces so the marinade penetrates better the larger surface area and a much shorter cooking time. you could skewer the pieces or not and roast and baste away.

Animord

Hi CurryAddict

I would like to make Saag gosht. I have made your base and am cooking the lamb at the moment. Do you have any ideas/tips on the specifics? I can't find it on this thread. Thanks.

Curry Addict

Animord wrote: »

Hi CurryAddict

I would like to make Saag gosht. I have made your base and am cooking the lamb at the moment. Do you have any ideas/tips on the specifics? I can't find it on this thread. Thanks.

gota love Saag I just had one 2 days ago and i always promise myself to make more often!

Saag
1/2 an onion very finely chopped.
2/3 tsp salt
1 tsp ginger/garlic paste.
1/2 tsp cumin seed.
1.5 tbs Tomato paste(tomato puree mixed with water in ration 1:3)
100gm pureed saag(wash saag and simply blend it raw)
1tsp fenugreek leaves
1tbs curry masala
0.5-1 tsp chilli powder
1.5 ladles of curry base
precooked meat
2 tbs cream

Ingredients go in, in the order listed. fry the onions for 2 min then add the ginger/garlic etc.. total cooking time about 7 mins.

Animord

Thank you SOOO much. Perfect timing too...

Thundercats Ho

Curry Addict wrote: »

i made some fresh curry base and a vindaloo from it today and took some pics along the way
note i made a double batch.

Curry Addict wrote: »

the vindaloo pix

Quick question.
I'm making this for the first time for dinner this evening.
I've already made the curry base, and it looked similar to your picture 'finished base' in the link above.
I've also pre-cooked the chicken, and it looks similar to your picture 'precooking the chicken' in the link above.

There seems to be quite a lot of sauce / liquid, when you combine a few ladles of curry base gravy, and the sauce / liquid from cooking the chicken.
Do i add the chicken AND sauce (from the meat cooking part) or just the chicken?

If i add gravy base and chicken liquid, does it just reduce when cooking?
I would have 2 ladles of liquid from cooking the chicken. Does this sound about right? I'll then be adding 2.5 ladles of base gravy (for a balti).

I'm also cooking lamb atm, and there will be a similar amount of excess liquid from cooking that.

It might be a silly question but i don't want to make a balls of it at the same time !!

Curry Addict

Thundercats Ho wrote: »

Quick question.
I'm making this for the first time for dinner this evening.
I've already made the curry base, and it looked similar to your picture 'finished base' in the link above.
I've also pre-cooked the chicken, and it looks similar to your picture 'precooking the chicken' in the link above.

There seems to be quite a lot of sauce / liquid, when you combine a few ladles of curry base gravy, and the sauce / liquid from cooking the chicken.
Do i add the chicken AND sauce (from the meat cooking part) or just the chicken?

If i add gravy base and chicken liquid, does it just reduce when cooking?
I would have 2 ladles of liquid from cooking the chicken. Does this sound about right? I'll then be adding 2.5 ladles of base gravy (for a balti).

I'm also cooking lamb atm, and there will be a similar amount of excess liquid from cooking that.

It might be a silly question but i don't want to make a balls of it at the same time !!

its good that you don't take anything for granted, its such a lot of work you want to have it right!

you just add the meat and none of the cooking juices, when cooking the curry. Remember to make just 1 portion for 1 person at a time.

when cooking the meats, the liquid should be about half way up the meat pieces to let it braze properly, bubbling gently with the lid on for best results.

Thundercats Ho

Curry Addict wrote: »

its good that you don't take anything for granted, its such a lot of work you want to have it right!

you just add the meat and none of the cooking juices, when cooking the curry. Remember to make just 1 portion for 1 person at a time.

when cooking the meats, the liquid should be about half way up the meat pieces to let it braze properly, bubbling gently with the lid on for best results.

Perfect.
Once the meat is cooked, would it be better to leave it sitting in the meat juices until the meat is being added to the curry, or does it matter at all?

Yea i'll be cooking the final curries per portion later on, so no worries there.

Curry Addict

Thundercats Ho wrote: »

Perfect.
Once the meat is cooked, would it be better to leave it sitting in the meat juices until the meat is being added to the curry, or does it matter at all?

Yea i'll be cooking the final curries per portion later on, so no worries there.

i leave it in the juices to keep it nice and moist. Hope it works out well for you!

Thundercats Ho

Chicken Balti x1 & Lamb Madras x2.
Worked a treat. Thanks a million!

Curry Addict

glad it worked out well for you!

irishproduce

I was going through the cupboard last night and realised that when I bought all the cooking stuff originally, I bought a bag of dried chillis. I can't remember what for though.
Is there any specific dish that I would have bought them for?
The same as these:

Curry Addict

irishproduce wrote: »

I was going through the cupboard last night and realised that when I bought all the cooking stuff originally, I bought a bag of dried chillis. I can't remember what for though.
Is there any specific dish that I would have bought them for?
The same as these:

im not sure if i included them in the "cooking the meats" recipe on here, but i add 2 of them with the whole spices in that recipe.

I also add 2 of them at the very start of a madras, vindaloo and biryani. when added at the start they add a wonderful smokey chilli flavor to the overall result. I particularly love to pick them out of my curry and eat them whole for a nice intense flavour explosion, each to their own

jimfinoc

irishproduce wrote: »

I was going through the cupboard last night and realised that when I bought all the cooking stuff originally, I bought a bag of dried chillis. I can't remember what for though.
Is there any specific dish that I would have bought them for?
The same as these:

I use these when making up a this curry sauce.


Northern Curry Sauce or Kadhai Sauce

4 Tablespoons sunflower oil or veg oil

675g (11/2lbs) onions, roughly chopped

55g (2oz) fresh root ginger roughly chopped

13-14 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons sugar

1 ½ tablespoons coriander seeds

4-5 dried red chills, long slim variety, chopped

400g can chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

900ml warm water

2 teaspoons dried fenugreek leaves


Heat the oil in a saucepan over med heat. Fry the onions, ginger and garlic for 5-6 min and then add salt and sugar. Cook for a further 4-5 min, stirring regularly.

Coarsely grind the coriander seeds and chillies in a coffee grinder- they do not have to be fine- then add them to the pan and cook for 2 min.. Stir in the tomatoes, with their juice, paprika, turmeric and water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered for 30-35 min.

Puree the sauce in a blender and return it to the saucepan. Stir in the fenugreek leaves and simmer for 5 min. Leave to cool compleatly.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

Makes 1.5 ltr. Or 3 500g tubs.

When I use this for 2 people, I use one 500g tub and I add 1/2 a garlic bulb, the same amount of chopped ginger and 1 or 2 chillis to your taste.
Usually add 2 breasts of chicken and some chopped onion and mushrooms.

irishproduce

jimfinoc wrote: »

I use these when making up a this curry sauce.


Northern Curry Sauce or Kadhai Sauce

4 Tablespoons sunflower oil or veg oil

675g (11/2lbs) onions, roughly chopped

55g (2oz) fresh root ginger roughly chopped

13-14 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons sugar

1 ½ tablespoons coriander seeds

4-5 dried red chills, long slim variety, chopped

400g can chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

900ml warm water

2 teaspoons dried fenugreek leaves


Heat the oil in a saucepan over med heat. Fry the onions, ginger and garlic for 5-6 min and then add salt and sugar. Cook for a further 4-5 min, stirring regularly.

Coarsely grind the coriander seeds and chillies in a coffee grinder- they do not have to be fine- then add them to the pan and cook for 2 min.. Stir in the tomatoes, with their juice, paprika, turmeric and water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered for 30-35 min.

Puree the sauce in a blender and return it to the saucepan. Stir in the fenugreek leaves and simmer for 5 min. Leave to cool compleatly.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

Makes 1.5 ltr. Or 3 500g tubs.

When I use this for 2 people, I use one 500g tub and I add 1/2 a garlic bulb, the same amount of chopped ginger and 1 or 2 chillis to your taste.
Usually add 2 breasts of chicken and some chopped onion and mushrooms.

Where is your curry base???

irishproduce

Curry Addict wrote: »

Here is the recipe for butter chicken/Murg Makhani

2 tbs oil
1 onion(finely diced)
2 tomatoes(diced)
1 tsp ginger/garlic paste
----
1 tbs curry masala
0.5 tsp chilli powder
a cup of water
----
pre cooked chicken/lamb
1 tbs honey
60g butter
1 ladle curry base
1/2 tsp garam masala
salt to taste
a dash of cream

add the first set of ingredients to the pan and fry off for 3-4mins on medium to high heat.
Add the second set of ingredients and blend in the pan with a hand blender(add the water quickly after the dry spices, within 10 secs). bring back up to heat.
Add the 3rd set of ingredients except the cream and cook for 3 mins.
turn off the heat, stir in the cream and serve. the sauce should be silky smooth!
a lot of places will add orange food colouring.

This is the recipe for just one serving ya?
There is about 280 calories in the butter alone!! :-)

iwantmydinner

irishproduce wrote: »

This is the recipe for just one serving ya?
There is about 280 calories in the butter alone!! :-)

I don't think anyone is under any illusions as to the calorie content of butter chicken, to be fair

Curry Addict

irishproduce wrote: »

This is the recipe for just one serving ya?
There is about 280 calories in the butter alone!! :-)

lol yes just 1 serving. now you know what to eat if you need a bit of fattening up :cool:

jimfinoc

irishproduce wrote: »

Where is your curry base???

The sauce is the curry base!!!

irishproduce

Curry Addict wrote: »

lol yes just 1 serving. now you know what to eat if you need a bit of fattening up :cool:

I am making it tonight for wife and son.
I think I will hold a bit of the butter to be fair.
Can you make a suggestion for a replacement to this dish/ the amount of butter that is still mild enough for my 3 year old (Not Korma) as he almost loses trust in me if I give him something spicy...

Curry Addict

I guess its too late now hope it worked out ok!

glic83

Have many people tried making the base in a slow cooker? I'm planning on using one for the base and just wondering what kind of times people cooked for?

Curry Addict

glic83 wrote: »

Have many people tried making the base in a slow cooker? I'm planning on using one for the base and just wondering what kind of times people cooked for?

3 hours should be plenty, although I never tried a slow cooker....

jimfinoc

Can anybody out there tell me if there is any difference between Halal meat and the meat in the local butcher.
I know the animal is killed in a different way. But is there a taste difference???.

Larry Bee

jimfinoc wrote: »

Can anybody out there tell me if there is any difference between Halal meat and the meat in the local butcher.
I know the animal is killed in a different way. But is there a taste difference???.

I think the animal must must be slit at the throat with a sharp knife and then be hung upside down and allowed to bleed dry.
There is a short prayer said during the killing.

Mrs Fox

jimfinoc wrote: »

Can anybody out there tell me if there is any difference between Halal meat and the meat in the local butcher.
I know the animal is killed in a different way. But is there a taste difference???.

If cooking the likes of curries and heavy spiced and flavoured meat I prefer to buy halal meat. To me they just cook better, or maybe the halal butchers know how to cut the meat for those kind of dishes.
If cooking stews where I prefer the flavour of the meat itself to stand out, I'd go to a good butcher.
That's my opinion anyway.

FTA69

jimfinoc wrote: »

Can anybody out there tell me if there is any difference between Halal meat and the meat in the local butcher.
I know the animal is killed in a different way. But is there a taste difference???.

There's no difference in the taste at all, certainly not for chicken and cuts such as chops etc anyway. I work in a predominantly Muslim area and nearly all the meat I buy these days is Halal. Also the short prayer said during slaughter is usually just an intercom blaring out Qu'uranic verses while the lads get to work.

Muahahaha

@Curry Addict, I don't suppose you have a recipe for tandoori chicken ? I've cooked it a couple of times from recipes on the web and while it's been nice I felt there was something missing compared to Indian restaurants.
Also any ideas what they use to get the chicken such a firey red colour ? I added two tablespoons of red food dye by the last recipe I did, it coloured it a bit for sure but it felt like if I wanted to get that firey red colour you'd have to throw in a good bit of the stuff, probably triple what I did ! Is there so e other ingredient they use or just food dye ?