2012 Cooking Club Week 2b: Indian Resturant curries

gerrybbadd

I'm gonna be greedy now, and ask Curry Addict for more!

By any chance do you have a gravy recipe to accompany the Biriyani?

I know it's a "dry" dish, but our local does a cracking curry gravy sauce to pour over!

Curry Addict

gerrybbadd wrote: »

I'm gonna be greedy now, and ask Curry Addict for more!

By any chance do you have a gravy recipe to accompany the Biriyani?

I know it's a "dry" dish, but our local does a cracking curry gravy sauce to pour over!

the biryani i posted is a home style one, its already got big flavor, much more so than a restaurant style one so a sauce really doesn't suit. Try it and you will see what i mean

I will dig out the restaurant style sauce for you anyway

Mrs Fox

I was so determined to make the Biryani for tonight's dinner, even if it means serving it at 10 pm! (see what happens when you don't read the recipe through and realised half way that it takes nearly two hours )
This is very tasty, CA. Full of flavour and tender chicken. It's a lot moister than takeaway ones. I'm happy to have it as it is, but I think Mr Fox would like that extra sauce to accompany the dish. We're saving the leftovers for tomorrow's lunch so I think I'll make a quick chickpea curry.
Thanks CA!



Edit: P.S.- I'd love to make it with lamb next time round, how much should I put in?

Curry Addict

looks great Mrs Fox i'm glad you enjoyed!

not sure how much lamb as i cant eat red meat so i never cook it.

Mrs Fox

I'll try about 2lbs and see. Also, think I'll add some toasted cashews next time just because I like them.
Meant to say, for once my biryani rice separated instead of clumping:) Having them again this evening

Curry Addict

2lbs sounds ok, i suspect you may need more if there is a big bone involved
but what do i know i never use lamb :rolleyes:

toasted cashew nuts is a brilliant idea! ill be adding them to my next biryani :pac:

funny you mentioned your rice didnt clump. I forgot to add in the recipe that you need to put the lid on the pot after the steam has dissipated fully this stops your rice from clumping! if you leave the lid off, the rice may clump, so i guess you put the lid back on
gota hate clumpy rice!

your rice looks really great in the photo. mine is always darker in colour maybe its just the photo. I like to add a finely diced carrot, it adds a really appetizing orange colour flecked through the rice.

Mrs Fox

Curry Addict wrote: »

funny you mentioned your rice didnt clump. I forgot to add in the recipe that you need to put the lid on the pot after the steam has dissipated fully this stops your rice from clumping! if you leave the lid off, the rice may clump, so i guess you put the lid back on
gota hate clumpy rice!

I did notice that, but I just assumed the lid goes back on.

Curry Addict wrote: »

your rice looks really great in the photo. mine is always darker in colour maybe its just the photo. I like to add a finely diced carrot, it adds a really appetizing orange colour flecked through the rice.

It was light-ish in color, I wonder if it's because of the curry powder in my curry masala that's quite light in colour.
I did add a coarsely grated carrot as per recipe.

Can't wait to try it with lamb!

dfbemt

Found all the spices needed in an Indian Supermarket on Parnell Street, just past the Marlborough St junction, heading towards O'Connell Street. I think it was the old Westbrook Motors showroom.

They even have the elusive Fenugreek leaves. A 110g box of them for only 85c. A huge bag of Star Anise for 80c. Huge 10kg sacks of Tilda Basmati for only €20. everything needed was there and more. Great prices and great variety.

Well worth a trip. Looking forward to making some nice curries during the week.

I have one question CA. For the base you say to

Add 3.5 litres of water and blend the contents of the pot until its completely smooth with a hand blender. It should have the consistency of a thin soup. Now heat the pot with lid on, on a very low heat. Its ready when the oil separates and rises to the top.

Do I remove the oil? Do I stir the oil back in before placing into dishes? Not sure from the instructions.

Curry Addict

dfbemt wrote: »

Found all the spices needed in an Indian Supermarket on Parnell Street, just past the Marlborough St junction, heading towards O'Connell Street. I think it was the old Westbrook Motors showroom.

They even have the elusive Fenugreek leaves. A 110g box of them for only 85c. A huge bag of Star Anise for 80c. Huge 10kg sacks of Tilda Basmati for only €20. everything needed was there and more. Great prices and great variety.

Well worth a trip. Looking forward to making some nice curries during the week.

I have one question CA. For the base you say to



Do I remove the oil? Do I stir the oil back in before placing into dishes? Not sure from the instructions.

sounds like your all kitted up Just stir in the oil. good luck with it!

Curry Addict

Here is the recipe for restaurant style Biryani sauce. Its supposed to be light-ish in flavor so it compliments the flavored rice without either overpowering the other.

Biryani sauce

2tbs oil
2tbs finely diced onion
0.66tsp salt
1tbs ginger/garlic paste
1tbs tomato paste
1/2 tsp fenugreek/methi leaves
1tbs curry masala
0.25 tsp chilli powder
1 Ladle of curry base
1 chef spoon of precooked vegetables
1/2 a tomato in wedges
1 ladle of curry base
1tbs fresh coriander

add the oil, onion and salt to the pan, cook on a high heat for 1min then add the ginger/garlic and cook for a further 30secs.
Add the tomato paste and cook out for 30secs.
add the fenugreek, curry masala and chilli powder. stir in quickly then add 1 ladle of curry base. cook this down for about 90secs until the oils start to come out. add the precooked veg, tomato and then the 2nd ladle of base, cook for 90sec stir in the coriander and serve.

Wurly

Hey curry addict! Can you replace coconut oil with the coconut block? What are the differences between the two? Thanks.

Curry Addict

Wurly wrote: »

Hey curry addict! Can you replace coconut oil with the coconut block? What are the differences between the two? Thanks.

they are very different afaik. coconut oil is oil extracted from coconut and used as a replacement for veg oil etc. coconut block is pressed coconut cream and used for its creamy coconut flavor.

gerrybbadd

Curry Addict wrote: »

Here is the recipe for restaurant style Biryani sauce. Its supposed to be light-ish in flavor so it compliments the flavored rice without either overpowering the other.

Biryani sauce

2tbs oil
2tbs finely diced onion
0.66tsp salt
1tbs ginger/garlic paste
1tbs tomato paste
1/2 tsp fenugreek/methi leaves
1tbs curry masala
0.25 tsp chilli powder
1 Ladle of curry base
1 chef spoon of precooked vegetables
1/2 a tomato in wedges
1 ladle of curry base
1tbs fresh coriander

add the oil, onion and salt to the pan, cook on a high heat for 1min then add the ginger/garlic and cook for a further 30secs.
Add the tomato paste and cook out for 30secs.
add the fenugreek, curry masala and chilli powder. stir in quickly then add 1 ladle of curry base. cook this down for about 90secs until the oils start to come out. add the precooked veg, tomato and then the 2nd ladle of base, cook for 90sec stir in the coriander and serve.

HI Curryaddict - I'm just wondering about the precooked veg. What are these? I had a look through the thread, and can't find this info.

In addition, I just wanted to say thanks a billion for all the recipes you have given us here so far. You are a true Boards legend!:)

Curry Addict

gerrybbadd wrote: »

HI Curryaddict - I'm just wondering about the precooked veg. What are these? I had a look through the thread, and can't find this info.

In addition, I just wanted to say thanks a billion for all the recipes you have given us here so far. You are a true Boards legend!:)

hi gerry, precooked veg is a mix of veg like cauliflower, carrot, brocolli, spud, sweet peppers etc. its cooked the same way as the meats but for much shorter. its hard to gauge the cooking time as it depends on the thickness and size of the pieces etc.
im glad you are getting a lot of of the recipes!

Curry Addict

I made the biryani this week so i took some pictures.

Curry Addict

last couple of pics

Mrs Fox

Hey CA, I made chicken biryani again earlier this week for pot luck. I wanted to keep the chicken legs whole, so instead of pulling the chicken apart after being cooked, I transferred them to a pan and fried skin side down until crisp. Cooked the rice as normal, adding some sultanas too. Just before serving I scattered toasted cashew nuts and arranged the chicken legs on top.
Guests absolutely loved it :-) Side curry didn't turn out the way I wanted it to (too much turmeric) but they didn't seem to notice. Thanks again!

Curry Addict

Mrs Fox wrote: »

Hey CA, I made chicken biryani again earlier this week for pot luck. I wanted to keep the chicken legs whole, so instead of pulling the chicken apart after being cooked, I transferred them to a pan and fried skin side down until crisp. Cooked the rice as normal, adding some sultanas too. Just before serving I scattered toasted cashew nuts and arranged the chicken legs on top.
Guests absolutely loved it :-) Side curry didn't turn out the way I wanted it to (too much turmeric) but they didn't seem to notice. Thanks again!

sounds lovely, sultanas and cashew nuts are a nice addition it must have been as good as eating cake :pac: its such a versatile dish you can put so many different slants on it.

dfbemt

Curry Addict

Made a batch of ginger and garlic paste for the curry gravy and there is approx 2 - 3 tablespoons left over.

How long should this keep for if stored in container in fridge or does it freeze?

Have the curry gravy on the cooker as I type. Starving !!!

Thanks for all the info.

frag420

anytime I have made curry paste I always make extra and freeze it, each about the size of a golf ball. Then whenever I want to make anther dish I leave it out to defrost in the fridge the night before. saves a lot of time.

Curry Addict

dfbemt wrote: »

Curry Addict

Made a batch of ginger and garlic paste for the curry gravy and there is approx 2 - 3 tablespoons left over.

How long should this keep for if stored in container in fridge or does it freeze?

Have the curry gravy on the cooker as I type. Starving !!!

Thanks for all the info.

ginger/garlic paste will be good for a week in the fridge. it may go green, this is normal and its perfectly good to use.

I hope your gravy works out well! gl make the curries...

Gbear

Garlic won't stay good forever though, and can give you botulism. More relevant if you're keeping bits of salad dressing that can be forgotten at the back of the fridge.

Made a very nice lamb Biryani last Sunday. Made a chana dal side dish to go with it. It was rather good. Nice one again CA.

Curry Addict

Mrs Fox wrote: »

Ehem, ehem! Cough up the recipe! :cool:

Maybe you should open another thread, "2012 Cooking Club Week 2c: Other curries"

A nice simple spicy curry with spuds and roti. When im in holland i enjoy this in surinamese snack bars, the wife makes it and its our current addiction!


Surinamese Roti chicken Masala

Ingredients:

For the Roti:

100 gr. Yellow split peas
3 cloves of garlic
1 scotch bonnet chili, seeds removed
2 tsp. Ground cumin
¼ tsp. Salt
½ tsp. Freshly ground black pepper
500 gr. Self raising flour
4 – 5 tbsp. Vegetable oil

For the chicken Masala:

3 tbsp. Vegetable oil
1 medium sized oninon, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 scotch bonnet chili, finely chopped
2 tbsp. Curry djawa powder (a sweet curry powder)
8 chicken tighs
6 medium sized rooster potatoes, quartered and parboiled
1 tbsp. Tomato puree
Handful of frozen green beans, chopped up

Method:

Wash the yellow split peas and put in a saucepan with enough water to cover them. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Drain the peas. Add the garlic, chili, cumin, salt and pepper and puree in a blender.

Heat the oil for the masala in a deep (cast iron) pot, fry the onion, garlic and chili gently for 3 minutes. Stir in the curry powder. Add the chicken tighs and 500 ml. Water. Bring to the boil and let simmer for 1,5 hrs. Take the chicken out of the pot.
Add some salt, potatoes, tomato puree and the beans to the cooking juices. Let this simmer whilst you take the meat of the tighs. Add the meat back into the pot, simmer for another 15 minutes on a very low heat.

While the curry is simmering away make the roti’s.
Put the flour in a bowl, add 300 ml. Water. Knead into a firm dough.

Shape balls of dough into the shape of an egg, with your thumb, pinch a hole, add 1 tbsp. Of the pea mixture into the hole. Fold the dough around the whole.
Let the filled balls rest for 15 minutes.
Roll the balls, with a rolling pin, into small pancakes.
Fry the roti’s in a very hot pan for 3 minutes each side.

jimfinoc

Another one to try from the master.
Just one thing. Can I make up my own djawa curry powder mix?

gg2

Looking for a VERY simple curry recipe for 2 people. Must be very simple as I'm cooking it in my OH's and all thats there for me to work with is 2 saucepans, a frying pan and a couple of knives. His oven can be fairly contrary too so if anyone has one that only requires 2 hobs, that would be fab :-)

Curry Addict

jimfinoc wrote: »

Another one to try from the master.
Just one thing. Can I make up my own djawa curry powder mix?

Curry Powder djawa
¼ cup black pepper
¼ cup cardamom powder
½ cup coriander powder
½ cup cumin powder
1 tbsp. Cinnamon powder
1 tbsp. turmeric
Just mix it all together and store in a jar with airtight lid.

Curry Addict

gg2 wrote: »

Looking for a VERY simple curry recipe for 2 people. Must be very simple as I'm cooking it in my OH's and all thats there for me to work with is 2 saucepans, a frying pan and a couple of knives. His oven can be fairly contrary too so if anyone has one that only requires 2 hobs, that would be fab :-)

check this one out, its very simple and a killer curry!
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=70514056

gerrybbadd

Curry Addict, I finally got around to making the Biryani and gravy over the weekend. Holy sh#tballs was it good! I had another dose of it today, even better again. A million thanks to you!

Curry Addict

i'm glad you enjoyed Gerry!

dfbemt

Made everything as per instructions - Had a Rogan Josh and Korma over the weekend. Absolutely gorgeous. What I found most interesting was that even though everything is combined you can taste the individual flavours of the various spices. You can definitely taste that everything is freshly made.

Lovely food and easy to follow. These will become our regular Friday night 'kids gone to bed, Mam and Dad time' dinners.

Thanks CA