Curry Recipes Online

British Indian Restaurant Recipes - Main Dishes => British Indian Restaurant Recipes - Main Dishes => Vindaloo => Topic started by: DARTHPHALL on December 18, 2005, 04:10 PM

Title: 99.9% Vindaloo/Tindaloo Clone (revised)
Post by: DARTHPHALL on December 18, 2005, 04:10 PM
Thanks to so much interest in my recipe & at the request of many members i am re-posting & revising the 99.9% Vindalloo/Tindalloo clone here.
The Madras will be in a thread of it's own but complete with base gravy recipe,sorry for the repeats of the base but it makes it easier to follow.(any questions,feel free to ask).
 
STAGE ONE......[ THE BASE GRAVY ]............


INGREDIENTS

Chop/Dice all vegetables & Coriander.

15 Onions.
8 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil.(You can use 600-700ml of Oil if you like it Bir style...Oily).  
2 """"""""""""""  Home made Fresh Ginger puree.
2 """"""""""""""  """""""""""""""""""  Garlic  """""".
3 """""""""""""" Curry powder.   
3 """""""""""""" Turmeric.
1 """""""""""""" Extra hot chilli powder.(This can be left out as it is only my personal addition to this recipe).  ;D
6 X 5" Carrots or 4 X 7" Carrots .
3 Green Peppers.
5 Sticks Celery.
1 Tablespoon Salt.
2 Level Desertspoon Garam Masala.
20-30 stalks Fresh Coriander.

METHOD.

Fry Garlic & Ginger until golden/brown.
Add all spices & add half a litre of Water to stop becoming to sticky (should be consistency of Tomato puree).
Add Chopped Onions,Carrots,Peppers,Celery,Coriander.
Add about 3 litres of water until it is just below the level of the ingredients.
Simmer for 1 hour.
Check that all ingredients are cooked .
Liquidize all ingredients.
Cook again for 10 minutes on medium heat.
Allow to cool & separate into approx .. Half liter portions (i use two jugs, put freezer bag in one & pour /serve with other to save making a mess).
When fully cooled you can freeze for months.



One thing to remember when making this base & the curry itself, You must experiment with the Oil quantities as this makes a great deal of difference to the taste of the Curry etc..I think many will agree it is that Spicy Oily flavor which we love about Bir Curries.



Title: Re: 99.9% Vindalloo/Tindalloo Clone,Revised,Simplified & Updated.
Post by: DARTHPHALL on December 18, 2005, 04:19 PM
STAGE TWO.....[ COOKING THE CHICKEN ]......


Chop 7-8 chicken breasts into even pieces (i cut to the size of a ?2 pound coin = width,height).?
Boil a kettle.
Put chicken in pan.
Pour boiled water over chicken to just cover it.
Bring water to boil turn down immediately & slowly cook on simmer for about 4 minutes.
Look for one of the biggest pieces take out & cut in half to make sure its cooked through.
Remove cooked Chicken from the water, put somewere to cool.
Save half a Litre of cooked Chicken water for the final actual Curry stage..

Some members have commented on the aftertaste of boiled Chicken,when i cook my Chicken it is all put in the separate Curry portions & frozen & tastes great. ;)
Title: Re: 99.9% Vindalloo/Tindalloo Clone,Revised,Simplified & Updated.
Post by: DARTHPHALL on December 18, 2005, 06:42 PM
STAGE THREE......[ THE VINDALLOO ]......

INGREDIENTS
All the chicken.
3 bags Base gravy .
10 Tablespoons of Vegetable Oil (if you like it Oily, but its not necessary)
1 Medium Onion.finely chopped
1 whole bulb of Garlic separate cloves & grate with Cheese grater (the roughest side). 
3 Desertspoons Extra hot Chilli powder.
1 """""""""""""   Paprika.
2/3 Teaspoon lo-Salt or normal Table Salt (add to your taste).
1 Desertspoon Hot Curry powder.
 300grams Passata..(You need to experiment with this to get it close to your taste)   
1 Desertspoon Cumin.
1 """"""""""""" Coriander.
1 """"""""""""" Fenugreek leaves.
1 """"""""""""" Garam Masala.
2 large Ladles of water from cooked chicken.

METHOD

Put 3 bags of Curry Base in large pot on low heat.
Fry until Golden Onions & Garlic, in 3/4 Tablespoons Vegetable or Light Olive Oil.
Add Onion & Garlic to heated Base in large pot.
Add all spices & chicken & the Chicken water from above post.
Put in as garnish a Teaspoon of fine chopped Coriander & half a Spring Onion chopped .
Bring close to boil.
DONE !!!


You cant say that is not a quick Curry !!! 


One thing to remember when making this base & the curry itself, You must experiment with the Oil quantities as this makes a great deal of difference to the taste of the Curry etc..I think many will agree it is that Spicy Oily flavor which we love about Bir Curries.

 
Title: Re: 99.9% Vindalloo/Tindalloo Clone,Revised,Simplified & Updated.
Post by: DARTHPHALL on December 18, 2005, 06:57 PM
NOTES & PERCEPTIONS ON MY CURRY QUEST.

1. I can see why cooking in large quantities makes a difference, i have had no disasters since adopting this large base recipe,the old margin for error comment that keeps on cropping up i believe is correct.

2.I don't believe for my particular quest that re-using the Oil makes any difference,I've done several experiments cooking & re-using Oil.This has also appeared & dissapeared several times since I've become a member.

3.The BIR i am trying to emulate makes its Madras different from its Vindalloo, its not just a matter of degrees of heat.

4.The base gravy is good enough to eat on its own, any members who have bought it separately have commented on this,you cant do that with KD's base gravy.

5.There is very little Oil in my local BIR Curries,the picture see below reply after this post (thanks Pete) indicates the low amount & the color of the Curry.

6.My local deffinately uses the water from the cooked Chicken (Vindalloo & Tindalloo only) as you can see those little bits that you always see in the said water.

7.My locals claim to using fresh ingredients is also very true as every now & again you find a little piece of a spice thats not completely pureed & even a very small bit of Tomato skin (this is a great help in discovering the secrets within !).?

8. I firmly believe that Salt is as important to capturing the BIR taste as as the Spices themselves.

 
Title: Re: 99.9% Vindalloo/Tindalloo Clone,Revised,Simplified & Updated.
Post by: DARTHPHALL on December 18, 2005, 07:30 PM
See this post for an excellent rice to accompany this Curry.
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=498.0
RayGraham added a knob (:o) of Butter &/or Ghee,I whole heartedly agree.
Nice touch. ;)
Title: Re: 99.9% Vindalloo/Tindalloo Clone,Revised,Simplified & Updated.
Post by: raygraham on December 18, 2005, 09:07 PM
Hi Folks,

Well, I never made comment about Darth's recipes before as after I made it I felt there were a few folk a little "sceptical" of the 99.9% claim and that my comments might be disregarded.

However, the interest in Darth's recipes seems to have escalated recently and he has now revised it and made it easier to follow so it is perhaps now time for me to add my comments.

A couple of months ago I made the base faithfully from the recipe posted but found I had made a mistake interpreting the amounts and so ended up with a base rather thick, concentrated and very spicy.
Following a few frantic e-mails and some advice from the "Dark Lord" I was then able to produce the results Darth has consistently made for some time. I think he realised himself the instructions were not as clear as they could have been but he seems to have rectified this in the recently posted ammendments.

So, to give my comments on what I made..............................fabulous!!
Very authentic and much like the BIR taste I want to achieve.

The photo speaks for itself in the look of the dish he achieves ( including authentic steam!) and there are a number of BIR's near me who's dishes would not look any different side by side.
But photo's don't tell us much about taste. For me the taste was very, very close to what I have wanted to achieve and I once again made a curry this weekend from some of the original base I had frozen. It was even better than the first time around so would recommend anyone tries it at least once to see for themselves.
I made one dish with reclaimed oil and one without.
For me the dish with the oil was ahead on taste and more the authentic BIR but I know Darth thinks on more healthy lines ( after all he needs to be fit enough to conquer the universe and not have a day off sick on his Death Star!).

Darth lives in a quiet, small community in the West Country so has few take-aways and restaurants to guage his results from but I think he has done a damn good job with his 99.9% clone.
With all respect for the 99.9% claim he does have a near perfect curry and from what I have made he should be proud of his efforts. If it were my recipe I would not put such a high success to it ( although I would give it top nineties! ) as I feel he leaves himself with no margins for improvement even where there may still be some to be made. On the other hand I can understand why he gives it such high rating, he has a remarkably good product and that's a fact.

I shall certainly make this recipe again, I have yet to do his rice, but would say to one and all "give it a go" and see for yourselves, it's well worth the effort!

Ray
Title: Re: 99.9% Vindalloo/Tindalloo Clone,Revised,Simplified & Updated.
Post by: DARTHPHALL on December 18, 2005, 09:25 PM
Thanks for your sincere & kind words Ray. ;)

You don't know how busy the schedule of a Dark lord is these days, with the new Darkside tax, Imperial Star Destroyer insurance is so crippling i mean Ive got 12 of the dam things !! You would think i would get a discount, not a bit of it !!
Some silly clause about "rebels shooting at them all the time",the amount of times I've re-sprayed a Tie-Fighter only to send it into the Hoth system to get all the paint burnt off with that bloody Rebel Ion Cannon.
But i always find time to rustle up a good Vindalloo between battles (the Light Saber makes an excellent blender !! ;D), conquering the Universe is hungry work although i have noticed me old life support suite getting a bit snug these days  :o   

Your friend...............DARTH.....  :)........
Title: Re: 99.9% Vindalloo/Tindalloo Clone,Revised,Simplified & Updated.
Post by: George on December 18, 2005, 10:51 PM
See this post for an excellent rice to accompany this Curry.
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=498.0

I'll vouch for that! When I made Darth's rice, it was and remains the best pilau rice I've made so far - just like a BIR. That's why I'm so keen to try his base and curry, which I will now that the recipe has been clarified and outstanding points like 'bags' have been explained.

Regards
George
Title: Re: 99.9% Vindalloo/Tindalloo Clone,Revised,Simplified & Updated.
Post by: DARTHPHALL on December 19, 2005, 06:28 AM
Thank you George.
I've added three more lines of info in the NOTES & PERCEPTIONS  section above.
I will modify the recipes & notes as more info accumulates,but will post that i have added info.
This way the original recipe & the post wont get confusing like my previous one.
Also as you enter the site you will then see a new post has been added to further assist you all.
And i will use red highlight  to further help interested members.

DARTH.....
Title: Re: 99.9% Vindalloo/Tindalloo Clone,Revised,Simplified & Updated.
Post by: George on December 19, 2005, 12:35 PM
...now that the recipe has been clarified and outstanding points like 'bags' have been explained.

Darth

I don't believe it...I found your definition of 'bags' somewhere and now I've lost/forgotten it again. Was it half a litre, so 3 bags of base gravy would be 1.5 litres? I've never heard of such a unit of measure before! Also, are all your spoons LEVEL spoons unless othwerwise stated, as would be normal convention?

Regards
George
Title: Re: 99.9% VINDALLOO/TINDALLOO CLONE,REVISED,SIMPLIFIED & UPDATED.
Post by: DARTHPHALL on December 19, 2005, 12:46 PM
Sorry George i just put the Base Gravy in freezer bags, i use two measuring jugs to do this.
I put a freezer bag inside one jug & use the second jug to pour the Base Gravy in until it gets approximately the 500 ML mark.
The spoons are all just slightly heaped,remember because of the large quantity of the Base you don't have to be exact as your margin for error is so large etc..
Hope this helps.
DARTHPHALL.....
Title: Re: 99.9% VINDALLOO/TINDALLOO CLONE,REVISED,SIMPLIFIED & UPDATED.
Post by: George on December 19, 2005, 02:37 PM
I'm sorry to be so pedantic but I really do fear that using different quantities could threaten my attempt to match your great outcome.

By 'slightly heaped' do you mean just a bit above level, rounded or a tad more than rounded which I would say is 'slightly heaped' but not 'standard heaped' or 'massively heaped' like when one is stacking up a Pizza Hut salad bowl.

Regards
George
Title: Re: 99.9% VINDALLOO/TINDALLOO CLONE,REVISED,SIMPLIFIED & UPDATED.
Post by: DARTHPHALL on December 19, 2005, 10:31 PM
I use slightly heaped IE : 4 mm from lip of Spoon.
Title: Re: 99.9% VINDALLOO/TINDALLOO CLONE,REVISED,SIMPLIFIED & UPDATED.
Post by: DARTHPHALL on December 29, 2005, 02:18 PM
I will be posting duplicate pictures (in the Madras & Vindalloo/Tindalloo threads to make things easier to follow) through the day as i cook the 15 Onion Base.
This is the first one.
This is the base just at the time of starting its 1 Hour simmer.
Sorry about the picture quality,it's done on the wifes Phone. ;D
Title: Re: 99.9% VINDALLOO/TINDALLOO CLONE,REVISED,SIMPLIFIED & UPDATED.
Post by: DARTHPHALL on December 29, 2005, 02:32 PM
This is the Base after half an hour simmering,again sorry about the colour degradation but its a phone Camera.
Title: Re: 99.9% VINDALLOO/TINDALLOO CLONE,REVISED,SIMPLIFIED & UPDATED.
Post by: DARTHPHALL on December 29, 2005, 03:25 PM
This is the base after 1hour simmering away.
It will now be left to cool,this will take a few hours. :)
Title: Re: 99.9% VINDALLOO/TINDALLOO CLONE,REVISED,SIMPLIFIED & UPDATED.
Post by: DARTHPHALL on December 29, 2005, 04:57 PM
The approximate water quantities are now added to the Base gravy recipe to help you all along. ;)
Title: Re: 99.9% VINDALLOO/TINDALLOO CLONE,REVISED,SIMPLIFIED & UPDATED.
Post by: Mark J on December 29, 2005, 05:42 PM
Where's the picture of that!  ;D
Title: Re: 99.9% VINDALLOO/TINDALLOO CLONE,REVISED,SIMPLIFIED & UPDATED.
Post by: DARTHPHALL on December 29, 2005, 07:28 PM
I'll be posting the pureed base within a few hours.The Universe won't conquer itself you know ;D
Title: Re: 99.9% VINDALLOO/TINDALLOO CLONE,REVISED,SIMPLIFIED & UPDATED.
Post by: Ader1 on December 29, 2005, 08:04 PM
I have just made a batch of the Madras version my-self.  Have just liquidized and now cooking for a further 10 minutes.  Smells very nice and tastes nice too......Oh yes, I have halved all of the ingredients....
Title: Re: 99.9% VINDALLOO/TINDALLOO CLONE,REVISED,SIMPLIFIED & UPDATED.
Post by: DARTHPHALL on December 29, 2005, 08:19 PM
Here is the finished first stage base gravy.
Bear in mind this is a Phone Camera & the Base should turn out a Golden Yellow.
Title: Re: 99.9% VINDALLOO/TINDALLOO CLONE,REVISED,SIMPLIFIED & UPDATED.
Post by: DARTHPHALL on December 29, 2005, 08:23 PM
Ader1, can you post a picture of your Base Gravy ? :)
Title: Re: 99.9% VINDALLOO/TINDALLOO CLONE,REVISED,SIMPLIFIED & UPDATED.
Post by: Ader1 on December 29, 2005, 08:35 PM
Darthphall,

Sorry, I cannot as I don't have a link from phone to the computer although I do have a camera-phone.  I can say though that it look very much like yours from what I can see.  It is now in the cooling phase......
Title: Re: 99.9% VINDALLOO/TINDALLOO CLONE,REVISED,SIMPLIFIED & UPDATED.
Post by: DARTHPHALL on December 29, 2005, 08:38 PM
Can you send pictures from your Phone to someones E-mail address,thats how I'm doing it. ;)
Title: Re: 99.9% VINDALLOO/TINDALLOO CLONE,REVISED,SIMPLIFIED & UPDATED.
Post by: Ader1 on December 29, 2005, 08:43 PM
I am will to send picture via phone or e-mail if somebody gives me number or address.  You can PM me if you like.....or whatever......
Title: Re: 99.9% VINDALLOO/TINDALLOO CLONE,REVISED,SIMPLIFIED & UPDATED.
Post by: DARTHPHALL on December 29, 2005, 09:16 PM
Here is a picture of Ader1's Base Gravy,he has the same problem as i with regards to the colour reproduction.
But he says that it is the same as mine in that it is a rich Golden Yellow.
Title: Re: 99.9% VINDALLOO/TINDALLOO CLONE,REVISED,SIMPLIFIED & UPDATED.
Post by: Ader1 on December 29, 2005, 09:35 PM
The one thing I did different to you Darthphall is I used swartz mild curry powder.  I have family who really cannot stomach even slightly hot curries.  Oh, yes. the next time you cook this base, could you please weigh your 15 onions as to give a better idea of amount to use......Thanks for posting the picture
Title: Re: 99.9% VINDALLOO/TINDALLOO CLONE,REVISED,SIMPLIFIED & UPDATED.
Post by: DARTHPHALL on December 30, 2005, 08:58 AM
Now that I've made this batch it will be some time before i make another but i did measure the Onions.
I don't think its ultra critical but to help everyone here are the details of the Onions.
They are sold as large loose Onions in Sainsbury's.
The thickness (from Root to Stem) =approximately 80mm. Width = approximately 90mm.
As you can see i get all this 15 Onion base in two average pots,so i do recommend you cook the 15 Onion quantity.
Below is a better quality picture from a post from John,this is the actuall Golden Yellow colour of my base gravy.

Title: Re: 99.9% VINDALLOO/TINDALLOO CLONE,REVISED,SIMPLIFIED & UPDATED.
Post by: DARTHPHALL on December 30, 2005, 01:38 PM
OK I've bagged up the Base gravy for freezing.
You should get approximately 7.5 litres of Gravy in total.

I use 1.5 litres per final second stage of the actual Curry making.

This will make (Approximately) 8 Curries (home made size,which is about double a Take-away portion).

So the approximate grand total that this Base Gravy batch will make is 36 home made size Curries or 72 Take-away sized portions.

Please don't get all Furry & take these calculations as written in stone, these are close approximations anyone found taking it to literally will be hacked in half with my favorite Light Saber.? ;D

Respectfully yours the DARK LORD OF THE SITH? . :P
Title: Re: 99.9% VINDALLOO/TINDALLOO CLONE,REVISED,SIMPLIFIED & UPDATED.
Post by: DARTHPHALL on April 11, 2006, 08:53 AM
I've just edited the Passata quantity from 700grams down to 500grams in the second stage.
Title: Re: 99.9% Vindaloo/Tindaloo Clone (revised)
Post by: DARTHPHALL on November 30, 2011, 07:22 PM
Just checking my old recipes, if they are still used. Same with Madras, does it need UPGRADES!  ;D

Will be speaking to my friends at my new local BIR about the clone recipes, i think they are still spot on, however you'll find they use far less tomato based ingredients these days, cuts cost & very little is needed to create that sweetness everyone loves.

If you use the oven method less is better otherwise you can end up with a far too rich a flavour as it reduces. Hence the reason it is difficult to get right at the end/final stage, the longer cooked the sweeter they become, this is why BIR's prefer the last stage to be cooked as fast as possible to help maintain control over the final flavour   ;)

Should I amend this post or start new ones all updated for the Madras, Vindaloo & Phall as they are so old?
Title: Re: 99.9% Vindaloo/Tindaloo Clone (revised)
Post by: Razor on November 30, 2011, 07:27 PM
Hi Darth,

Personally, I would start a new thread.  If you don't, your upgrades are going to be burried away in this thread which is how old?

Looking forward to seeing the changes mate,

Ray :)
Title: Re: 99.9% Vindaloo/Tindaloo Clone (revised)
Post by: DARTHPHALL on November 30, 2011, 07:47 PM
Do you think they are popular enough to justify new threads Ray?
Title: Re: 99.9% Vindaloo/Tindaloo Clone (revised)
Post by: CurryCrazy on November 30, 2011, 07:51 PM
Yep  ;)
Title: Re: 99.9% Vindaloo/Tindaloo Clone (revised)
Post by: DARTHPHALL on November 30, 2011, 07:53 PM
Ok, will need some time, loads of old notes to dig up & get up to speed & speak to BIR staff  ;D
Title: Re: 99.9% Vindaloo/Tindaloo Clone (revised)
Post by: Unclebuck on November 30, 2011, 08:01 PM
Hi Darth yeah i think a new thread is a good idea and just add a link from this thread  :)
Title: Re: 99.9% Vindaloo/Tindaloo Clone (revised)
Post by: curryhell on November 30, 2011, 08:22 PM
Do you think they are popular enough to justify new threads Ray?

Just because they were posted some time ago, this doesn't detract from the knowledge gained and used to write them.  Knowledge is knowlege and does not age.  I am sure your old posts are read as frequently as the newer posts on here Darth.  Go for it and start a new thread which will be built on solid foundations as all the "old timers" will know ;D
Title: Re: 99.9% Vindaloo/Tindaloo Clone (revised)
Post by: jb on November 30, 2011, 08:54 PM
I remember reading these threads first time around(nearly seven years ago???!!!!)    Can't wait for the updates!! 
Title: Re: 99.9% Vindaloo/Tindaloo Clone (revised)
Post by: Stephen Lindsay on November 30, 2011, 09:51 PM
DarthPhall

if you were updating / upgrading these threads I would defo want to give them a go.
Title: Re: 99.9% Vindaloo/Tindaloo Clone (revised)
Post by: Razor on November 30, 2011, 11:01 PM
Hi Darth,

Without a doubt start up a new thread, they're definitely worth it.

Ray :)
Title: Re: 99.9% Vindaloo/Tindaloo Clone (revised)
Post by: DARTHPHALL on December 01, 2011, 11:22 AM
ok peeps will deal with this in good time, have noticed this site isnt as active as it once was, what has happened?

Isnt this still the best site in the world for making BIR curries?
Title: Re: 99.9% Vindaloo/Tindaloo Clone (revised)
Post by: Les on December 01, 2011, 11:31 AM
Well apparently we have over 16,000 members, but I just see the same 10-15 regular posters ::)

HS
Title: Re: 99.9% Vindaloo/Tindaloo Clone (revised)
Post by: DARTHPHALL on December 01, 2011, 11:51 AM
It used to be a hive of activity, seems almost dead here people.

Makes me kind of sad to see the CRO site so light on active members.

Title: Re: 99.9% Vindaloo/Tindaloo Clone (revised)
Post by: wheresmyhead on April 19, 2012, 10:02 AM
This looks great, I've already made up the base sauce to Darth's spec and will hopefully be able to make the finished curry this weekend.
Title: Re: 99.9% Vindaloo/Tindaloo Clone (revised)
Post by: George on April 19, 2012, 10:52 AM
It used to be a hive of activity, seems almost dead here people.
Makes me kind of sad to see the CRO site so light on active members.

I think that's a most unfair comment and not even true from an objective standpoint.

There was a relatively small bunch of highly active members back in the mid 2000s, which included us as well as members like markj, curryking, and ghanna, who we haven't heard from for ages, regrettably. There's still a relatively small bunch of highly active members, but many of them are different people. Some folks have dropped out and others have joined. I'd say the activity level is at least as high now, as it was then. More to the point, is any other similar site (forum) doing any better? I really don't think so. It seems to be a characteristic of most forums that they level out with a bunch (20-50) of highly active members, regardless of the number of registered sign-ups.
Title: Re: 99.9% Vindaloo/Tindaloo Clone (revised)
Post by: 976bar on April 19, 2012, 06:10 PM
It used to be a hive of activity, seems almost dead here people.

Makes me kind of sad to see the CRO site so light on active members.

No disrespect, but why aren't you contributing anymore?.......

Your input used to be greatly valued.... we'd like to see you back!! :)
Title: Re: 99.9% Vindaloo/Tindaloo Clone (revised)
Post by: wheresmyhead on April 20, 2012, 09:37 PM
I made this curry tonight and my lack of faith was disturbing whilst I cooked it. It was very thin and I was sure this was not the Vindaloo I was looking for.

So I added some more oil, turned the burners up and let it reduce on high heat to that nice thick BIR consistency.

The result was a cracking Vindaloo that even a Dark Lord of the Sith would be proud of.

Cheers Darth, I'll be making this again  :)