Curry Recipes Online
British Indian Restaurant Recipes - Main Dishes => British Indian Restaurant Recipes - Main Dishes => Vindaloo => Topic started by: pete on December 15, 2005, 08:17 AM
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Veg Vindaloo
I know most of you probably don?t have Vegetable Vindaloo very often, but it?s a goal of mine to make it.
I had another demo with this dish
The fact is that weather it?s a veg, prawn or chicken vindaloo, they still have the taste of the amazing sauce with them
In truth, I think that?s the best part
Ingredients
3 ladles Curry gravy
Curry Gravy oil
1 desert spoon sliced fresh mushrooms
1 precooked small potato
1 desert spoon garlic ginger puree (looked like a yellowy thin horse radish)
1 desert spoon tomato puree (thick paste)
1 desert spoon restaurant spice mix
1 teaspoon coriander/cumin mix
1 ladle precooked mixed veg
1 desert spoon canned chick peas
Heat ? a ladle of oily curry gravy in a pan
Cook for a minute
Add the mushrooms and garlic ginger puree and fry for a couple of minutes
Add the tomato puree and restaurant spice mix
Stir until it dries almost out
Add the potato
Then add a ladle of the curry gravy
Stir another minute and add the mixed veg and chick peas
Stir a couple of minutes and reduce down
Then add the last of the curry gravy along with the coriander/cumin mix
Stir and add a large spoon of Curry Gravy oil
I have seen this done a couple of times now:-
The chef covers the pan with an upturned frying pan and lets it fiercely boil for a couple of minutes
When he took the frying pan, off the top, the aroma was fantastic
As always this was a superb curry
I asked for some of the spice mix and, they are such nice people, they gave me some
It?s a ?darker than turmeric? colour
It was explained that it?s made of five spices
Turmeric, cumin, coriander, paprika and curry powder
I have compared it to the Bruce Edwards spice mix.
It?s very similar but has slightly more paprika
It tastes and smells almost the same
The spices don?t add any real flavour to the curry, when cooked for such a short time
They really just add aroma
I have asked on several occasions for extra sauce with my curry
They serve this in a side order carton
This extra sauce is made up from just the curry gravy, curry gravy oil, garlic ginger puree and spice mix
The only thing that has to be right, to make this succeed, is the curry gravy
However we are making the curry gravy, it has to be good enough to eat on it?s own
I was given a large sample of that too
And I did eat it on it?s own
It?s very,very nice
It has that ?eat the lot of it? flavour with a taste of oily, boiled, fried onions with a slight spiceyness
The curry gravy is the only area where there is still some element of doubt
The closest , on this site, is probably Mark J?s full sized base
I was told, to make up the large pot on the stove, you need a lot of onions
The chef gestured to a large washing up basin
He said he fills that with the peeled onions
It probably would hold about 30 onions (same as Mark J too)
He said never use Spanish onions
They are far too watery
There isn?t much spice in the gravy either
For this base only about 6 desert spoons of spice mix
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Nice one Pete, is there any chance he would allow you to watch them make the gravy?
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Hi Ck
that's one thing I would really like to see
I think it's the most important part of the curry
The trouble is that it takes so long to make
It's a small kitchen too, so you get in the way very easily
Maybe I will get to see parts of it being cooked, but I doubt I will ever see the whole thing
Someone said they might be getting a demo (for a price), didn't they?
Was it Gary (woodpecker)?
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Pete you forgot the chilli powder ;D
Your account of the base sounds very similar to the guy I talked to, again there was very little spicing in the base for 30+ onions.
Pete can you define what you think a spanish onion is?
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Heres an article I found on onions:
Yellow Storage Onions?
The most common cooking onions, yellow storage onions are sold in red net bags.? They are hot and usually will make you cry.? They are a dry onion, with a heavy brown wrapper and little crispness.? Their heat disappears with cooking.? This onion is the workhorse of cookery?good in any heated dish or any other dish in which subtlety is not an issue.
White Storage Onions
These onions are hot, but with a slightly sharper, cleaner flavor than yellows.? They also tend to have a slightly shorter shelf life because they lack the pigment that affords them protection against mold and because they have proportionally more water than the yellows.? They are most commonly used in Mexican cuisine.
Spanish Onions
Spanish onions are a large yellow storage onion, as round as a globe.? They usually have a slightly higher water content and so generally are less hot, sweeter, somewhat crisper and more perishable then the storage onion.? They have some heat?just enough to let you know that they mean business.? Spanish onions can substitute for specialty sweet onions out of season.
Red Onions
Red onions are similar to Spanish onions in their characteristics:? Their flavor is sharp, sweet and pungent; their texture is a bit coarser with a very thick wrapper.? Uncooked, red onions make a handsome addition to salads of all types.? However, when cooked, these onions lose some of their color.
Boiling Onions
Boiling onions are very small yellow or white storage onions, usually about two inches in diameter.? They will be hot to the taste before cooking and are best when left whole and boiled or simmered in a stew.
Pearl Onions
Pearl onions are between 1 inch and 1-1/4 inches in diameter with a thin, white wrapper.? They are crisp, with a surprising sweetness and only after chewing does a little sharpness kick in.? Pearls are very good when marinated or pickled.
Specialty Sweet Onions
Specialty sweet onions are very high in water content, low in heat and high in sweetness.? They are extremely crisp and fairly perishable.? These are the onions that most often are sold under a regional name (Maui, Vidalia, Walla Walla and have a limited season.? Usually yellow, most are shaped like globes or slightly flattened globes.? These onions are excellent raw, delicate when cooked and they caramelize nicely.? Try them for your next onion rings.
Leeks
Leeks have a tough green top that is discarded.? In flavor, the garden-variety leek is like an offbeat onion, very hot, coarse and chewy.? Leeks are best cooked.? When cooked, leeks develop a warm, oniony flavor.? When chopped and sauteed, they become almost buttery in texture.
Scallions
Scallions have a white bulb that is mild in flavor and enjoyable both cooked and raw.? Scallions are a common ingredient in Chinese cuisine; the bulb is cooked to add flavor, the raw greens tops are chopped and sprinkled on at the end as a garnish.
Shallots
Shallots, which are like tender, delicate onions in taste and aroma, come in a variety of sizes.? They make a superb base for sauces and a splendid addition to omelets.? Cooked whole, they hold their shape and caramelize beautifully, making them an excellent addition to anything braised or roasted.? Like the leek, the shallot is not for eating raw.
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Hi Pete,
Did the pre cooked mixed veg's look as though they had been cooked with spices, were they coloured / crusted / coated , or did they look as though they had just been boiled ?The same goes for the meat when you have seen it done with that, spiced or just boiled?
I'm asking because it is my belief that the main ingredient is responsible for a lot of the flavour,the curry gravy providing the background.
Dave.
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You can get Sweet Onions in Sainsbury`s (part of their "taste the difference range") anyone tried them in their Curry making ?
DARTHPHALL..... 8).....
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Yellow Storage Onions?
The most common cooking onions, yellow storage onions are sold in red net bags.? They are hot and usually will make you cry.? They are a dry onion, with a heavy brown wrapper and little crispness.? Their heat disappears with cooking.? This onion is the workhorse of cookery?good in any heated dish or any other dish in which subtlety is not an issue.
I guess its these that are commonly used in BIRs then
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I use these "red net bag" onions now. They make a difference.
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Hi all,
The standard onions in the local asian shops round here are the red net bag variety and are plentiful and cheap as chips. The locals buy them by the sackful, more for the price than their properties.
They do also sell spanish onions which are a lot bigger, you can only pick up one at a time. ::)
It is obvious by whats on display the red net bag type are the popular ones.
It is interesting that the Natco Base recipe uses red onions which seems a little odd.
I have never used any other alternative to the standard onion and assume this is what you get in a shop if no other variety is offered as an option.
Ray
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Spanish Onions
Spanish onions are a large yellow storage onion, as round as a globe.? They usually have a slightly higher water content and so generally are less hot, sweeter, somewhat crisper and more perishable then the storage onion.?
Hi CK
? ? ? ?you have more or less said what the chef said
He said there was too much water
The onions they buy are in these large knee high red netted bags
You can get a bag for around ?1.50 or ?2.00 from my local asian supermarket
I bet the restaurants get a big discount on that too
Pete you forgot the chilli powder ;D
Your account of the base sounds very similar to the guy I talked to, again there was very little spicing in the base for 30+ onions.
Hi Mark
I haven't tried to duplicate the spice mix yet
But the chef was insistant on only the five spices I mentioned
He held up his hand when he said "five" so I am sure there was no misunderstanding
I have seen him use chilli powder in cooked curries so I guess he just adds chilli powder later
I also asked about using dried methi leaves in the base and he said no
Again, he uses it, but when a only when curry requires it
What really surprised me this time was how watery the curry gravy seemed.
It had about the same liquid consistancy as a cup of tea
There was also this lovely red oil floating on top too
I think your 30 onion curry base recipe is the exact real thing
I will never be able to make it though
It's too large for me to cook
I also think that you do need to make it in bulk to get the "magic" happening
Hi Pete,
Did the pre cooked mixed veg's look as though they had been cooked with spices, were they coloured / crusted / coated , or did they look as though they had just been boiled ?The same goes for the meat when you have seen it done with that, spiced or just boiled?
I'm asking because it is my belief that the main ingredient is responsible for a lot of the flavour,the curry gravy providing the background.
Dave.
Hi Dave
? ? ? ? ? I wondered about the main ingredients carrying a large part of the flavour too.
Indeed the vegetables had been precooked in oil, salt and spice and a little water
The veg end up, really quite dry
The veg were a bit oily and yellow with a very small amount of the mixture it was cooked in.
They hadn't just been boiled with spices and water
It's more intense than that
As I understand, it is very similar to the precook methods in the Kushi book
But having said that
Prawns are not precooked with spices are they?
I have seen them cooked and they just thawed them out
They were used at my prawn madras demo the other month
That curry was very tasty and not lacking in any flavour
I conclude all the flavour we love comes from the
curry gravy
curry gravy oil
garlic ginger puree
and the spice mix (which is mainly aroma)
And the most important part is the curry gravy
Someone else, try and buy some when you next buy a curry
It can't hurt to ask
Just say you want to cook with it, they will probably be amused and give you some
All these chefs seem to be really nice people and once, they know you are not a threat, will love to talk about cooking
Call in when it's quiet
Monday,Tuesday and Wednesday nights are good
I also wonder if covering the curry at the end, and making it really hot, has an effect too
We need more demos
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Hi Pete,
Tried the vindaloo recipe last night followed it to the letter, result was fantastic, I am hooked on this recipe .
Thanks
Steve e
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Hi Pete,
Tried the vindaloo recipe last night followed it to the letter, result was fantastic, I am hooked on this recipe .
Thanks
Steve e
That's brilliant Steve
My recent demo posts are very "straight forward" curries
And that's how the takeaways cook them
Which recipe base did you use?
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Hi Pete,
I used the kd base as shown in one of your previous posts, some small additions i e
4 black cardamons and small slice of coconut block,the rest exactly to the letter.
I suppose the addition of chili powder along with the final coriander/cumin mix would give the required "heat" but I was more than happy with this curry the way it came.
Steve e
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Pete you forgot the chilli powder ;D
But the chef was insistant on only the five spices I mentioned
He held up his hand when he said "five" so I am sure there was no misunderstanding
I meant in your final recipe for vindaloo, not the base. Unless my eyes deceive me there is not chilli in it
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Hi Mark
? ? ? ? ? This is the local variation
Round here a vindaloo is not a hot curry
Madras is hotter and a Ceylon is very hot
They are all brilliant curries though
I buy vindaloo if the whole family is eating
That way, everyone can have some
When I used to buy curries in Croydon, Farnham, Derby, Sheffield and Helston the vindaloo was a very hot curry
It was only one step down from a phall
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When I used to buy curries in Croydon, Farnham, Derby, Sheffield and Helston the vindaloo was a very hot curry
Blimey Pete, You are prepared to drive a long way in search of your favourite dish aren't you!
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Just places I've lived (as I'm sure you knew!)
But wherever I've had a curry, the general taste, has been very similar
The only place where I was disappointed was Cornwall
It was a restaurant called "the indian cottage"
I thought it tasted a bit home made
I used to frequent a restaurant in Farnham on South Street
It closed ages ago
I really loved the food
I sometimes called in at 5.30 in the afternoon on a Sunday
I was the only customer (not surprising) and it was quite strange to be see your meal in daylight.
It was normally low light or candles.
Apparently, when the place was taken over, there were rats and everything there.
The food was great though!
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Here in the depths of rural Cornwall (OOOAAARR!!!) the hottest is the Phall ,&/or the Tindalloo, followed by the Vindalloo then Madras etc...etc...
I must admit i`ve not come across a BIR that makes their Madras hotter than a Vindalloo, nice twist, you want a Madras cos its not as hot...NOT !!!... GOT YAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! :o.
Don't like someone who eats Korma a lot ? Make it as hot as a PHALL :P, hehehehe (this is a joke i wouldn't do it really..mmmm)
Like i`ve said there is variation across this little island ?;).
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Indian Cottage.....(Never heard of it). :o.
There is a new one in Newquay (shame the town itself is a dump :D) that is also meant to be as good as my fave BIR.
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Dont give up on Cornwall, several times I've taken the familly to Cornwall and there is a superb indian called the Taj Mahal (unoriginal I know) in Penzance that does fantastic BIR food, always packed and the take-aways are so good.
Just to add my parents live near a heavily populated indian comminity in Ilford, and there are some very good indian food shops, one of which makes up a real proper batch of lamb biryani, none of the veg curry rubbish, but some lovely rice cooked with lamb and spices, so much nicer than the BIR copy.
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Thanks Adamski for your faith in.... Cornish Curries !!! ;)
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Thanks Adamski for your faith in.... Cornish Curries !!! ;)
Hi Darth
? ? ? ? ? ?I'm not putting down Cornish Curries
I lived there for five years and there were loads of brilliant meals
It was just one restaurant I didn't like
It was supposed to be a special event, with a special meal and it wasn't!
The only thing in it's favour, was that is wasn't greasy
I have had a few bad experiences in Nottingham too
The worst was a curry that one of my kids brought home
I reckon a quarter of it's volume WAS oil
It had a very rancid taste too
That place has closed now
Dont give up on Cornwall, several times I've taken the familly to Cornwall and there is a superb indian called the Taj Mahal (unoriginal I know) in Penzance that does fantastic BIR food, always packed and the take-aways are so good.
Hi Adamski
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? I still go to Cornwall fairly regularly
I really like Penzance, I've got cousins who work and live there
I flew to the Scilly Ilse from Penzance, and have been on the Scillonian a few times too
I don't think serving curries on that boat would be a good idea!
I hope I can check the Taj Mahal out, one day.
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Pete.
There is a Curry house in ST Austell (Cornwall) that sounds like the Indian Cottage (bloody horrible,dry,the Biryani is a bit like eating a Haggis !! :o). ;D
All the best for the Christmas season........DARTHPHALL.....
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I spent a couple of hours with an old friend
He is the owner of a local takeaway
He was one of the first chefs, who allowed me into their kitchen
Such a lovely bloke
Apart from general chat, we discussed cooking methods and techniques
He was most emphatic about not using old oil for curry bases
I told him I was doing that, and he was most alarmed
He only uses fresh oil in his base, but skims it off, at the end for cooking the curries.
He was aware of places, which use old oil, so it does go on
I guess it isn?t a healthy idea
His takeaway had just finished making up a new base
The greater portion is kept in the fridge and will last several days
They take whatever is needed, every so often
I stood next to him as he prepared a vegetable Vindaloo for me
The man is a genius
With such simple ingredients, he made a masterpiece
And what aroma came from that frying pan
A splash of Curry Gravy oil and some ginger/garlic puree
Stir stir stir
Then add a large spoon of tomato puree
Constantly stir and flatten across the pan for a couple of minutes
Then a 1/3 rd spoon of spice mix and 1 large pinch of salt
Stir all together for a minute
Stir stir stir and a ladle of curry gravy
At this point the aroma was fantastic
In go a few pre cooked vegetables (potato, courgette, carrot, broccoli, cauliflower)
Mix it all up then add some deep fried okra and aubergine, and fresh sliced mushroom
Stir in, add some more curry gravy
Add a pinch of dried fenugreek leaves and a pinch of fresh coriander
All the time he was stirring the pan
A little more curry gravy
Simmer without stirring for five minutes and it?s ready
As anticipated the curry was absolutely amazing, and I felt better because I knew all ingredients used were fresh
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i buy my onions loose, which makes me think perhaps i might be using spanish variety. im wondering if anyone can tell me how to know the diffrence? Are spanish onions the big round large ones and any others are ok to use?
thanks in advance
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i buy my onions loose, which makes me think perhaps i might be using spanish variety. im wondering if anyone can tell me how to know the diffrence? Are spanish onions the big round large ones and any others are ok to use?
thanks in advance
I don't think it matters what onions you use
Onions vary in flavour and size throughout the year
Depending what's imported from where, or local suppliers
Any onion (except maybe red and spring onions) is good for a base
Raw is a different story
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I've recently made Bruce Edwards base two weekends in a row, one made with large Spanish onions and the second made with cheap small onions from Tesco. I really couldn't tell the difference - both bases tasted the same.