Topic: Some beginner questions please!

[BRISTOL86]

Hi Guys

Newbie curry cook here, but very willing to learn!

I'm attempting to cook my first dish this weekend using one of the 'base' recipes, and was just curious about a few things...

1) How long will unused quantities of a base/gravy keep? Is it best to keep it refrigerated or frozen?
2) What is considered the 'best' (subjective, I know!) basic way of cooking chicken/lamb in advance, so that it's just ready to add to the curry sauce during cooking?

Thanks

[fried]

When I make a base, I freeze it in 300ml portions, in ziplock plastic bags. I have a little plastic box that I keep in the freezer and I lay the bags flat or doubled in the box, seperated by a piece of kitchen paper.

If you make a lot of curry and your bases are small you could get away with a week in the fridge.

As to the best (easiest) way to cook chicken in advance...I'm a heretic, just add it raw if you're cooking on a standard stove.

[BRISTOL86]

Thanks! Will bag it up and freeze it as you suggest. Presumably it doesn't take much time at all to defrost at room temperature before using?

[fried]

I put it in the microwave for a minute, snap it into a couple of pieces, then put it in a small saucepan with a lid (can add a little liquid) on a med heat for 5 mins or so.

[Onions]

They only pre-cook in the restaurant to save time, and they're on open calor; if you're on a hob then as fried says, just chuck in the (obviously smallish) chunks of raw chicken; they'll still cook through, in a good sauce to boot.


But you don't need to boot it

[m0rq]

I always make like 10 liters of base and then freeze it in small plastic containers of 350ml each. When frozen, I take them out of the containers and shrink wrap them, this way I save much space in the freezer and always have 20+ portions of base ready.

Concerning pre-cooked chicken, I mostly prefer my chicken as tikka. On a saturday afternoon, I put 5 kg of marinated chicken (the day before) onto the grill of the baking oven until it's nicely charred on the edges, then let it cool down, cut into mouth-sized pieces and also shrink wrap them into portions (8 pcs per portion). I fit 1 kg of chicken on one baking tray, so it's 5 rounds til it's done, and you get to taste some freshly grilled tikka while you wait for the next tray :-)

The chicken goes into the microwave for 3 minutes on defrost and is ready to go into the curry at any stage. For the base, I use a simple milk pot on the stove to thaw it. Nice side effect: the base is at temperature already and is not too cold when it gets poured in the pan.

[BRISTOL86]

Thanks guys!

One more question - I keep seeing 300ml touted in recipes for the base gravy...is this the standard portion size needed for one person? So if a recipe calls for 300ml of gravy then assume the recipe is for one person and double the quantity of everything?

[Onions]

No; you would cook two curries.

Actually, increasing numbers is a whole new question, hotly debated etc, but unfortunately I can't find the thread. It might even have it's own child-board...

[BRISTOL86]

No; you would cook two curries.

Actually, increasing numbers is a whole new question, hotly debated etc, but unfortunately I can't find the thread. It might even have it's own child-board...

Oh ok so you would cook the same thing in two seperate pans rather than increase quantities and cook together?

[Onions]

You might be able to get away with two, although I believed it's advised against- it's about proprtions rather than amounts, so not everything would be doubled. Chilli powder, for eggsample. But I think I'm right in saying that over two is a right n-no.

I'm looking for a thread....