Curry Recipes Online
British Indian Restaurant Recipes - Main Dishes => British Indian Restaurant Recipes - Main Dishes => Madras => Topic started by: SnS on April 15, 2008, 07:15 PM
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This recipe is simple and precise. It is a good introduction to cooking using the base gravy method, while also producing a reasonable curry.
This is for use with the Saffron base which is fairly thin and bland. If you're using another base then the results may differ. Do avoid using 'spicy' bases for this recipe.
Regards
SnS ;D
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1 tsp - 5 ml, 1 tbsp = 15 ml
Makes 1 portion of Prawn Madras style curry (it is better to cook each portion separately)
0.5 medium cooking onion, finely chopped (do not use Spanish)
0.5 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp tomato paste
3 tbsp vegetable oil (do not reduce this)
200 ml of base gravy (or more, if you want to use instead of water - see below)
1 tsp mango chutney (to sweeten - adjust to taste - or omit)
1 tbsp chopped coriander (leaves & stems - adjust to taste - or omit)
Handful of defrosted prawns
Spice mix
1.25 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp chilli powder (or more for chilli-heads)
0.5 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp methi (dried fenugreek leaves) - this is optional, but will improve both flavour and aroma
Heat oil in a medium size frying pan low/medium heat (based on a large 3 kW burner*)
Add chopped onion and stir to coat with oil. Stir regularly to avoid burning smaller pieces.
The aim here is to gently fry the onion for about 5 minutes until sweet and translucent, without browning. Before moving on to next stage, taste the onion to ensure there is no bitterness remaining.
Add ginger, garlic and tomato paste and stir into onions. Fry on medium heat for 2-3 minutes stirring regularly (uncooked meat pieces can be added here, stir for another 1 minute).
On medium heat, add spice mix and stir constantly for about 30 - 40 seconds mixing well.
Increase to high heat. Using a ladle, add about 50ml (1/4) of the base gravy (should sizzle profusely as water evaporates), mix in well, after a few seconds add another ladle, mix ... keep going until all 200 ml of the gravy has been used (adding gravy in stages ensures contents of pan remain hot and sizzling).
DO NOT BURN SPICES as this will cause the curry to taste bitter. This part takes practice. The spices should darken a few shades and give off a toffee-like aroma. If the spices look black - start again. Mixing spice powders with a little water to form a thick paste can help prevent burning at the learning stage.
Turn down heat to medium/low. Some oil should now have separated. When the the curry thickens (which it will), the oil is re-adsorbed. Add a little hot water (or more base gravy for a richer taste).
Add chopped coriander and mango chutney. Simmer for 10 minutes, maintaining a 'fluid' consistency by adding more water or base gravy as necessary.
Add prawns and heat through (optionally add cooked meats, fried mushroom, pieces of boiled potato, sliced tomato, etc). Add salt (to taste).
* Heat settings may vary between cookers. A domestic 'wok' burner is about 3.0 to 3.6 kW.
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SnS, your cooking methods are very different to mine! All this softening and simmering - what's that all about then. Low heat? Goodness! :P You are an associate member of FAGS aren't you ;D
I'd take those ingredients, get the oil as hot as hell, put in the onion, garlic and ginger, fry for about 30 seconds, take it off the heat while adding the tomato paste and spice mix and methi (about half as much), get it back on the heat, stir it like a maniac pushing the spices into the pan, wait for the toffee.... "MMMmmmm!!!", whack in a bit of base sauce and evaporate it off, do that again, add the meat, get the rest of the base sauce in bit by bit, throw in the coriander, put the Mango Chutney back in the jar :o and serve. Cooking time - about 4 or 5 minutes.
I really don't understand how anyone could burn the spices. All you have to do is stir and not cook them for that long...
All that said, this is a good post for those starting out on their first attempt. The cooking at high heat on short timescales really does mean that you have to know what your doing - there's no time to consult your recipe book. However I wouldn't anticipate that this method would turn out as good a curry as the more standard one.
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I assume from what you've said that you think flash frying the onions makes them bitter? I don't do it until they're brown, just until they look like they will start to brown. I've done it the slow way in the past and you don't get the same smell from the garlic and ginger paste. When you blast the hell out of them you get this lovely toasty garlicy gingery aroma that is far different that just the smell of the uncooked paste.
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Like I mentioned Bobby, it's really meant to be an introduction to using the base gravy method, so exprimenting with whacking up the heat to 2000C can come later. We all know how easy (and demoralising) it can be to burn the onion, garlic or spices (previous posts) and end with a bitter tasting curry.
SnS ;)
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Like I mentioned Bobby, it's really meant to be an introduction to using the base gravy method, so exprimenting with whacking up the heat to 2000C can come later.
Just as I was hoping SnS! Perhaps I've been a little too quick to judge ::)
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I don't think I've ever used quite so much Methi for one serving - infact I'm sure I haven't. That's a whole tablespoon right? I'm going to have to give that a shot!
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As long as you're not pregnant Bobby it should be okay. Long live Methi!
BTW Bobby, that is 1 x tbsp of Methi as it comes out of the box (not fine crumbled)
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With the weekend upon me, it was time again to find a CR0 recipe that I was interested in, do a spot of shopping, then get back to the chopping board.
So here it is, SnS's simple Madras style curry.
At first I didn't have great hopes for this recipe. All this namby pamby simmering and medium heat nonsense. However I was very pleasantly surprised!
Here are my ingredients.
(http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/gallery/3840_19_05_08_12_29_20.jpg)
So firstly I cooking the 1/2 onion for around 5 minutes until translucent.
(http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/gallery/3840_19_05_08_12_31_07.jpg)
The tomato paste, garlic paste and ginger paste were then added and cooked for a few minutes. At this point I noted how much of a reddish colour the oil took on. Much more than when I fry hot and fast. I looked a lot like the oil I get from the top of a takeaway carton.
(http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/gallery/3840_19_05_08_12_31_44.jpg)
I then added the spice mix (which I was a bit dubious about - seemed like a lot of spice mix for not much curry) and the methi (again, this seemed like A LOT of methi). I noted here that the recipe said nothing of crumbling in the Methi but knowing that this is the correct practise, I crumbled away. I was surprised that at this temperature, I still got the toffee smell / chocking, albeit less fiercely.
(http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/gallery/3840_19_05_08_12_32_23.jpg)
So I got the pan hotter (still not that hot but hot enough) and added the first splash of base. It didn't explode as it would usually do but still evaporated quite quickly. I got another unexpected waft of sweet toffee smell here.
(http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/gallery/3840_19_05_08_12_33_00.jpg)
10 minutes on, and several small additions of hot water later, the sauce was done. Notice the oil separation, even though I was stirring often.
(http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/gallery/3840_19_05_08_12_33_38.jpg)
I put in the handful and king prawns and heated them through.
(http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/gallery/3840_19_05_08_12_34_12.jpg)
Here's the finished product served with my own pilau rice made using the tea caddy whole spice removal technique (based on the UB muslin bag technique), garnished with a coriander leaf and bird eye chili.
(http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/gallery/3840_19_05_08_12_34_53.jpg)
Result, delicious. Far better than any of my expectations. It tasted very sweet despite the fact that I didn't add any Mango chutney, which I put down to the cooking of the onions in stage 1.
The spice mix was great aswell with the coriander seed and cumin seed coming through just right. I think that using UBs base really complemented the spice mix, since the aromatic spices were there in the background and so no one spice was overly dominant.
The methi was fine too, I didn't feel that it was too much. Despite my initial fears, I really enjoyed this curry and award it 8.5 / 10, and great for a novice to try out.
I now conclude that the heat I have been trying to use doesn't make any difference - it just makes it easier to burn things. Perhaps the maximum heat that my hob can produce just isn't enough to make that difference, and if so, I may aswell stop trying because this way is easier and far less messy. If I am to go back to using high heat, I will still fry the onion gently until translucent, as the resulting sweetness is top notch.
I highly recommend trying this curry - and UB, if you get a chance, try this one with your base and report back, I think you too will be pleasantly surprised.
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Hi Bobby
Thank you for trying this. I'm pleased it turned out okay ... especially as you were a little sceptical regarding the cooking/frying temperatures.
Regards
SnS ;)
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I'm pleased it turned out okay ...
Okay? I said it was really good! Some people eh! Never bloody happy! :P ;D 8)
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Looks great Bobby.
SnS - So what exactly about this recipe makes it "ideal for novices"?
Other than the precision of the method (which is always good) it looks similar to other Madras recipes on cr0.
-- Josh
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SnS - So what exactly about this recipe makes it "ideal for novices"?
I think he means the lack of high cooking temperatures, most importantly at the adding of the pastes, and the adding the spices. It's really easy to burn them if you're a novice, or if your just not paying enough attention. This lower temperature approach takes longer but in my opinion actually tastes just the same (and makes much less mess). It also gives the novice time to read the recipe, or root around in the fridge for ingredients etc without ruining the curry.
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Interesting. So do you believe the only advantage of cooking at high heat is quicker time to table?
I thought that high heat, especially at the paste/spice stage was a requirement to get the BIR taste and aroma.
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Interesting. So do you believe the only advantage of cooking at high heat is quicker time to table?
I thought that high heat, especially at the paste/spice stage was a requirement to get the BIR taste and aroma.
So did I, but I use a Halogen hob. I'm thinking now (and I'm not sure, I'll have to experiment with the heat more) that even the highest heat achieved in the domestic kitchen is not enough to get the taste that comes from extreme heat. If this is the case, and you're never going to upgrade to an industrial strength burner then why go the hassle and mess of cooking at high heat?
That said, I would be happy to have bought last nights Madras from a takeaway - more than happy infact. There was nothing missing there that I feel you get from a BIR. It was better than any of the takeaways in Edinburgh that I've tried so far, although that's not saying a great deal as I've only had one good one.
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SnS - So what exactly about this recipe makes it "ideal for novices"?
Other than the precision of the method (which is always good)
Hi Josh
As Bobby explained above - and you've already pointed out! 8)
A detailed recipe without the high heat, mess or panick. And now, thanks to Bobby, with photo's too!
it looks similar to other Madras recipes on cr0.
Surely, all Madras recipes will have some similarity. :-\
Regards
SnS ;)
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SnS, does that look pretty similar to your own efforts at the same dish?
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Only difference I can see is the onion size (I chop my onions slightly smaller than yours), but other than that, it appears to look the same. BTW nice photos Bobby!
;)
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Cheers mate! ;D
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Thats been the most succesful madras ever, I had been trying a lot of madras recipes in the search of the perfect madras until I found this recipe, it turned out perfect for me, the search is over ;D this differnet approach has really worked, Yummy
Thanks a lot for the recipe
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Thats been the most succesful madras ever, I had been trying a lot of madras recipes in the search of the perfect madras until I found this recipe, it turned out perfect for me, the search is over ;D this differnet approach has really worked, Yummy
Thanks a lot for the recipe
Hey Malacara
Glad you enjoyed it.
Was it sweet enough or did you have to top it up with Mango Chutney?
Regards
SnS ;D
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SnS, just wondering what led you to the inclusion of mango chutney?
-- Josh
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Hi SnS!,
I didnt use any mango chutney, apart from that I followed the recipe to the letter (well, I used reclaimed oil too ;D). I also used the Rajver base (instead Saffron base, which I use a lot) but I wouldnt attribute the success to the base as I have tried more Madras recipes with it and the results were not as good.
It was sweet enough, to me, the perfect sweetness for a madras ;)
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SnS, just wondering what led you to the inclusion of mango chutney?
-- Josh
Hi Josh
It's a common sweetener used in Yorkshire BIR's apparantly.
Domi suggested it a while ago. Having used it I do think it is better than brown sugar.
SnS ;)
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Malacara,
your post is very comforting - it reinforces the existence of a "threshold" for a base. i too make rajver and saffron frequently and on most recipes (CTM being the only exception when i think the rajver has the edge) and would say there is very little discernable difference in the result ie final curry taste (both being spot on, the ifindforu is also spot on but slightly different).
the perfect sweetness for a madras
would you say this is down to the overall balance of the recipe or does the longer medium heat cooking of the onion do it for u.
would also appreciate your thoughts on the methi both it's addition in general and it's addition in the spice mix.
the onion cooking, spice mix and methi being the key differences to the madras i make. i've tried adding the methi after the bulk of the base has gone in but did not find a significant difference. i would need to make the SNS spice mix to compare against my interpretation of LB's - it's similar with the SnS mix having no paprika and a relatively high proportion of methi (3 tbsp or 44%).
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Hi JerryM,
First of all I do think now the recipe is spot on, very well balanced, I wasn?t sure at first but Bobby Bhunnas opinion led me to try. The cooking technique has also proved handy to me and with excellent results, the longer medium heat cooking of the onion added sweetness to the natural sweetness of the base (Rajver in this case, but I think it could be Saffron or any other good one) resulting in a very satisfying curry ;D
I dont also find any significant difference in adding the methi with the spice mix or after the base is poured, I tend to mix methi with the spice mix but I havent been able to find a big difference in taste yet.
regards
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Malacara,
many thanks.
i have about enough of my latest saffron batch left to make a good portion and going to have to give it a go. I must admit Bobby?s pics started to sell it to me and SnS comment about cutting the onions finer had me hooked ? I got side tracked on Stews?s Jalfrezi which I really do rate.
I?ve made the SnS spice mix up (on a finger taste it?s quite hot). It?s quite different to my std LB mix so result will be interesting. I don?t find the methi overpowering given the proportion.
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SnS - no lemon juice in this madras?
-- Josh
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SnS - no lemon juice in this madras?
-- Josh
No Josh.
I suggest you try it without first.
Regards
SnS ;)
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This is going to be my dinner tonight. Will take pics and post back.
Josh
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Look forward to it Josh
We're having the same in about 30 minutes (Chicken - not prawn). I'm trying a slight variation of the Saffron base.
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OK, I took a stab at this. Pics and observations to follow.
I used reclaimed oil from a fresh batch of Saffron (with JerryM's modifications)
I used pre-cooked chicken (quick fried in a few tablespoons of curry base)
Photo 1: Ingredients Ready
Photo 2: Spices and pastes
Photo 3: Onions frying in reclaimed oil
Photo 4: Onions after 5 minutes (brilliant aroma with the oil)
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Photo 5: Adding the garlic, ginger, and tomato paste
Photo 6: Adding the spice mix
Photo 7: Adding the chicken (I did this after the first ladle of base)
Photo 8: All of the base added
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Photo 9: Adding the chutney and coriander
Photo 10: Final simmer
Photo 11: Ready to serve (with Bruce Edwards Pilau rice and UB's naan)
Photo 12: Madras in the serving dish
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Last photo: my dinner. :P
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Hi Josh
Not quite sure how this turned out for you but I'm a little bit concerned after looking at photo 5.
1) Did you use 3 tbsp oil (albeit reclaimed)
2) Was this medium heat
3) Was it stirred continuously.
It just looks a little 'compacted' and maybe on the verge of burning (this could be down to the contrast /colour in the photo though. 8)
The rest looks great. Looks the business.
SnS
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OK where to start... the curry was excellent. I'd be very happy if I got this from a good takeaway. I agree with BB - this is about an 8.5 out of ten, and definitely a keeper.
Some other observations:
- I wasn't sure what the effect of the large amount of methi was. It certainly made the curry more aromatic and pungent, but I had trouble putting a finger on how it affected the taste
- I missed the lemon juice. My usual Madras (Bruce Edwards) uses it, and I definitely missed the slight tartness that it added
- The mango chutney, in my view, had a negligible/unnoticeable impact. I didn't notice any sweetness.
- Using the reclaimed oil was a winner. My kitchen smelled like a BIR within minutes of just adding the onion.
- I didn't need to add any water or additional base during the simmer phase, probably for the same reason (modified Saffron base) that Jerry noticed with Stew's jalfrezi
Bottom line, this is a great Madras. The explicit instructions were very useful. I will probably try the BE Madras with this new base tomorrow (while this one is still in my mind) and compare the two. The thing I like best about the BE Madras is the speed I can knock one up. There is no onion pre-fry, nor any extended simmer. Curious to compare. Will report back.
-- Josh
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<<
1) Did you use 3 tbsp oil (albeit reclaimed)
2) Was this medium heat
3) Was it stirred continuously.
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Photo 5 (the pastes) or 6 (the spices)?
Yes, 3 tablespoons oil, and the heat instructions were exactly as described, and yes the stirring was constant (except the few seconds I took to take a pic!) Definitely not burnt. It may look compacted because of the pan. Its a flat bottom wok so it may look compacted.
Josh
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Hi Josh
Like I thought, the camera doesn't always give a good representation.
Otherwise, the other photos look spot on.
Glad the Madras recipe turned out okay and at least provided you a decent Sunday dinner.
Having tried it Josh, do you think this recipe is a fair and useful introduction to cooking using the curry base gravy method (as it was intended) or is there anything you would change (besides the lemon juice)?
Regards
SnS
ps It was photo 6 not 5.
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Yes, as an intro to the base method its a winner. The exact steps, temperatures, and times take a lot of the guesswork out. I experiment with a lot of recipes, and oftentimes you just have to guess on the method, what's in the spice mix, etc. Trying this one gave me a real baseline I could compare the results of others.
I could imagine having someone new to curry cooking pick out a base, make this Madras up, and be amazed with the outcome.
As for the recipe itself, I think the lemon juice is a must. I also wonder about the 10 minute simmer at the end, and if its necessary. While I didn't add any water or base, it was starting to get into Bhuna territory in terms of dryness.
--- Josh
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Hi Josh
Thanks for your comments. Warmly welcomed Josh.
Firstly the dryness you mentioned (bhuna) should be avoided by adding hot water (or more base) to keep the 'typical' fluidity of a 'Madras' (I did notice your final Madras appeared a bit dry - I sometimes also like it like that). This is specifically mentioned in the recipe as it is important.
The cooking time of 10 minutes allows the spices to mix and blend and allows the fine onions, garlic and ginger to 'dissolve' into the curry (can't think of another word) ..... ?
When you add base, if the base is thick and lacks water (as can happen if you dissapate most of the water by overcooking the base in an attempt to achieve a taster, thicker 'soup'?) then it may be too thick to 'water down' the curry and the boiling process (cooling) is replaced with a frying process (higher temp).
The secret is to add (hot) water (as Stew has found with his recent Jalfrezi) ... or add more watery base.
Adding more of the original watery 'Saffron base' would make the curry thinner and more fluid. Adding a thicker version of the Saffron base (or other) will also require addition of water (which counteracts the creation of a thicker base (for purpose of taste) in the first place).
There is a very fine line between a 'tasty curry soup' and a 'versatile curry base', and in my opinion (for what its worth), if the base tastes really nice (almost a curry sauce), then it is too rich and is not suitable as an 'all round' curry base.
Conclusion: for now, leave the Saffron base as it is - it may not taste great but the water has a part to play in the final stages.
The lemon juice can be added, but I guess that is personal preference (like the salt, coriander and mango) but borders on turning a Madras into a sweet and sour affair (pathia style). I also add lemon juice and other ingredients, but I wouldn't describe the final taste as a 'Madras' despite liking the taste.
Best regards
SnS
ps: also going to post this on the Saffron thread.
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SnS - Interesting thoughts and useful info.
(I did notice your final Madras appeared a bit dry - I sometimes also like it like that). This is specifically mentioned in the recipe as it is important.
>>> I thought I'd try it without adding extra base or water. I too sometimes like it that way. It was more an observation than anything else.
The cooking time of 10 minutes allows the spices to mix and blend and allows the fine onions, garlic and ginger to 'dissolve'
>>> Is that a general rule that you use for all curries? I usually just leave it on long enough to warm through the meat.
Adding more of the original watery 'Saffron base' would make the curry thinner and more fluid. Adding a thicker version of the Saffron base (or other) will also require addition of water (which counteracts the creation of a thicker base for purpose of taste in the first place).
>>> Even with the extra cooking time, the modified base was still very fluid. More comments on the long-cook Saffron below.
There is a very fine line between a 'tasty curry soup' and a 'versatile curry base', and in my opinion (for what its worth), if the base tastes really nice (almost a curry sauce), then it is too rich and is not suitable as an 'all round' curry base.
>>> I came to a different conclusion than Jerry on the 'modified' Saffron base. To me, the taste is mostly the same (not necessarily sweeter or richer). The benefit that I drew from the experience was that the added cooking time released much more oil. You can see the first pic in the post above how much I got out. The base itself is just as fluid as the standard recipe, and the yield was not noticably less than usual. I need to try it with a few more curries to have a more definite opinion though.
The lemon juice can be added, but I guess that is personal preference and borders on turning a Madras into a sweet and sour affair (pathia style).
>>> Most of the Madras I've had at BIRs - the good ones anyway - I'd always notice the hint of lemon juice. To me, its one of the things that says "this is Madras", not a plain curry, Vindaloo, etc. But yes, it is a personal preference issue.
Thanks for the input.
-- Josh
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At the end of the day I hope it was worth the test.
Thanks so much for your input (we'll get those 'quote' things sorted soon -eh).
Logging off
SnS ;)
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SnS - Interesting thoughts and useful info.
I have to say, that looks a little too dark for my liking! It looks like something got burnt there! :P
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wow! josh you don't do things by halves. fabulous post.
it must have been SnS madras night last night as i too had a go - not a patch on your efforts - really impressed.
you & SnS in the last few posts have pretty much covered my thoughts.
have eaten this madras in restaurants and it is clearly a top notch curry.
very much gelled with the technique - i feel it's essential for all to have a go at just for the learning and understanding gained.
the new post on how to get finely chopped onions is very well timed - i tried to get them as fine as i could but felt i would have liked them finer (as SnS says - to blend in more).
there are a few personal taste bud changes that i would need to make coming from the type of BIR curries i've been brought up on:
a) my fav curries need to be tomatoey - (2 tbsp of tom puree instead of 1 tsp)
b) i've come to the conclusion that methi is not for me - (i would replace the spice mix with LB)
c) there is slightly too much spice ? (I would reduce from 2.75 tsp to 2 tsp per 200ml serving)
would i in future cook fast/high temp (as i do currently) or slow/medium. i would probably have to say i'll stay as is as i tend to cook several individual curries over a meal time with each taking say 10mins to cook. by using the slow technique the cooking time would effectively double.
for sure the slow technique does produce really sweet onions and it's a real breeze to do the cooking unlike the hot approach (i was actually cooking something else at the same time). for most recipes having now tasted the sweetness i have realised that i did not need it and so for most recipes will stick as i am.
this is a really good learning post and a big thanks to SnS for creating the opportunity
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Joshallen2k,
missed a bit off my last post.
1st - your tub of oil looks as impressive as mine (well pleased u too got there). It?s quite frightening to start with as the extra oil seems to initially ruin the taste of the base and it only improves as the oil is reclaimed.
2nd - in terms of the saffron extended cooking - mine too did not change in sweetness or become richer. it's difficult to explain in words. the colour at the end of cooking in the past has been sort of yellowy'ish. at the end of the extended cooking it looks just like yours - darker/redder. it's still tastes like a saffron base but i guess the only way to describe it is smoother, hence the moorish taste.
given my latest experiences with spice mix (kushi - for stews jalfrezi and SnS for the madras and previously with some of Chris303's) i going to work on spice mix matching to recipe for a while to increase my knowledge. this is prompted by how well the kushi works for jalfrezi but how the LB which i use normally is no good for jalfrezi (i tried it) and how different the SnS restaurant mix is.
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Many years ago I watched a curry-house chef knock-up a Madras for me (it may have been a Vindaloo though, I can't quite remember). This was in the Gatwick Tandoori, Ifield Crawley, now called the 'Zari'.
He did not use any chopped onion, garlic, ginger or tomarto puree. I would think that chopped onion would be essential in something like a Bhuna, and probably also the garlic, ginger and tomarto puree, if there is not enough in the oringinal base. I would not have thought it necessary in a madras, but then I haven't tried it so who knows!
I do remember he included a 'shake' (and no more) of Lee & Perrins Worchester sauce. Before he started cooking, he selected a frying pan and swirled it round with just a little oil. I remember being suprised at this because the finished dish was quite oily. This leads me to suspect that in that esatablishment at least, they never bothered to reclaim oil from the finished base, the extra oil present at the end having come from the base itself.
My method is based on his, plus certain additions I've learnt from else where (including this site!). This feeds 2 hungery adults:
I heat 3tbs oil, fry a chopped chillie, and sometimes a small pinch dried curry leaves (not typically used in BIR as far as I can see), when the seeds from the chillie start to darken I add one ladle of base (my bases fall into the thin soup type catagory) and immediately add spices: 4 lev tps Bruce Edwards 'type 2 ' spice mix (his later type containing some commerical 'curry-powder'); 1/4 lev tps pre ground dried methi leaf (I grind a whole box full after I buy it in a spice grinder); 1/2 lev tps salt; 1 lev tps brown sugar; and chillie podwer to taste.
The intial ladle of base acts like making up a paste with the spices and water, it keeps the temperature from climbing TOO fast and burniung the spices. This is something the chef did when I watched him. I cook on high heat for about a minute 'till I get the 'toffee' smell, then add the chicken (I don't bother to pre-cook this as it only takes 10 mins to cook from fresh), I cook for a minute or to, then add the rest of the base (I use 400ml in total), I also add 1/4 tps Worchester Sauce and 3 or 4 tbs of the juice from a tin of plum tomartos, or the tomartos blended with their juice. I find this gives a curry-house style sourness, much more BIR-like than lemon juice / lime juice / tamarind puree or vinegar, all of which I've tried at some stage! I cook for ten mins or so 'till the oil floats, and the pan contents have reduced to the correct consistancy, then add chopped corriander and serve!
Gona have it tonight actually!
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I will be posting a new base recipe shortly (using Saffron ingredients but completely different method), together with a Madras recipe which does not use chopped onion. Both recipes are 'under test' at the moment (Bobby Bhuna) but I hope to post this weekend.
Watch this space ....
SnS ;)