Curry Recipes Online
British Indian Restaurant Recipes - Main Dishes => BIR Main Dishes Chat => Topic started by: Panpot on December 06, 2008, 08:49 PM
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Green Chili Paste: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3914.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3914.0)
Garlic/Ginger Paste: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3915.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3915.0)
Chicken Marinade and Precooked Chicken: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3916.msg35418#msg35418 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3916.msg35418#msg35418)
Chicken Tikka Marinade and Chicken Tikka: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3917.msg35419#msg35419 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3917.msg35419#msg35419)
Chicken Pakora: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3918.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3918.0)
Vegetable Pakora: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3919.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3919.0)
Pakora Sauce: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3920.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3920.0)
Bunjara (Onion Paste): http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3921.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3921.0)
Ashoka Base Sauce: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3199.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3199.0)
Pre cooked Lamb: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3922.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3922.0)
Korma: Basic Curry Sauce heated through then add UHT Single Cream to taste add pre cooked meat and if desired coconut cream for Ceylonese or other variations including powdered nuts.
Bhuna Chicken: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3923.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3923.0)
Karahi Bhuna: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3924.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3924.0)
Chicken Jaipuri: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3925.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3925.0)
Chicken Tikka Masala: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3926.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3926.0)
Potato and Pea Curry: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3927.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3927.0)
Thats it folks I cant do any more and not sure I have any more for now anyway.
I have cooked the base sauce to the letter tonight and it smells and tastes the best I have ever made. likewise I made the Garlic/Ginger Paste to the letter and it is superb together with the best Pakora I have ever made after 30 years of searching. Good Night Panpot
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hi pp
are there any chillies in you green chilli paste? ;D
regards
gary
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Thank you very very much mate. That is a top class post. I'll be trying these now the quantities are there.
Cheers.
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Great stuff!
I'm going to have to try these soon.
I'm sure this has been asked before but I can't find the answer, what size is a chefs spoon?
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Panpot.
I too have made your base with reservations i may add..
but totally unfounded they were
it turned out as you rightly say raelly spot on...
the garlic/ginger paste as well
not tried to cook the onion paste as yet that is tomorrow
thanks again mate for your effort .... "take yesterday off and start again tomorrow"
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Thanks for setting out the info so clearly
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I can't believe I started with an error though later on my typos are obvious. The Green Ginger Paste should read Garlic/Ginger Paste. Green Chili Paste is made the same with Green Chilis and oil sorry. You should smell the base this morning, absolute heaven. You have got to believe me make it to the letter,it's the dog's whatsits. Cheers Panpot. I will post photos later today or this evening and as promised go back for the other recipes IE Madras, Patia etc, etc
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billycat your as star thanks for being honest and having a go. I have now prepared all the sauces and cooked my first Bhuna Chicken and Chicken Jaipuri with the works and I have to say I have completely cracked it. My wife scores them both 10/10 and as usual I could not smell it the same as she but she tells me it was the best ever too ( I know its contentious with some of us but the chefs at The Ashoka said its impossible to smell the food as your nostrils adjust and I was cooking for a fair while but I could get a whiff of it close up and it was it,I tell you.)
I have noticed that the Marinade needs a table spoon and a half of Garlic/Ginger Paste added, it was fantastic after a 6 hours in the fridge and better than pre cooked. I would also adjust the salt in the Onion Paste down a little.
I am going to now have a go and post Photos hopefully with the help of Unclebuck. Cheers Panpot
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Panpot,
a true star.
there is much for us all to try here and will keep us busy for ages.
the only thing i'd appreciate when u get rested is a bit more about the cooking method ie the flame/heat at the various stages when cooking the curry - what i'm getting at was it on high all through and if so how do they avoid burning.
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I don't understand why this thread isn't attracting more attention
Brilliant observations from a BIR kitchen
Intelligently written
Thanks Panpot
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I'm sure this has been asked before but I can't find the answer, what size is a chefs spoon?
Panpot, how much garlic/ginger paste did you use for the Bunjarra?
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Currymonster, I have now corrected the origional post of recipes it took me hours and I now realize I had made a few mistakes so it was One chefs spoonful. Fantastic stuff cheers Panpot
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Well done Panpot - this looks great. As soon as I've used the base I have, I will give yours a go.
What is the green chili paste used in? anything in particular? The last madras I made I used blitzed chilis instead of chili powdwer - much better...didn't get the powdery taste!!(as you would expect ::) )
Cheers
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I'm sure this has been asked before but I can't find the answer, what size is a chefs spoon?
Good point currymonster...how much is a chefs spoon in tablespoons?
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Thanks CurryCrazy he didn't show me any recipes for it's use I assume it was for the hotter dishes. Until I get some from him maybe we should experiment in the way you suggest.
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New photos added to page one :)
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Currymonster, I have now corrected the origional post of recipes it took me hours and I now realize I had made a few mistakes so it was One chefs spoonful. Fantastic stuff cheers Panpot
I appreciate the effort you've put into this Panpot and I really want to make the recipes, the thing is I don't know how big a chefs spoon is and I don't want to ruin the recipe with the wrong amount of garlic\ginger paste.
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It works out around 4 tablespoons.
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It works out around 4 tablespoons.
Thanks Jeera ;D
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Thanks lot 8)
With the garlic and ginger mix, once you have fried it and put it in a jar in the fridge, is that just ready to be used with any curry.
What does the frying do to it, is this how the bought g&g mix's are made?
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Thanks lot 8)
With the garlic and ginger mix, once you have fried it and put it in a jar in the fridge, is that just ready to be used with any curry.
What does the frying do to it, is this how the bought g&g mix's are made?
cover the top of the jar with a little oil before putting in the fridge - helps preserve it better.
the pre frying is the key for me. i feel the garlic to be a sort of light material requiring very little cooking. the ginger is the opposite. by doing the pre frying is seems to balance this difference out - i guess during the cooling. when the paste is then re heated at the dish frying stage it's a much rounder taste. i'm now converted to the stuff having used fine chopped garlic for a long time.
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I am going to give the whole lot a good go this weekend, great to read how other people are getting on with it. I will report back hopefully Sunday.
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that banjara is definatly what good bir's use in rogan josh and bhoona to get that amazing flavor, and produce meat chunks with a sauce so thick, it hangs onto each chunk of chicken. i find those bhoonas totally blow me away. For me, they have always been one of the wonders of bir cooking. If you have ever order a bhoona which is swimming in oil, a dark reddy brown color, with loads of tiny deep fried onions swimming about, and tastes the dogs bollocks, you know what i am on about! :P :P ;D
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Skaze,I certainly agree with JerryM in that it produces amore balanced taste though does definitely contribute to the final smell and texture. At The Ashoka keeping it covered in oil would allow it to remain usable up to 15 days. I am moving house soon so I have had to freeze mine just like the original "secret onion paste" though this is in a different league but will need to see in due course if the freezer effects the results. I would be surprised if the packaged stuff is precooked and given the need for things being simplified in BIRs the fact that they take the time to prepare and precook this means it must be critical.
Curry King, I am looking forward to your considered opinion. If you stick to the letter in your efforts I suspect you and some of the other stalwarts on the site will be able to figure out all manner of ways we can use the basic sauces from the Ashoka to build an extensive menu. They are The Base, Bunjara, Garlic/Ginger and Green Chili Paste. Over and above this are the Patia sauce and Garlic and Spiced Sauces I have still to get. I wondered what you thought of the Diggi Mirch, it seems expensive and though probably not used in too many TAs it is something the chef here was commited to as he doesnt like to use colouring agents just natural tints coming from the spices.
Derek Dansak, I cant quite believe the difference the Bunjara has made to the texture taste and smell of the final result of cooking the Bhuna and so much more to gain especiallay if the more experienced guys here can apply the basics of The Ashoka visit to a wider menu.
Thanks UncleBuck for loading up the photos and sorry about the quality taken on my iPhone not famous for its photographic prowess though everything else about them is fantastic. Cheers Panpot
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Glad to hear that Panpot. At last cr0 has bunjara ! it certainly did a good job of hiding all these years. A big thanks to Panpot, and also the bir chef at the Ashoka for sharing all this knowledge. Respect ;)
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Thanks UncleBuck for loading up the photos and sorry about the quality taken on my iPhone not famous for its photographic prowess though everything else about them is fantastic. Cheers Panpot
Dont thank me i thank you 8)
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I must say I'm also surprised that restaurant style 'curry powder' (as in spice mix made up by the BIR chef) is not much in evidence, it's almost going back to the KD ingredients of cumin and garam masala, funnily enough her bhuna tasted exactly like a jalafrezi I once had in Knowle near Solihull. It had a lovely flavour that I can only describe as 'spicy sausage'. That said the rest of her stuff wasn't too great in my opinion (I mean, I can't detect yoghurt in Rogan Josh, it might be in the trad version, but not in BIR)
I think this a goldmine Panpot, and I can't WAIT for your chicken madras!
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Panpot
In your 'Chicken Masala', what's the 'tandoori paste'? Is it pataks tikka paste or your tandoori marianade?
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Panpot
What garam masala do Ashoka use, pre bought or chef made; if the latter do you know the chef's recipie?
Sorry for the persistant questioning!
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Derrrrr
Disregard my last....
I've just read your notes again, properley this time!
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Adriandavidb it was a huge suprise to me that the chef didn't use a spice mix and as you can seed from the photograph he uses spices as he needs them. The Garam Masala as you found out is Eastend Brand which he strongly advised we use.
The Tandoori and Ticka pastes were Pataks brand.
Answering a question from somewhere else he strongly advised cooking on a slow flame not that fully up turbo stuff we sometimes se in TAs, probably because they need to fly the stuff out the door on Friday and Saturday nights and quality unlike for our award winning chef is as not a big issue.
Bye the way I witnessed seeing the stores of the Patak and Eastend products and them using them.
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Hi Panpot
You're not a star nor a legend YOU'RE A SPICE GOD!!!
Made a Chicken Bhuna last night and it was by far the best curry I have ever made. So much so that as far as I am concerned it was as good if not better than any Ive ever eaten before. The garlic and ginger paste and the Bunjara paste gave me IMHO the last 5% that I have been striving for. I cant say thank you enough. Job Done!!!
PS cant wait for your madras recipe ;D
RESPECT 8) 8) 8)
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does anyone know where to buy those eastend products and spices in the south east of england area. i have never come across them. only bolsts spices are easy to get
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Thanks Mickdabass I am just delighted we can start to trust what I got there and the real stars on the site can work there alchemy with the basics from The Ashoka to conjure up a wide menu until I get back there.
Derek Dansek Having had great day wandering around Brick Lane in the East End of London last year I remember the various Asian/Indian supermarkets had everything you could ever dream of and fantastic BIRs the length and breadth of the street, Without doubt the ChinaTown equivalent for Asians in London really worth a visit.
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Hi DD
you could try emailing eastend direct and maybe they can send you a list of their stockists Their email address is info@eastendfoods.co.uk
http://www.eastendfoods.co.uk
Cheers
Mick
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Answering a question from somewhere else he strongly advised cooking on a slow flame not that fully up turbo stuff we sometimes se in TAs, probably because they need to fly the stuff out the door on Friday and Saturday nights and quality unlike for our award winning chef is as not a big issue.
Panpots, thanks for answering this question (it's probably the last piece of the jigsaw for me) as i too feel the same as mickdabass even before cooking with the marg base. I'll try out the slow flame along with my normal method (adding water to the tom puree to enable full wack without burning) tomorrow night.
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Right my turn to ask you guys a question! I am going to defrost the base, Bunjara and G/G paste in the morning together with marinading the chicken, so apart from a rerun of the excellent Bhuna any suggestions of what I might do eg anybody up for suggesting a Madras based on the Ashoka basics ?
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My guess:
2 TBSP GG paste fried until hot in some oil (add raw meat at this point and stir for a bit).
1 tsp each of coriander, cumin and curry powder stirred in for a few seconds.
add 1 to 2 TBSP tomato puree, watered down if necessary, to stop burning.
add 1 ladle base and precooked meat, reduce down.
add another ladle, or however much you think is required to make a portion, 1 TBSP bunjara and simmer.
adjust seasoning as necessary
add a few quarters of tomato just before finishing
I would personally add at least a small pinch of methi once there's liquid in the pan but your choice.
Your guess is as good as mine :-\ ;D
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Hi Panpot
Secret Santas sounds the way to go - also try frying some of the chilli paste at the start. Last week I used 3 green chillies.....nice ;D
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My guess:
1 tsp each of coriander, cumin and curry powder stirred in for a few seconds.
I would adjust this to 1 tsp BE spice mix & 1 tsp chilli powder. because this base is very spicy anyway. Besides this I would think SS is spot on
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Hey I coped out and decided to cook to the letter Bhuna, Jaipuri and Korma from defrosted Ashoka Kit ie Base Sauce, Bunjara and Garlic/Ginger Paste. I wanted to test out the Korma thing from another post and I have to say
my best Indian meal for thirty years. The slow flame together with slowly adding little amounts of sauce until the consitancy was right really madpe the difference especially with the marinaded chicken being cooked from raw as per the recipes. I have taken Photographs too perhaps Unclebuck will help me post them again below. Bye the way the Pakora secret of not adding water till the vegies bleed enough for the batter really worked a treat though It took a cople of hours and a few stir rounds to happen but it did and they were my best ever too.
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Unclebuck will help me post them again below.
just email them buddy 8)
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Folks I am in the middle of moving house and my telephone lines are down In new home due to a mini tornado that came through three weekends ago now and the French engineers are still to get them up and running so there may be a delay in sending them this may well be my last Post from my old home but unfortunately my connecting cable
for the iPhone is in a box somewhere so bare with me as it will be worth it and UnckleBuck has agreed to help, good man that he is.
By theway I have just taken out of the fridge theeft overs from last night and I have to say that I actually think I can defy anyone of you to say that if you follow the recipes to the letter that the basic Ashoka Kit isn't the business,perfection even 24 hours on mmmmmmnnnn tasty! Panpot
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I've just finished cooking the base (Half Batch), the G&G paste, the Bunjarra and then finally the Bhuna and I must say it was LOVELY!
I cooked everything exactly to the letter, except I used a 4 inch piece of Cassia in the Bunjarra because I didn't have any Cinnamon sticks and home made Garam Masala where called for.
I was a bit concerned about the Bunjarra because it was more of a reddy brown than 'brown sauce' brown, i'm thinking that might be because I added too much pureed tinned tomatoes (I added 4 tbsp based on Jeeras answer earlier in this thread).It still tasted fantastic though!
Once again, thanks very much Panpot! :) :) :) :)
Here are some pictures:
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Looks great currymonster!
Have you tried any of the other Bhuna recipes on the site? i.e. CK's?
Really trying to get a sense of how the Ashoka recipes are stacking up against a few of our current standards for everyone else's tastes.
-- Josh
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Thanks Josh,
I haven't tried any of the sites other Bhuna recipes yet as I have been concentrating on Madras. I might try a Madras next based on some of the ideas earlier in this thread.
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I tell you what, I've been at this for hours doing the base, banjara and garlic ginger paste. My house is absolutely reeking! ;D I have high hopes - and pictures.
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I tell you what, I've been at this for hours doing the base, banjara and garlic ginger paste. My house is absolutely reeking! ;D I have high hopes - and pictures.
:D I know the feeling, I reckon that lot took me about 7 hours, I think the neighbours think there's a restaurant opening next door.
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We had the left overs from last night for our Tea and it was even better so another marker for the effectiveness of the kit. stick with it to the
Letter for the recipes as a starter and you won't be disappointed it tastes and smells fantastic well done lads and great pics currymonster glad you feel it was all worth the bother. By the way did you use the marinade and cook from raw and of so would you agree the chicken is juicier?
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By the way did you use the marinade and cook from raw and of so would you agree the chicken is juicier?
I had some marinated and precooked chicken (Ashoka recipe) that I cooked and froze last week. It was nice and juicy, tasty too :)
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Hey PanPot, so I've made the Bhuna with the base, garlic ginger puree and onion paste. It's lovely. I'm not where I put it on my list just yet, but let's just say it's been time well spent. Here it is.
Onions, cumin seed, salt, water, bringing to the boil
(http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/gallery/3840_14_12_08_10_43_04.JPG)
Garlic ginger paste
(http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/gallery/3840_14_12_08_10_43_44.JPG)
Ingredients. Couldn't get East End marg. My friend at the Indian cash and carry said they used to stock East End and TRS but it didn't sell. He also said it was just bog standard marg, so I just got some tesco stuff.
(http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/gallery/3840_14_12_08_10_44_19.JPG)
Onion paste. Oily!
(http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/gallery/3840_14_12_08_10_44_53.JPG)
Finished base. Sorry about the crap picture, the steam got in the way. I note that my attempt is much lighter than the BIR's. I also note that it looks a lot like my bought base, more so than any other I've made.
(http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/gallery/3840_14_12_08_10_45_30.JPG)
The chicken Bhuna. Lovely! ;D
(http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/gallery/3840_14_12_08_10_46_08.JPG)
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BB - really curious as to how you rate this base/bhuna...
I see you used whole cumin as well - how did they blend up for you? My finished base was scattered with cumin husks, looked like little pieces of white coconut.
I didn't get a chance to try the bunjarra. I didn't get the chance either to experiment with finished curries using it - had a business trip and left the base to go stale in my fridge.
Wanted to get some feedback from as many as I could before trying it again.
-- Josh
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I want to make the onion paste today Panpot....
...please would you confirm if they use Asian or European bay leaves?
Thanks
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Good question CA. how do you tell this difference between the two. i brought loads of bay leafs from my local indian/asian grocer, so i assume they are the asian ones (I hope)
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where the Ashoka recipe states e.g cumin 30 gms, does gms = grams? sorry for the dumb question, but just wanted to check. cheers DD
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Hi Guys,
Bobby I trust you enjoyed it and it was worthwhile though noticed you have used whole onions rather than chopped and again whole cumin seeds. I cant imagine this would make a difference but the chef advised cumin powder and chopped onions. Your photographs look cool,did you do the gradually mixing in the sauce routine till you got the consistency right? Is that a tin of White Tower Brand Tomato Puree and if so did you source it locally. I found small catering tins of the stuff in a Chinese Supermarket on my last trip but usually they are huge.
Cory Ander I assumed they were Asian and used them.
Derek Dansak the measure is grams your right.
Hope this helps.
I am moving house and may be unable to get back on line for a few days. My frozen Ashoka kit was moved with great care and is tucked up safely in the freezer of the new house. Cheers Panpot
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Hi Guys,
Bobby I trust you enjoyed it and it was worthwhiel though noticed you have used whole onions rather than chopped and again whole cumin seeds. I cant imagine this would make a difference but the chef advised cumin powder and chopped onions.
Oh, crap! I just read the seed on the recipe. Probably would make a difference. I read chopped but noticed that the BIR used whole. I doubt that made much difference.
I really enjoyed the curry but would love to try it with a Madras. My only criticsm is that it's maybe a bit too garlicy.
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Bobby thanks for pointing out the error in the recipe I thought I had corrected it allready so have contacted admin to change it. I also posted a wee bit more just above your reply. Cheers Panpot
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Thanks Panpot. i will post those tried and tested thai curry recipies this week.
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Good question CA. how do you tell this difference between the two. i brought loads of bay leafs from my local indian/asian grocer, so i assume they are the asian ones (I hope)
Asian bay leaves have multiple veins running up them and smell of cassia (they are from a cinnamon or cassia tree). European bay leaves have one vein running up them and don't (they are from a laurel bush). The two are distinctly different.
This link explains further (with photos of each)
link to bay leaves (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=2208.0)
Thanks for confirming they are Asian bay leaves PP
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CA, I am only assuming they were and I buy mine from an Asian Store. I will check the vain thing later though once I leave here I will be out of touch for a wee while.
Derek the Thai recipes would be great when ever you can. Cheers Panpot
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I was potting up the base today for the freezer and had a taste. It is by a mile the tastiest base I have ever come across. It's delicious. I'm tempted to try a Madras using only chilli powder in the spice mix. It has just the right amount of coconut, it's not at all overwhelming.
I made another Bhuna today using some BE spice mix and the Banjara paste again. I'm not sold on the paste. It doesn't taste that great by itself an is very oily. It tastes a lot of cassia (I didn't have Cinnamon stick)
I'm very pleased with base though and have a massive yield from the 3 kg onions, so I'll have plenty chance to play around with it.
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I've now tried a few final dishes with the base. I think the base has massive potential - ironically I prefer a simplified final version where I don't use the garlic and onion paste - I may have over salted my onion paste though.
Many thanks panpot.. outstanding base mate.
I found the finals a little oily & salty so I tried the following
2 chef spoons of Ashoka base + 1 tbl tomato puree on medium heat for a min (no oil)
add 1/4 tsp garamsala
add 1 lvl tsp methi
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tbl fresh corriander
4 chef spoons of base
add in that order (total cook time 5 mins)
magnifico.....
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I found the finals a little oily
Yes!
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posted on behalf of panpot
Here if a little delayed is the photographs for the post I did in the Asoka Recipe post over Saturday/Sunday.
1 Assemble ingredients including defrosted Base, Bunjara and Garlic/Ginger Paste with Tomato Puree together. This was for preparing the chicken Bhuna, Chicken Jaipuri and Chicken Korma.
2 Finished dishes, the deeper red of the two curries on the left of the Korma is the Jaipuri
3 Ashoka Pakora for starter.
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Yum Yum!
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I've been very quiet on this site - most impressed by the passion of the people here and their application of both science and art to this lengthy quest. Ever since my first delicious BIR curry in 1960 I have been struggling to match that so-elusive taste and flavour. I must have cooked over a thousand curries since then - often starting with renewed hope that I might have hit upon the real secret this time but never, never so far, scoring my own effort any better than about 50%. "Nice" curries, certainly but NOT BIR.
And now here we have the results of Panpot's meticulous and tenacious quest (some people never give up!). In addition to the praise he's getting from the very critical people here who have already tried his recipes; what a very nice personality emerges from his postings! - Generous and without the slightest hint of grandstanding after having, apparently, cracked open a very crucial problem "the final 5%" somebody said.
OK I shall try to do the Bhuna this week and will post again after but, of course, from a guy who has done a thousand failed curries over 40 years, you'd have to be skeptical unless I started to rave at the result!
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This is my first post. I have twenty years of eating curry (waistline to prove it) and have cooked hundreds and hundreds. Gotta say, this is awesome, Thank you.
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I have added my comments on the garlic/ginger and onion pastes here http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3199.msg29109#msg29109
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The chicken Bhuna. Lovely! ;D
That curry looks really good Bobby 8)
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OK I shall try to do the Bhuna this week and will post again after but, of course, from a guy who has done a thousand failed curries over 40 years, you'd have to be skeptical unless I started to rave at the result!
I am really looking forward to your post
You know exactly what you're after, but will you get it?
The end of a 40 year search?
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I am really looking forward to your post
You know exactly what you're after, but will you get it?
The end of a 40 year search?
I made the Chicken Bhuna tonight. My son said it was the best curry I have done; my wife said it was "Better than Bombay Bhiel" (our usual take-out here) and I, myself, scored it at 75% (since I started in 1960 I have never done an Indian curry better than 50% on my personal score card). If I had tried the same curry, done by one of the experts here, I don't doubt I would have enjoyed it even more - I did cut a few corners such as making only a small quantity of base and not using grams to measure and such as not marinating the meat for the full 4 hours and also my gas hob is weak so the onion took ages to brown; the chicken a long time to sear. Oh yes, and I used my supplier's "house" brand curry powder and garam masalla.
So I have lots of room for improvement. I didn't get a lot of "smoky" taste and I should have liked a bit more bouquet from, say, cardamom. Possibly, also, a little more sour might have improved it.
A big "Thank you" to Panpot - you are touching a lot of people's lives here in a very delightful way!
Spotty
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Thanks for the report
These are clearly recipes to try
I reckon they will superceed Bruce Edwards "Curry House Cookery" as the standard
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I reckon they will superceed Bruce Edwards "Curry House Cookery" as the standard
Maybe you should try them first Haldi? I'd be really interested in hearing your (tried) opinions on them 8)
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Hi Guys I have just got myself a fairly reliable connection again so can update on somethings and thank those of you who have been moved to post for the first time and who have been rather kind in your comments. I have just been lucky in getting access to a kitchen and would assume that the rest of the keen contributors would have done the same and been as busy with it as I have.
That said I had a go on Saturday night with a dinner party and with everything cooked from recipes on the site right down to the Peshwari Nans I got fantastic feedback from all my guests. With the Ashoka Kit I did Chicken Ticka Masala, Chicken Jaipuri and Prawn Bhuna.
Some comments that might help. In my earlier post regarding the preparation of the Bunjara I too mentioned that it was overly salty (I am sure the chef has made a wee mistake here and will get detailed corrections to all the recipes in due course) so I added sugar and indeed blitzed canned plum tomatoes to compensate towards the end of the process and would recommend it till we get it clarified. Spottymaldoon your a star for posting and reminding me that the chef recommends the Pataks Tandoori Paste for the Jaipuri which has a big proportion of tamarind to produce the sour taste and alternatives don't produce the same ultimate flavour.
Again taking the leftovers the next day was a measurement of the success of the kit in my mind, but I do feel to be fair to the chef we should do our best to honour the actual recipes for scoring purposes then experiment out for example in creating the best possible Madras from the base and I for one would welcome some ideas.
For whats its worth I marinaded the chicken overnight in the fridge for perfect results and again it did take longer than I am used too to sear the chicken but then again the chef took his time and emphasised the low flame for us to use at home. His preference is always to cook from raw and not pre coked except in the case of the lamb.
Bobby I agree the Bunjara is very very oily both in the recipe result and in the actual photograph you can see from the resteraunt but he uses that to start dishes with, so I have found by recovering the excess before cooking from the Bunjara the final results look the part.
Hope this helps. Panpot
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After a 7 hour cooking marathon i had great success with the lamb bhuna. I can honestly say it tasted almost identical to the lamb bhunas i often buy at my local TA. All the effort in making the ashoka base, the ashoka pre cooked lamb, and the banjura paste was well worth it when i finally tasted the lamb bhuna. For anyone who is interested, i added about 5 tbs of the lamb stock from the ashoka pre cooked lamb into the final dish. Without this lamb stock, it did not taste quite like my locals lamb bhuna, but still very very tasty. I dont feel i need to tweak the ashoka recipies in any way, accept for the salt level (possibly). Re-creating my locals lamb bhuna was a real break through for me. I had always thought this dish was going to be a hard nut to crack! NOT ANYMORE THOUGH , GRIN ;D ! :)
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Derek, your a star, I have yet to do the precooked lamb and feel that the Lamb Bhuna would be my real test of the recipes I got so I am glad you got a result. For what its worth the chef used the lamb in its finished sauce when cooking with it. Cheers Panpot.
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When you cook the ashoka pre cooked lamb , taste the sauce, its marvelous! good luck
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For what its worth the chef used the lamb in its finished sauce when cooking with it.
This seems to be very common, at least in my limited experience of BIR kitchens. I really think it is part of the missing flavour from the old days. What we, and I suppose most BIRs now do, is precook the chicken/meat and then remove it from that gorgeous spicy stock that's made as a result.
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Well, I have just done my first batch of Ashoka Precooked Lamb ahead of my Neerday celebrations tomorrow, if my head and stomach can take it after tonight. Happy New Year to you all.
I managed to pick up a piece of what the local supermarket here in France called a Gigot. It looked like the knuckle end of a leg but enough to get 1.1 Kilos of chopped lean meat and the knuckle for flavour. I decided to keep the amounts for the other ingredients the same and had a go. The outcome is as the chef said melt in the mouth meat and a rich sauce that tastes and smells fantastic. Secret Santa this I suspect is what you are looking for and I intend to cook with it to include the sauce that to be honest stands on its own as a pretty mean curry in its own right.
Photos before and after preparing the lamb
Cheers Panpot
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I have been cooking seriously for several years and as I cook for just one person I had an immediate problem - how to cut down recipes that are usually for 4 persons.
As I gained experience and confidence I realised that I had never cooked a curry and didn't know where to begin. As is my nature I began to research and started with a book "best ever curry cookbook" by Mridula Baljekar. It was on offer at 4.99 at a garden centre.
I was very pleased with some dishes (reduced to single portions) but disappointed with others. So I asked myself how do high street restaurants do it? So, more research during which I stumbled upon recipes that included base sauces which I duly made with average results. Cooking for one, the process of making loads of base sauce with average results was just too much trouble so I devised my own method that was more suitable for me.
This used a frying method rather than boiling. The results were excellent and I have stuck with this ever since. To share this information I have had a web site devoted to cooking for one person since the beginning of 2008 and this has a largish curry section.
I can give you the address if you wish but am not seeking to promote this, it
is just my results from independant research. (you can actually see this in my profile)
It was during this research that I found my way to this site and have been a member since August 2008 but have never posted as my approach seemed in some conflict to yours.
I regularly read the posts and have been especially interested in the Ashoka forums.
I just couldn't resist trying this method and have done so albeit in a very cut down version, making just 600 ml of base along with reduced gailic/ginger paste and reduced bunjara and I have just enjoyed the Chicken Bhuna.
I will cut this short now but can post my cut down versions and pics of the results if anyone is interested.
I will curry on regardless ;).
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Sounds cool Flavorjunkie,I for one would be up for learning more and seeing and reading more on your ideas here. I am sure others would too but I am intrigued with your approach since most of the recipes in here are for individual portions anyway just as you would get them from BIRs. Personally developments from the Ashoka stuff interests me and so please post at your earliest convenience.
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I understand individual portions are typically BIR style but I came at it from the cook book direction, so started off having to cut down ingredients. This is an issue as ingredients do not scale proportionally and even different ingredients must be scaled separately. Someone somewhere could do a doctorate on this subject I think.
However I will post here just what I did as a first try - was very pleased with the results. A cut down version can't be the same as a full version, but it might encouraged some to pursue things further after a gradual start.
I commend you for your efforts, it is certainly much better that other published stuff I have tried. My own base sauce is on my web site and it is interesting that 'your' base sauce combined with the bunjara produces a similar result to my 'fried' base.
Here's what I did...
Some of the wording is taken directly from your original posting.
I didn't have some of the specific ingredient so I used what I had.
Garlic/Ginger Paste
====================
60 gm Garlic
40 gm Ginger
0.5 tspn Turmeric
50 ml Oil
Chop ginger and blend all ingredients.
Heat until beginning to fry and flavours are released.
Allow to cool.
Keep covered with oil.
Bunjara (Onion Paste)
=====================
125 gm Onions
60 ml Oil
1 inch Cinnamon stick
1 Bay leaf
0.75 tspn Cumin seeds
1 tbspn Garlic/ginger paste
0.75 tspn Turmeric
0.25 tspn Salt (heaped)
0.25 tspn Garam masala (heaped)
0.75 tspn Chilli powder
0.75 tspn Tomato puree
2 tbspn Passata
Finely chop the onions.
Heat the oil then add cinnamon stick and bay leaves, stirring until flavour is released.
Add cumin ceeds and once crackling immediately add the onion.
Continue to stir, scrapping down from the sides of the pan. The onion should be cooked dark and caramelised but never burned.
Remove the cinnamon and bay leaf.
Add the garlic/ginger paste and stir round before adding the spices, salt and tomato puree.
Continue to stir and then add the passata and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Take off the cooker and cool adding more oil to cover it. Keep under oil.
Base Sauce (600 ml)
===================
300 gm Onions
5 gm Ground cumin
6 gm Salt
To cover Water
10 gm Tomato puree
10 gm Garlic/ginger paste
1 gm Chilli powder
1.5 gm curry powder
2 gm Turmeric
20 gm Coconut block
25 gm Vegetable margarine
25 gm Oil
Chop the onions.
Add onions, cumin, salt and water (to cover) to a pan and bring to a boil.
Cook until the onions are tender, adding water as needed to prevent drying out.
Add the rest of the ingredients, blend and simmer for 1 hour adding water as necessary.
Add water to make 600 ml and mix well. (can blend some more if needed)
Chicken Marinade
================
1 Chicken breast
1 tspn Garlic/Ginger Paste
0.25 tspn Salt
0.25 tspn Turmeric
0.25 tspn Chilli powder
1 tspn Tomato Puree
Cube the chicken breast and mix everything by hand, then add a little oil and gently mix again.
Marinade for 2 to 4 hours.
Chicken Bhuna
=============
1 portion Marinated Chicken
1 tbspn Oil
1 tspn Garlic/Ginger Paste
1 tbspn Tomato Puree
1 tspn Dried Methi
1 tspn Dried Coriander
0.25 tspn Garam Masala
1 tbspn Bunjara
150 ml Base Curry Sauce
0.5 Green Pepper (optional)
Deseed and chop the green pepper into chunks (if using).
Heat oil, add garlic/ginger paste and tomato puree and stir round pressing into pan and stirring with the back of the chef's spoon for 30 seconds.
Add methi, coriander and garam masala stirring and scraping constantly down from sides. (can optionally add green pepper at this stage)
Add marinated chicken, stir round until browned (about 4 min but depends on heat)
Add 1 tspn of bunjara. and keep stirring for 1 minute.
Add rest of bunjara keep stirring for a minute.
Add a little curry sauce, stirring continuously as you slowly add more and more, stirring as you go until correct consistency constantly scraping sides till chicken is cooked through.
(At this point add hot water as needed to keep from drying and to get the desired consttuency of the sauce.)
I can post pics if there is any interest.
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Post pics away!!
Curious to see how the reduced recipes looked (and tasted) vs. the Ashoka originals.
-- Josh
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Yes it would be good to compare with the originals. Can I point out that The Ashoka Recipes are not my work but what I recorded from the Chef's willing tour of the kitchen and cooking demonstrations. The Guys who got me in there were cool about me sharing it with the members here only and as long as I acknowledged the source being The Ashoka. They are not really for wider circulation and I would hope you will honour that and keep your adaptions here on the site.
I am sure I will get many more recipes from them and even adjustments since I am sure the Bunjarra is a bit heavy on the salt and probably an error. I would want to keep their goodwill for the benefit of all of us, I am sure you understand.
Please post as much as you can,its probably fairly quiet just now given the season but I am sure lots of the guys here would want to know more and if you can add photos,cool.
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Well just cooked the Lamb Jaipuri and it was absolutely my best ever curry,for me 100% BIR. I have now ran out of G/G Paste and Bunjarra and will need to replace them however the Bunjarra will need the salt adjusting or as I did before add sugar and the blitzed plum tomatoes to balance out the saltness,any suggestions?
I hope to get back in contact with the Chef over the next few weeks for the other recipes and have him run his eye over my efforts to post them for any corrections or adjustments. All in all I am well pleased with all of what he shared and showed me just need to widen out the menunow or experiment with the basics. Cheers Panpot
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Have no concern I respect the confidence in your receiving the information and would never violate that.
I wiull endeavour to add the pics now.
The first one in the ingredients for the bhuna chicken, the second is the bhuna dish and the last are some of the ingredients I used which were different from that specified. I am waiting for a delivery from 'Spices of India' so will use these asap.
I will modify some of my curry recipes to use this base and post the results. I have about 24 different curries many of which I'm sure will be suitable for this kit.
Now hopefully for the pics...
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Flavourjunkie - I noticed you are using dried coriander leaf. I would assume the recipes are using fresh. Panpot can you clarify?
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I used dried just because that's all I had. :-[ It should really be fresh, but dry herbs are often ok when cooked in a dish although the quantities need to be adjusted as the potency is different. I would never use dried coriander as a late addition or a garnish.
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Decided to have a Xmas Bar-b this year instead of a traditional in Oz. So part of the bar-b foods was chicken kebabs and used the Ashoka tikka recipe. While they were marinading I thought why not make the Ashoka massala sauce as well. It was like eating a meal from my favourite Indian restaurant in Scotland. The Aussies who were at the bar-b had never tasted anything like it, they absolutely loved the chicken tikka in the massala sauce. A big thank you to panpot for getting the recipes from the Ashoka ;D
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Cheers Rallim,where are you in Oz? Joshallen2k use fresh Coriander when you can though when I cant get it myself I use pulped which is available here in France. I would however not prepare the Ashoka Kit without all the ingredients to hand.
flavorjunkie the pics look great and the Bunjarra definitely looks the part. Do you appreciate the marinaded chicken and cooking from fresh rather than precooked?
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Unclebuck, thanks for posting my photos again your a star.
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I have just used the Ashoka kit to enjoy a Chicken Jalfrazi which I adapted from my usual recipe. Most enjoyable.
Here is the recipe...
Chicken Jalfrazi Ashoka
=======================
In this recipe I used my cut down version of the base sauce, onion/garlic paste and bunjara - Making no claims - it's simply what I previously made and it worked well with the Bhuna..
Variation: If you prefer your pepper cooked more add it at the same time as the chicken.
1 marinated cubed chicken breast - Ashoka style
1 tbspn oil
150 ml Ashoka base
1 tspn Ashoka garlic/ginger paste
1 tbspn Ashoka bunjara
0.5 green pepper
2 tspn green chilli
2 tspn fresh ginger
1 tspn medium curry powder
0.5 tspn coriander seeds
0.5 tspn ground cumin
0.25 tspn hot chilli powder
0.25 tspn salt
1 tspn tomato puree
Preparation
===========
Cube the chicken and marinate Ashoka style.
Grind the coriander seeds to a powder in a pestle and mortar. (freshly ground is much better)
Deseed the pepper and slice thinly.
Finely chop the ginger and green chilli.
Make a curry paste by mixing the curry powder, chilli powder, ground coriander and ground cumin with 3 tspn water.
Mix the salt and tomato puree into the curry paste and add another tspn of water to make a fairly thick paste.
Cooking
=======
Heat the oil in a pan.
Add the Ashoka garlic/ginger paste and cook, stirring, for 30 secs. (it will spit)
Add the curry paste and cook, stirring, for 30 secs.
Add half of the Ashoka base, green chilli and chicken and cook for 4 min, stirring as is usual.
(probably not necessary but add a little water if needed to prevent drying out)
Add bunjara and cook, stirring for 1 min.
Add rest of the base, ginger and green pepper and cook for 4 min - ensure chicken is thoroughly cooked.
(again probably not necessary but add a little water if needed to prevent drying out)
Pics as follows are...
(1) Ingredients
(2) The onion paste, curry paste and bunjara
(3) The finished dish
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Thanks flavorjunkie for taking the time for a detailed post also love your farm animal lap trays!! :) :)
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Great post FJ. That's a really tasty looking curry! ;D
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I was just searching for something specific from one of the Ashoka threads, and the search function turned up this message:
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=528.msg4843#msg4843
Its from Pete a few years back where he mentions that the Ashoka chain publish some recipes. Notable was the Pakora sauce, which is practically identical to Panpots....
So I then decided to do a little digging on the Ashoka, and came up with their menu:
http://www.harlequinrestaurants.com/restaurants/menus/ashoka_at_the_quay_alacarte.pdf
I can see why Panpot couldn't get a Madras recipe... they don't do one! nor a Vindaloo. They've got a good selection of British food and a great kids menu though.
I wonder "how BIR" the Ashoka is. Has anyone tried it?
Looks a little too 'Brewer's Fayre' to be the high street BIR I'm looking to recreate.
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Cheers Rallim,where are you in Oz?
Hi Panpot
I'm in the Sunshine State Queensland residing in Brisbane. Nothing sunny about their restaurant Indian curries though :P
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hi guys there is a recipe for a chicken dhansak in pc's book the modern indian restaurant cookbook from the ashoka in belfast, the shish mahal in aberdeen and the taj mahal in leigh in essex. it serves 4!
chicken dhansak( chicken cooked with lentils and vegetables)
1lb chicken breast skinned and cubed
4oz red entils
4 tbsp veg oil
1 tsp turmeric
8tbsp curry masala gravy
2 tbsp curry paste
akhini stock or water
1-2 pieces canned pineapple drained and chopped
14 oz mixed vegetables
1 tbsp sugar
salt to taste
1 tbsp garam masala
sift through the lentils and rinse them then boil in an equal amount of water, for 30 minutes.
heat the oil in a karahi, stir fry the turmeric for a few seconds then add a spoonful of curry masala gravy, take a quarter of the chicken and stir-fry it sealing it and colouring it yellow. add more gravy, the next quarter of chicken and so on until all the gravy and chicken are used. add the curry paste and a little water or stock. simmer for about 10 minute the check to see if the chicken is cooked. when it is, combine with the remaining ingredients and mix well. when simmering it is ready to serve.
don't know if it is like a bir haven't tried it.
regards
gary
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I wonder "how BIR" the Ashoka is. Has anyone tried it?
Looks a little too 'Brewer's Fayre' to be the high street BIR I'm looking to recreate.
The Ashoka is nothing like Brewer's Fayre, I have always had excellent curries from the Dundee one, both a la carte and takeaway, my main criticism would be that it tends to be a bit pricey compared to other curry houses locally.
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The Ashoka is nothing like Brewer's Fayre, I have always had excellent curries from the Dundee one, both a la carte and takeaway, my main criticism would be that it tends to be a bit pricey compared to other curry houses locally.
Yes would agree with you. The Ashoka in Johnstone was excellent but it too was expensive compared to others around that area.
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Guys, as explained elsewhere The Ashoka is a Pukka BIR and our chef an award winner so no worries there.
It does tend to be a little more expensive and their Glasgow West End one is qued out at the weekend. Madras is relatively rare in Glasgow usually just called Curry. I expect to get more recipes when I get back and I would be amazed if the Chef cant give us a good recipe for one.
Rallim since you have been at the Johnstone site you may wish to pay a wee visit to the TA at Kilmacolm where the set up is mostly open plan and the chefs will blether with you if they are not too busy, the food is good and reasonably priced.
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OK that explains for me.
Living in North America I'm weary of the "chain syndrome" where everything is somehow a variant of the real thing.
Interesting Panpot that Madras isn't as popular. My first thought was that the local taste was then more for sweet stuff (like the Scottish fave Chasni), but then the CTM recipe is very very different to the English usual CTM which is very sweet, tangy, and coconutty.
Really looking forward to you getting back in there... BTW, noticed on the a la carte menu that "if you don't see it ask, and we'll make it"...
-- Josh
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I finally managed to have a go with the Ashoka recipes and was very impressed. I made my standard Vindaloo and followed PP's instructions closely, the result was a very nice curry and in the same league as I could already produce, I wasn't sure about the bunjara as after adding this it made the curry a bit to salty although I don't mind it like that.
What happened next was by chance as I had some people coming round I thought to save time I wouldn't mess about with the bunjara I would just add some to the base and make the curry's as normal. I tend to heat my base up while I prepare everything so it had a good half hour to simmer away. The vindaloo was one of the best I have ever made, it had that more-ish savory flavor and every thing about it was perfect. It lacked that really strong BIR smell but I am sure this is down to home cooking and quantity's although the next day it smelt as good as a left over takeaway. I am going to have a go at reproducing it asap and just hope it wasn't a one off!
Cheers PP and if I can reproduce this vindaloo I may have to switch to the Ashoka base as my main base from now on.
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Rallim since you have been at the Johnstone site you may wish to pay a wee visit to the TA at Kilmacolm where the set up is mostly open plan and the chefs will blether with you if they are not too busy, the food is good and reasonably priced.
Hi Panpot I wish I could, but now that I'm living down under would be a wee bit difficult. Hoping to get back over within the next year or so...
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CK - so you put the bunjara IN the base while you preheated it?
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CK - so you put the bunjara IN the base while you preheated it?
Hi Josh,
Yes thats what I did to save some time and space as I had a few dishes to make. I did enjoy the curry which I made to PP's instructions but the ones where the bunjara was in the base first where a lot better, better than my usual. I stired it from time to time while it was heating then just left it, most of it was glooped up on the bottom when I had finished but it added that something to the base. If I hadn't tried it in the base I don't know if I would have made it again but now I will.
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Just tried the Ashoka Tikka marinade last night and I was very pleased with the end result.Did tweak the recipe by reducing the G&G to 1 tbsp and I also added 2 tsp mint sauce concentrate. I left it to marinate for 24 hours. The end result was moist and tasty.The cooking method is spot on (for my crap oven anyway) The only thing I would do different next time is definitely leave out the salt!!!
Boy ...the Chef at the Ashoka certainly likes his salt!!! :o
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Hi guys,
May finally get round to giving the Ashoka kit a go this Friday. However I was wondering what people have been using for the onion paste... red or Spanish onions? as the recipe states either. I am very tempted to go with red onion.
Cheers
Del
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My first attempt at the banjara was with ordinary onions which were a bit watery and obviously past their best, they went from quite well done, almost caramelised, to burnt to a crisp in the blink of an eye and stunk the house out for days. Tried again with good red onions, no problems twice now, so I would say use good onoins (red or white but red tend to be less watery generally) and take your time, if you try to rush it you will most likely end up with a burnt bitter mess. It also helps to use a good heavy skillet with even heat distribution and once again remember, nice 'n slow, way to go. hth.
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Yep red onions for me. And the cooking time is key. Stir and don't rush. It takes a long time for them to get truly and properly caramelised and not burnt. For me over an hour.
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Curry King, praise indeed! I am delighted you rate the kit and even more so that you have experimented with it. Guys like yourself on here with so much experience can advise us how to maximize and work with this, so thanks for that. As I have pointed out before I am certain the Bunjarra salt quantity is a genuine mistake, it has to be. I hope to clear that up soon. He recommended we all use red onions when we can. They use the large Spanish ones but at home he uses red. He also keeps the Base Sauce on a very low heat at all times.
Perhaps other Scots on the site could comment . I am not sure Chasni is very popular or even Patia but The Ashoka does have a separate base for it. One of the more popular BIRs has small portions ( by Glasgow standards ) that are mixed and matched with the opportunity for multiple flavours and choice and is more adventurous in it's range. Madras may be big elsewhere like a Edinburgh or Aberdeen . The Sweet toothed Glaswegians may account for our variations on CTM though The Asoka one was not as rich as some available in the City.
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Chicken Dopiaza Ashoka
======================
In this recipe I, once again, used my cut down version of the base, onion/garlic paste and bunjara (previous post)
I don't think this will change things very much and may even encourage those intimidated by the large quantities to get started. Tastes BIR to me!
1 marinated cubed chicken breast - Ashoka style
2 tbspn oil
1 tspn Ashoka garlic/ginger paste
150 gm onion (prepared weight)
100 ml Ashoka base
0.25 tspn salt
0.5 tspn deggi mirch (chilli powder)
1 tspn Ashoka bunjara
0.5 tspn garam masala
0.5 tspn ground cumin
0.5 tspn coriander seeds
0.25 tspn fenugreek powder
Preparation
===========
Cube the chicken breast and marinate Ashoka style.
Grind the coriander seeds to a powder in a pestle and mortar. (freshly ground is much better)
Mix 100 ml water with 100 ml of Ashoka base (obviously makes total of 200 ml)
Slice the onion into rings.
Cooking
=======
Heat the oil in a pan and fry the Ashoka garlic/ginger paste, stirring, for 30 secs. (it will spit, and so would you in a hot pan)
Add the onion and fry, stirring, for 2 min.
Add half of the Ashoka base and stir.
Add the salt, chilli powder and chicken and fry, stirring, for 8 min adding a little more base during this time.
Add garam masala, ground cumin, ground coriander and fenugreek powder and stir well.
Add bunjara and fry for 2 min.
Add any remaining base.
Simmer, adding water as necessary (unlikely) to produce a fairly thick sauce.
Pictures to follow...
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I posted this in another section, but maybe it should have been here...
I just found this link to Ashoka's menu for Chasni...
Click on "A Taster"
Each time you refresh using F5 (that's the function key 5) you get a different
recipe.
You may need to use F5 a few times to get Chasni.
http://www.ashokacookbook.com
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I posted this in another section, but maybe it should have been here...
I just found this link to Ashoka's menu for Chasni...
Click on "A Taster"
Each time you refresh using F5 (that's the function key 5) you get a different
recipe.
You may need to use F5 a few times to get Chasni.
http://www.ashokacookbook.com
Actually I might think I'll have a go at that Bhaji recipe...
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Click on "A Taster"
Each time you refresh using F5 (that's the function key 5) you get a different
recipe.
You may need to use F5 a few times to get Chasni.
http://www.ashokacookbook.com
Interesting recipes but not very BIR style I think. The Rogan Josh uses a stock made with green and black lychees and a bit of searching led me to this
http://www.ebrochures.com/downloadBrochure.asp?bfid=3067 (http://www.ebrochures.com/downloadBrochure.asp?bfid=3067)
which is a pdf document called Curry Crazy which has a recipe for Rogan Josh which looks very similar to that by Mr Majhu. I can't find the author of Curry Crazy so maybe he wrote both or maybe he is just making use of the copyright holders permission to redistribute the content, who knows. Curry Crazy seems worth a look and its free.
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There seems to be a problem with sending pictures at the moment.
This is my n'th try with picks for the Dopiaza Ashoka style...
Failed again - will try sometime later. :'(
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If I hadn't tried it in the base I don't know if I would have made it again but now I will.
What do you ascribe your success to CK? The onion paste alone? The curry base? Both? Or maybe it was "just one of those things" on the night?
I've found that the onion paste makes no discernible difference and that the curry base is rather greasy (i.e. lots of oil, marge and coconut)...though it produced a very tasty and acceptable curry otherwise.
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There seems to be a problem with sending pictures at the moment.
This is my n'th try with picks for the Dopiaza Ashoka style...
Failed again - will try sometime later. :'(
Hi FJ,
Probably the forum is running out of storage space again (happens from time to time).....perhaps send "admin" a personal message to make him aware of the problem?
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flavourjunkie, your a star,thanks for yet another recipe. The Ashoka book is quite a cute little book and the recipe within for Chasni produces something reasonable but as you will see elsewhere in the book they are not using any base sauce or Bunjarra.
Its really like a lot of these kind of publications in that it is aimed at the average customer who may have a go at cooking something tasty though not a direct replica.
The resteraunt I was in does have a base for Chasni that is also used for Patia and I hope to get it in due course.
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More server space acquired, upload your pics flavorjunkie. ;D
Stew
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Pics (hopefully) now for Dopiaza Ashoka style.
They are a little small as I was trying to circumvent the server space issue...
Hope they are viewable.
(1) Ingredients
(2) Finished dish
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Had these as an accompaniament, got them from Morrisons and they are very good...
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Good looking curry, mate, but I think your oil wasn't hot enough for your poppadoms,
Bob
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Great Photos flavourjunkie, maybe even setting a new standard for us all to follow too. My wife loves Dopiaza so I will need to have a go with this myself. Thanks Panpot
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If I hadn't tried it in the base I don't know if I would have made it again but now I will.
What do you ascribe your success to CK? The onion paste alone? The curry base? Both? Or maybe it was "just one of those things" on the night?
I've found that the onion paste makes no discernible difference and that the curry base is rather greasy (i.e. lots of oil, marge and coconut)...though it produced a very tasty and acceptable curry otherwise.
There is that savory morishness that I have hit before but could never quite reproduce. I have now made another vindaloo using the same method as last time and it was the same, 9\10 for me. In fact this time round the wife went down the local BIR for naan and rice, just like a take away expect the curry was better.
Not sure what individual part of it I would say makes the difference, the onion stuff on it's own doesn't do anything for me and I have used coconut cream in bases before. Really not sure but I will me making it again.
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Hi guys,
I thought I would post my efforts with the Ashoka Kit.
I actually made the Karahi Bhuna last weekend and although delicious it wasnt a dish I was used to at my local BIR/TA (due to adding tbsp of tandoori paste). So last night I followed the standard Bhuna recipe but kept the peppers and onions in it. The results...... Fantastic! By far the best curry I have ever produced. very, very tasty. Very moorish and very close to what I would expect to be tasting if I ordered a Bhuna from my local.
So thank you very much Panpot for sharing your findings with us all.
I'll let the pics do the talking from here.
Garlic and ginger paste
(http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b338/delly1shot/100120091020Medium.jpg)
Bunjara during cooking
(http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b338/delly1shot/100120091021Medium.jpg)
Ashoka Base
(http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b338/delly1shot/100120091022Medium.jpg)
Bhuna ingrediants (for 2 people) with Ashoka chicken marinated over night
(http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b338/delly1shot/150120091029Medium.jpg)
(http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b338/delly1shot/150120091030Medium.jpg)
Base and Bunjara oil ready to go
(http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b338/delly1shot/150120091031Medium.jpg)
The finished article
(http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b338/delly1shot/150120091036Medium.jpg)
(http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b338/delly1shot/150120091035Medium.jpg)
Cheers,
Del
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Looks fantastic! ;D
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WOW great pics, looks very similar to what I produced from Panpots recipes 8)
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dellydel,
"Bhuna recipe but kept the peppers and onions in it". not for everyone but i did similar swapping the tandoori paste for rajah tandoori masala. worked a treat for my taste buds.
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Cheers Guys.
@ Jerry - The Bhuna from a few of the BIR round by me have onions and green peppers in, however I like to use red as I prefer the taste. Good Idea using tandoori masala, I will definitely give that a go. How much did you use out of interest, a tsp added the same time as the garam masala?
Del
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Cheers Guys.
How much did you use out of interest, a tsp added the same time as the garam masala?
Del
i used 1 tsp of the tandoori masala but added it after the base - i effectively replaced the tandoori paste with the tandoori powder but reduced the amount (from 1 tbsp for the paste to 1 tsp for powder).
I'm going to try it with and without next time just for interest.
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I've been away for a few days and back delighted we are experimenting with the Ashoka Kit. Imagine having these breakthroughs but no one to share them with and develop together, thank god this site exists.
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i used 1 tsp of the tandoori masala but added it after the base - i effectively replaced the tandoori paste with the tandoori powder but reduced the amount (from 1 tbsp for the paste to 1 tsp for powder).
I'm going to try it with and without next time just for interest.
i've now tried the with and without and it's clear the Ashoka recipe for the Bhuna is best but for me with the Karahi version onion and green pepper added. the tandoori powder adds a twist of something different but not for everyday use.
made 4 portions of the bhuna with onion/green pepper last night, 1 portion of CK's CTM and NO madras - what's the world coming to.
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Jerry M,
I have since tried the tandoori masala and it definitely gave a better tasting curry than adding the Pataks paste, for me at least anyway. Cheers for the tip, although I do agree it is something I would add occasionally if I wanted a change.
I have also cooked the Bhuna without the Bunjara (as I has ran out) and you can certainly tell there is a key ingredient missing. Due to the low spicing of the Ashoka recipes they strongly rely on the Bunjara to give them there taste, without it the Bhuna was simply average!
Cheers
Del
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Think i may have missed it but could anyone please tell me how much onion pepper mix goes into the bhuna karahi cheers Marc
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Think i may have missed it but could anyone please tell me how much onion pepper mix goes into the bhuna karahi cheers Marc
i'm pretty sure it's not in the spec. i guess because it's really down to personal preference. i don't find peppers freeze well and as i like the taste i tend to use a full green pepper and the same vol of onion. i chop both medium i guess ~5mm. i prefer to pre fry them in rec oil. the vol does about 4 off 200ml portions. i think it would probably easily do 8 off portions if u felt inclined (ie keep 1/2 for another night).
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cheers for that. I used half a green , half a red and half an onion chopped finely and used it for two portions. Got to say it was my best curry yet . ;) Next day tastes even nicer.
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How long does the recycled oil generally last and what's the best way of storing it?
Cheers
Ian
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How long does the recycled oil generally last and what's the best way of storing it?
Cheers
Ian
i keep mine in the fridge in a sealed plastic container. i've kept it for upto 2wks no problem (i tend to make a base every 2 wks as i don't freeze base).
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I have made a Korma and a Bhuna during the last 2 days using this base and I am well pleased with the results :) Thanks so much for your hard work PP ;D
Can't wait to knock another batch up !
Ian