I have followed many recipes and have a few methods of making pilau rice which turns out OK but it is just not the same as takeaways or BIR's. I am determined to learn how to get it EXACTLY the same, I can't see why it's not possible.

I typically use 500g of washed basmatti (tilda or badshah) per batch, with 5 cardomoms, 4 cloves, few bits of cinnamon stick or cassia bark, 2 or 3 fresh bay leaves and a tsp of cumin seeds & a pinch of salt gently fried in butter then simmered for 15 mins or so. I have experimented with various amounts of water and spices and I have used regular pots and rice cookers and even tried the oven method but the rice always comes out the same.

It is never as 'fluffy' as the restaurants and the smell is different. When I get restaurant rice it has an amazing yet subtle sweet fragrant aroma and is always light, fluffy and separate. My rice seems 'heavier' or 'chewier' than the BIR's and the aroma is not 'sweet and fragrant' but it smells bitter and 'starchy', its hard to explain. Interestingly the rice I make seems to improve after cooling in the fridge overnight and being reheated, but I know restaurants will scoop their rice straight out of the pot, especially as rice is meant to be eaten within about 12 hours from cooking for hygiene reasons.

I have found a youtube video demonstration from a restaurant owner making pilau rice which I found interesting, I would imagine if I tried making it as simply as this I would end up with a big pot of mushy starch!

Here's the link....  pilau rice dad 0001

Could getting that professional result with pilau rice be down to making it in a large quantity in a big pot?

Does anyone know where I'm coming from with this? Any tips would be greatly appreciated, Cheers!

I am trying to replicate a BIR Dhansak or Madras (or any main dish really!), but I am doing something terribly wrong as the end result tastes disgusting!

I have never seen or tasted real BIR base gravy so I dont know if mine is completely wrong, although I have carefully followed a recipe called "melting base 3" from a different curry website which is pretty much the same as all the other bases I have made (I have tried several). The base itself tastes bland and watery, and I have diluted it to a thin consistency.

When I fry sugar, it eventually burns and sticks all around the sides of my frying pan or wok. I also get bits of skin forming around the sides of the pan, where it usually bubbles a lot as it is frying.

The end result always smells and tastes the same. Bland, watery (even though the consistency is right), burnt and flavourless.

I have tried cooking on a low heat as well on my domestic range, and although it doesn't stick as bad, its still pretty much the same.
I tried a madras afterward just to experiment as there is no sugar involved, and that turned out burnt and disgusting as well. 

I am guessing the problem lies in the base, although it seems fine when I make a Korma 

I have uploaded some pics to try and show what my attempts look like. The dhansak looks like it should but it doesn't taste anything like the real thing. Its barely edible! Any ideas what im doing wrong?

I have tried many of the recipes on this site, and I am using this base http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcM05hByWaw

Which has produced the best results for me so far (ive tried a few from this site as well)

I can make a fairly decent korma, but when I try and make a madras or a pathia, the end result tastes bland and almost watery even though the sauce is the right consistency and I havent added any water. Its as if there is something missing.

The base itself tastes bland but I have heard that it should be.

I use a black iron pan, sometimes a wok on a wok burner (hot wok) that runs off a BBQ gas canister.


Does anyone else have this problem?