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Messages - RobbieC

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Really similar to my recipe mate. I'm gonna try this next time I'm allowed to make a base (wife's call)

I usually do the baghaar towards the end. This way I deglaze the pan with the simmering base gravy then add that to the base.

Also, have you tried roasting your tomtoms before hand? I tend to roast them up with a sprinkling of methi, salt and black pepper. Then wizz them up to be used, seems to add a very nice flavour imo...

As phil said, nice to see the forum coming back again :)

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Lets Talk Curry / Re: Great tip for Tikka marinade.
« on: July 14, 2016, 12:12 PM »
Hi Robbie,

In a nutshell yes -the best way to illustrate the importance of air in relation to taste (posh terminology = retronasal olfaction) is to hold you nose and eat something.

Aye, exactly what I'm thinking.

I bet this also has something do with the fact that when you order a TA you're not exposed to the cooking aromas. This making it seem more flavourful.


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Lets Talk Curry / Re: Mint Sauce for Poppadoms recipe
« on: July 13, 2016, 06:30 PM »
Sounds good mate! Liking the idea of dried shallots/garlic. Will add a nice savoury note i bet!

I noticed you remove the spices? When you refrigerate did you leave them in?

Most definitely -- I remove before serving but not before storing.
Anyhow, give it a go -- you may even be able to eat it the same day you make it !

** Phil.

Haha, I'm making a curry dinner tomorrow, will try adding some in the rice!

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Lets Talk Curry / Re: Great tip for Tikka marinade.
« on: July 13, 2016, 06:16 PM »
By blending, you are breaking down the constituents into even smaller particle size, this will give more surface area of the spices and the smaller size enable greater penetration of spices in the marinade into the meat - hence sharper, deeper flavour.  The blend being 'lighter' means you have entrained air (20% of which is O2) - this may enable a thinner more even coating of the marinade - thereby preventing the waste of flavour in a thick coating where your spices are held in suspension above the meat it is meant to be getting into.  That's my application of surface chemistry via logic into Indian cooking.

O2 ?  - doubt it.  There was an interesting survey publicised on FB asking what made you decide a certain  meal tasted better.  The answer - when you took a photo of it to show off on media - proving no doubt - most of it is in your head !!

My home grown chillies are certainly very potent - I dry them at 50 deg C for 5 hours - then blitz them in a grinder to a powder - back to surface area effects.

Well the proof is in the pudding as one may say. Interesting to see it make sense of a more even distribution of flavour, just like finely whizzing up your base.

Perhaps its not 02. Is it down to the fact that indoors, the air quality is tainted with various odours, by this hampering the ability to taste what we're eating? For outdoors, considering there is little odour, is fresher and we are able to 'taste' more?


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Lets Talk Curry / Re: Mint Sauce for Poppadoms recipe
« on: July 13, 2016, 06:11 PM »
OK, in practice your method and mine are very similar, except I use a microwave oven throughout.  I have posted my method/recipe in another thread, but I will summarise here :

1) Wash basmati rice thoroughly, and leave to drain and to dry.
2) Heat 1/3 ice-cream scoop of butter ghee in a Pyrex casserole (with lid) in a microwave oven on full power for five minutes.
3) Add the whole spices (cassia, Indian bay (torn), star anise, green cardamom, at most two cloves, a little kala jeera, etc) and cook on full power for a further five minutes.
4) Add the drained rice, mix gently with the spices and ghee, and cook on full power for two minutes.
5) Add sufficient boiling water to cover the rice to a depth of 1/3 inch, add salt to taste and some dried fried shallot flakes and/or garlic flakes
6) Cook on full power for 12 minutes.
7) Remove, gently turn over with a spoon, add dissolved powdered food colouring (green (50%), yellow (35%), red (15%)) very sparingly and widely spaced.
8) Cook for a further 20 minutes at 10%
9) Remove, gently turn over to distribute the food colouring, remove all obvious large spice pieces apart from the cardamom.
10) Serve.

** Phil.

Sounds good mate! Liking the idea of dried shallots/garlic. Will add a nice savoury note i bet!

I noticed you remove the spices? When you refrigerate did you leave them in?

Only reason I ask is that since our method is basically the same, I wonder why I see such a large difference from leaving over night?

Because to me it's a night and day difference.. Maybe has something to do with the oven?

Who knows, as long as you get the right results, right? :)

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Lets Talk Curry / Re: Great tip for Tikka marinade.
« on: July 13, 2016, 10:25 AM »
Don't use yogurt or Pataks in my marinade, so will probably give it a miss, mate. But thanks.

Not so sure about the oxygen = more flavour theory either. Maybe have to consult our scientist in residence, Goolie :)

You don't need a scientist. You can do it yourself :)

Eat something flavourful (tinned mackerel in tomato sauce is a great example). Before you swallow it, step outside and finish chewing then swallow it.

It's a crazy difference, and I'm not the only one who's tried it haha

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Lets Talk Curry / Re: Mint Sauce for Poppadoms recipe
« on: July 13, 2016, 10:21 AM »
As with pilau rice, leave it overnight for best results.
Your last (throw-away) remark intrigues me, Robbie -- what improvement do you experience when leaving your pulao rice overnight ?  I cook mine in a Pyrex casserole in a microwave oven, run the latter at 10% for 20 minutes to "set" the colour, and then find it perfect.  Next day it is OK, but not noticeably better.

** Phil.

For me, it goes from mild scented rice to pilau rice, it's quite a transformation.

My method is different from yours. Without fail it's what 90% of TA's use up here (Scotland).

Try this out, you don't need to make a massive portion, just get an idea. I hope you'll be pleasantly surprised :)



Heat oil with heavy based saucepan over a low-medium heat. For two TA portions I'd use the following;

2tbsp of Veg oil/ touch of ghee as well perhaps?
1 medium sized piece of cassia bark
2 'nuggets?' (pull the wee pegs off) of star anise
2 cloves
2-3 cardamon pods.
Touch of salt, 1/2tsp?

Put all the spices except the cardamom pods into the oil, as they will deepen in flavour and lose their fresh qualities that they bring to the rice.

Cook, stirring frequently for about 3-4 mins? Just so that everything is nice and aromatic, you can add a touch of turmeric for colour at this point but that's entirely up to you.

Now add your rice and stir continuously (don't want the rice to brown) in the flavoured oil for about 4 minutes. You're basically infusing the rice with the oil.

Once that is done add your cardamon pods, as you probably know make sure to crack them open, back of a knife works well. Then what I do, is take it off the heat just for a minute, not long, just so it can cool down a bit. Then I add not boiling, but hot water to the rice and stir just a couple of times, the more you stir the more you bring the starch out of the rice, and it goes clumpy!

Bring to the boil then add the salt, cook until when, well, it's cooked!

Once cooked, give it a good stir, it won't smell amazing at this point but just wait. Transfer into a container and pop in the fridge.

Next day, open up and boom. Pilau rice, it gets me every time :) Give it a good stir as well, get all those flavours moving about.


I don't add food colouring to mine as it doesn't do anything for flavour. I'm sure there's better ways of getting more separate grains. Such as putting the hot rice out on a baking tray and using a fork move it around so the steam can escape then once cooled refrigerate.

Let me know if you try it, just my home recipe :)
 

 

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Lets Talk Curry / Great tip for Tikka marinade.
« on: July 12, 2016, 01:46 PM »
So. Stumbled upon this yesterday while making my Tikka marinade for the chicken.

After combining all the ingredients into the yogurt, your pataks pastes, ginger and garlic, methi, lemon juice ect.

Blend it! Not only does this combine all the ingredients much better than by whisking, it also lighten ups the yogurt. Giving a wonderful light texture. By lightning it up you add more oxygen, oxygen = more flavour, just as if you eat something outside it tastes that much better!

Give it ago, I couldn't believe the difference in smell. I'm cooking my tikka chicken today on the BBQ. Will post results :)

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Lets Talk Curry / Re: Mint Sauce for Poppadoms recipe
« on: July 12, 2016, 01:42 PM »
For me, i use similar ingredients but different method.

In a saucepan over a very low heat add Whole Milk, a touch of turmeric and sugar. Heat through so the sugar dissolves and the turmeric can cook through, otherwise it's just grainy and slightly bitter.

In a separate bowl mix, Yogurt and mint sauce then once cooled, add the 'yellow' milk. Then refrigerate.

As with pilau rice, leave it overnight for best results.

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Lets Talk Curry / Re: Another base gravy sample
« on: January 11, 2016, 11:48 AM »
Amazing priceless info here JB!

These guys seem like a gem. I know what you mean about 'too' much curry haha. I'm always nagging my wife to place an order.. The good thing is she doesn't mind me making and eating my own!

Masala paste. Brilliant. I'll wait until tomorrow to start my tikka masala and soak in whatever valuable info you post :)

Thanks again for sharing with us mate!

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