As most of you will be aware, I was invited by Raj (the manager) to spend a few hours in the kitchens of Saffron in Lincoln. Yesterday lunch time I spent 3 hours learning how to make the base gravy with Saffron's four chefs (Anam, Aziz, Lal and Joy).

Kitted out in full chefs outfit, notebook and pen I was told that the gravy we were about to make is used in about 80% of their curries. Raj told me that the batch we were making was for me to take home ... oh deep joy (this filled a 5 kg yoghurt bucket).

So here it is chaps:-

Please Note: An update to this recipe has been supplied here (please click link): http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,2271.msg20262.html#msg20262

8 to 10 medium size cooking onions (about 1.5 kg unpeeled)
1 large carrot
1 green pepper
4 salad potatoes (peeled)
2 medium tomatoes

Chop roughly and add to large cooking pot

Add:-

2 cups (500 ml) of fresh vegetable oil
2 tbsp (30 g) garlic/ginger puree
1 tbsp (15 g ml) salt
enough water to cover all the ingredients

Cover and bring to boil. Simmer for about 40 minutes stirring occasionally.

Add:-

Half a tin (200 g) of chopped plum tomatoes (Italian Napolina)
25 ml cumin powder
25 ml coriander powder
25 ml turmeric powder
25 ml paprika (deghi mirch)

1 tsp - 5 ml, 1 tbsp = 15 ml

Cook for another 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and blend for at least 5 minutes until very smooth.

Add  2 pints of water. The gravy will now resemble a very thin soup.

Bring to boil. Simmer uncovered for about 20-30 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove any scum forming on the surface. When the oil separates the gravy is complete.

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Now as soon as I got home, I poured the gravy into my cooking pot (see photo below).

I will warn you, the gravy tastes and smells absolutely nothing like curry. It has a bland (but not bitter) taste. Do not let this fool you. This is exactly as it should be (I tasted one of their ready made gravies).

I whipped up a quick prawn madras using 2 ladles (200 ml) of sauce and I've got tell you ... it was really great.

Here is the Madras (for one). For two just double up on all ingredients etc....

Half cooking onion chopped finely
200 ml gravy
0.5 tsp coriander
0.5 tsp cumin
0.5 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chilli powder (or more if you're a chilli head)
2 tsp tomato puree
A little veg oil (2 tbsp)

Heat oil (medium heat) add onion. Fry onion until just starting to colour (about 5 minutes)
Add spices stirring continuously for 1 minute
(add cooked meat here)
Add gravy and tomato puree and simmer (medium heat) for about 10 minutes stirring regularly. Add a little water if it gets too dry.
Add prawns near end of cooking.

Photos from top
.. the base gravy
.. cooking the madras
.. the finished prawn madras

Regards

SnS ;D

Wishing everybody a Happy and prosperous New Year for 2008.

.... and may the real secrets and mysteries of the BIR be finally solved ;D

regards to all

SnS

Today was our company Christmas lunch which, you guessed it, was in my favourite Indian restaurant in Lincoln.

Raj is the manager and head chef of the Saffron - a really great guy and a great restaurant. He also instructs the other three chefs and they in turn stick to his recipes to ensure consistency.

Today I asked him for a tour of the kitchen and would he teach me a few things about BIR cooling. Well not only did he agree, but offered to come round to my house for a one to one tuition (I offered to pay but he declined).

This will now be arranged for after the Christmas period. He has also asked me if I would like to go into the kitchens for an all day session on a Saturday (when they're at their busiest) so I can watch them make the gravy and the individual curries. Great eh?

Anyway, back to today - the Kitchen tour. Well here's a few facts that left be gobsmacked.

1) The BIR taste can never be achieved by freezing the curry gravy. He tells me that whilst some restaurants keep their gravy for up to 3 days (not frozen), after only 24 hours the gravy will lose it's flavour and darken. It should always be used fresh. He agrees that a completed curry dish can improve in flavour when frozen - but definitely not the gravy.

2) The gravy comprises onions, garlic & ginger puree, green pepper, tinned tomatoes, a little of the four main spices, water and oil. Nothing else. It goes through two cooking processes.

3) Never use Spanish onions or king size onions, they are too sweet. Only use medium size cooking onions.

4) The majority of recipes come from the one curry gravy, but there are three used to cover all recipes.

5) Garam masala is not used in the majority of dishes and never used in fish or shellfish dishes.

6) Only spices used in varying quantities for majority of dishes are coriander, cumin, turmeric and chilli. No other spices are used in the majority of dishes.

7) Only other ingredients added in varying quantities are garlic & ginger puree, tomato puree, salt, lentil paste (dhansak) and fresh coriander ... and of course the gravy.

Now the gobsmack ... It is not necessary to use a prepared gravy to achieve the BIR taste. ... and according to Raj, a better BIR taste can be achieved without using a gravy.

I will be arranging an all day session some time in January. If there are any specific questions (not too difficult please) that you would like me to ask him then please post.
 
Regards
SNS

Gordon Ramseys F word is due to save an Indian Restaurant from collapse next Tuesday Ch4 9.00 pm ... now that could be a laugh!

quote:
The outspoken chef attempts to turn around a failing Indian restaurant in Nottingham where customers are allowed to create their own dishes, making life hell for chef Zahir. A ?500,000 refurbishment in January has left The Curry Lounge looking like a Bollywood movie set, but that is the most authentic aspect of the ethnic concoction which has no chain of command and a messy menu.