Topic: Traditional chicken korma and pilau.

[littlechilie]

Traditional Indian.

This favourite dish I sometimes treat my family to, hope you enjoy the photos.

Pilau rice, included is mustard seeds, fennel, bay leaf, and cinnamon.

Main dish is pineapple korma, For those asking why traditional? no precooked chicken or precooked base sauce are used.

I gave up using preecooked ingredients a little while ago, for my taste fresh ingredients are a winner, winner chicken dinner.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Excellent rice presentation -- well done !
** Phil.

[loveitspicy]

Looks superb

best, Rich

[littlechilie]

Hi and many thanks to you Guys for commenting, hi Phil, here is some rice from a couple of days ago. I use the same process every time and I always stick to the same rice. My findings are cooking times always vary on different brands. I use Tilda as I love the strong rich smell of basmati it produces.

My preference is to wash rice till clean then bring water to just near boiling point with my spices simmering.i then add my clean rice and finely chopped (onion) optional. I then watch it until it is back up to near boiling, testing my grains while waiting.
Just before the rice floats and water boils the grains should split nicely, then drain and in to a large tub, add color and cover with cloth and leave bout 15 mins then Turn the bottom grains to the top and cloth back over till ready. Break up and enjoy.
Thanks.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Thank you, LC -- very different to my normal method, but well worth trying.
** Phil.

[littlechilie]

Cheers Phil, nothing worse than being serving stodgy rice... Imo Its better to learn to cook rice before attempting to study advanced dishes. Personally I consider rice to be 50% of the finished dish..

Think everyone has there preferred method. I had seen some great rice in your photos before, what method is your go to if I may ask?

[Peripatetic Phil]

I use only a microwave oven and a Pyrex

[littlechilie]

Hi Phil, thank for the detailed description, yes your method is indeed very different, but a method you must be content with as I have viewed from your food that you have an eye for detail. This is usually only achieved from having experience of food service, I seem to remember you have connections to food service in Cornwall if I'm correct.

I used to cook my spice in oil also, but stopped as I found it was not in keeping with my take away flavour. This is something I seem to of held on to in my cooking, it's nice catching up on your input and method.
Many thanks Lc.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Hi Phil, thank for the detailed description, yes your method is indeed very different, but a method you must be content with as I have viewed from your food that you have an eye for detail. This is usually only achieved from having experience of food service, I seem to remember you have connections to food service in Cornwall if I'm correct.

That arose only very recently, when my wife bought a 21-bedroom hotel in Bodmin in partnership with her cousin -- prior to that, I had no connection with catering at all, other than as a customer. 

I used to cook my spice in oil also, but stopped as I found it was not in keeping with my take away flavour. This is something I seem to of held on to in my cooking, it's nice catching up on your input and method.

That is very interesting -- I shall indeed try your method and compare the flavours of the two.
** Phil.

[haldi]

I gave up using pre cooked ingredients a little while ago, for my taste fresh ingredients are a winner, .

You know, I think you might be right
I know a lot of Asians who have been telling me this for years!
I've spent nearly a whole a day on the pre cooked stuff and I've not been fully satisfied with the finished meal.
And that Korma looks amazing