Topic: BIR Youtube explosion.

[livo]

I wonder if this recent phenomena has anything to do with the state of the industry due to lockdowns or if the chefs have just realised the cat's out of the bag and they are now happy to share their own dishes.  I was going to start another thread in the base gravy section for this guy as well and it may be worth it still.

Check this guy out.  He makes no secret or excuse for plugging his own brand of spices.  Chef Faz.
https://youtu.be/qCiAX8xfTBM
A 50 litre base gravy for 350 - 400 people.  He also does a small version for home and he has uploaded heaps of recipes.  I've just last night made a batch but I tired and went to bed so I have to finish today. I'm going to be very interested to see the effects of the garlic fried oil addition right at the end, which he does in both large and small preparations.

He's made an upload of a video BBC interview about Covid a few months back, which I'm about to watch.
https://youtu.be/7UL4vVgQzLk

[Unclefrank]

Been following this guy for a couple of years, he got known for selling curries and having them delivered by plane, Curry by Air.
I am in the process of writing all his recipes down just got a few more left.
Have tried only a few of his recipes and they did come out quite nice to be honest.

[livo]

A couple of years you say. Wow. I've only just stumbled upon him during a "down the YouTube hole" session of just following the sidebar suggested videos.  I'm impressed with his videos and simple style of delivery.  I think this is a very good lead.

I've immediately made a 1.5 kg Onion version of his Base Gravy and after packing 6 X 500 ml containers, I had about 250 ml left over. I also had the last 6 pieces of Chewy's Chicken Tikka pieces I'd cooked the night before last so I set about making a Chicken Curry from the seat of my pants.  Delicious.   I also just recently made a jar of Rik's Madras Curry Paste (mild uncooked version) so I had everything needed to throw together a great dish.

Faz's Base Gravy is quite thick, which explains how he says he can get 350 to 400 people fed from 50 litres.  It needs to be diluted about 50% which would give 100 litres and so the 350 to 400 serves comes from this.  Last night my wife had just roasted a chicken so I used the pan liquids and some water to dilute my 250 ml of leftover gravy to about 600 ml which I then used to make the curry.  It took me 4 additions and reductions to get is down where I like it but boy it's a nice curry.

I'm going to start a post in the recipes section to list my ingredients while I remember so I can reproduce this dish.

[livo]

Check out Chef Din, if you haven't already.  His Base Gravy is "how he learnt it in the 1970's from chefs who worked the UK scene in the 1960's". He claims to be the person who introduced Balti to the South Coast area way back when.  His Chicken Balti looks pretty good.

Base Gravy (spiced and with chicken stock) and the by product of 3 cups of seasoned oil.  Spice mix that doesn't contain a curry powder and other prep work like 3 types of service onions, Dhal for Dhansak and his really good explanation of how he does his pre-cooked chicken (no water) and why.

I've watched quite a few of his YouTube offerings over the last few days and I'm looking forward to trying some.  No fuss, some real time cooking of dishes and with clear and easily understood format.  Well worth a look.  I need to get through Chef Faz's Base Gravy first though.

[livo]

Rather than derail the other thread I'll answer here Phil.

I've only ever cooked saag aloo once and as I recall, it was good.  Whether it was Chef Faz's recipe or not, I can't remember, but it looks familiar and it was around the right time. * ^{see below}.  We had a garden loaded with lush silver beet.

I asked him about the naming / contents of his spices in the comments on a different video.  I'll try to find it.  I remember searching for desi style anything and ended up concluding that it simply means from India.  Chef Faz is not likely going to say what's in his mixed powder and I would have used whatever I had made up already at that time.  It may have been my own "lowest common denominator" blend or quite possibly Syed's roasted one at that time.

Edit:  "desi is our own blend of mixed powder".  July 2021 Chef Faz.

Phil, if your transcribed Saag Aloo recipe is from a more recent Chef Faz video, then it wasn't the one I cooked and was well pleased with.  I'll look through my box of printed recipes for a Saag Aloo as this will be the one I used 2 years ago.  I would still dare to say that you could give that version a go anyway.  His recipes are pretty good.

[livo]

Further information and nothing too difficult.  You may not get exactly the same, but it would be quite easy to get very close.

I would think the reference to Ha Ha Haldi (Turmeric) Mix Powder is a mistake and it is simply Turmeric.  He sells no Haldi Mix Powder.

Desi Style Mix Powder contains (in order of quantity you'd assume):

*   Turmeric Powder
*   Ground Coriander Powder
*   Garam Masala (Coriander, Black Pepper, Bay Leaf, Cloves, Cinnamon, Cumin, Black Cardamom, Chilli, Dagar Phool, Nutmeg, Triphala, Star Aniseeds (sic),
     Long Pepper, Ginger, Caraway, Javitri, Salt)
*   Cumin Powder
*   Madras Curry Powder

This is the same ingredient for the Garam Masala as the blend sold separately and the only spice I don't have is the Triphala.  I'd probably consider it optional anyway.

Cosy Curry  ( Is this the Madras Curry Powder used in the Desi Style Mixed Powder?  Probably.)

*   Coriander
*   Turmeric
*   Cumin
*   Salt
*   Gram Flour
*   Chilli
*   Mustard
*   Fenugreek  (I'd assume seed)
*   Fennel
*   Garlic
*   Black Pepper
*   Star Anise