Topic: New Kushi Balti Book - Anyone tried it yet?

[Curry King]

Its been out a couple of days who's made what and what was it like, im going to order it just havn't got round to it yet?

[pete]

Hi CK
        I'm going to have a go at the weekend
I am really intrigued by the precook veg method
There loads of spices in it, including star anise, cloves and black cardamoms!
That's really going to get some extra flavour in it
You make a spiced water first which you reduce down with other fried spices and the veg.
No flavour is lost!

[vin daloo]

Ive just made the base sauce and pre cooked chicken. im now leaving it to marinate a bit in the spices for a few hours, ill av it for supper and well see wot happens. 

[pete]

A little while ago, someone was asking how mustard was used in curry houses.
It's used in the book's chicken/lamb tikka recipe
Apart from the mustard, I can't believe how close it is, to the recipe I begged from a chef
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=352.0
It's even got Kashmiri Masala in!
Do you remember us asking about the red sauce added to CTM
Well, there is a recipe for that too (with kewra water?)
It would seem far more than the marinade we supposed
He uses coconut powder too (like I was shown at Bengal Cuisine)
His mint sauce has fresh ginger in
That took me years to find out
Most things are, as we observed, but it's the knowledge gaps he's filled in
This book is the real deal
I can't wait till the weekend, to try it

[Mark J]

Yes Im really impressed with this book, its great to see this kind of book from a proper chef, the only others that comes close is KD and the 100 baltis I think

[vin daloo]

tried it last night and its really nothing different to what any of us have done before. the mrs liked it but i didnt think it was anything special.  None of "that taste" here - unless i messed up somewhere down the line.  I think i prefered the bruce edwards base!

[Yellow Fingers]

Hi vin daloo

I'm not even slightly surprised that it doesn't have the 'taste'. I think we've proved here that the taste comes more from reuse of oil, leaving the base to mature for a day and making a new batch before the old one runs out and mixing the two, more than it does from the type of base used. Needless to say these are all things no chef is going to put in a book, not if he still wants customers at his restaurant anyway.

[raygraham]

Hi All,

Have already got my ingredients set out for a curry cookathon from the book at the weekend. The only thing is I could only find powdered Mace and not whole so will have to guess how much to use. Maybe 1/2 tsp??

I am going to do the basic Balti first and will report my findings.

Ray

[steve e]

Hi All,
Will be getting the book only if to see what goes into the mysterious red paste we have discussed before. Will keep you posted.
Steve e

[pete]

I'm not even slightly surprised that it doesn't have the 'taste'. I think we've proved here that the taste comes more from reuse of oil, leaving the base to mature for a day and making a new batch before the old one runs out and mixing the two, more than it does from the type of base used. Needless to say these are all things no chef is going to put in a book, not if he still wants customers at his restaurant anyway.

Yes , you are right
There is no way these recipes will have the taste, because the taste is in the base & the oil.
I am tempted to visit his restaurant, and see what flavour he is getting