Topic: Vanilla

[jimmyja]

Has anyone added vanilla pod/stick, just a little to a base sauce before or whilst cooking a final curry maybe a korma, pathia? I was talking with my uncle and he said it's tip from an old indian?

[CurryCanuck]

Hi jimmyja -

Found this one in my travels :

Vanilla Bean Curry -

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 teaspoons Macadamia nut oil or olive oil
1 ? tablespoons lemon grass (bottom 2 inches of stalk with
core removed,) finely minced
2 teaspoons (about 1/2" piece) galangal, finely minced
1 tablespoon (or about 4 small) shallots, finely minced
1 teaspoon (about 3 cloves) garlic, finely minced
2 whole kaffir lime leaves or ? teaspoon fresh lime
juice
1 Thai chili pepper, unseeded, minced
1 cup coconut milk (unsweetened)
?  vanilla bean (split in half and seeds scraped)
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 ? teaspoons Kosher salt
? teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 Cod filets, boned, or substitute with Black Striped Bass  To prepare the Vanilla Bean Curry Sauce: heat 1 teaspoon macadamia nut oil in a small saut? pan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon lemon grass, 1 teaspoon galangal, 1 teaspoon shallots, 1 teaspoon garlic, lime leaves, and the Thai chili pepper, and saut? for 2 minutes or until mixture is shiny and translucent. Add the coconut milk, vanilla bean and scrapings, sugar and ? teaspoon salt. Simmer for 5 minutes. Reduce heat and keep warm.

In a small bowl, add remaining lemon grass, galangal, salt, and black pepper, and mix well. Sprinkle each fish filet, front and back, with the seasoning and set aside. Heat a large frying pan over high heat for about 1 minute or until pan is very hot. Add 2 teaspoons olive oil and heat for about 30 seconds or until just before the smoking point. Place each filet into the pan, skin side down, and cook for 2 minutes. With a spatula, gently flip the fish over and cook for another 2 minutes or until just cooked through. Place the filets on individual plates; spoon the Vanilla Bean Curry Sauce over the fish, and serve immediately.

[jimmyja]

mmmh,, sounds very? nice! I think I might have a try of that!? Thing is though. I really want to produce restaurant currys. I was searching last night on the internet. I live in bristol now and on the www.bristol.gumtree.com/

I searched and found a link and someone is offering indian cookery class for ?25... I have e-mailed. Waiting on an answer, who knows, it might be what we need! A curry chef... I'll let you all know though.

Rgds,

Jimmy

[jimmyja]

I received a reply this morning....

Hi James

Please find example of the range of cooking I can
teach - All types of Tandoor dishes(clay oven) meat,
vegetable and breads.

Naan breads, stuffed and plain. Chappati (unlevened
bread - hot plate) Puri (fried unlevened bread) Kulcha
(Fried yoghurt bread) 

Rice - plain and mixed. All types of biryani dishes
including chaicken, lamb, beef, fish.

All types of meat curry dishes - chicken, lamb, beef,
pork, fish and other types of meat.

All types of vegetable dishes including aubergine,
cauli, pots, peas, spinach, cabbage, carrots, okra,
pumpkin and many Indian vegetables etc.

I have a passion for cooking which stems back many
years and I can spec, prepare and cook almost all
types of Indian foods including Indian sweets.

Whilst I was at university I held a part time job as
assistant chef at a well established Indian restaurant
in Bristol, so I am quite familliar with restaurant
based preparation and cooking.

.............................

Im going to give this guy a call and ask more about restaurant prepartion and take away style. Ie from base sauce to final dish, I want to go through the whole process.

Any questions you want me to ask?

Jimmy

[broon-loon]

Well done that man!

The question I think we all want answered is - is there a secret to the base sauce, other than how it is prepared!? :-X

Thanks for your efforts.

Broon.

[jimmyja]

Just spoke with the Guy for just over 20 mins, seems like a really nice bloke... hmm Internet meetings. Well up north we got a canny reputation when it comes to kicking off 

I have arranged a date, its going to be the 1st Saturday in March.

I spoke with him at length and told him straight. It's the taste and smell I am trying to create. Do you know what I mean? Yes he said... I asked can you re-create this at home... Yes he said. We talked alot about curry's and he seems to know his stuff... I didn?t want to take too much info from him as I thought this may seem a little rude.

I explained how I made my base and he said. I think this is where your maybe going wrong? Its garlic ginger onion preparation, also he mentioned green cardamon.

So we just need to wait. I will take lots of notes and see how we go.

He did mention this was the 1st time he has done a home demo...

If it works I'll pay, if it doesn?t, I'll pay. I also said get what you need to get and I'll cover the cost.

I just hope, in my mind, yes I know I'm new to the forum, he can crack it and I can see this with my own eyes.

I'm a very excited Geordie...

[Ader1]

jimmyja,

I'm looking forward to see how this goes.  Good luck!

[Curry King]

Nice one JimmyJa I hope you get a lot out of it and come back with a nice detailed report 

[curryqueen]

Hi Jimmyja,  I'm excited for you too!  Wish I lived closer to Bristol.  You have 11 days in which to prepare yourself for this exciting experience - enjoy it and at the same time take it all in!!!!

[Mark J]

Woohoo sounds very promising, nice one.

You just need to rig up mikes and cameras now