Topic: Chicken Massala

[GuitarDemon]

Hi everyone,
Please try this recipe/method for what I think is the tastiest and easiest chicken massala I've ever had.
Ingredients 500g chicken (1" cubes), 2 medium onions finely chopped, 1" piece grated fresh ginger, 6 crushed garlic cloves, half tin chopped tomatoes (or 3 large fresh diced tomatoes), 4tblsp veg oil, 3 finely chopped green chillies, 1 tblsp chopped fresh coriander (leaves and stalks), 2 tsp chilli powder, 1 tsp turmeric, 3 tsp salt, 4 tsp garam massala (I've started using TRS brand, which I think is great).
Method: Fry onions in oil until golden brown and crispy (important!!), add ginger, garlic, tomatoes, salt and turmeric and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Add washed chicken until cooked through and tender. Add chillies, coriander and garam massala and simmer for another 2-3 minutes. All done!!

[StoneCut]

Thanks for the recipe, however, it doesn't seem to use any base gravy so I think putting it in "British Indian Restaurant Recipes" was probably not the best choice.

[GuitarDemon]

Everything up to putting the chicken in could be regarded as making a base gravy....

[Peripatetic Phil]

Everything up to putting the chicken in could be regarded as making a base gravy....

Yes, I agree, it /could/.  But the generally accepted usage of the term implies a base that is made as a separate exercise, not a base that is made as the first step of a recipe.  The recipe looks excellent, and I am sure that StoneCut was not being dismissive when he spoke of the BIR section as probably not being the best choice -- there is a whole section devoted to Traditional Indian cuisine, and your recipe is sufficiently similar to many entries there (and sufficiently disimilar to almost all entries in the BIR threads) that it would be really helpful if you coul re-post it under "Traditional Indian Recipes" so that comments on it end up in the correct section.

** Phil.

[George]

Everything up to putting the chicken in could be regarded as making a base gravy....

Yes, I agree, it /could/.  But the generally accepted usage of the term implies a base that is made as a separate exercise, not a base that is made as the first step of a recipe. 

Aren't you being a bit pedantic? Surely it's the end result that counts and not how you get there. If it tastes like the dish GuitarDemon knows from his local BIR then it must be worth a try. I've never subscribed to the idea that you need to make an industrial quantity of base sauce, cooked for several hours.

I agree with GuitarDemon when he says the early stage is similar to making a base.

GuitarDemon - I suggest you remove the near-duplicate post under traditional recipes and hold your ground here.
 

[bamble1976]

Hi

it reads to me like a traditional.  not sure why things like this cause such in fighting and talk about standing ground.  i assumed (possibly incorrectly) that the BIR dishes were used making a base gravy.  also the amount of garam masala used is similar to the amount used in many traditional recipes i have tried.

Just my tuppence worth.

Barry

[Secret Santa]

and talk about standing ground.

I didn't read it that way. I think George just meant continue the topic in this thread.

[George]

it reads to me like a traditional.  not sure why things like this cause such in fighting

I doubt if StoneCut, Phil, and now you, meant to cause a fight by laying into GuitarDemon (just a bit) to such an extent that he felt the need to post his recipe in the traditional section, with a semi-apology attached. I can't see he did anything wrong.

and talk about standing ground.

SS is right. Leave the recipe here, I say.

i assumed (possibly incorrectly) that the BIR dishes were used making a base gravy.

I'm fairly sure you're right. And GuitarDemon's dish does start with the ingredients of a base gravy. I'd probably puree it, to make sure.

also the amount of garam masala used is similar to the amount used in many traditional recipes i have tried.

I question whether that's sufficient evidence to make the recipe 'traditional'.

[Kashmiri Bob]

Hi everyone,
Please try this recipe/method for what I think is the tastiest and easiest chicken massala I've ever had.
Ingredients 500g chicken (1" cubes), 2 medium onions finely chopped, 1" piece grated fresh ginger, 6 crushed garlic cloves, half tin chopped tomatoes (or 3 large fresh diced tomatoes), 4tblsp veg oil, 3 finely chopped green chillies, 1 tblsp chopped fresh coriander (leaves and stalks), 2 tsp chilli powder, 1 tsp turmeric, 3 tsp salt, 4 tsp garam massala (I've started using TRS brand, which I think is great).
Method: Fry onions in oil until golden brown and crispy (important!!), add ginger, garlic, tomatoes, salt and turmeric and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Add washed chicken until cooked through and tender. Add chillies, coriander and garam massala and simmer for another 2-3 minutes. All done!!

Sorry mate, but that's a bog standard curry recipe.  I've made loads like it in the past. It's certainly not BIR and as a traditional recipe its pretty basic.  Good you like it, although I think you'll find some recipes on here to tantalize the taste buds a bit more. Don't listen to me though, I'm new as well. I suggest garnish with chopped green chilli and julienned ginger.

Rob 

[Stephen Lindsay]

I don't think anyone has been laying into anybody. I'm pretty sure a moderator would have moved this to traditional recipes. This is not a criticism of Guitar Demon just a reflection that the recipe has several portions of chicken cooked in one without a base, therefore not BIR as this site has known it. I'm with bamble1976 on this one.