A Cracking Curry

[Dibs-h]

We were watching a programme on TV called "Parveen Ashraf's Kitchen" of something a while ago and she was cooking a chicken curry. Quite differently to how the Mrs was taught by her mum and how I\her have ever seen. So she gave it a go - genuinely to say it was in the top 3 of chicken curries I've had in my life, is an understatement.

The Mrs now only cooks a chicken curry in the new way.

Anyone who is partial to a chicken curry - I'd suggest you give it a go. It's almost throw everything in and close the lid type of recipe.

The list of ingredients are on this page with a method statement:

https://www.jamesmartinchef.co.uk/recip ... en-masala/

and there's a video here - albeit without details on the measures of the ingredients:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2aoR6wmvp4

Cheers

Dibs

 

[transatlantic]

Will have to try it!

Although I find that home cooked curries always end up tasting like supermarket curries. They never taste like they do from the restaurants, .. there is is always that missing ... something. In this case, you're not going to get that amazing smokey skewering of the chicken.

I've spent forever trying to make my own sweet and sour sauce. Tried so many recipes, mostly revolving around vinegar, ketchup, tomato paste, sugar etc. Never tastes quite right. :roll:

 

[Dibs-h]

Will have to try it!

Although I find that home cooked curries always end up tasting like supermarket curries. They never taste like they do from the restaurants,

I was brought up from childhood on homemade curries made by old dears taught from the Old Countries. I've eaten at many a household whose wives\mothers were taught the same way - I can truly say this recipe blows 99% of them away.

Give it a go - don't deviate from the recipe tho. You can replace the boneless chicken with boned (i find that actually tastes nicer). Obviously don't stick the whole bird in. :shock: :lol: :lol:

 

[Dibs-h]

There's a similar recipe for lamb\mutton (or you could use beef) which I will try to dig out.

Similarly - we also cook that way\one at home now.

 

[Rorschach]

Will have to try it!

Although I find that home cooked curries always end up tasting like supermarket curries. They never taste like they do from the restaurants, .. there is is always that missing ... something. In this case, you're not going to get that amazing smokey skewering of the chicken.

I've spent forever trying to make my own sweet and sour sauce. Tried so many recipes, mostly revolving around vinegar, ketchup, tomato paste, sugar etc. Never tastes quite right. :roll:

Fat, usually butter (ghee for Indian food), that's what is missing. It's the reason all restaurant food tastes better than home cooked.

 

[Dibs-h]

Fat, usually butter (ghee for Indian food), that's what is missing. It's the reason all restaurant food tastes better than home cooked.

Ghee kinda went out of fashion 20 or so years ago in homes. Or certainly any I've visited. Many moved over to veg oil and a lot to olive oil.

With the exception of daal (lentils) that's one of the few that requires butter/ghee.

I know quite a lot of folk in the restaurant trade and almost all cook with veg oil. Certainly mainstream Indian restaurants in the UK (Yorkshire, Manchester & Midlands).

On the subject of Indian/Asian restaurant food - you really wouldn't want to know behind the scenes stuff. :shock:

 

[thetyreman]

I recently went to a restaurant in greater manchester that uses ghee Dibs, they are out there.

 

[Dibs-h]

I recently went to a restaurant in greater manchester that uses ghee Dibs, they are out there.

Interesting. Hopefully not against forum rules - who/where was it?

I wonder if it's a certain cuisine sub type thing.

 

[Dibs-h]

The lamb\mutton bhuna dish ingredients\method

https://www.parveenthespicequeen.com/_w ... 0Bhuna.pdf

and the video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bY-jTLqURY

Give it a try.

If someone wants a recipe for something else, maybe vegetarian (I love okra) shout out and next time Mrs does it - I'll get the recipe.

 

[gog64]

Mmmm, sounds great, thanks for the recipes, I'm going to try that lamb one(*). I love cooking a nice curry... fresh spices, fry them up for 2 mins, what a smell! I agree that you've got to have a fair bit of oil to "carry" the flavour, but I usually cut it down by at least 1/3 from the recipes and it still tastes good. Much better than our local take away, however I visited relatives in the "great" Indian cuisine region (I talk of Birmingham of course ) and am frankly in awe of the skills there. How on earth do they get those Nam breads so big, fluffy and crisp at the same time? Mine end up looking like sad little hard pitta breads!

* IMO hogget is far superior to lamb.

 

[gog64]

sorry, so thick I can't figure out how to edit my own post, but just to add that I make dhal without ghee and it's still pretty darn good! If anyone hasn't tried it, Nigel Slater's dhal recipe with a bit of bacon is a nice quick simple meal on a cold day. Google it and thank me later!

 

[Dibs-h]

sorry, so thick I can't figure out how to edit my own post, but just to add that I make dhal without ghee and it's still pretty darn good! If anyone hasn't tried it, Nigel Slater's dhal recipe with a bit of bacon is a nice quick simple meal on a cold day. Google it and thank me later!

Out of all the 2nd/3rd generation Asian households I've ever come across - and that's a lot LOL, ghee is such a rarity. The occasional dish like daal (there might be a few others - will ask the Mrs) folk just use some butter at the end.

Oil - it's adjustable to suit personal tastes. Same with the "runniness" of the sauce. I've met some folk who like it rather dry whilst others like it quite runny. No real wrong or right - whatever suits. :wink:

Give the recipes a go in their original proportions and then subsequently adjust - I.e. experiment. That's my 2p worth of advice.

 

[Dibs-h]

This afternoon's efforts - slight variation of the Chicken Curry recipe: Chicken with spinach: :mrgreen:

 

[Dibs-h]

* IMO hogget is far superior to lamb.

I had to Google hogget - never come across the word before. :lol:

Everyday is a learning day.

On that note - there's a calf and a cow\bull - is there a similar word in between?

 

[heronviewer]

heifer, bullock, steer 1

 

[gog64]

I think you might be thinking of heifer, a Young cow. A young bull also has a name, a “nuisance” or “dinner”

 

[Dibs-h]

heifer, bullock, steer 1

Are those 3 words but for the same thing? Or 3 different things.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Heifer - young cow of breeding age that has not yet had a calf.
Cow - has had at least one calf.
Bull - intact male capable of breeding.
Steer - neutered male, usually grown on for beef.
Bullock - neutered male, sometimes grown on for beef, sometimes used as a draught animal.
Ox - neutered male, usually used as a draught animal.

(I think ... and there may be others!)

 

[Benchwayze]

I am almost sorry I never eat curry. I just don't like spicy food. But I am tempted with this one.

John (hammer)

 

[Dibs-h]

Could always half the spices and see how you get on. :wink: