Favourite Curry

[Denzil]

I usually go to the chefs special in a restaurant as like trying new things but spice is key in what I choose. I’d say my default is a madras or a vindaloo.

I don’t make enough curries at home given how much I like them. I usually make a Thai curry if I do. This thread has reminded me of a team building thing we done during Covid where we had a professional chef teach us to make a curry via zoom. It was the chicken Ruby from Dishoom, with coconut rice. I’ve still got the word document for the recipes if anyone wants it. Can I drop a word doc into this thread? If not can send over on email.

[vietnammer]

Maybe not the 'connoisseur' stuff you lot are into, but a few years ago I picked up an East End brand tinned vegetable Korma from one of them 'International' grocers and it was sodding delicious, as well as cheap and zero-effort. Alas, despite searching the brand online and asking in the same shop, have not been able to find it since. Would order a slab of tins if I could.

When I lived in Romford, there was a take-away in Gobions Avenue and their grub was excellent.

[Loftyhammer]

A massive fan, subscribe to his YouTube channel and am a member of the Facebook community he created called ‘The secret curry club’.

His 30 minute curry series are very good, we’ve made most of them. However, if you look at his slightly older curries you will find his base gravy and the subsequent curry’s he makes with it, they all taste like the best version of a British curry house recipe you’ve had. This is our preferred option, just a bit of work and patience making a large base gravy on a Sunday, then they can be portioned up into a dozen plus batches and frozen. Then making curry’s during the week is super quick and simple, almost every popular curry uses the same base gravy..

I bought Curry Guy book and tried doing that. Whatever I tried, it never quite tasted “right”….distinct lack of depth. Probably my ineptitude but yet to try another big batch

[vietnammer]

I bought Curry Guy book and tried doing that. Whatever I tried, it never quite tasted “right”….distinct lack of depth. Probably my ineptitude but yet to try another big batch

Years ago tried a book called The Curry Secret and similarly it just didn't quite make it, probably cos of the method of cooking rather than ingredients. I 'got' the bit about making up a big batch of 'basic' curry sauce with just garlic, ginger and tomatos, the 'masala' stuff gets added later for various dishes it seems.
Seems a lot of it is down to 'the dark arts' so not everyone can do it.

Kharai Ghosht (spelling matter?) on me last trip to Saudi it was a regular Friday treat to meet the Pakistani IT blokes in the 'Mattam Makka' and have an afternoon of this. The bread and salad just kept coming and think the total bill for 4 or 5 people was about £40 quid!

Got me thinking now, found out yonks ago that many of the 'curry' dishes we're familiar with were developed for European tastes by people from an area of Bangladesh (Sylet?) and that much of it was invented in Germany Dunno how true that is.

[mcdaddy99]

The key to all proper BIR curries, and what makes them virtually impossible for supermarkets to recreate in a single jar is the initial frying of the base gravy in ghee/oil. The predominant ingredient in the base is onion pulp (sometimes with ginger/garlic), so when you start a curry by frying off the base gravy… you get an oily caramelised taste that we all crave when we think about a good takeaway curry!

Al’s 30 minute series allow you to bypass the base gravy by just straight up frying the onion pulp at the start..they hit the spot, and would be a good gateway into getting started with BIR curry’s…

[mcdaddy99]

Years ago tried a book called The Curry Secret and similarly it just didn't quite make it, probably cos of the method of cooking rather than ingredients. I 'got' the bit about making up a big batch of 'basic' curry sauce with just garlic, ginger and tomatos, the 'masala' stuff gets added later for various dishes it seems.
Seems a lot of it is down to 'the dark arts' so not everyone can do it.

Kharai Ghosht (spelling matter?) on me last trip to Saudi it was a regular Friday treat to meet the Pakistani IT blokes in the 'Mattam Makka' and have an afternoon of this. The bread and salad just kept coming and think the total bill for 4 or 5 people was about £40 quid!

Got me thinking now, found out yonks ago that many of the 'curry' dishes we're familiar with were developed for European tastes by people from an area of Bangladesh (Sylet?) and that much of it was invented in Germany Dunno how true that is.

Proper Pakistani food is amazing. Yep, apparently 8 out of 10 Indian restaurants are run by folks of Bangladeshi descent… saw that stat a while back, we should all really be going out for a Bangladeshi!!!

We have an Indian curry culture in the UK that is completely inauthentic and has little in common with genuine Indian cuisine. When we think of going out for Indian food, we all generally think of BIR (British Indian restaurant) style food. We don’t think of pani puri, Chole Bhature, Nihari or Rajma Chawal. Instead we think of chicken pakoras, Tikka masala, vindaloo or Phal.

I’m personally partial to chips with my curry, although not when I’m out, that would be uncouth

[vietnammer]

Soz if off-T. Curry on folks!

[Loftyhammer]

The key to all proper BIR curries, and what makes them virtually impossible for supermarkets to recreate in a single jar is the initial frying of the base gravy in ghee/oil. The predominant ingredient in the base is onion pulp (sometimes with ginger/garlic), so when you start a curry by frying off the base gravy… you get an oily caramelised taste that we all crave when we think about a good takeaway curry!

Al’s 30 minute series allow you to bypass the base gravy by just straight up frying the onion pulp at the start..they hit the spot, and would be a good gateway into getting started with BIR

That looked amazing! Pretty easy too…will be giving that a whirl!

[Denzil]

Apologies for long post but figured I’d copy and paste. It was f’ing delicious.

Dishoom Chicken Ruby

Ingredients- serves 4
700g skinless, boneless chicken thighs (cut into 4cm chunks)
20g unsalted butter
1 quantity makhani sauce (see below)
50ml double cream

Chicken Marinade
10g ginger
20g garlic (5-6 cloves)
5g fine sea salt
1 tsp deggi mirch chilli powder (or ½ tsp regular chilli powder)
1½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp garam masala
2 tsp lime juice
2 tsp vegetable oil
75g Greek yoghurt (full fat)

Makhani Sauce
20g garlic (5-6 cloves, grated or finely diced)
15g garlic (3-4 cloves, finely sliced)
50ml vegetable oil
20g ginger(grated or finely diced)
2 tins chopped tomatoes (800g)
2 fresh bay leaves
6 green cardamom pods
2 black cardamom pods
2 cinnamon sticks
2 tsp fine sea salt
1 ½ tsp deggi mirch chilli powder (or ¾ teaspoon regular chilli powder)
30g unsalted butter
1 tsp garam masala
20g sugar
1 tsp honey
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (crushed to a powder between your fingers)
½ tsp fresh dill fronds
80ml double cream
Garnish
Ginger matchsticks
Small handful coriander leaves (chopped)
1 tbs pomegranate seeds

Method
1. Chicken marinade - For the marinade, blitz 10g of ginger, 20g of garlic, 5g of fine sea salt, 1 teaspoon of deggi mirch chilli powder, 1½ teaspoons of ground cumin, ½ teaspoon of garam masala, 2 teaspoons of lime juice, 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil and 75g of full-fat Greek yoghurt in a blender or small food processor.

2. Place 700g of chicken thighs (cut into 4cm chunks) into a bowl and add the marinade. Coat the chicken well and refrigerate for 6-24 hours.

3. Makhani sauce Place a large saucepan over a medium heat and add 175ml of vegetable oil (or less, see intro). Add 15g of sliced garlic and fry until it just starts to turn golden and crispy. Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and drain on some kitchen paper.

4. Blend 800g of tomatoes to a fine consistency using a stick blender or food processor.

5. Add 2 bay leaves, 6 green cardamom pods, 2 black cardamom pods and 2 cinnamon sticks to the saucepan with the oil and allow them to crackle for 1 minute, stirring regularly.

6. Turn the heat under the saucepan down low and add 20g of grated garlic and 20g of grated ginger. Allow both to colour but be careful that they don’t burn.

7. Add the blended tomatoes, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1½ teaspoons of deggi mirch chilli powder to the saucepan. Bring to a bubble and cook for around 30 minutes until the sauce has reduced by about half. Stir regularly to make sure it doesn't catch.

8. Add 30g of butter and simmer for 5 minutes.

9. Add 1 teaspoon of garam masala, 20g of sugar, 1 tablespoon of runny honey, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, the crispy sliced garlic (fried earlier), 1 teaspoon of crushed fenugreek leaves and ½ teaspoon of fresh dill fronds to the saucepan. Cook for another 15 minutes.

10. If using the makhani sauce immediately, add 80ml of double cream and simmer for 5 minutes. If using later, cool the sauce and refrigerate it, adding the cream when you want to reheat it.

11. Chicken Heat a grill to a medium high heat. Place the marinated chicken onto a rack and brush with 20g of melted butter. Grill for around 10-15 minutes, turning once, until the chicken is charred and cooked through.

12. Place a large saucepan over a low to medium heat. Add the makhani sauce, 50ml of double cream and the grilled chicken. Simmer gently for 10 minutes.

13. To serve, transfer to a bowl and top with ginger matchsticks, a small handful of chopped coriander and 1 tablespoon of pomegranate seeds.

[mcdaddy99]

Thanks for the detailed recipe above denzil, will defo save and give it a go, some lovely combinations of ingredients there..

[Bromleyboy]

Thanks for the detailed recipe above denzil, will defo save and give it a go, some lovely combinations of ingredients there..

Don't substitute regular chilli powder for the deggi mirch (colour and depth of flavour suffer)

[alkali]

Pataks were ok a few years ago but have suffered in the family war over the company.
Any of the Spice Tailor packs are good, especially the Jalfrezi. Can do without flock wallpaper and silly prices.

[Junco Partner]

Like their Fiery Goan Curry kit, always buy it when on special in Tesco.

[smuts]

When I lived in Romford, there was a take-away in Gobions Avenue and their grub was excellent.

It's changed owners and last time we had it, nowhere near as good. Shame.

[davids cross]

John.

[Crossd_Hammrs]

No mention so far of the variety ubiquitous in 80s fish and chip shops, with the sultanas.
Does anyone know what kind of curry that was?

[daytimedave]

Like their Fiery Goan Curry kit, always buy it when on special in Tesco.

its not bad . one of the better 'sauces' out there.

il stick with the pataks madras paste for now though. works out a bit cheaper also.

[jevs]

2 hours today making a base gravy.

All was going well until my stick blender blew up whilst in use

Still managed to get 10 x 350ml containers of gravy, now frozen

[mcdaddy99]

No mention so far of the variety ubiquitous in 80s fish and chip shops, with the sultanas.
Does anyone know what kind of curry that was?

Ah yes, my nan would make this every time I stayed over in 90’s in Dagenham. Curry and spam rolls

It was apparently a hangover from the 50’s and 60’s when Indian food was gaining popularity in the UK. Coronation chicken was born in 1953, and subsequently everyone thought a curry involved sultanas, almonds and an obscene amount of a random generic ‘curry powder’..

https://www.bbc.co.uk/travel/article/20 ... royal-dish

[RaddyKovac]

Nihari

Best curry I've ever eaten is a lamb nihari from The Calcutta Club in Nottingham.