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The Curry Thread

I had to add water too, maybe another half litre of so. I figured it was because I used tofu instead of chicken but seemingly not.

I used hot chilli seeds instead of fresh chillis for the initial paste and it came out in the Jalfriezi kind of range of heat. So enough to challenge the family without making it inedible for them.
 
fresh chills vary hugely. birds eye are pretty hot. scotch bonnet even hotter. as they are so variable i tend to use chili powder. i have different ones. they’re all sold as “chili powder” but again vary a lot. one i have is a 1/2 teaspoon job for a vindaloo curry for 6-8 people. but the beauty of the powders is that once you figure out their strength, you know how much to use in future.
 
I Used to live on oak lane where the silver jubilee restaurant was and my dad had a tv shop on lumb lane so familiar with all the curry restaurants Alan. Agree Balti isn’t authentic but Akbars chicken chilli balti on Leeds Rd is incredible. For a change I strongly recommend prashad in Drighlington it’s vegetarian but amazing, the book is good tooimage.jpg
 
Hey cool - nice someone else remembers the same places. I'll give that book a go, many thanks.
The Karachi was also the first curry restaurant in Bradford, in the Prashad book the okra potato and chilli one is outstanding It tastes like a Vado pav (wadi pow) which is a Mumbai street food that looks like a burger and they are amazing, unfortunately never had one outside Mumbai
 
Am i in a minority? who else loves Bombay duck? i used to have it all the time in a resturant back at home In Rochford, actually had someone complain about the smell.
 
They're a ballache to get locally sometimes but I will say that there isn't a curry that wouldn't benefit from the addition of curry leaves. Not bay leaves - curry leaves! You may only be able to get them dried and it's not a patch on fresh; but even dried is better than not having them.

They really help give a savoury backbone to the curry's flavour, and they become soft enough to be unnoticeable while eating, unlike bay leaves which are just annoying as hell if they end up in your bowl, either from the recipe and they didn't picked out, or from your rice.
 
They're a ballache to get locally sometimes but I will say that there isn't a curry that wouldn't benefit from the addition of curry leaves. Not bay leaves - curry leaves! You may only be able to get them dried and it's not a patch on fresh; but even dried is better than not having them.

They really help give a savoury backbone to the curry's flavour, and they become soft enough to be unnoticeable while eating, unlike bay leaves which are just annoying as hell if they end up in your bowl, either from the recipe and they didn't picked out, or from your rice.
Yeah fresh curry leaves make a big difference, luckily there is a spice shop not far away that has them. Lovely smell. Freeze them sometimes.
My mum uses fresh turmeric but I’ve never really looked for that or seen it. Must try it.
 
Plus if anyone is need of chillies this year drop me a line... Current projections are around 100 plants between my polytunnel and two green houses lol

Jalapeños
Chocolate Habanero
Tabaquite Yellow Habanero
Fatalli Yellow
Big Mama Mustard
Big Mama Caramel
White Bhut Jolokia (ghost)
Naga Bhut Jolokia (ghost)
Jay's Ghost Scorpion Peach
Burgundy Carolina Reapers

Funnily enough, I'm having a go at growing chillis for the first time this year.

I planted only 4 seeds of several varieties in a newly acquired heated propagator and got almost 100% germination rate except wierdly Scotch Bonnet, none of which grew. I've given a few plants away to friends, but have 2 or 3 of the following, which are all growing well:

Hungarian Hot Wax ............ (2,500-8,000 SHU)
Jalapeños ........................... (2,500 - 10,000 SHU)
Bangalore Whippet's Tail ... (20,000 - 50,000 SHU)
Pot Black ............................ (30,000 - 50,000 SHU)
Demon Red ........................ (40,000 SHU)
Hungarian Long ................. (50,000 - 70,000 SHU)
Piri Piri ............................... (175,000 SHU)
Habanero ........................... (100,000 - 300,000 SHU)
Trinidad Scorpion .............. (1.4 - 2 million SHU)
Carolina Reaper ................. (1.4 - 2.2 million SHU)

In terms of curries, I had my first when at college in the late 1980s and instantly became hooked.

I was lucky enough to live in Southall for a while around 1990. The Moti Mahal and Rita's were popular and are both still there. Although not strictly a curry, Rita's used to do a great chicken tikka roll in fried bhatura.

I am even more fortunate that my wife is Indian and an extremely good cook, so we eat home made curry several times a week. Favourites include Lamb and Potato, Meatball Curry (with beef mince***), Mackerel, Tuna and Onion, boiled egg curry, Chana (Chick Peas), and Tarka Daal. She also makes very good roti and paratha. She spent some time working in Harlesden, got to know a few people there and learnt how to make a great Jerk Chicken, and also traditional Jamaican patties.

One amusing story (for her) linked to curry is that I'd tried her mum's Bhindi (Okra/Ladies Finger) curry a few times and really disliked it as it was always stringy and had a gelatenous texture. When we went to India and saw some of the family there, her mum's cousin made us Bhindi curry. I was all prepared to dislike it and eat it politely, but because of how she'd cooked it, it was really tasty. We never had the heart to mention it to her mum when we got back!

*** As a Gujarati catholic, eating beef is ok, in case anyone was wondering, as cows are sacred to most Indians.
 
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^^^ I used to go to Rita’s in the 90’s and have those rolls, remember one day me and my mate was in there and we started eating those small slim green chillis. Man they were hot we have never laughed and cried so much at the same time, mega hot. I lived in Beaconsfield road then.
 
maybe i’m getting old, or maybe the hot chills of 1979 are not a patch on today’s “hot”.

i find now that the more aromatic chills are the best. plus you can kill the flavour of all the other spices with a silly hot heat.

ok **** it. i admit it. i’m a dunce. i’ll go sit back in the koorma.
 
Funnily enough, I'm having a go at growing chillis for the first time this year.

I planted only 4 seeds of several varieties in a newly acquired heated propagator and got almost 100% germination rate except wierdly Scotch Bonnet, none of which grew. I've given a few plants away to friends, but have 2 or 3 of the following, which are all growing well:

Hungarian Hot Wax ............ (2,500-8,000 SHU)
Jalapeños ........................... (2,500 - 10,000 SHU)
Bangalore Whippet's Tail ... (20,000 - 50,000 SHU)
Pot Black ............................ (30,000 - 50,000 SHU)
Demon Red ........................ (40,000 SHU)
Hungarian Long ................. (50,000 - 70,000 SHU)
Piri Piri ............................... (175,000 SHU)
Habanero ........................... (100,000 - 300,000 SHU)
Trinidad Scorpion .............. (1.4 - 2 million SHU)
Carolina Reaper ................. (1.4 - 2.2 million SHU)

I potted up the chilli plants into 2 litre pots yesterday. They seem to be growing well - around 25 plants in all.

@Tilt_Birmingham - any tips or things to look out for?

They are currently indoors on several windowsills, but as they grow bigger, I'm going to run out of space so will need to put some outside on a sheltered but sunny patio. Am I better off putting the less potent ones outside (as I think I read somewhere that the hotter ones tend to need higher temperatures)?

chillis.jpg
 
Nice! Do share the recipe.

I made a mild version of this vindaloo again the other day, and it was every bit as good the second time round.
 
Nice! Do share the recipe.

I made a mild version of this vindaloo again the other day, and it was every bit as good the second time round.
All credit goes to Al's Kitchen. You have to make a base gravy first but once that's done ( I made a large pot weeks ago and froze portions) it only takes about 15 minutes to actually knock up whatever curry you choose.
 
Got up at 5:30, bit too early to start cabinet sanding, so i made a Chicken bhuna instead
65DDE039-C97E-410F-B0B6-58F70BA40618.jpeg
Trick to a good bhuna is to get a dryish thick sauce. Best way is to mince up the onions and peppers before frying.

This is for later when the footy is on.
 
I was scuppered the other day as we’d run out of curry powder.

I’ve just been to the local Asian supermarket to stock up on goodies, so am trying it this afternoon!

So mix and gravy first then…!
 
I did an easy curried beef with rice and peas at the weekend, cheap stewing beef cooked for about 6 hours on the hob.
Ran out of my usual Caribbean spices so just used Schwartz jerk seasoning and Encona plus a few more things. Came out very nice.
Got the left overs tonight😋
 

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I had an amazing balti in Bradford. Can't remember the name of the place, but it was opposite an outdoor car park that was patrolled by a member of staff! (as someone from rural home counties that was quite an eye opener).

I pretty much just have chicken phalls nowadays, which has the side benefit of me being able to have it all to myself because it's too hot for everyone else. :)
 
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