"An Introduction to BIR Curries" Now Released!

[Cory Ander]

In my opinion, any potato will do, TT. Just ensure that's it's cooked well enough to easily blend into the sauce to provide a little "body" to the curry base.

[Simonpaul]

Have had the ebook for a month now and had breakthrough for the first time with two curries and delicious onion bajees. Printed off the book perfectly onto a4 as well. This is the first book I've used (tried many others) and loved the results. It's also rare to fine something clear, descriptive and user friendly.

Just two things that would make it even better are mentioning how many people a dish would serve (ie for the madras) although this is done many other places and can be easily worked out. The other thing was that my pilau rice from the book was stodgy and all the food colouring mixed together made a stodgy and strange blend of colour. How do you get the rice to stay light and not clumpy?

Superb book well done.

[Alchemist]

Thanks for your comments Simonpaul, really great to hear the successes you have achieved with the ebook (makes all our efforts feel really worthwhile!).

Regarding the rice, maybe you need to wash it more thoroughly to remove as much starch as possible at the start? Also, once drained, try using a fork to break it up as much as possible.

Could also be you have over cooked it, so test after six mins cooking time and drain as soon as its tender.

As this is BIs recipe, perhaps he might have some other ideas?

[rshome123]

Have made BritishIndian Pilau Rice recipe quite a few times, and it's my favourite of all the Pilau I've tried.

I have had a similar problem with the orange and green food colouring blurring a bit (you can see that in one of my photos in the what's for dinner thread). If you let the rice cool down a little and the steam dissipate before adding the food colouring, and again leave to 'set' for 15 minutes before forking through to mix, this will help with the problem.

BI will advise further for sure.

[rfr]

I think the rice needs to be dry before you stir in the colouring,in my local TA i have seen them put a saucepan full of rice(with the coloring sitting on top)in the oven to dry out,i have also seen the gas left on a low heat on top of the stove for along time after all the water had been absorbed,i used to wash the saucepan and there was always about 2 inches of rice to scrape out.

[rshome123]

RFR... interesting that the BIR you worked in didn't worry about rice stuck at the bottom of the pan (leaving you to clean it up).

[Edwina Curry]

I got this! Very tasty. Smashing. Mmmmm.

You guys is gnice giving it all to charideee

[Cory Ander]

Thanks for the feedback, SP. Which two curries did you have a "first-time breakthrough" with please?

I presume that you printed the e-book in landscape mode? Or did you apply a fancy trick to print it in portrait mode?

Regarding the rice, my guess would be, as Alchy says, that you may have overcooked it? You only need to cook it until the rice grains are "al dente" (i.e. firm to the bite). Remove some grains periodically and taste them. As rfr says, it is important to allow the colours to "fix" before you blend them into the rice. So let the rice drain well before adding the colours. Then leave them, undisturbed, before stirring them into the rice to distribute them. Placing the rice (and undisturbed colours) in a warm oven (>80C) or a fridge helps dry the rice and "fix" the colours.

[rfr]

resholme123,they also give me the base gravy saucepan in the same state i needed a wire brush to clean that one,i find that interesting now because i have never had a problem with my base sticking to the bottom,the only time thats happened is when i have made othere sauces using a flour rue.

[chukitinabukit]

re colouring rice,
I cook the rice until just done, spread it on a large aluminium tray to cool.
Trickle the colour solution ( I use milk and either liquid or powder mixed in ) in strips across the rice.
Give it a few minutes to be absorbed, then mix together.
The rice is then put into plastic containers to freeze, or heat and finish cooking in the micro wave.
This method gives no problem with 'colours running'.
Maybe it could help you.

[TheGeneral]

How many portions are there in the recipes for a main course?

[rshome123]

Hi General,

I would say (and I'm sure the recipe authors) the main course recipes serve 1 greedy person, or 2 slightly hungry ones.

In other words... About the same as what you would get from a take away portion in the UK.

[sandy]

How big do you make the bhajis? golfball size?

What about the defrost temperature?

-sew

[Alchemist]

I make mine small orange size (big enough to fit in the palm of your hand). I simply prefer them fairly small. If you make them bigger it is a good idea to remove them before they are fully cooked and make a small hole in them using the handle of a tea spoon, then refry for a couple of minutes - this ensures they are fully cooked on the inside.

I let mine defrost at room temperature then reheat in a fairly coolish oven, otherwise they tend to burn easily

[tomuk56]

Remove them before they are fully cooked and make a small hole in them, is a top tip it turned my bhajis from just ok to very good.

[Willyeckerslike]

Agree, make a small hole and refry

[TheGeneral]

I am at the moment making the base gravy from the e book ready for about 20 people coming round for a curry on Boxing Day. It is more involved than the curry base I usually make so I am very keen to see how it works out. Will let you know.

[Alchemist]

Boxing Day curry banquet for 20..no pressure then! Good luck!

[Ruby Murray]

I love the ebook, but why use Pattaks pastes ? When so much effort is put into other areas . Is it too hard to make ? Or not worth the effort. These just questions not negativity .

[pauly]

As they're widely used in BIR's, in order to try & replicate their dishes, it would be necessary to use them. I must admit, I don't think they are as good as they were.