Hiya Guy's and Gal's just thought I would post up a simple Indian Restaurant dish so you can see what is involved next time you go out for a curry, all these dishes I post you will find in most Indian restaurants with slight differences, all the dishes posted here are what we used in our own restaurant but others have also used the same recipe most of the dishes found in any Indian restaurant are all very common but no one ever tell how its done [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] have ago you will enjoy it

Chicken Bhuna

Medium spices cooked in a thick spicy sauce with finely chopped onions, tomatoes and fresh coriander

Infused Make Up Liquid
500ml of cold water
2 Asian bay leaves
3 green cardamoms
1 whole clove
1 full finger of star anise
1/2 inch piece of cassia bark (not cinnamon)

Pre-cooked chicken

2kg of chicken, cut into bite sized pieces
2 Spanish onions (or Tesco extra large onions)
1 tablespoon of blended garlic
1/2 tablespoon of blended ginger
75ml of vegetable oil
2 level teaspoons of table salt
25g of coconut cream
1 heaped tablespoon of mixed powder

Mixed powder

All measurements are level teaspoons  You will need to mix the following:
8 teaspoons of turmeric powder
6 teaspoons curry powder (must just say curry powder, not Madras powder of anything else).
5 teaspoons of coriander powder
4 teaspoons of cumin powder
2 teaspoons of garlic powder
2 teaspoons of Garam masala
1 teaspoon of ginger powder
1/2 tablespoon of tomato paste

Method:

1. Peel the onions and chop relatively finely
2. You will need 2 pans, one we will call pan A, capable of holding all the chopped onions and all of the water, and another pan we will call pan B, capable of holding 500ml of water, both with room to boil.
3. Place into pan B all of the ingredients for the infused make up liquid.
4. Place into pan A the vegetable oil and sprinkle in half the salt. Add the chopped onions, minced garlic and minced ginger and sprinkle over the remaining salt. Stir in well and leave to stand for 10 minutes. Note: The salt will react with the onions and start to extract juice.
5. Turn on the heat to pan B until boiling and then turn down to a simmer. Apply a medium heat to pan A. Keep stirring the contents and soon you will detect that the cooking process has begun from the sound produced. The chemical and heat reaction between the oil, salt and onions begins to melt the onions, neutralising all of the acids thus making the mixture sweeter, and you will see that juice is being produced at the bottom of the pan. You must keep stirring and turning the onions over. At no point must you let the onions burn or brown at the bottom of the pan, otherwise it is in the bin time.
6. What will happen of course is that you will start to evaporate all of the water off, so after about 10 minutes you need to add a small amount of cold water. To further assist in the melting down you can sprinkle a little more salt onto the top then stir in. BE CAREFUL. You should taste the juice for saltiness. You cannot reverse this, so do not overdo the adding of further salt.
7. Add the chicken, tomato paste, mix powder and the coconut to pan A.
8. Remember to keep stirring. After 5 minutes add the contents of pan B minus the twigs. Top up with water to cover all of the ingredients if necessary.
9. Leave to cook now until the chicken is cooked through. Do not overcook or the chicken will start to break up.
10. Once cooked, turn off the heat and allow to cool down naturally. Then remove the chicken from the base and store or freeze in 8 portion pieces.

Main

1/2 of a medium sized onion, sliced
1/4 of a capsicum, sliced
1 tablespoon of melted ghee
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon of tomato paste mix (Mix equal quantities of tinned tomato paste and water)
1/2 tablespoon of mix powder
Good pinch of salt
1/2 tablespoon of fenugreek leaves
1 medium tomato, chopped coarsely
250ml of melting base gravy
2 tablespoons of fresh coriander, chopped

Base gravy

You will need the following:
Recipe makes approx 2 litres of gravy.

The Body Base

600g of Spanish/Dutch Onions when peeled
80g of carrots
1/4 of a green bell pepper
1/4 of a red bell pepper
1 tablespoon of blended garlic
2 teaspoons of blended ginger
300ml of Rapeseed Oil
1 1/2 level teaspoons of table salt
1.5 litres of hot water
100g of tinned plum tomatoes
4 green cardamoms
1 1/2 tablespoons of mix powder
1 1/2 teaspoons of garam masala
1 1/2 teaspoons of onion powder
1 1/2 tablespoons of tomato paste
50g of block coconut cream


Method

1. Peel the onions and chop relatively fine, approx 1/2 to 3/4 inch pieces
2. Chop the 1/4 green and red pepper into 1/2 inch pieces.
3. Slice the carrots thinly
4. Add the oil to a pan on a low to medium heat, and allow the oil to start to warm up.
5. Add half of the chopped onions. Sprinkle half of the salt over the top of these.
6. Add the remaining onions, sprinkling the remaining salt over the top again. It is during this stage that the salt will begin to react with the onions.
7. Allow the oil to slowly gain temperature.
8. At the point when the oil is just starting to gently fry the onions, give the onions a stir.
9. Add the garlic, followed by the ginger, and stir in. At this point, approximately 4 minutes should have elapsed since adding the oil to the pan.
10. Add the chopped red and green pepper, green cardamoms and carrot. Stir in and allow to cook.
11. After 20 minutes from adding the oil to the pan, add the water.
12. Place the lid on the pan and turn up the heat to boil the contents. Once boiling, turn down to a simmer and add the plum tomato.
13. Stir in and replace the lid. Cook for 30 minutes.
14. Add the mix powder, onion powder and garam masala. Do not stir in.
15. Cook for 10 minutes.
16. Add the tomato paste and block coconut. Stir in and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
17. Turn off the heat and blend the gravy.
Note 1: the gravy should be the consistency of thin soup.

Method:

1. Preheat pan to medium heat.
2. Add ghee, followed by garlic and cook for 30 seconds, or until garlic is just golden brown.
3. Add onion, capsicum and salt and cook for 30 to 40 seconds, stirring regularly.
4. Add mix powder, tomato paste mix and fenugreek. Stir constantly while adding the chicken.
5. Shake the contents of the pan in a backwards and forwards motion while fiercely stirring the contents for one minute to ensure the ingredients are well mixed.
6. Add 125ml of the gravy and stir for 2 minutes.
7. Add tomato and cook for a further 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
8. Add the coriander, followed by the remainder of the gravy. Leave to cook and thicken for a further 2 minutes and serve.

DONE!!    

Sounds nice this I have always wondered how Indian Restaurant cook their food but I don't think I am the one to cook this ? it's likely to go all wrong :shock:nice one netsniper [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Cheers netsniper ... I love cooking Indian food and will be trying out your method (although the Ghee could be tricky to get here, I'll probably make clarified butter instead!).

Love Bhuna! :)

Now I'm starving and it's only 10.48 here!

PS. Forgot to add ... I can get most ingredients here to make a reasonably curry, however the big problem is the lack of Naan bread. Don't suppose you've got an easy to do Naan recipe have you?

Even better if its with ingredients that are easy to source in BG [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

By request form Chris here is the recipe I have adapted for home use [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Naan Bread

First of all a bit of background information. I have seen many recipes for naan bread claiming to be restaurant/take-away Naan recipes. 90% of these use yeast in the recipes. Well sorry to say that not many outlets use yeast. The main reason for this is the time waiting for the dough to rise, plus the fact that due to the heat generated in the kitchen they would rise too much and become uncontrollable. The simple answer is Baking Powder. I have heard mention of baking powder making Naan's too hard. This is not the case if done correctly.

The second thing is that no water is used, we use only milk. This gives the Naan an enriched taste, as well as keeping the Naan light in texture. Baking powder of course has a taste and the way that this is disguised is with the use of sugar.

Onto the recipe.

Ingredients for 4 Naan's

340 grams or 12 ounces of strong plain flour
2 tablespoons of caster sugar
4 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of black onion seed
Melted Ghee
Milk (as required. See below)


1. Mix all the ingredients together, except for any milk.
2. Start adding some milk, a little at a time, and work it in well.
3. When the dough is correct it should be quite wet but manageable. (Not sticking everywhere)
4. Knead the dough well. (If too wet add a little flour)
5. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions.
6. with lightly floured hands work into 4 ****** of dough.
7. Brush each dough ball lightly with oil.
8. Place on a board and cover with a damp cloth.

Here is the nearest cooking method.

1. Take one of the dough ****** and place on a lightly floured surface.
2. Start and squash and stretch the dough into a typical Naan shape.
3. As you are stretching it, the outer edge of the Naan needs to be about 1/2 inch thick for a margin of around 1 inch, with the inside of the Naan thinner (Imagine a Yorkshire pudding)
4. Do the same for the other 3.
5. In a frying pan, pour in a little oil and wipe with absorbent paper to leave an oil film on the pan.
6. Heat the oil in the pan until it reaches smoking point, and then put the first Naan in.

7. After about a minute lift up one edge to see if it has brown spots. If so, transfer immediately to the grill furthest away from the elements or gas.
8. The Naan needs to rise and cook all the way through before browning. (You will have to experiment with your heat settings to obtain this).
9. Once cooked, remove from grill and brush with melted ghee. Stand and cover with foil.
10. Repeat for the other three Naan's.

DONE !!

Many Thanks ... awesome

Will certainly try this recipe next curry session ... I'm hoping for something like:

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This is a very welcome recipe although I didn't realise how complicated it would be to make a real curry.

Thanks Netsniper, I might just have a go

I've just looked at your curry recipe, these will go down a treat with it. You're a star mate!!

Hiya Folks here is another one for all you curry lovers to try out, I will also soon be adding a Traditional Bangladesh dish that would be eaten in the the villages by people in Bangladesh, this may not appeal to all as it's so different from Restaurant food, but below is what you would expect in most Indian restaurants

Chicken Madras

Cooked in a hot, spicy sauce

10 pieces of pre-cooked chicken see below (1)
350ml of pre-simmering melting base gravy see below (2)
2 tablespoons of melted ghee
1 tablespoon of minced garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons of tomato paste mix see below (3)
1 tablespoon of mix powder see below (4)
1 teaspoon of medium chili powder
1/8 teaspoon of hing (optional)
1 tablespoon of chopped coriander stalks
1 tablespoon of chopped coriander leaves
1 teaspoon of dried methi leaves

Method:

1. Add the melted ghee to your pan set between low and medium heat. Allow the pan temperature and ghee to equalise.

2. Add the minced garlic. Keep stirring scraping and shaking the pan and cook the garlic until it turns golden. (This is critical, if undercooked you will get a raw garlic flavor and if overcooked obviously a burnt taste but more so a bitter taste). Remove from heat.

3. Add the tomato paste mix. Return to the heat and stir in well with the edge of the spoon. (Keep stirring until the tomato paste extrudes colour into the ghee)

4. Add the chilli powder and stir round for a few seconds adding the hing whilst stirring.

5. Add the mix powder and methi and stir around for 10 seconds, shaking the pan contents in a forward and backwards motion.

6. Add half of the melting base gravy/sauce and turn the heat up full. Keep stirring until boiling occurs.

7. Add the pre-cooked chicken and the chopped coriander stalks. After about 30 seconds add the remainder of the melting base gravy/sauce.

8. You should now keep folding in the contents from the outside of the pan to the centre to balance the heat and keep stirring.

9. After about 3 minutes add the finely chopped coriander.

Natural evaporation should thicken your curry which should be ready in about 6 minutes. However if the curry is thickening too early add a touch more gravy/sauce or if the curry is not thickening leave to thicken.

Finally serve and garnish with a touch more coriander.

DONE !!


(1) Pre-cooked chicken.

Make Up Liquid

500ml of cold water
2 Asian bay leaves
3 green cardamoms
1 whole clove
1 full finger of star anise
1/2 inch piece of cassia bark (not cinnamon)

Main

2kg of chicken, cut into bite sized pieces
2 Spanish onions (or Tesco extra large onions)
1 tablespoon of blended garlic
1/2 tablespoon of blended ginger
75ml of vegetable oil
2 level teaspoons of table salt
25g of coconut cream
1 heaped tablespoon of mix powder see below (4)
1/2 tablespoon of tomato paste

Method:

1. Peel the onions and chop relatively finely,
2. You will need 2 pans, one we will call pan A, capable of holding all the chopped onions and all of the water, and another pan we will call pan B, capable of holding 500ml of water, both with room to boil.

3. Place into pan B all of the ingredients for the infused make up liquid.

4. Place into pan A the vegetable oil and sprinkle in half the salt. Add the chopped onions, minced garlic and minced ginger and sprinkle over the remaining salt. Stir in well and leave to stand for 10 minutes. Note: The salt will react with the onions and start to extract juice.

5. Turn on the heat to pan B until boiling and then turn down to a simmer. Apply a medium heat to pan A. Keep stirring the contents and soon you will detect that the cooking process has begun from the sound produced. The chemical and heat reaction between the oil, salt and onions begins to melt the onions, neutralising all of the acids thus making the mixture sweeter, and you will see that juice is being produced at the bottom of the pan. You must keep stirring and turning the onions over. At no point must you let the onions burn or brown at the bottom of the pan, otherwise it is in the bin time.
6. What will happen of course is that you will start to evaporate all of the water off, so after about 10 minutes you need to add a small amount of cold water. To further assist in the melting down you can sprinkle a little more salt onto the top then stir in. BE CAREFUL. You should taste the juice for saltiness. You cannot reverse this, so do not overdo the adding of further salt.

7. Add the chicken, tomato paste, mix powder and the coconut to pan A.

8. Remember to keep stirring. After 5 minutes add the contents of pan B minus the twigs. Top up with water to cover all of the ingredients if necessary.

9. Leave to cook now until the chicken is cooked through. Do not overcook or the chicken will start to break up.

10. Once cooked, turn off the heat and allow to cool down naturally. Then remove the chicken from the base and store or freeze in 10 portion pieces.
Recipe makes approx 2 litres of gravy.

(2) Gravy (The Body Base)

600g of Spanish/Dutch Onions when peeled
80g of carrots
1/4 of a green bell pepper
1/4 of a red bell pepper
1 tablespoon of blended garlic
2 teaspoons of blended ginger
300ml of Rapeseed Oil
1 1/2 level teaspoons of table salt
1.5 litres of hot water
100g of tinned plum tomatoes
4 green cardamoms
1 1/2 tablespoons of mix powder see below (4)
1 1/2 teaspoons of garam masala
1 1/2 teaspoons of onion powder
1 1/2 tablespoons of tomato paste
50g of block coconut cream


Method

1. Peel the onions and chop relatively fine, approx 1/2 to 3/4 inch pieces

2. Chop the 1/4 green and red pepper into 1/2 inch pieces.

3. Slice the carrots thinly

4. Add the oil to a pan on a low to medium heat, and allow the oil to start to warm up.

5. Add half of the chopped onions. Sprinkle half of the salt over the top of these.

6. Add the remaining onions, sprinkling the remaining salt over the top again. It is during this stage that the salt will begin to react with the onions.

7. Allow the oil to slowly gain temperature.

8. At the point when the oil is just starting to gently fry the onions, give the onions a stir.

9. Add the garlic, followed by the ginger, and stir in. At this point, approximately 4 minutes should have elapsed since adding the oil to the pan.

10. Add the chopped red and green pepper, green cardamoms and carrot. Stir in and allow to cook.

11. After 20 minutes from adding the oil to the pan, add the water.

12. Place the lid on the pan and turn up the heat to boil the contents. Once boiling, turn down to a simmer and add the plum tomato.

13. Stir in and replace the lid. Cook for 30 minutes.

14. Add the mix powder, onion powder and garam masala. Do not stir in.

15. Cook for 10 minutes.

16. Add the tomato paste and block coconut. Stir in and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.

17. Turn off the heat and blend the gravy.

Note : the Gravy should be the consistency of thin soup.

(3) Tomato paste mix
Mix equal quantities of tinned tomato paste and water.


(4) Mixed powder
All measurements are level teaspoons.

8 teaspoons of turmeric powder
6 teaspoons of Supreme curry powder (must just say curry powder, not Madras powder of anything else).
5 teaspoons of coriander powder
4 teaspoons of cumin powder
2 teaspoons of garlic powder
2 teaspoons of Supreme garam masala
1 teaspoon of ginger powder

Mix all together and store in an airtight contained.

Cheers Netsniper .... that's another one printed off and in my recipe file!

Is there no end to your tallent mr netsniper I to have noted this keep them coming

Bangladeshi food, fantastic.

When we lived in the UK we had a friend called Goff who was from bangladesh and opened up a restaurant called Talli express, it was fantastic, and n inexpensive way to sample many "
talli"
dishes. Don't suppose you have a recipe for chicken chat?

Bill

billfromvt wrote:

Don't suppose you have a recipe for chicken chat?

Seconded! I love chicken chat! [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Chicken Chaat serves 1

Ingredients:

You will need a few small pieces tikka chicken cut into small bits 1 cm cubed. (Can use plain chicken but you will lose some of the taste)

3 Tablespoons of chopped onion- not to fine.
1 Teaspoon of mix powder See below (1)
Half teaspoon of chat Masala See below (2)
1 Teaspoon of tomato puree (less rather than to much! )
1 and a half teaspoon pureed mango chutney.
Half portion of curry gravy (See my other Recipes)
2 tablespoons of ghee or butter
Few pieces of chopped cubed cucumber
Chopped coriander.

Method:

You will need a shallow light frying pan
Heat the vegetable ghee/butter and fry the onions until they are light yellow.
Add the mixed powder and chat masala cook for about 10 seconds and drop in a ladle of curry gravy, whilst this is cooking down stir in the chicken, mango puree, and cucumber.
Cook until fairly dry (not burnt) and add in the rest of the Gravy
Cooking for 5 minutes.
Serve with finely chopped coriander and side salad

DONE !!

(1) Mixed powder

All measurements are level teaspoons.
8 teaspoons of Turmeric powder
6 teaspoons of Curry powder (must just say curry powder, not Madras powder of anything else).
5 teaspoons of Coriander powder
4 teaspoons of Cumin powder
2 teaspoons of Garlic powder
2 teaspoons of Garam masala
1 teaspoon of Ginger powder

Mix all together and store in an airtight contained.

(2) Chaat Masala

4 Teaspoons lightly roasted and ground cumin seeds.
2 Teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 Teaspoon finely ground black pepper
0.75 teaspoon finely ground black salt
Salt to taste

Mix all together and store in an airtight contained.

Hi nets I dont think I have tried this before or even seen it in my local curry house? I will ask then if they can do it for me on my next visit and if I like it I will have ago myself