# British Indian Curry forum



## Bribie G (3/3/14)

Been meaning to post this for a while, there's an interesting curry forum, been going for a year now and starting to get some good traffic. If you are interested in cooking restaurant style Indian food it's a good resource, and there are plenty of traditional and Aussie style recipes popping up now as well. The forum is run by a guy in Perth but it's hosted in the UK - a few Aussies on board too. Couple of home brewers as well.

British Indian Restaurant Curries


I'm "beachbum" on the forum. I'm also a mod there so behave. h34r:


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## Online Brewing Supplies (3/3/14)

Watch out for a well behaved brewer. B)
Nev


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## jyo (3/3/14)

Gryphon Brewing said:


> Watch out for a well behaved brewer who eats tofu. B)
> Nev


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## Steve (3/3/14)

Thanks for the link Bribie.

Will have a look. I still on the search for the perfect Vindaloo. Got the butter chicken down pat now thanks for a Queenslader on CRO. Froget his name. Was on CRO for a while but they were quite a clicky bunch.

Cheers
Steve


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## Bribie G (3/3/14)

Steve said:


> Thanks for the link Bribie.
> 
> Will have a look. I still on the search for the perfect Vindaloo. Got the butter chicken down pat now thanks for a Queenslader on CRO. Froget his name. Was on CRO for a while but they were quite a clicky bunch.
> 
> ...


 

That's a main reason the new forum got started as a sort of "splinter group"..

Nev, the Admin (Corey Ander B) ) and a guy called British Indian are both in Perth. British Indian started British Indian to Go at Kingsley wherever that is, but has sold it recently to his head chef, had got a bit much for him.


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## Online Brewing Supplies (3/3/14)

Bribie G said:


> That's a main reason the new forum got started as a sort of "splinter group"..
> 
> Nev, the Admin (Corey Ander B) ) and a guy called British Indian are both in Perth. British Indian started British Indian to Go at Kingsley wherever that is, but has sold it recently to his head chef, had got a bit much for him.


I think you told me about that restaurant before. It is about 30 mins away from me.
I do prefer to make my own anyway.
Nev


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## jyo (3/3/14)

Just saw there is a new member on there called curryj yo B)

Actually making a butter chicken for work tomorrow (we have curry days once a week).


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## sponge (3/3/14)

I might have to have a little looksee at the forum this evening. Quite convenient as I was looking to make some base curry tonight for dinner tomorrow and freeze the rest.


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## indica86 (3/3/14)

Steve said:


> . I still on the search for the perfect Vindaloo.


Love a good Vindaloo, especially mine. :kooi:


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## dent (3/3/14)

Well certain individuals could make the AHB side of this thread useful and post their favourite recipes here...


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## Screwtop (3/3/14)

Registered on the forum, soooooo much to learn.

Screwy


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## Bribie G (3/3/14)

Spread the curry love around

:icon_drool2: :icon_drool2:

I've posted a few myself in the brew food subforum.

Restaurant style curries are a bit like AG brewing in a way, you need to develop a new level of skills compared to just whipping out the frying pan in the kitchen at home. Restaurant curries are based on a base "gravy" made in a commercial kitchen from simple ingredients such as onions, garlic and ginger that is really quite time consuming to prepare and to fine tune, then the curry variants themselves can be prepared using the base... So a British Indian Restaurant / Australian Indian Restaurant thread on AHB would probably need a few sub forums and possibly grow a bit too big for its boots. Put it this way from the other direction, on another curry forum a few people have posted "how do I brew a version of Kingfisher Lager to enjoy with my Vindaloo". I actually replied to that, but (sensibly, I guess) backed off a full treatment of BIAB or Braumeister and ended up referring them to Jims Beer Kit and AHB forum as being the more appropriate place to source their information and hone their skills. 

Hi Screwtop, may your vindaloos burn you twice :lol:


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## Econwatson (3/3/14)

Wonder if their recipe section works...


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## jyo (3/3/14)

Here ya go, dent!
*Butter Shicken. *

1kg chicken breast, cut into 4 cm cubes
2 tsp garam masala
2 tsp ground coriander
3/4 tsp chilli powder
3 tsp grated ginger
3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbs white vinegar
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup yoghurt
80gm butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 cinnamon stick
4 cardamom pods, bruised
1 tsp salt
3 tsp sweet paprika
425 tomato puree 3/4 cup chicken stock
1 cup cream

1.Combine ground spices, ginger, garlic, vinegar, paste and yoghurt in large bowl, add chicken, coat with marinade and refridgerate over night. (12 hours is ok)
2. Heat butter in pan, add onion, cinnamon and cardomom, cook, stirring til onion is browned lightly. Add chicken and cook for 10 minutes whilst stirring.
3. Add salt, paprika (I sometimes put the paprika in the marinade) puree and stock and simmer, uncovered for around 40 minutes. Add cream, simmer about 15 minutes or until chicken is tender.

This is always a winner!


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## Bribie G (3/3/14)

:icon_drool2: :icon_drool2: :icon_drool2: :icon_drool2:


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## AndrewQLD (3/3/14)

Econwatson said:


> Wonder if their recipe section works...


No better or worse than ours.


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## Bribie G (3/3/14)

CurryMate or CurrySmith software, now there's an idea :blink:


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## Cube (3/3/14)

BribieG can you explain the term "British Indian curry"? How does it differ from Indian curry? I'm not after 'not so hot' more taste profile. 

Cheers


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## bradsbrew (3/3/14)

Cube said:


> BribieG can you explain the term "British Indian curry"? How does it differ from Indian curry? I'm not after 'not so hot' more taste profile.
> 
> Cheers





Bribie G said:


> Wot, never had a Rijstaffel?
> 
> I'm a big fan of British Indian Restaurant and Australian Indian Restaurant cooking.
> 
> ...


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## Truman42 (3/3/14)

I just joined as curryman (who woulda thought that username was still available). thanks BribieG.


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## bradsbrew (3/3/14)

Truman said:


> I just joined as curryman (who woulda thought that username was still available). thanks BribieG.


Should of went with Trucurryman


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## Bribie G (4/3/14)

Cube, further to Brad's post, main difference between Indian and British Indian is that most "traditional" British restaurant curries aren't actually Indian. :blink: They were adapted from Indian favourites but the original wave of "Indian" restaurants were started up by Bangladeshi immigrants who arrived in the UK following independence and the war with Pakistan, and most of them came from the Bangladesh city of Sylhet for some specific reason that escapes me at the moment. Aussie Indian restaurants on the other hand tend to serve North Indian style curries.

Perfect example of Bangla deshis getting it wrong is the mighty Vindaloo. This came from Goa in Southern India and the word is from the Portuguese Vinho D'ahlo (sp?) that means vinegar and garlic. The Bangladeshi chefs mistakenly thought that the "aloo" referred to potatoes, as that's their name in Hindi, so in the UK at any rate they often put potatoes in the vindaloo.

However all differ from traditional Indian curries in that they are made in bulk for fast service, not unlike Chinese food in food courts or takeaways isn't much like Chinese people would eat at home. Indian "authentic" curries would be made by the ladies of the house and they have all day to prepare and cook, whilst street food is made by men. They are also overwhelmingly vegetarian or based on fish. There's a huge variety, Rick Steins India is a brilliant intro, as is Madhur Jaffrey's Curry Nation if you can track down episodes.

Edit: however as the forum grows there's a subforum for "traditional" recipes that members can post in. I"m particulary interested in Southern Indian and Sri Lankan curries. Also there's a continuing quest to find out what's in that bright yellow stuff with the mystery lumps that you get in Chinese restaurants as "curry" and which is totally delicious :icon_drool2:


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## indica86 (4/3/14)

Bribie G said:


> They are also overwhelmingly vegetarian or based on fish.


I would argue against that.
It is certainly a regional / religious thing.
I ate plenty of chicken and mutton - aka goat - when I was there.


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## Ducatiboy stu (4/3/14)

Interesting. Was watching a BBC cooking show on ABC that was about home recipies competing to get into a cookbook. This particular ep had a recipie for chicken vindahlo and the and the recipie owner actually explained that "ahlo" meant garlic and "aloo" meant potatoe. Looked great, made with chilli,tumuric,garlic ( and someother spuce I cant remember ) and marinated for most of the day . It was also referrred to as a dry curry and was served with dahl.


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## Cube (5/3/14)

Bribie G said:


> Cube, further to Brad's post, main difference between Indian and British Indian is that most "traditional" British restaurant curries aren't actually Indian. :blink: They were adapted from Indian favourites but the original wave of "Indian" restaurants were started up by Bangladeshi immigrants who arrived in the UK following independence and the war with Pakistan, and most of them came from the Bangladesh city of Sylhet for some specific reason that escapes me at the moment. Aussie Indian restaurants on the other hand tend to serve North Indian style curries.
> 
> Perfect example of Bangla deshis getting it wrong is the mighty Vindaloo. This came from Goa in Southern India and the word is from the Portuguese Vinho D'ahlo (sp?) that means vinegar and garlic. The Bangladeshi chefs mistakenly thought that the "aloo" referred to potatoes, as that's their name in Hindi, so in the UK at any rate they often put potatoes in the vindaloo.
> 
> ...


Thanks, that is what I was after. 

I'm a member of the site now and about to have a good look around. My name, and quite appropriate I thought, is 'Muncher'.

:lol:


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## mattymcfatty (5/3/14)

I love a good spicy Indian curry but looking at the ingredient list of a standard Curry is pretty intimidating.


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## Cube (5/3/14)

mattymcfatty said:


> I love a good spicy Indian curry but looking at the ingredient list of a standard Curry is pretty intimidating.


Not really. I have all the spices on hand and its not much. Ginger in the freezer at all times. I grow my own now I use so much. Just plant it like hops and watch it grow. The foliage looks great as well. It only takes as long as you can chop onions and ginger to make a raw base, maybe after a few goes at it anyway. Whilst the spices are toasting do the chopping.

You can skip the toasting to start with as just mix it all into the pan however toasting does bring the best out of the spices, even old spices get a lift when toasted.


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## mattymcfatty (5/3/14)

Cool...I'll have to get a recipe and maybe dedicate a saturday arvo to it....less stressful than midweek


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## timmyf (5/3/14)

Gordon Ramsay did a pretty good series on Indian food a couple years ago.


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## sp0rk (27/3/14)

Just joined up as sp0rk
Coming into cooler months and trying to eat healthier, time for a metric shitload of curries


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## professional_drunk (27/3/14)

I once worked in an Indian restaurant. The way they make curries is nothing like in the cookbooks or the tv shows with celeb chefs. One thing that got me is how people say you need to grind your spices fresh and toast them. They never do that in the restaurant and their food is still fantastic.


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## real_beer (27/3/14)

I don't think it would be possible to make an authentic British Indian Beef Curry in Australia as we don't have access to MAD COW beef over here! :huh:


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## pk.sax (27/3/14)

Bangla people would traditionally eat vegetarian or fish for a few reasons, the main ones being proximity to the ocean compared to the rest and the most elaborate cooking being done for the elites and the priests, who are traditionally religious Brahmans or Kshatriyas (priests or fighters), and for religious reasons shun meat. Seafood is considered a vegetable in Bengal.

I had a Bengali friend in Seniour college and his mum made the hottest bloody food I'd ever eaten! Jam packed with spices. When I roamed the streets of London I had a hankering for Indian food having largely gone without for nearly six months. The spice profile was about the same, just milder.

What I also believe has led to the whole 'gravy' mindset with Indian cooking is that Bengalis tend to eat rice more than any other carb, and somewhat sticky fat grain rice at that. This requires a curry with gravy to soften that blow. In the north and the central north you'd find more dry sabji - vegetables - or dal - lentils or beans in syrupy gravy that goes better with drier firmer basmati rice or roti. And every dish has it's spices, some dishes would taste weird with onions or garlic in them. Certain green herbs are milder in flavour and you'd do no more than cook them with butter and chilli and salt. Also, how much you cook in an open pan vs how much you cook lidded makes a big difference to the tenderer foods.


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## Foster (28/3/14)

Steve said:


> Thanks for the link Bribie.
> 
> Will have a look. I still on the search for the perfect Vindaloo. Got the butter chicken down pat now thanks for a Queenslader on CRO. Froget his name. Was on CRO for a while but they were quite a clicky bunch.
> 
> ...


Pat Chapman - founder of The Curry Club has a book called Vindaloo & other hot curries. The recipes are traditional & IMO fantastic.


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## BadSeed (28/3/14)

professional_drunk said:


> I once worked in an Indian restaurant. The way they make curries is nothing like in the cookbooks or the tv shows with celeb chefs. One thing that got me is how people say you need to grind your spices fresh and toast them. They never do that in the restaurant and their food is still fantastic.


I suspect that the turnover of spices in an Indian restaurant is pretty high, freshness probably doesn't become an issue for them.
I think if you are keeping spices in the cupboard for months or even years then it might be a problem.

I mentioned this site on a previous curry thread - http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?action=forum
It's another great resource for British Curry fans.

Lamb Vindaloo for us tonight.


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## pat_00 (28/3/14)

Someone mentioned SriLankan Curries.

I've been making cashew nut curry for ages. It is one of my favourite dishes.

Here is a good recipe: http://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipes/cashew-nut-curry


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## wide eyed and legless (28/3/14)

Went to Sri Lanka last year found the curries have a lot more heat than the Indian curries.
As for British Indian curries is it true that Tikka Masala was invented in Glasgow when a Glaswegian asked for gravy?


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## BadSeed (28/3/14)

wide eyed and legless said:


> Went to Sri Lanka last year found the curries have a lot more heat than the Indian curries.
> As for British Indian curries is it true that Tikka Masala was invented in Glasgow when a Glaswegian asked for gravy?


It's true that Chicken Tikka Masala is a British dish made for the meat and gravy mentality.

Was it invented in Glasgow? A big call, wars have been fought for less....


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## Bribie G (28/3/14)

Apparently someone asked for gravy and they made some out of ground cashews and a tin of Campbells tomato soup. Or so the legend has it :unsure:


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## wide eyed and legless (29/3/14)

Yes it is true I had a look on Google and apparently the Glaswegians are pushing for Protected Designation of Origin with the E.U.


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## DeGarre (22/5/14)

I was in England last week and just had to treat myself, I was too tired to go out so I ordered takeaway. Plain naan, mushroom pilau, vegetable curry (comes with biriani), CTM, chicken tikka biriani. Was lovely.


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## ricardo (22/5/14)

I've been cooking curry for the last 25 years and cannot recommend this book highly enough, it's my bible and i always go back to it. Many of my friends have actually bought the book after trying my curries, i'd say it's more Pakistani than British curry but well worth the investment.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/like/301094090825?limghlpsr=true&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=107


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## Bribie G (22/5/14)

DeGarre said:


> I was in England last week and just had to treat myself, I was too tired to go out so I ordered takeaway. Plain naan, mushroom pilau, vegetable curry (comes with biriani), CTM, chicken tikka biriani. Was lovely.


Lucky Bastard...

I used to love that veg curry that comes with the Biryani, marriage made in heaven. Never really got into Balti as that was more of a Midlands thing.


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## DeGarre (23/5/14)

I first thought I'd gone overboard with this one but wolfed down everything except the biriani. This was around 7pm. Biriani is sort of dry risotto and was fine to eat cold later in the evening, as a small snack.

I was staying at Travelodge and when I phoned the curry house I got the clear impression the chap was a bit worried I'd do a runner as I didn't have UK mobile number to give and introduced myself as mr room number 54 Travelodge, I was waiting outside when he drove to the parking lot and the pure look of happiness and relief on his face when he saw me waving the cash was hilarious.

I almost ordered tarka dal, another of my favourite curry dish.


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