Curry-Heute

Last weekend’s rerun of Recipes That Made Me featured Mein Host, Shazia, visiting a home in Bradford where the lady of the house, Shadia, demonstrated how she made Lamb Masala to a recipe that has been passed down through the generations. The – secret ingredient – was the inclusion of – Basaar – which I will describe as a Kashmiri Garam Masala.

Hector is always looking for – a new flavour – however, there was a possibility that here could lie the answer to what makes a Bradford Curry so special. Basaar was ordered online. KRK in Glasgow’s Woodland’s Road may well stock it, but in keeping with the current travel restrictions, Hector was not venturing that far. Red Chilli, Coriander, Turmeric, Cumin, Ginger, Garlic, Fenugreek, Nutmeg, Cardamom, Clove, Mace, Black Pepper, Cinnamon and Mustard Oil are the listed ingredients of the purchased Basaar, a veritable – Curry Powder. The Fenugreek is the only source of Methi going into the BBC’s recipe. How can you make a Curry in Bradford without copious Methi?

Jeera Masala is also part of the recipe published on the BBC programme’s website, this I could make myself. 50g each of Coriander Seeds and Cumin Seeds were dry roasted in the wok.

After some cooling on a plate, these were ground together creating 90g of Jeera Masala. Where did the other 10g go?

Another feature of Shadia’s demonstration was the cooking of the Lamb for some forty minutes separate from the Masala. I find the plethora of online video clips and also recipe books seem to magically cook Lamb in nothing like a realistic time. Lamb needs some ninety minutes, or twelve in a pressure cooker. As I have been told by my Curry Gurus, Lamb should not be cooked from scratch in the Masala, the later will inevitably burn. I have also found everything sticking to the pot to be an issue. Those who have been following this website over the years will have seen my own cooking of – Lamb Curry – evolve, the slow cooker has given impressive results so far this year.

The brew made from Garlic, Cardamom, Curry Leaves and Cinnamon Bark is very close to the standard Whole Spice – Garam Masala – I have been using for years.

That the non-Meat elements would have to be separated from the half cooked Lamb felt like an alien instruction. The Basaar had better be good.

Shadia’s demonstration clearly used more Oil than is in the published recipe. I followed the recipe, adding Water at every stage as per instructions. This was going to create a Masala which is an anathema to Hector, but hey ho, let’s stick with it, something different this way comes.

The quantity of Tomatoes puzzled. Again Shadia had worked the relatively small amount of Tomato into her Onion-Garlic-Ginger Mash, cooking until the Oil separated. This was never going to happen in my pot given the horrendous amount of added Water.

Two Chillies only are stated in the recipe, plus a whole Capsicum. The latter was never going into any Curry created by Hector. Instead, two large Green Chillies would replace these.

The chap in my local Asian Grocer took the time to remind me that large Green Chillies are not powerful. As I held up both bags:

One is for me, the other for my wife.

He didn’t ask the next obvious question, decorum at its finest.

Despite the supermarkets almost giving Legs of Lamb away presently, I was not going to commit the full kilo to the is recipe, 500g would do, I would therefore require an Interesting Vegetable. In the same episode, Shazia visited another Bradford home where an Okra Curry was featured. The washing and drying of the Okra was the lesson to take on board. I have often wondered how Chefs can present firm Okra and not the slimy vegetable that appears in Hector’s House. As a consequence, Marg is not a fan of Okra, perhaps this would get her on board.

The Okra was added near the end of the cooking along with the Coriander. There was still way too much Water even having attempted to reduce the Masala before adding the greens. The last ten minutes of cooking was therefore quite aggressive. On decanting two portions to karahi, the Masala remaining at the base of the pot had something approaching an air of respectability.

Lamb Masala

No way was Hector going to serve – Soup. Still, the reduced Masala remained thin, watery, and did not have the Oily sheen that a worthy Shorva would possess. Already I was apologising to Marg:

I wouldn’t call this – Curry. It’s closer to a Spicy Lamb Stew.

The lack of Oil and Tomatoes had cemented my reservations.

There was a kick! As always Marg was quick to register this. Two small Green Chillies only, the Basaar must have been the source. This impressed.

Pleasant, but still not a Curry. I then remembered that I had not added the final – pinch of Jeera Masala. I sprinkled some over that which remained in the karahi. There was an immediate and marked improvement. This was as good as adding Salt, as I recall from some twenty three years ago when I last added Salt to a plated meal. I suspect that the Jeera Masala may become an extra condiment on the table.

The Meat as expected had been very well cooked and the taste of – Lamb – itself came over strongly. Despite having been cooked in the Masala for some forty minutes, there was no sense of – Curry – coming from the Meat. At this point I have to clarify my perception. It is not – Curry – which is predominant in these pages but – Karahi. My understanding of the primary difference between the two is the further frying of the Meat and Masala in Oil to create the – Karahi – sensation. Today’s three measured tablespoons is the least Oil I have ever used to start a Curry.

The Okra was easily the best I have ever served. Marg ate some, recognised the improvement, but most of hers crossed the table. This was probably the most Okra I have ever eaten at one sitting. I shall therefore be holding back on trying Shazia’s recipe for Okra Curry.

There was Spice, there was Seasoning, however, a depth of Flavour was lacking. If I attempted this again I would quadruple the Oil and Tomatoes, and where was the Methi? Why did Shazia go to homes where the classic Bradford Curry was not on show. Rick Stein once visited Bradford’s Karachi (Social Club). His Lamb and Spinach Karahi recipe based on that experience has been in the public domain for approaching twenty years. Maybe the producers wanted something different, which is also why I attempted this Curry today.

I will stand by my recipe for Lamb Bhuna which dates back to my Curry Course at Anniesland College.

My fellow diner had the last word:

Lovely tender Lamb in a thin sauce, with plenty pieces of Okra to add to the flavour. A different Curry from Hector. I can’t say it was your best.

Back to basics this week in terms of ingredients. For this Aloo Gosht I was determined not to let my instincts get in the way and add whatever came to mind. I was also determined to make – Curry – and so set aside all attempts at a – Dry Karahi. Having used my blender in the home-cooked Dhansak, I thought, why not again?

The – back to basics – was partly brought about by some weekend viewing when I saw a Punjabi chap on TV start his Masala. This took me back to my Anniesland College Curry Course and the beginner’s recipe. On – Recipes That Made Me – last Sunday, Nisha’s programme showed a map of the Indian subcontinent highlighting – Punjab. The narrative then went on to claim – West Midlands, which has the largest population of Punjabs living in the UK. The map did not show any of the Punjab that is in Pakistan, nor make any reference to Bradford or Glasgow. Birmingham-Wolverhampton is not what comes to mind when I think of Punjabi Cuisine. Next Sunday it’s Sri Lanka, if I don’t don’t see powdered spices being dry fried towards the point of being burned and lots of coconut, there will be a further rant.

In order to improve my chances of preparing something worthwhile, the bulk of the preparation was done yesterday.

I had exactly 642g of Halal Lamb on-the-bone, annoyingly, my local Halal butcher had not cut the Meat small. The Meat was cut from the bones then cut into manageable sized pieces, but nothing like – Bradford-small, I weighed again – 448g.

Paying for bones does sound crazy, but even Marg’s head was turned when the aforementioned chap said that only Meat that is on-the-bone is worthy of going in a Curry.

Knowing that I would eventually be blending the Masala Mash, the Onions were rough cut, or – Grobschnitt – as they say in Deutschland. I gave the Onions, Chillies, Ginger and Chillies an hour on the gas before adding the Spices and Tomatoes. As I have been doing of late, the Cumin Seeds, Cinnamon Bark, Methi and Green Cardamom were fried in Oil with Tomato Purée added until the Oil separated.

Blending is fun, I have even resurrected a pot with higher sides to facilitate this.

The Meat and Bones were placed in the slow cooker and the Masala poured over.

Six hours later I sampled the sauce. Bland and watery –  doesn’t begin to describe it, actually it does. The Spice Level was well down, it had to be after last week’s fiery – Vindaloo. I needed to get Marg back onside. More Salt required and the Garam Masala went in too. Some pre-boiled Potatoes were also added and the – Curry – left overnight.

That smells like Curry – was Marg’s reaction to the start of the reheating.

Yoghurt, Chilli Powder, Chillies, Tamarind, Lemon Juice, a whole Lime, were some of the additives I refrained from adding this evening. The Fresh Coriander was permitted within the self imposed limitations of sticking to the spirit of my recipe for a Beginner’s Curry.

It looks like Curry – was my own reaction.

The advantage of the slow cooker is that the Meat can cook without fear of burning the Masala. On serving, I appeared to have a lot more Potato than Lamb in my karahi.

Maybe 200g or thereabouts of Meat each is not a lot when sitting down to the half kilo is a regular occurrence. Still, there was an abundance of Potatoes and not a too excessive quantity of Masala.

Cooking for myself this Curry would have had more Spice and more Seasoning. This Curry was pitched for Marg.

The depth of Flavour was there, the Cinnamon more than subtle. With the Methi at a minimum, the overall flavour was quite different from what I normally produce. This was mellow: Curry v Karahi?

Some of the Lamb may have turned to fibre, this puzzled given how robust the Potatoes proved to be in the recent Pork Vindaloo. Otherwise, the Lamb was magnificently Tender, and that which was on the Big Bone came off so easily. As should be, the Meat was also giving off loads of Flavour #properlycooked.

Marg emptied her karahi, always a good sign. Her verdict:

I thought it was wonderful. Full of flavour and the perfect spice level for me.

The Aftermath

That which remained in the pot has stimulated the little grey cells. Purée this, then add it to the leftover sauce I have for a Seafood Pasta? This could provide the base for a devilishly good Fish Curry.

In the meantime, this weekend, hockey resumes. Hockey requires coaches, Hector requires Southside Curry, a perfect match. Some of – The Friends of Hector – have been merciless on a certain Social Medium,   posting photos from my favourite Curry Cafes. No more, roll on Sunday.

When I bought the Pork steaks, they had – Vindaloo – written all over them. It has been a while since I last cooked a Pork Vindaloo. Having deviated from the published – Pork Vindaloo Recipe – last time, the outcome was – Dry – and very much in keeping with the Hector style of Curry. I do not appear to be capable of cooking a – Soupy Curry – but today I was determined to produce something with an abundant Masala.

The Pork was marinaded in Red Wine Vinegar and some Vegetable Oil overnight. I had more Pork than I realised, near enough the kilo. As a consequence, teaspoon measurements for the Spices did not feel appropriate, dessert spoons it would be.

I assembled the array of Whole Spices: Coriander Seeds, Green Cardamom, Black Peppercorn, Cloves, Cumin Seeds, Methi Seeds, Poppy Seeds, Star Anise, Bay Leaves, Curry Leaves, Dried Red Chillies and Cinnamon Bark.

This Garam Masala was fried in Oil before adding Tomato Purée, a technique I have been employing of late. The resulting melange was set aside. Recently I have been blending at this point, today I decided that everything would stay whole. The plan was to cook everything in the slow cooker then blend the Masala much later.

Two large Onions were therefore coarsely chopped and fried in the wok which I deliberately had not washed after preparing the – Garam Masala. A new tub of Garlic Paste was opened today, different from the customary Minced Garlic. Marg had written off some Cherry Tomatoes, these would complement the usual tin.

Turmeric, Chilli, Coriander, and Cinnamon powders and Dried Methi were about the last items to be added to the seemingly ridiculous mass which I had assembled. Tamarind, I must have Tamarind, again a new pot opened today. Four Green Chillies felt – safe – as did the quantity of Salt.

The Pork and its marinade were placed in the slow cooker and the rest piled on top.

Finally the uncooked Potatoes were stirred in.

Left as is, another Dry Curry would surely follow. Enough Water to bring the contents up to the rim of the slow cooker was added.

If I’m going to blend the Masala, then all of the Meat and Potato will have to separated at some point, a challenge.

Six hours later

The plan was to decant the solids and leave the Masala. It became apparent that some of the Pork had shredded thus thickening the majority of the Masala. That which was left was a Shorva, Hector’s first? There was nothing here to blend, so having picked out the Cinnamon Bark and Bay Leaves the Meaty Masala went back into the slow cooker.

With the Fresh Coriander and powdered Garam Masala added, there was another hour of cooking. Tonight, no other – foliage – I was hoping that the intensity of Flavours in the Vindaloo would suffice.

Pork Vindaloo

The abundance of Masala meant that this had to be a Curry served with Rice. There was no Oil residue, I hadn’t used anything like the quantity suggested in my Curry Course Recipes which are posted here. My plateful somehow contained the remaining Cinnamon Bark and nearly all of the Cardamom. The Peppercorns and Cloves had become suitably soft, so no grittiness from them.

A big, full on, blast of Clove and Cinnamon with a tang from the Red Wine Vinegar is what I was hoping for, success. This Curry was quite a departure from the Hector norm, though the smokiness for the Dried Red Chillies did add an air of familiarity.

The Spice was potent, not back of the throat burning, a big mouth-feel of Spice. This was easily within Hector’s level of tolerance, but it was clear Marg would have something to say. Still, she ate on.

The Meat was seriously Tender, as stated, some had shredded, turned to pulp. I cut a piece of Potato in half, the resistance astonished. How could the small-cut Potatoes not be cooked after so many hours? This turned out to be a rogue piece. The rest were fine and full of Flavour from the Masala.

Marg’s verdict:

A strong Curry taste. It smelled and tasted very – Curry. The meat was very tender, and I enjoyed the chunky pieces of potato. A little too strong for my tastebuds, but a rich and tasty Masala.

Lamb, Mutton specifically, would have been more robust than the Tender Pork. This was a Curry with an intensity of Flavour (and Spice) that one could never purchase in a Mainstream Takeaway, so I felt well justified in serving this.

I feel a back to basics Lamb Curry coming next. The slow cooker certainly adds a different dimension to the outcome. Also, having just put – Lamb Achari – into the Curry-Heute – search – box, I cannot believe it is six years since I last had one.

Chicken Curry, is there such a thing? My thoughts on this have been clear for some time, however, there are exceptions which prove the rule. Lamb Korma? Lamb Patia? They simply do not work, it has to be Chicken. For Hector, Lamb does not work well in a creamy-coconut sauce, Sweet & Sour Lamb doesn’t seem to be a sensible partnership either. Marg is in agreement and it is she who has to eat what is cooked.

The continuing Lockdown has set the mind towards giving Chicken Curry another outing. The Daal Gosht cooked at the tail end of 2020 went down well despite there being more of a crunch than anticipated.

The difference between a Daal Gosht and a Dhansak remains unclear. Having consulted my local Guru, I remain none the wiser. Another source informs me that a Dhansak is never served at a wedding or other festive event, but in the aftermath of a funeral, fitting for today.

Having watched Lord Clive of Crawley put away many a Dhansak, he has tended to favour Chicken over Lamb. It was time to consult some recipes. Having done so the following creation evolved, if that’s not a dichotomy.

The fine Spices – Cumin Seeds, Coriander Seeds, Mustard Seeds – were dry fried along with my own freshly ground Garam Masala made today from Cinnamon Bark, Methi Seeds (Peter!), Cloves, Peppercorns, a dry Red Chilli, Bay Leaves, and Curry Leaves.

The aroma hit hard, and knowing how little the time there can be between success and clouds of black smoke, I started adding the tinned Tomatoes and Purée then Oil, to calm everything down.

I like this method of recent weeks, on blending I had achieved a fine Tomato-rich, Spicy Masala. I could have stopped here, but an Onion was calling the Garlic and Ginger, and so back to the traditional method.

If I’m going to cook a Chicken Curry then it has to be with thighs, and on-the-bone. I stirred in the Meat in the hope that there would be some absorption of Flavours. Chicken, who was I kidding? The Salt went in along with the Turmeric and Paprika.

I had soaked a mass of Red Lentils and Split Chickpeas overnight in the hope the outcome would be less – crunchy – than for the Daal Gosht. The Chicken bones would end up as stock for Soup, hence the initial abundance of Lentils. When does a Split Chickpea become a Lentil? In mostly Pakistani restaurants – was the reply from my Guru – Bill.

The slow cooker was once again employed, water was added else everything would have been way too dry. Five hours later, and time passes so quickly during Lockdown, I scooped out most of the Masala and blended it before returning it to the pot.

Behold, Hector’s Chicken Dhansak, or is it a Murgh Daal?

The Curry would be topped with the full – foliage – flavour triumvirate. During cooking, I had held back on the Green Chillies and Chilli Powder. A – kick – was required, for Hector at least. I bought a new 10kg bag of Basmati today. Rice has more then doubled in price during the years of Curry-Heute, with the exception of – easy cook – American Rice, no thanks.

Chicken Dhansak

The blended element of the Thick Masala had turned out as hoped. This evening I had a Daal with crunchy bits, the texture of a Satay, success.

Earthy – was Marg’s opening remark. I was happy to hear that it was at least edible.

This was followed by – you feel it’s a healthy meal.

The Seasoning was low on Hector’s scale, however, more Salt would have spoiled the almost Creamy nature of what lay before me.

Is Chicken better than having Lamb? – I asked, once again referring back to December’s Daal Gosht.

It works OK – was the less than enthusiastic reply. The Daal Gosht had definitely received a more positive verdict.

As I ate on I had to accept that this event was a self fulfilling prophecy. The Chicken was merely a Meat add-on, it was making no great contribution to the eating experience. I enjoy a Daal as an accompaniment in the buffet setting, not as a main course. Chicken in a Daal, I do not regard as being – Curry.

Now for the sad news

Mother passed this morning at the QEUH, a blessing after the years of advancing dementia and subsequent frailty. As has been recognised since the launch of Curry-Heute in the page – Hector’s Lust for Curry – it was Mother’s home-cooked interpretations of an authentic Indian Recipe in the early 1960s which enabled me to take on the – Full Bhuna – at Green Gates (Glasgow) @1968. Thereafter, Curry Houses were the only restaurants I ever wanted to visit. Those who have known me since university days know – The Rule.

After my retirement, Mother’s weekly shopping was followed by Curry, as featured in a series of posts until June, 2018 when she declared that the food was having an unwelcome side effect. Ironically it was the opposite problem that saw her taken from her care home to the QEUH in December last year.