Make An Indian Curry From Scratch - Al's Kitchen

[Typhoonftm]

I never got this "stink the house out" thing. Had the extrator fan on, and the lid on. Then shut the kitchen door.

Did everyone else put a fan in front of the open pan, and try their best to spread it around?

Instant Pot for me now too. 30 mins, then natural cool down. tbh, I don't even add the toms and spices last now, I fry them in the instant pot first, then add everything to it.
Then blend many hours later when cool

When I first made the original one, the kitchen stunk for a week. Sure Al changed the recipe slightly, then it seemed fine.

 

[PTR]

When I first made the original one, the kitchen stunk for a week. Sure Al changed the recipe slightly, then it seemed fine.

Did he add "put the lid on"

 

[Typhoonftm]

Did he add "put the lid on"

Aye.

In all honesty I can't remember what was different, but it worked!

Did the new one in the instant pot and it came out great.

 

[YorkMackem]

Quick one. You know the jars of spice mix that Al has mentioned many places use, what exactly is that, can I buy it, and what exactly do I do with it?

Pataks paste or something?

Thought it might be interesting to give it a try to compare.

Mate, you cannot match the taste of fresh lightly roasted and ground in date spices. You'll need patience and a mortar and pestle but we'll worth it.

 

[PTR]

Daft bump as I've just made yet another batch of base (v1). I just whack everything in the instant pot for 30 mins these day, seems to be just as good as doing it the "proper" way as per Al's guide. (edit: I use half the oil)
Got 6 chicken brests on the side - ready to pre-cook before I freeze the rest.

Mate, you cannot match the taste of fresh lightly roasted and ground in date spices. You'll need patience and a mortar and pestle but we'll worth it.

Im starting to get the feeling that there are 2 steps between the curries I make, and the very best you can get

1 - The heat source and the quality of the pans
2 - Freshness & quality of spices

I really can't be arsed with fresh spices - I bought large bags and keep them in tupperware.

I tried a fairly new indian place in Peterlee 2 weeks ago - oddly, they are a Mexican and Indian Kitchen in one. Mexican stuff is decent. For the Indian, everything was smashing - except the curry itself, which was really bland - genuinely not as good as what I make at home.

 

[lurker]

Made a lovely chilli last night with chuck steak, a bit of dark chocolate and beer for flavour.

 

[Sandboy]

Just had Al's rogan and pilau rice, bloody lovely

 

[gizmoganzee]

Cooked up a Chicken Chasni, sweet, lovely and lush.

 

[North Yorks Mackem]

Knew there had been a thread on this. Made a base sauce tonight and pre cooked me meat. Stunk the whole street out.

Looking forward to getting stuck in mind.

 

[Patch]

Al opened up a whole new culinary dimension for me. As Mary Berry says, all you need to be able to do in order to cook is read (or follow Al's videos but they're not her words).

 

[YorkMackem]

I'd also recommend you use a really good quality homemade stock in the base sauce too.

 

[Roker Mackem]

Knew there had been a thread on this. Made a base sauce tonight and pre cooked me meat. Stunk the whole street out.

Looking forward to getting stuck in mind.

Thats always what puts me off. The stench in the house stays for days

 

[Wilfy]

I do my base in the instant pot now. Doesn’t stink the kitchen out.

 

[Patch]

We just do it in a big pot on the stove. Open a window and the smell has gone that evening. We can turn the whole thing around in about two hours.

 

[FlyingLotus]

I do my base in the instant pot now. Doesn’t stink the kitchen out.

Do you just chuck it all in? And how long for? Got an IP recently and been thinking of making a batch of the base curry in it.

 

[PTR]

Thats always what puts me off. The stench in the house stays for days

It really doesn't. What are you lot doing?

Lid on the pan, extractor fan on, kitchen door shut, kitchen window open. Smell is gone in an hour.
Anyway, I do mine in the Instant Pot these days, so it doesn't smell at all.

 

[James]

It really doesn't. What are you lot doing?

Lid on the pan, extractor fan on, kitchen door shut, kitchen window open. Smell is gone in an hour.
Anyway, I do mine in the Instant Pot these days, so it doesn't smell at all.

This. I've never had a problem with the smell, just open a window and it soon clears. Do you lot never cook with garlic or spices?!

 

[PTR]

Do you just chuck it all in? And how long for? Got an IP recently and been thinking of making a batch of the base curry in it.

Yup. I hoy the lot in, and stick it on Manual (high pressure) for 30 mins and forget all about it - do it on a morning and finish it off later in the day works really well. If you let it cool naturally, you don't even get any curry-scented steam.
Then I use a stick blender in the IP and ladle it directly into takeaway plastic containers - 3/4 of one is about perfect for a nice double-portion of curry.

 

[Roker Mackem]

It really doesn't. What are you lot doing?

Lid on the pan, extractor fan on, kitchen door shut, kitchen window open. Smell is gone in an hour.
Anyway, I do mine in the Instant Pot these days, so it doesn't smell at all.

Extractor fan isnt great and ive got kids so the kitchen door never stays shut

 

[PTR]

Extractor fan isnt great and ive got kids so the kitchen door never stays shut

Put it on after they've gone to bed and leave it till the morning to blend?