BIR Madras

Oh yes !

I think my cooking education is complete. I have mastered (with the aid of this excellent book) the ability to make a Madras that looks, smells, and tastes the same as the best Indian restaurant.

Now for me that is very significant. I am a curry addict. I swear if I had to only eat one type of cuisine for the rest of my life - it would have to be Indian. I do love to cook Indian from scratch, as other entries in this blog testify....but they are never the same as what you get from a good Cuzza. I know they are different, I know it's not traditional, but hey - I also know that I love them. Properly love them. I travel for work a lot, and sitting down in a small cuzza of an evening....just me, a Madras, a couple of pints and my Kindle, and I am a very very happy man.

Now - I can be that happy at home.

So...here we go. As we all know it's about the Curry Gravy.....




Which is a long slow cook of about 12 vegetables and spices - the bulk coming from onions



Which is then blended to a smooth paste



And the interesting bit - you double it with water...and then simmer for 1+ hour....it's amazing - it transforms it from something quite bland to a perfect gravy. You know it's ready when you get the red oil floating on the top.



Since is was a Madras....I also made the recommended tomato puree base...with the addition of Tandoori Masala and Ground Ginger





I also precooked (steamed) the chicken



So there we go - a mis-en-place for a Cuzza restaurant.




A quick fry of the base tomato sauce, garlic and ginger and some cumin, salt, chilli and curry powder.



Added the pre-cooked chicken and pots



And then you add teh gravy - and wow.....a perfect Madras. There she blows.....it was amazing....perfect...superb....



And - plenty of gravy for the freezer for the next one (which won't be long!)