How to cook using Madras curry powder

trixietoes

Also with the onions, fry them off slowly on a low temp, they should caramalise, not burn, this gives a richer flavour to the curry - Tip from the Madhar Jaffrey (sp) cook book. Then add the garlic and ginger (which I agree, are essential) taking care not to burn either as they will become bitter.

Remember with all spices, add a bit at a time ... you can always add more, but you can't take them out once they're in

Good luck, curry is one of the most amazing things to cook and I love it.

jonny2510

bella2121 wrote: »

I have been told the key to a good curry is to fry the onions first then add your tomato's then curry paste/mixture then finally add the chicken raw and allow to simmer. This way the curry flavours can infuse the chicken as it hasnt been sealed, if you fry the chicken first it will just make it tough and the flavours cant get in. hope that makes sense

If doing it this way, how long would the chicken need to be simmered before it was cooked through (assuming it was cut into chunks the size an Indian restaurant serves) ?

Rikki

You would need to make sure the meat is cooked right through possibly add another 5-10 minutes to the time

Personally I have never added uncooked meat to the curry sauce. The idea is to seal the meat juices in the meat rather than them leak out into the sauce. So either seal before you start or cook the onions, add the spices, chicken and then tomatoes.

Asian and Thai dishes cook the meat prior to adding to the sauces.

I'm having a spicy beef dish tonight. :drool: Recipe undecided as yet.

bella2121

jonny2510 wrote: »

If doing it this way, how long would the chicken need to be simmered before it was cooked through (assuming it was cut into chunks the size an Indian restaurant serves) ?

We usually cook for between 45 mins to an hour, sometimes longer especially if we have people round for a curry night. As trixitoes says soften the onions dont fry them add a tin of tomato's and squirt of tomato puree, mix your spices in a bowl with a little bit of water add to the onions and the tomato's, then add the raw chunks of chicken we also add fresh corriander towards the end of cooking.

The best thing i could suggest is try it both ways adding sealed chicken or raw chicken, i have always always sealed chicken previously until a friend showed me this way and i have to say the chicken is much more succulent if not sealed, yummmmm this is making me very very hungry think and curry is on the cards for this weekend

jonny2510

Well with such conflicting advice, I suppose i'd better make two curries to compare

I'll try one with the sealed method, and one with the raw method (I'm not much of a cook, but can see both points of view).

Finally, 1 (smallish) cooking onion or 2?
Oh and shall I use something like 2-3 cloves of crushed garlic and 3cm x 2cm of ginger?

Thanks again everyone

:j

Bongedone

That is the correct amount of garlic and ginger. You can use 1 or 2 onions. Completely up to you. Dopiaza means 2 onions think.

I regularly make curry with left over chicken which is already cooked and its fine. If I am not using left overs then I don't bother to cook it 1st if its chicken breast. If I am doing beef then I brown it 1st.

I recommend you get a book out of the library.

You mentioned adding extra chilli. I would wait and taste it 1st. That madras powder is very hot anyway.

jonny2510

Bongedone wrote: »

You mentioned adding extra chilli. I would wait and taste it 1st. That madras powder is very hot anyway.

You're probably right. I can have it as hot as, but Mrs jonny2510 may not be as happy if it turns out Vindaloo hot

jonny2510

Well thanks for the replies.

Had the meal, and it was very nice. The curry wasn't in the slightest bit spicy, despite it's "Hot Madras Curry Powder label", but was delicious none the less.

Here's what I did, in case anyone else wants to follow, and if not it'll act as a reference for me next time!

• Grated 1 & 1/2 onions (and finely chopped the other half to add to my rice - Recipe Here)
• Finely chopped a large knob of ginger (I think I'll grate this next time, as DW didn't like the texture of the pieces left- the flavour was fine)
• Finely chopped 2 cloves of garlic
• Fried the chicken (3 small breasts) in a tablespoon of oil, for approx 5 mins until cooked through
• Removed from pan and placed in a bowl (covered)
• Added approx 2 more tablespoons of oil, and fried the grated onions.
• Added the ginger, and garlic (next time at this point I'm going to add 2-3 chopped "hot" chillies too)
• Added 2 tablespoons of Hot Madras Curry Powder with a little water added to make a paste, and stirred vigorously, until everything was covered.
• Added a tin of tomatoes, and brought to point where simmering
• Added the (mostly cooked) chicken, covered the wok and simmered for approx 25-30 mins.
• Served with lovely Spiced Basmati Pilau, Garlic Naan, Popadoms, Mango Pickle, Mixed Pickle and Mango Chutney

Yum yum, I can't wait for Friday to try it again

Rikki

and the romantic evening?

Only kidding.

Glad it all went well. :T

*The beauty of curries is you just adapt them to your own preference.

HappySad

Do you have a easy recipe to cook midras with yogart the easy way? Any web sites are welcome or your own recipe is welcome.

Thanks