Restaurants -- Do they pre-make Curry?

[Stone]

How's that for a poorly worded topic?

Most of the recipes I've seen for Indian meat curry calls for cooking the meat for quite a long time in order to soften it up. But restaurants obviously aren't doing this. How? Do they just have a big pot of vindaloo, etc. in the back? Do they pre-cook a whole lot of meat and then just add them to different curry sauces for serving?

The world wants to know.

[A Scottish Chef]

How's that for a poorly worded topic?

Most of the recipes I've seen for Indian meat curry calls for cooking the meat for quite a long time in order to soften it up.  But restaurants obviously aren't doing this.  How?  Do they just have a big pot of vindaloo, etc. in the back?  Do they pre-cook a whole lot of meat and then just add them to different curry sauces for serving?

The world wants to know.

Not me, and I cook to order in a takeaway.

I'll use my 'Indian' chicken (perhaps Suvir will give me a proper name for this) as an example.

Lets say you order chicken dopiaza. Every day I make some of this chicken and have the chicken in the fridge marinating overnight to use the next day. It's a simple marinade of greek yoghurt, some ginger garlic paste, a little salt, a little sugar, a few drops of seasoned oil and a pinch of haldi (turmeric).

You order, I place the chicken on a baking sheet and bake it for 7 minutes, during which time I make the dopiaza sauce. The base of the sauce is a very mild curry made from onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and some creamed coconut, water and salt. All the other ingredients are cooked into that base as the customer orders.

But thats me. I know of a restaurent in Glasgow who make nearly all their dishes in the moring, pack them and reheat in the microwave to demand in the evening. There is really no need to pre-cook the meats if you are using good ingredients. Some do require a good while for marinating however.

[Stone]

What cuts do you use for the lamb/beef?

And these are probably questions for another topic, but do you mince the onion and tomato? If not, how do they break down quickly enough to form the gravy? Blender?

Edited January 14, 2003 by Dstone001 (log)

[A Scottish Chef]

What cuts do you use for the lamb/beef?

And these are probably questions for another topic, but do you mince the onion and tomato?  If not, how do they break down quickly enough to form the gravy?  Blender?

I'm very lucky in that I have a butcher two shops down from mine so I get good meats as fresh as possible. For lamb I'll usually use best end, and for beef it is always sirloin. The butcher even trims and cubes the meat for me...bartering lives! However, since the problems we had with CJD and BSE neither is anywhere near as popular as they once were. I'd say chicken, prawns and vegetable dishes cover nearly 90% of demand these days.

Of course many Indian restaurents do not serve beef as the cow is sacred to some. I'm not constrained by this consideration as I feel strongly that if it moves and tastes good then it's fair game.

When I cook the basic curry sauce/gravy it takes about 1.5 hours and so the sauce is largely broken down anyway. I always blend in a blender as the stick blender I had never provided smooth enough results. Once cooled, I keep it in the fridge ready for use.

[Stone]

When I cook the basic curry sauce/gravy it takes about 1.5 hours and so the sauce is largely broken down anyway. I always blend in a blender as the stick blender I had never provided smooth enough results. Once cooled, I keep it in the fridge ready for use.

Got it. Thanks.

But I'm a little curious, and slightly worried, about what you mean by the "best end" of the lamb. Given what I've heard about the Scots, I assume that's the rump?

[A Scottish Chef]

But I'm a little curious, and slightly worried, about what you mean by the "best end" of the lamb.  Given what I've heard about the Scots, I assume that's the rump?

Close, but no Monica.

[awbrig]

[Stone]

But I'm a little curious, and slightly worried, about what you mean by the "best end" of the lamb.  Given what I've heard about the Scots, I assume that's the rump?

Close, but no Monica.

English, darling, speak English.

What's close to the rump? Leg?

[A Scottish Chef]

English, darling, speak English.

Think Monica, think cigars.

[Stone]

But seriously folks, what cut of lamb?

(And what I miss on your other thread? Pictures of greater and lesser tits?)

[A Scottish Chef]

But seriously folks, what cut of lamb?

(And what I miss on your other thread?  Pictures of greater and lesser tits?)

I don't know what else to call it, it's called the best end. Trans-atlantic divide? It's the bit behind the shoulder but before the loin. Did that help?

I'm saying nothing about **** of any kind anymore. Just in case I upset someone. Or in case I inspire someone else to upset someone else. Or in case someone else inspires someone else to upset someone else. I've only been here a few weeks and was completely delighted to stumble across cooky types talking about every aspect of food. I was even delighteder to see the various personalities clashing and debating with such vigour.

Then the OTC was chopped. Now the thread about nasty customers has been closed and I'm not sure why. I'm a new guy around here and I'm still trying to find my way and understand the dynamics of what is and is not allowable. It seems to vary, but again I don't know why.

Perhaps I'll never know