coriander seeds

  • Base Curry (BIR)

    >Base Curry
    Base Curry (BIR)
    (Makes 10 cups or 2½ quarts)

    Akhni Stock
    8 cups water
    1 yellow onion, cut into quarters
    14 green cardamom pods
    2 black cardamom
    10 whole cloves
    6 garlic cloves, crushed
    4 bay leaves
    4 inch cinnamon stick
    4 tsp coriander seeds
    4 tsp fennel seeds
    4 inch chunk fresh ginger
    2 star anise
    2 tsp black peppercorns

    Base Gravy
    10 medium onions, chopped
    1 large carrot, peeled and diced
    ½ large green bell pepper, diced
    ½ large red bell pepper, diced
    2 stalks leafy celery, diced
    ¼ of a green cabbage head, chopped
    2 cups (16oz) canned chopped tomatoes
    6 sprigs fresh cilantro with leaves
    1 cup vegetable oil
    4 tblsp ghee
    4½ tblsp fresh ginger puree
    4½ tblsp garlic puree
    1 tbsp ground turmeric
    1 tbsp garam masala
    1 tbsp freshly ground cumin
    1 tbsp freshly ground coriander seed
    1 tbsp ground fenugreek powder
    1 tbsp smoked paprika
    1 tbsp salt
    2 cups chicken stock (homemade preferred or at the least use Better Than Bouillon brand chicken base)


    NOTES: BIR Base Curry, also known as British Indian Restaurant Base Gravy, is a crucial component in creating the distinctive flavors found in British Indian restaurant-style curries. Akhni stock is a flavoring stock that's used in the making of BIR base gravy. It serves as the foundation for many British curry dishes. Asian/Indian bay leaves preferred, as they are milder – use 1 regular bay leaf if unavailable.

    To turn your base British Indian Restaurant (BIR) curry into a full curry, you can add additional ingredients such as cooked meat (chicken, lamb, or beef), vegetables (like potatoes, peas, or bell peppers), and more spices or seasonings to enhance the flavor. You can also adjust the consistency by adding water, coconut milk, or cream to achieve your desired thickness. Serve your full curry with rice or naan bread for a complete meal! Click here for more ideas on what to add to this base curry.

     

    For the akhni stock: add all akhni stock ingredients to a saucepan. Bring to a boil for ten minutes then strain the mixture discarding the solids and reserve the akhni stock.

    For the base gravy: pour the oil into a large heavy bottomed saucepan and heat over medium high heat until simmering.
    Add the diced onions and fry, stir often for about 20 minutes until the onions are soft, lightly browned and translucent.
    Add the bell peppers, celery, cilantro, carrot and cabbage and mix.
    Fry for another five minutes and then add the ginger, garlic and all of the spices except for the turmeric.
    Now add the tomatoes, chicken stock and just enough Akhni stock to cover the vegetables and simmer for about half an hour. Add more stock as needed.

    After 30 minutes, remove the mixture from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

    Using a handheld immersion blender blend until silky smooth, if you have one, otherwise, scoop the mixture in batches into a blender and blend until silky smooth, about three minutes per batch if using the blender. Add more Akhni stock if needed to achieve the proper consistency, it should roughly be the consistency of thin cream.
    Once your sauce is smooth, melt the ghee in a frying pan and add the turmeric powder to the ghee. It will darken as it cooks. You want to brown it for about 30 seconds being careful not to burn the turmeric. Now add the turmeric/ghee mixture to the sauce and bring to a simmer again.
    Once it is simmering, turn down the heat and simmer for another 20 - 30 minutes.
    Enjoy!
    This can be stored in the fridge for up to three days or freeze in 3 cup portions for up to three months.

    BIR House Mixed Powder (Every curry joint in Britain has their "secret" blend of house spices, this is ours!):
    3 tbsp ground cumin
    3 tbsp ground coriander
    4 tbsp curry powder
    3 tbsp paprika
    3 tbsp ground turmeric
    1 tbsp garam masala

    Things you can make from this base:
    1.) BIR Chicken Korma (for 4) – 1½ cups BIR curry base, 1¾ oz (50 grams) almonds, crushed (or cashews or both), 2 tblsp fine white sugar, 1 tblsp butter, 1¾ oz (50 grams) creamed coconut block, 3⅓ oz (100 ml) cream. Cook the above ingredients until combined (less than 4 mins) – Add 1 lb raw chicken such as mini fillets or a breast cut into1 inch chunks and heat on low for 10 minutes to cook through.

    2.) BIR Bhuna (for 4) – In 2 tblsp vegetable oil fry 1 four inch cinnamon stick for 10 seconds then add 1 lb of cleaned prawns or chicken to cook - (if your protein is already cooked then add it at the end). Next add 1 tblsp tomato paste with 1 tblsp grated ginger, 1 tblsp garlic paste, 1 tblsp cumin powder, 1 tblsp red chili powder, 1 tblsp coriander powder, 1 tsp turmeric. Cook for 2 minutes then add 1½ cups BIR curry base. Cook for 2 minutes more then squeeze the juice of one lemon in and then add 1 small bunch cillantro leaves, torn or chopped. Salt and pepper to taste.

    2.) BIR Saag (for 4)
    ¼ lb baby spinach leaves
    3 green bird's eye chillies or Thai chilies - roughly chopped
    1 handful cilantro leaves
    2 tbsp ghee
    ½ onion, chopped finely
    1½ tbsp garlic and ginger paste
    1 tblsp cilantro stalks
    1 tsp cumin, ground
    1 tsp coriander, ground
    2 tblsp mixed powder
    ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
    ¼ cup tomato puree
    1 cup base curry
    1 tblsp plain natural yoghurt
    Juice of ½ lemon
    ½ tsp garam masala
    Salt to taste

    Directions:
    Preparing the spinach by placing all of the spinach, chillies, coriander and lemon juice in a food processor and blend to a smooth paste. You may need to add just a bit of water to do this. Set aside.

    Now heat the ghee in a large pan over medium heat.
    Once the pan is hot, add the chopped onions and fry for about 15 minutes until soft and translucent but not too brown.
    Add the ginger and garlic paste and allow to cook for about 30 seconds.
    Add in the cumin, coriander powder, garam masala and kashmiri chilli powder and mix.
    Remove the onions from the pan and use a processor or blender to blend the onions and the tomatoe until smooth.
    Pour the onion/tomato mixture back into the pan. At this point if you want to ass meat or paneer, add it now.
    Cook for 40 minutes or until any meat is nice an tender. Add the base sauce gradually stirring it in, cook for about 5 minutes.
    To finish, add the spinach puree you made earlier and stir it into the curry.
    Cook for another 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning and add the salt and pepper to taste.
    Just before serving, add the yogurt one tablespoon at a time stirring it into the sauce.
    Stir in the lemon juice and serve.

  • Chicken Dum Biryani

    Chicken Dum Biryani
    Chicken Dum Biryani
    (Serves 6-8)

    Biryani Masala
    (Toast the following spices)
    2 tblsp coriander seeds
    1 tsp cumin seeds
    2 tsp caraway seeds
    2 tblsp green cardamom pods
    5-6 black cardamom pods
    3 pieces of 1" cinnamon bark
    1 tblsp whole black peppercorns
    7-8 spicy red chilis
    7-8 bay leaves
    2 tsp whole cloves
    3 blades of mace (1/2 tsp powder)
    1 tblsp methi leaves (fenugreek leaves) add this last after toasting all the other spices

    Chicken
    1-1½ lbs chicken thighs and legs bone-in no skin or boneless skinless thighs (or any combo)

    Onions
    2-3 yellow onions thinly sliced and fried until golden (or 7oz of pre-fried onions like these: Ramdev Fried Onions)

    Chicken Spices
    3 tsp salt (to taste)
    2 tblsp Lemon juice
    4 tblsp ginger/garlic paste
    3 green chilies, made into a paste
    2 tblsp Kashmiri chili powder
    ½ tsp turmeric
    2 tsp coriander powder
    1½ tblsp of the biryani masala
    3-4 tblsp oil, saved from cooking the onions or a neutral oil like canola

    After Marinating the Chicken Spices
    1 cup Indian curd or yogurt

    1 potato, peeled, cut into ¾ cubes, optional
    1 carrot, peeled, cut into ¼ discs, optional
    ⅓ cup of frozen peas, optional
    8 sun dried prunes, cut in half, optional
    5-6 tblsp ghee
    2 cups Basmati rice, (no substitutions)
    1 bunch of cilantro (coriander), minced
    1 bunch of mint, minced
    a pinch of saffron, soaked in a tblsp of milk and a tsp water for at least 20 minutes, optional

    Rice Spices
    2 bay leaves
    1 inch stick of cinnamon
    1 tsp caraway seeds
    3-4 green cardamom pods
    4-5 cloves
    1 star anise
    4-5 black peppercorns
    1-2 chilis, slit, optional
    juice of ½ lemon
    salt for the water, (like your making pasta)
    a sachet: small piece of cheesecloth (5" x 4") to bundle up the rice spices, optional


    NOTES:Biryani may seem like a lot of work, but once you take that first bite you'll know that it was all worth it! If you want to go that extra step, you can smoke the chicken before adding anything to it using a half tsp of ghee poured onto a few hot coals that are sitting in a small metal bowl and then covering it and the raw chicken with a bowl or container for 3-4 minutes. Traditionally the cook uses some bread dough to seal the lid onto the pot so no steam escapes, do this or cheat like me and seal it with tinfoil. You can even use a long damp piece of cheesecloth.

    After toasting the Biryani Masala spices, allow them to cool down and then grind them into a coarse or fine powder depending on your preference. This makes enough biryani masala for deveral batches of biryani, store in a jar or sealed baggie, out of the sunlight, for up to 3 months.

    In the thick parts of the chicken make deep slashes into the thicker parts of the chicken to allow the masala spices to better penetrate the chicken. (If your using boneless thighs you can make slashes at a medium depth)
    If you are smoking the chicken, you can do that now.
    In a large bowl, add salt to the chicken, lemon juice, then all the rest of the chicken spices, mix well, cover and let marinate 24 hours.

    The next day, rinse your Basmati rice three times (removing excess starch from the rice) and then cover with water and let soak for 1½ hours. After the rice has soaked long enough, put on a large pot of boiling water, once boiling, add the spice sachet with all the rice spices and the Basmati rice (or add the spices without the sachet, you may want to pick these out before adding to the main pot, or go Indian style as I am sure in Indian households they don't mind eating around the whole spices.

    Par cook the rice for about 4 minutes, we want the rice 90% cooked, don't stir the rice too often as we don't want to break the individual rice grains. After the 4 minutes, strain the water from the rice (and if you want the whole spices if you didn't use a sachet), remove the sachet and discard if you used it. Set the rice aside

    In the bowl with the chicken that was marinating over night, add the 1 cup of yogurt and add 80% (about 5 oz) of the fried onions and ⅓ of the chopped cilantro bunch and ⅓ the chopped mint leaves and if your using the optional ingredients, add in the prunes, potato, carrot and peas. Mix well.

    In a heavy bottomed pot, add 2 tblsp of ghee over high heat, when melted, keep the heat up high until it is roaring hot and now add your chicken pieces with its marinade and the potato cubes. Stir often cook on high heat for 5-6 minutes, cooking the chicken 85-90%, taste the masala for salt content and adjust as needed.

    Now turn the heat to low, make sure the chicken pieces are spread out in one layer and add ⅓ of the chopped cilantro bunch and ⅓ the chopped mint leaves add 15% of the fried onions (about 1½ oz)
    Add all the rice on top of the chicken layer, smooth the rice into an even layer. Drizzle 3-4 tblsp of the ghee over the rice and then sprinkle/drizzle the saffron liquid over the rice.
    Now add the remaining 5% fried onions (about ½ oz) add the remaining ⅓ bunch of chopped mint and cilantro (coriander leaves). Seal the lid with a rolled out piece of bread dough, or tinfoil (or cheesecloth). If you can weight the lid down with something heavy, that helps too!

    Cook for 10-15 minutes on low heat. Then turn off heat and let rest for 10 minutes.

    I believe traditionally the whole pot is turned upside down a into a platter and served, or just scoop it out with a serving spoon. You can sprinkle some garam masala over the top and serve with a side of Indian yogurt to cool down the spices.

  • Pickling Spices

    Pickling Spices
    Pickling Spices
    (Makes enough to pickle about 1 lb of vegetables)

    2 cinnamon sticks, broken
    1 tsp mustard seeds
    2 tsp peppercorns
    1 tsp cloves
    1 tsp allspice
    1 tsp juniper berries
    1 tsp mace
    1 tsp dill seeds
    4 bay leaves
    1 small piece of ginger

    optional
    red hot pepper flakes
    1/2 tblsp coriander seeds

    NOTES: I love mixing the baby peeled carrots with thick slices of pickling cucumber - great to snack on! I also use fresh ginger slice insted of dried.

    Mix all the spices together. Store in an airtight jar or zipock bag in a cool area, keep out of the sunlight.