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The Curry Guy: Recreate Over 100 of the Best British Indian Restaurant Recipes at Home
Dan Toombs (aka The Curry Guy) has perfected the art of replicating British Indian Restaurant (BIR) cooking after travelling around the UK, sampling dishes, learning the curry house kitchen secrets and refining those recipes at home. In other words, Dan makes homemade curries that taste just like a takeaway from your favourite local but in less time and for less money. Dan has learnt through the comments left on his blog and social media feeds that people are terribly let down when they make a chicken korma or a prawn bhuna from other cookbooks and it taste nothing like the dish they experience when they visit a curry house…but they thank him for getting it right.
289 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 4, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
December 28, 2021
I love cooking Indian curries. This book introduced me in particular to concepts used in the "British Indian Restaurant" system of curry cookery.
This book is worth the price of admission based on the "precooked" meat instruction. The book introduces you to the concept of making sort of curry "mother sauces." Like the classic French mother sauces, Toombs helps you learn some of the basic sauces that can then be modified to create some of the classic restaurant curries. Very helpful.
But I digress. As I was saying, the idea of pre-cooking meat was a bit odd to me at first. After all, conventional cooking, as I learned it, relied upon slow cooking a protein, usually one that required low and slow simmering, in the sauce/broth/whatever, it would eventually be served in. That is a concept I could wrap my brain around. (Bear with me, there's a point to this rambling, I promise...)
But I found lamb saag very challenging with the recipes I had up until this point. When lamb saag is done well, it is truly culinary divinity on a plate. The time before the last time I made it, however, it started out absolutely dreadful. The lamb one normally uses (or at least what is accessible to me) for lamb saag is stew meat. It requires a lot of cooking time. Problem is, which I learned the hard way, that if you cook spinach for a looooong time, it turns really bitter. (Imagine kale steeped in day-old coffee for a week out in the sun and you get the idea.) To save that batch before reading The Curry Guy, my very wonderful wife did some interwebs research for yours truly, figured out why it tasted like ass, and half an hour later with a lot of sugar, lemon, and butter, I managed to salvage it. (In fairness to the recipe I had been using previously, it was for chicken, which takes a lot less time and hence doesn't create the nasty over-cooked spinach flavor.)
Wasn't going to make that mistake again so when I went to make lamb saag most recently, I happened upon this blog by an Englishman for a recipe for "precooked meat" that could then be added to whatever curry you want! I was skeptical at first, but I tried it and it worked like a charm. I go check out the book and it is FULL of ideas of how to make curries more accessible and possible to a home cook. Aloo gobi has been another one I have previously found almost impossible to make, despite being seemingly really simple. I have always found it hard getting potato and cauliflower cooked together so that it didn't turn to mush that I wouldn't feed to an enemy. But Mr. Toombs has "pre-cooked" potato suggestions for that too, so I am very excited.
This book is cool because it also introduced me to curries I had never heard of before.
I would recommend this cookbook to anyone who would like to cook some basic and very interesting sounding dishes with methods that (so far) seem to work like a charm.
This book is worth the price of admission based on the "precooked" meat instruction. The book introduces you to the concept of making sort of curry "mother sauces." Like the classic French mother sauces, Toombs helps you learn some of the basic sauces that can then be modified to create some of the classic restaurant curries. Very helpful.
But I digress. As I was saying, the idea of pre-cooking meat was a bit odd to me at first. After all, conventional cooking, as I learned it, relied upon slow cooking a protein, usually one that required low and slow simmering, in the sauce/broth/whatever, it would eventually be served in. That is a concept I could wrap my brain around. (Bear with me, there's a point to this rambling, I promise...)
But I found lamb saag very challenging with the recipes I had up until this point. When lamb saag is done well, it is truly culinary divinity on a plate. The time before the last time I made it, however, it started out absolutely dreadful. The lamb one normally uses (or at least what is accessible to me) for lamb saag is stew meat. It requires a lot of cooking time. Problem is, which I learned the hard way, that if you cook spinach for a looooong time, it turns really bitter. (Imagine kale steeped in day-old coffee for a week out in the sun and you get the idea.) To save that batch before reading The Curry Guy, my very wonderful wife did some interwebs research for yours truly, figured out why it tasted like ass, and half an hour later with a lot of sugar, lemon, and butter, I managed to salvage it. (In fairness to the recipe I had been using previously, it was for chicken, which takes a lot less time and hence doesn't create the nasty over-cooked spinach flavor.)
Wasn't going to make that mistake again so when I went to make lamb saag most recently, I happened upon this blog by an Englishman for a recipe for "precooked meat" that could then be added to whatever curry you want! I was skeptical at first, but I tried it and it worked like a charm. I go check out the book and it is FULL of ideas of how to make curries more accessible and possible to a home cook. Aloo gobi has been another one I have previously found almost impossible to make, despite being seemingly really simple. I have always found it hard getting potato and cauliflower cooked together so that it didn't turn to mush that I wouldn't feed to an enemy. But Mr. Toombs has "pre-cooked" potato suggestions for that too, so I am very excited.
This book is cool because it also introduced me to curries I had never heard of before.
I would recommend this cookbook to anyone who would like to cook some basic and very interesting sounding dishes with methods that (so far) seem to work like a charm.
October 18, 2018
I really got more into cooking around 3 or 4 years ago, and most of the meals I do are Indian, Thai or Chinese.
A couple of years ago, I discovered this guys website and once I made his 'base-sauce' Indian recipes, that was it, I was sold. My other half will no longer allow me to order food from our local takeaway as she tells me that my home cooking is much nicer and usually healthier too.
Just make a batch of the base sauce and freeze it in portions and within 20 minutes you can knock up a fabulous meal during the week, when time is limited.
A couple of years ago, I discovered this guys website and once I made his 'base-sauce' Indian recipes, that was it, I was sold. My other half will no longer allow me to order food from our local takeaway as she tells me that my home cooking is much nicer and usually healthier too.
Just make a batch of the base sauce and freeze it in portions and within 20 minutes you can knock up a fabulous meal during the week, when time is limited.
August 13, 2024
Unless you plan on cooking curry
at least
once a week, every single week, for months on end you should probably skip this book.
I haven't tried any of these recipes (you'll understand in a second why). And this is one of those cookbooks where you're not sure whether to measure it against its own goals or against its actual usefulness for most people.
On its own terms, it is probably closer to 4- or even 5-stars. How to make restaurant Indian food at home. And it will show you how restaurants do that.
The problem is that the answer this book gives you is: make big batches of "base" stuff in advance which enables you to throw together most things in 10 minutes or so. (That's how curry houses can do delivery on dozens of different curries.) But which doesn't really make much sense unless you're cooking curries pretty regularly. Here's an example. Let's say you want to make Chicken Tikka Masala. Here's what you need to have made in advance:
2 tbps of Garlic & ginger paste. He provides a recipe that makes 15 tbps (i.e. 7-8 dinners) and only lasts 3 days in the refrigerator. So you'll need to portion and freeze this. This probably takes 5-10 minutes to make the paste.
2 tbps of "mixed powder". He provides a recipe that makes 17 tbps and lasts about 2 months (i.e. 8-9 meals, or curry every two weeks). This probably takes 10 minutes to toast & grind the half dozen spices.
2 tbps of "tandoori masala". He provides a recipe that makes 13 tbps (5-7 dinners of tandoori) and also lasts 2 months. So now you're not just making any old curry but specifically something tandoori every 2 weeks. Another 10-15 minutes for another big spice blend.
1/2 cup of "spice stock". He provides a recipe that makes 4 cups (8 dinners of stock). At least this one can be portioned and frozen. Simmer for 30 minutes.
700ml of "base curry sauce". He provides a recipe that makes 6 liters (enough for 8-12 meals) He says to freeze it in 750ml portions but the recipes don't always all for exactly 750ml so you're going to be throwing away a fair amount. Chicken Ceylon uses 625ml, so throwing away 125ml. Chicken Dopiaza calls for 500ml, so throwing away 250ml. Making this base curry sauce takes over an hour of simmering.
And then you actually 800g of pre-cooked tandoori chicken tikka which comes with its own 13-ingredient marinade ("marinate in the fridge for at least 6 hours or up to 48 hours").
That's a fair amount of prep. And basically all of the recipes are like this. None of them really feel approachable to me or like the way I would cook at home.
Before buying this book, ask yourself. Do you want to make a "base curry sauce" that is enough for 8-12 dinners? That's enough to make curry once a week for 2-3 months. If your family eats curry that often (or even more often!) then this book might be a great fit for you. But it isn't a great fit for how I cook at home.
I haven't tried any of these recipes (you'll understand in a second why). And this is one of those cookbooks where you're not sure whether to measure it against its own goals or against its actual usefulness for most people.
On its own terms, it is probably closer to 4- or even 5-stars. How to make restaurant Indian food at home. And it will show you how restaurants do that.
The problem is that the answer this book gives you is: make big batches of "base" stuff in advance which enables you to throw together most things in 10 minutes or so. (That's how curry houses can do delivery on dozens of different curries.) But which doesn't really make much sense unless you're cooking curries pretty regularly. Here's an example. Let's say you want to make Chicken Tikka Masala. Here's what you need to have made in advance:
2 tbps of Garlic & ginger paste. He provides a recipe that makes 15 tbps (i.e. 7-8 dinners) and only lasts 3 days in the refrigerator. So you'll need to portion and freeze this. This probably takes 5-10 minutes to make the paste.
2 tbps of "mixed powder". He provides a recipe that makes 17 tbps and lasts about 2 months (i.e. 8-9 meals, or curry every two weeks). This probably takes 10 minutes to toast & grind the half dozen spices.
2 tbps of "tandoori masala". He provides a recipe that makes 13 tbps (5-7 dinners of tandoori) and also lasts 2 months. So now you're not just making any old curry but specifically something tandoori every 2 weeks. Another 10-15 minutes for another big spice blend.
1/2 cup of "spice stock". He provides a recipe that makes 4 cups (8 dinners of stock). At least this one can be portioned and frozen. Simmer for 30 minutes.
700ml of "base curry sauce". He provides a recipe that makes 6 liters (enough for 8-12 meals) He says to freeze it in 750ml portions but the recipes don't always all for exactly 750ml so you're going to be throwing away a fair amount. Chicken Ceylon uses 625ml, so throwing away 125ml. Chicken Dopiaza calls for 500ml, so throwing away 250ml. Making this base curry sauce takes over an hour of simmering.
And then you actually 800g of pre-cooked tandoori chicken tikka which comes with its own 13-ingredient marinade ("marinate in the fridge for at least 6 hours or up to 48 hours").
That's a fair amount of prep. And basically all of the recipes are like this. None of them really feel approachable to me or like the way I would cook at home.
Before buying this book, ask yourself. Do you want to make a "base curry sauce" that is enough for 8-12 dinners? That's enough to make curry once a week for 2-3 months. If your family eats curry that often (or even more often!) then this book might be a great fit for you. But it isn't a great fit for how I cook at home.
July 19, 2023
Somewhat cautiously, I'm going to give this 4 stars.
I'm a little twitchy with books like this - a book about British Indian Restaurant cooking, written by a white guy from the US - there's flags everywhere. Indian food, in the UK is a quagmire as it is, with our history of oppression and extraction, so it's a very sensitive subject.
I'm also very, very leery of books which claim to have discovered "The Secret Behind Your Favourite Takeaway Meals!", which this book does in a couple of instances (the curry base, and the mixed powder). Curry Base, in particular, is (whilst not widely known) not exactly a secret; I've been cooking using forms of Curry Base for over a decade.
However - he does make a point of taking a full page to explain that it's not a "cheat", but is a modified form of traditional Indian cooking ,not unlike the Holy Trinity in Creole cooking, or the Sofrito in Italian Cooking, known as a daag in northern India and Pakistan. He also appears to actively engage with the communities whose recipes he is attempting to highlight, I think.
Each recipe begins with a little paragraph on it's origin - some of which are really difficult to discern (was chicken tikka masala really invented in Glasgow by a chef pouring tomato soup on a meal sent back for being too dry? We'll never know, I guess), but he's very much had a go, and is not shy about pointing out that - for instance - what we call a "pasanda" here in the UK has utterly nothing to do with an authentically cooked pasanda.
And of course, I'm also attempting to replicate the same recipes, so am guilty of all the same things.
So, for now - the rating is due to the quality of the recipes, which are very good.
The curry base is excellent, easy to make in bulk. So are most of the spice mixes.
The recipes are hard to follow, and maybe intimidating - I've taken to breaking the ingredients down in my copy with a pen into the various stages broadly needed to make a curry:
Tempering/frying whole spices and aromatics (eg. cloves/cinnamon/onions/garlic etc)
Adding tomato/ground spices or nuts
Add curry base and simmer until you have a paste
Add protein/veg and cooking
Finish with garnishes, cream, yogurt and serve
...which has helped me immensely.
I've tried at least half a dozen or more of the "classic" curries (think: Chicken Tikka Masala, Lamb Bhuna etc), and combined with some previous recipes, they've largely come out really well. The sides that I've tried are also all really good.
I'd say to use this book as a jumping-off point if you want to learn about Indian cuisine - it's limited to "Restaurant Cooking", but there's nothing wrong with that, and from there you can build your confidence and seek out more authentic recipes - if that's your desire.
I'm a little twitchy with books like this - a book about British Indian Restaurant cooking, written by a white guy from the US - there's flags everywhere. Indian food, in the UK is a quagmire as it is, with our history of oppression and extraction, so it's a very sensitive subject.
I'm also very, very leery of books which claim to have discovered "The Secret Behind Your Favourite Takeaway Meals!", which this book does in a couple of instances (the curry base, and the mixed powder). Curry Base, in particular, is (whilst not widely known) not exactly a secret; I've been cooking using forms of Curry Base for over a decade.
However - he does make a point of taking a full page to explain that it's not a "cheat", but is a modified form of traditional Indian cooking ,not unlike the Holy Trinity in Creole cooking, or the Sofrito in Italian Cooking, known as a daag in northern India and Pakistan. He also appears to actively engage with the communities whose recipes he is attempting to highlight, I think.
Each recipe begins with a little paragraph on it's origin - some of which are really difficult to discern (was chicken tikka masala really invented in Glasgow by a chef pouring tomato soup on a meal sent back for being too dry? We'll never know, I guess), but he's very much had a go, and is not shy about pointing out that - for instance - what we call a "pasanda" here in the UK has utterly nothing to do with an authentically cooked pasanda.
And of course, I'm also attempting to replicate the same recipes, so am guilty of all the same things.
So, for now - the rating is due to the quality of the recipes, which are very good.
The curry base is excellent, easy to make in bulk. So are most of the spice mixes.
The recipes are hard to follow, and maybe intimidating - I've taken to breaking the ingredients down in my copy with a pen into the various stages broadly needed to make a curry:
Tempering/frying whole spices and aromatics (eg. cloves/cinnamon/onions/garlic etc)
Adding tomato/ground spices or nuts
Add curry base and simmer until you have a paste
Add protein/veg and cooking
Finish with garnishes, cream, yogurt and serve
...which has helped me immensely.
I've tried at least half a dozen or more of the "classic" curries (think: Chicken Tikka Masala, Lamb Bhuna etc), and combined with some previous recipes, they've largely come out really well. The sides that I've tried are also all really good.
I'd say to use this book as a jumping-off point if you want to learn about Indian cuisine - it's limited to "Restaurant Cooking", but there's nothing wrong with that, and from there you can build your confidence and seek out more authentic recipes - if that's your desire.
November 20, 2018
A BIR classic. Dan has infused this cookbook with lots of his personality as he documents his journey to exist entirely on BIR curries for an entire year (a quest I hope to undertake at some point in the future!). Beautifully illustrated and the recipes all turn out great!
May 10, 2020
British Indian curries. These are great. Takes a good session to set up the basic spice mixes and base gravy but then quick to rustle up a curry from those ingredients. I'd say of the first three books this is the best of them assuming you eat meat for getting a great meal on the table.
November 7, 2018
great and the food down well.
January 12, 2021
Really easy to follow recipes, ideal for a beginner. Very clear with plenty of explanation about the basics.
August 8, 2022
I was interested to know how restaurants create these dishes.
It's interesting to know, but I don't think I will switch to this style of cooking, unless maybe for a party.
I'm really more into cooking vegetables, and this focuses largely on meat.
It's interesting to know, but I don't think I will switch to this style of cooking, unless maybe for a party.
I'm really more into cooking vegetables, and this focuses largely on meat.
August 30, 2020
I randomly grabbed this from a display at the library, and it has changed the game for me. For several years, I've been on a quest to replicate chicken tikka masala at home. This book got me almost there! I think with a few tweaks next time, I can get even closer. That base curry! That mixed powder! OMG!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews