Day 299 - Garlic Breath!!

Could I get a good nights sleep last night - No!!  I awoke at 2am with the most awful dry mouth and after taste from the overdose of garlic, which we added to our food during the Indian cookery masterclass.  And maybe consuming a few glasses of red post cooking didn't help the sleep cause!!?

Sorry my account of yesterday's cookery was short, well non existent actully - the weekend's full schedule and wine had taken its toll and I was in bed by 8:30!!

So back to the Great Indian Garlic Off!!

I arrived in the Pantiles just before 10, and met the other four budding chefs over a welcome coffee.  We were then introduced to Pat Chapman and his wife Dominique.  Pat is well known for his cook books, food writing and founding the Curry Club.  So then we donned our Rosemary Shrager's apron and name badges and off we went to the work stations.

It was an interesting few hours and what I particularly enjoyed was taking things back to basics and being taught how to make your own Garam Marsala and curry pastes - it is so easy and tastes and smells so much better than the shop bought stuff, my processed rubbish is being binned tonight!!

The course was designed to show you the way to recreate "Restaurant Favourites" in your own kitchen and we cooked Chicken Tikka Masala (Murgh Makhani/Butter Chicken), Onion Bhajis, Saffron Pilao Rice and the delicious Oonbario (spiced Indian roasted vegetables).

The course was a little chaotic at times as it wasn't the Chapman's kitchen and their first time at the school. It was difficult finding the proper saucepans, lids and utensils.....so as time was getting on Pat whizzed through the Chicken Jalfrezi while we deep fried our onion bhajis - with varying levels of success!!  I was near the end and the oil had lost its umph and mine were pappy and rather rancid!!

By this time Solange had arrived and was sipping a glass of white wine while we were finishing off our creations - preparing herself to be dazzled by the delicious cuisine!!

It wasn't bad was it Solange??  Hope the garlic after taste has not lingered too long :-)

When I do this at home I might reduce the number of garlic cloves......can't wait to get in the kitchen with "The New Curry Bible".