British Indian Restaurant style cooking, known as BIR, is how most Indian restaurants and takeaways in the UK cook their food.
Perhaps you’ve bought recipe books and attempted to recreate the taste of your beloved curry, only to discover it’s quite different from what you enjoy at your nearby Indian restaurant or takeaway. The reason behind this is that chefs in professional kitchens use unique cooking methods that bring out the special flavors of BIR style cooking.
Distinguishing Traditional Indian Cooking from BIR Style
n traditional Indian style cooking, dishes are typically cooked slowly from scratch, with several stages involved. For instance, a typical curry might require well over an hour to prepare.
On the other hand, BIR style cooking prioritizes speed and efficiency. Customers expect their curry orders to be served quickly, so in restaurant kitchens, various components of the curry are precooked ahead of time. When an order is placed, these precooked elements are combined and cooked together, resulting in a curry ready in less than 10 minutes. Despite the final cooking stage being brief, the cumulative time spent preparing all the components adds up to several hours. This process contributes to the rich depth of flavor characteristic of BIR style cooking, a flavor profile that can only be achieved through time-intensive methods.
Furthermore, a significant distinction lies in taste. BIR style cooking has been tailored to suit the preferences of a Western audience, with dishes adjusted or even created to cater to the UK palate.
Is BIR cooking difficult?
BIR cooking is all about simplicity. Once you grasp the basics, it’s actually very straightforward. Most curries follow a standard process and with a bit of practice you will be able to cook a curry in minutes.
What do I need to get started cooking my own BIR curries?
Preparation is crucial for BIR style cooking. If you’re cooking BIR style curries at home, make sure you have these essentials ready:
- Base Gravy: This is a mildly spiced, onion-based sauce that gives curry its “body.” When you add the base gravy, a quick burst of heat helps caramelize the sauce, creating the rich, familiar BIR taste.
- Spices: These are key for adding pungency and flavor to the curry. You’ll only need a handful of spices, with mix powder being the most important. It’s a blend of common spices used by chefs to enhance the taste.
- Precooked Meat or Vegetables: In restaurant kitchens, meat isn’t cooked from raw for each order because it takes too long. Chicken, lamb, and vegetables are precooked with light spices and then added to the curry, which is ready in minutes. While you can cook BIR style curries without pre-cooking the meat, you won’t achieve the same depth of flavor.
