Topic: Curry base low on spices as the key to different tasting curries?

[karl.s.berg]

I am in this phase I have seen others on the forum get stuck in as well. I make:
- a great mango curry (chewytikka's recipe, but with extra mango pulp),
- a great korma (CA's recipe with less sugar) and
- an excellent vindaloo (CA's recipe but adapted to contain more different chili powders and more tomato sauce and spices in general - might post this recipe one day, as it's always a winner at my dinner parties)).

But for the rest, curries seems to taste very similar (and not all that special). My chana masala is decent, but doesn't have that depth of flavor I find at my local TA. I have been thinking it might be the addition of mix powder to the base. My current base is the Zaal base. Next base I think I will skip the last stage where spices are fried. I would keep akhni stock stage as it contains spices as I usually don't use in my finished curries (and I remember the curries I had in Brick Lane often taste like cardamon and I quite like it).

Has anyone tried to cut down on the ground/fried spices in the base?

[Peripatetic Phil]

Has anyone tried to cut down on the ground/fried spices in the base?

There are almost no spices in Kris Dhillon's base, which is my base of choice.
** Phil.

[Stephen Lindsay]

I use Taz base. There is ground cumin, coriander and turmeric, 1 tbsp of the first two and 1 1/2 tbsp of turmeric to 1kg onions, e.g. about 9 portions. I don't know how that compares to the Zaal base but there's no mix powder in it.

[karl.s.berg]

Thanks for the pointers! I will check both bases for my next batches.

@Phil - in the mean time  I read some of your other posts in other threads stating that it is useless to add things to the base that will be added to the final curry (e.g. tomato paste). I tend to concur with that view after some experience!

[Peripatetic Phil]

@Phil - in the mean time  I read some of your other posts in other threads stating that it is useless to add things to the base that will be added to the final curry (e.g. tomato paste). I tend to concur with that view after some experience!

With the benefit of hindsight, I would not go so far as to say "useless"; rather, "use with caution".  The more you add to the base, the less variation will be possible in the final dish, but the Glasgow base is riddled with spices yet many say it results in some of the best curries they have ever made/tasted/eaten/experienced.

** Phil.

[mickdabass]

Hi Karl

jb's base is also very popular.
its been my favorite for quite a while now

http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,13136.msg107716.html#msg107716

Regards
Mick

[Peripatetic Phil]

Hi Karl -- jb's base is also very popular.  Its been my favourite for quite a while now

JB is one of the lucky few to have been admitted to a working BIR kitchen, so anything that he posts is likely to be useful.  However, it is worth noting that whilst the ingredients list includes only turmeric as a spice, the prose then goes on to say :

Then add 1/4 chef spoon turmeric, tiny amount of chilli powder ,1/4 chef spoon cumin powder, 1/4 chef spoon corriander powder,

so it's not quite as spice-light as it might appear at first sight.

** Phil.

[karl.s.berg]

Thanks for chipping in, Mick! As Phil points out, however, my idea is to make base without a mix powder (or the spices that would constitute a mix powder). I am also considering to omit the tomato puree after reading Phil's comments in another thread (sorry for paraphrasing you wrongly on that one, Phil!)

I still have quite a lot of my current batch, since we don't eat curry so often as we used to (the wheighing scale does not seem to appreciate it. :p ).

 Might make a parallel batch (although my wife won't like it, She thinks our two freezers are already too full! :-) ) At least that would allow me to make instant comparisons. I will keep you all posted (but it might take some weeks).

[mickdabass]

Ah ok Karl.
Have fun with the spicing; and I look forward to reading your reports soon
Regards

Mick

[Peripatetic Phil]

Well worth reading Rob's ("Sober Rat's") recent contribution in another thread, where he writes : 

I have been making my base without really measuring ingredients recently and also adding only turmeric and not any other spices. It's giving me some good results.

** Phil.