Curry Recipes Online

Curry Base Recipes => Curry Sauce, Curry Base , Curry Gravy Recipes, Secret Curry Base => Topic started by: spadge on September 08, 2014, 08:31 PM

Title: My favourite tried and tested base.
Post by: spadge on September 08, 2014, 08:31 PM
 Takes time but worth it, all slow cooked in the oven over several hours (no mess, burning or constant stirring) Really is by far the best I've tried so far- but that's just my opinion' Would love feedback should anyone care to try it.

930g Dutch or mild onions
260ml Veg oil
35g fresh ginger
3/4 (three quarter) tsp salt (Maldon or a good quality sea salt)
Oven cook at 120'C for 2 hours

add 25g fresh garlic
oven cook a further 3 hours

1 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Paprika
2 tsp Coriander powder
2 tsp Fenugreek powder
2 tsp Cumin
2 tsp Garam masala
oven cook again for 4 more hours

After blending to a super smooth consistency I added about 200ml of water and continued cooking a little longer until the oil started to show on top. Bingo!

Yes it takes ages but the onion colour is perfect and so sweet.
I'm sure it could be speeded up somewhat?  but because I was at home for the day anyway, I did each stage with very little effort. The aroma was excellent from the start.

Hope you like it
Spadge.


Title: Re: My favourite tried and tested base.
Post by: Garp on September 08, 2014, 09:51 PM
Thanks for sharing, Spadge, but as they say on Dragon's Den, 'I'm out'
Title: Re: My favourite tried and tested base.
Post by: George on September 08, 2014, 11:30 PM
Thanks for sharing, Spadge, but as they say on Dragon's Den, 'I'm out'

I'm likely to invest in this recipe because I can see the potential and it seems worth trying.

Many thanks, spadge, for your innovative thinking.
Title: Re: My favourite tried and tested base.
Post by: Onions on September 09, 2014, 10:00 AM
I agree, as well as the general posistive attitude towards a new method :)
Title: Re: My favourite tried and tested base.
Post by: Garp on September 09, 2014, 05:56 PM
I agree that new recipes/methods should be welcomed.

I think I am right in saying, though, that most of the heralded bases posted on here (and witnessed in kitchens) have included tomato in some form. This one doesn't appear to.

I don't think it necessary to cook for so long either - even at low temperature. I don't see that achieving too much.

I'm not sure what volume of base this will make. Can you let us know, Spadge, so I can form an opinion about the level of spicing?

And the oil is massively excessive IMO.

Title: Re: My favourite tried and tested base.
Post by: spadge on September 10, 2014, 09:05 AM
Well spotted! no tomato in this one simply because I was trying something new.
There are also no peppers, coriander stalks, carrot, cabbage, swede, secrets or any other ingredients that have been suggested in the past.
Yes you can add what you like but the results will be different.
The slow cook idea may not be anything new- but for me it is-  I think it made a massive difference and like I tried to suggest, the whole process was effortless. Simply banged it all together with very little chopping and stiring. The times I've almost finished cooking a base only to burn it through a moments neglect.
The recipe would probably make about 8 good size curries but as you can appreciate it depends on what your making.
Title: Re: My favourite tried and tested base.
Post by: Peripatetic Phil on September 10, 2014, 03:29 PM
The times I've almost finished cooking a base only to burn it through a moment's neglect.

Without wishing to be contentious (or provocative, or anything else other than genuinely interested), how is it possible to burn a base ?  I can understand how someoner might inadvertently burn a curry, but a base is 85%+ aqueous and (to my mind, at least) impossible to burn ...

** Phil.
Title: Re: My favourite tried and tested base.
Post by: littlechilie on September 10, 2014, 05:08 PM
I have used onion only base before, infact I have some in the freezer! It's great base for cooking Korma, but found it lacking something in hotter curry.
Title: Re: My favourite tried and tested base.
Post by: Onions on September 10, 2014, 06:24 PM
The times I've almost finished cooking a base only to burn it through a moment's neglect.

Without wishing to be contentious (or provocative, or anything else other than genuinely interested), how is it possible to burn a base ?  I can understand how someoner might inadvertently burn a curry, but a base is 85%+ aqueous and (to my mind, at least) impossible to burn ...

** Phil.


I think prob means the onions burnt to the bottom, not enough water etc.
Title: Re: My favourite tried and tested base.
Post by: spadge on September 10, 2014, 06:59 PM
Exactly that, burnt onions on the bottom. I can confirm it is not impossible.
Title: Re: My favourite tried and tested base.
Post by: fried on September 10, 2014, 08:48 PM
I burnt my one before last. I cook on induction and all the heat comes directly from below. Very easy to let the bottom catch when boiling for a couple of hours, even if ther's plenty of liquid. I usually give it a stir every 5 mins or so.
Title: Re: My favourite tried and tested base.
Post by: spadge on September 11, 2014, 04:10 PM
I burnt my one before last. I cook on induction and all the heat comes directly from below. Very easy to let the bottom catch when boiling for a couple of hours, even if ther's plenty of liquid. I usually give it a stir every 5 mins or so.

Just what I was having trouble with even with gas. Not any more! :)
Title: Re: My favourite tried and tested base.
Post by: BEAVER on September 17, 2014, 07:50 PM
Cheers for sharing spadge, but i would not fancy your gas/electric bill lol
If it works for you then great!
I am not a regular poster on here but in my opinion by far the best method
for cooking a base gravy is by pressure cooker! you can leave the onions whole
or cut in half at best for a ultra fast and the sweetest of tastes which it needs to be.