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Curry Base Recipes => Curry Base Chat => Topic started by: Aussie Mick on June 19, 2012, 05:55 PM

Title: BIG Base
Post by: Aussie Mick on June 19, 2012, 05:55 PM
Following up on Haldi's big base thread, I was wondering whether anyone had tried to multiply a normal base. I have stated several times, I am a huge fan of CA's and Chewy's base gravies, and we often have people around at weekends to try out our new found knowledge.

A friend suggested that we cook up a BIG batch of gravy and feed a load of mates at the park opposite our house, by setting up a few BBQ's/camping stoves etc., and let people have a go at making a curry themselves. i think it'd be a fun day.

The thing I am concerned with is, say if I wanted to make 5 or 10 times the amount of Chewy's base, would I times everything by 5 or 10? I once had a Boxing Day party where I made Pat Chapmans "Pakistani Curry gravy" and I made 8 times the normal amount, so i added 8 x the normal amount of chilli.....well it was so hot it really was inedible. It was a huge embarrassment and an awful waste of food.

So, should I try it? ???
Title: Re: BIG Base
Post by: haldi on June 19, 2012, 06:54 PM
Hi Mick
Why don't you try Curry Barking Mad's little india recipe?
That's a full sized base and there's video, to show how to do it
That way you won't have to scale up a recipe
Title: Re: BIG Base
Post by: Aussie Mick on June 20, 2012, 03:33 PM
Hi Mick
Why don't you try Curry Barking Mad's little india recipe?
That's a full sized base and there's video, to show how to do it
That way you won't have to scale up a recipe

I could do mate, but as I said I am particularly fond of CA's and Chewy's bases. Plus I read reviews, and I think it was CA himself who wasn't too happy with this base. i think he said something along the lines that it tasted bitter, and he had never really had much success in the past with tinned tomatoes in bases.

I wouldn't want to chance "cocking" things up with an expectant crowd. :o

Anyhow, I had a good read again and CA said that larger or smaller quantities of his base can be made by increasing/decreasing things in proportion.........that sounds good enough to me.

Now all we need is some decent weather. Winter has well and truely struck here in Perth. But this event will go ahead in a few weeks time. I may even be able to get out and about with my camera this time, if I have several helpers.  8)
Title: Re: BIG Base
Post by: Unclefrank on June 20, 2012, 04:16 PM
Hi Aussie Mick how many people will you be cooking for?

I use CA's base all the time and make curries for anything between 5-30 people.
Title: Re: BIG Base
Post by: chewytikka on June 20, 2012, 04:25 PM
GDAY Mick
How big a curry pot have you got?
I'll work it out for you... If you like.

Regardless of size, any BIR base should be 90% Onions and lightly flavoured.
cheers Chewy
Title: Re: BIG Base
Post by: Aussie Mick on June 20, 2012, 04:42 PM
Hi fellas

A mate of mine has bought me a 50 litre stock pot off ebay just to do this one off meal. :D

I haven't received it yet, but it has been posted so it should be here soon.

We could have about 50 adults plus kids (100 or so kids) I know, I know I'm daft for agreeing to this, beer makes you agree to daft things ???  BUT I think it'll be a good day, we're taking over the local park and there'll be an "Ashes" cricket test match too, that everyone will be involved in.

By my reckonings, we will need about 35 litres of base which will give enough to cook 116 curries at 300ml or so each. We will have at least 10 "chefs" ::) and plenty of kitchen hands, so the food should/could be rustled up within an hour or so, 2 hours tops.........god what HAVE i let myself in for???  :o

People have agreed to pay $5 per head to cover the costs, so we just have to set a date. We are watching the weather over the next few weeks, and this event will definitely go ahead. If you're in Perth, you are welcome to join us. An extra chef or two would be most welcome, along with a few onion peelers.

People have been warned that they will be photographed and put on t'internet :)
Title: Re: BIG Base
Post by: Aussie Mick on June 20, 2012, 04:52 PM
Plenty of people have their own rice cookers that they are going to bring along too. I think we'll be a strain on the Aussie national grid on that day when we switch them all on.  :o
Title: Re: BIG Base
Post by: Naga on June 20, 2012, 06:27 PM
...beer makes you agree to daft things...

Too true, Mick, but this is going to be an epic cooking session! I wish you luck and good weather. Better get the tinnies in! :)

If you're in Perth, you are welcome to join us...

My daughter and her man are up in the north of WA but they're often in Perth. I don't suppose she'll be lucky enough to be around when your adventure kicks off, but she definitely likes a good curry. I'm not sure that her local shop has even heard of curry powder, never mind the alchemist ingredients that we all must surely have accumulated by now.

Looking forward to the photos. :)
Title: Re: BIG Base
Post by: jb on June 20, 2012, 07:09 PM
Hi fellas

A mate of mine has bought me a 50 litre stock pot off ebay just to do this one off meal. :D

I haven't received it yet, but it has been posted so it should be here soon.

We could have about 50 adults plus kids (100 or so kids) I know, I know I'm daft for agreeing to this, beer makes you agree to daft things ???  BUT I think it'll be a good day, we're taking over the local park and there'll be an "Ashes" cricket test match too, that everyone will be involved in.

By my reckonings, we will need about 35 litres of base which will give enough to cook 116 curries at 300ml or so each. We will have at least 10 "chefs" ::) and plenty of kitchen hands, so the food should/could be rustled up within an hour or so, 2 hours tops.........god what HAVE i let myself in for???  :o

People have agreed to pay $5 per head to cover the costs, so we just have to set a date. We are watching the weather over the next few weeks, and this event will definitely go ahead. If you're in Perth, you are welcome to join us. An extra chef or two would be most welcome, along with a few onion peelers.

People have been warned that they will be photographed and put on t'internet :)

You're a brave man but I'm sure your guests will be very happy.Plenty of photos please!
Title: Re: BIG Base
Post by: loveitspicy on June 20, 2012, 10:40 PM
Well Aussie Mick

It sounds a fantastic curry party that is going to happen!

The weight alone of that 35 ltr curry pot will be something - full of onions and fluid.

Have you thought about cooking the base in 2 pots, liquidizing them and pouring into the big pot and keeping it warm whilst making the curries.

I will wait to hear Chewy's answer to you - he is right with the 90 percent onions

best, Rich
Title: Re: BIG Base
Post by: chewytikka on June 21, 2012, 11:58 AM
Gday Mick
Photo = That's a 60 litre on the big burner.
Upscaling my 3 hour base recipe
Not a drastic trade up on ingredients for this.

Onions = Whatever it takes to fill or overfill the pot.
1 Large bulb of Garlic. and half again
3 inch piece of fresh ginger. and half again
A quarter of medium white cabbage. and half again
1 large capsicum.
300ml any vegetable oil
3 medium carrots.
A handful of fresh coriander stalks.
2 tbsp of Salt.
2 tbsp Tumeric
Water filled halfway up the pot
Put a lid on and Boil it up for at least an hour, add 100ml of tomato puree, 5 rounded tbs of mixed pdr, then a tick over
on a steady rolling simmer for another hour.
After blending and probably not sieving, top it up with water, bring it back to a boil and then a low simmer until the oil releases.

Most Restaurants have more than one pot and most I know do the transfer and bhagar part of the process,
but this one pot method will work just as well.


(http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/imagehost/pics/4976163ee621991da606571945b76836.jpg) (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/imagehost/#4976163ee621991da606571945b76836.jpg)

In the video clip a 60ltr pot in action, full of Garabi

Good Luck and hope this helps. ;) - cheers Chewy

http://youtu.be/Yh6uwLKE2l0 (http://youtu.be/Yh6uwLKE2l0)


"https://www.youtube.com/v/Yh6uwLKE2l0?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0"
Title: Re: BIG Base
Post by: Aussie Mick on June 21, 2012, 03:35 PM
Thanks Chewy

Much appreciated. Can I just ask you whether your chefspoon measures are 4 tbsp each or 2?
Title: Re: BIG Base
Post by: chewytikka on June 21, 2012, 04:16 PM
Hi Mick
I'll change that ;)
My chefs spoon is around 3 tbs,
Just add 5 rounded tbs of mixed pdr, should be ample spice for this.
cheers Chewy
Title: Re: BIG Base
Post by: Aussie Mick on June 21, 2012, 04:28 PM
Thanks mate. 8)
Title: Re: BIG Base
Post by: Aussie Mick on July 02, 2012, 02:39 PM
Hi Mick
Why don't you try Curry Barking Mad's little India recipe?
That's a full sized base and there's video, to show how to do it
That way you won't have to scale up a recipe

Just as an update.

I actually made the scaled down version of this at weekend and cooked up 4 curries on Saturday night. At first I wasn't sure, but on Sunday i made a Korma and a Vindaloo..................I was impressed.

It was definitely the best tasting Korma I have made so far, (but I used Carnation as I had no cream in the fridge)  and the vindaloo, was very tasty too, but didn't seem as hot as usual. (same spices and amount of chili...CA's Vindaloo recipe). There is obviously chemistry going on with different bases and different mixed powders. (I am using C2go's mix powder).

I will try this again, and use Little India mix powder too, to see if there are any differences.

I remember commenting a couple of months ago "if it ain't broke don't fix it" coz I was more than happy with the results I was achieving, but now................here we go again, trying different things and noticing differences along the way.

I am not sure whether it is better than the CA or Chewy base, but it IS different in texture and in taste.

Bloody addictive this curry making malarky ;-)
Title: Re: BIG Base
Post by: SteveAUS on August 24, 2012, 03:23 AM
Hey Mick - did you end up with your "curry in a park"? Sounds massive!
Cheers
Steve
Title: Re: BIG Base
Post by: Aussie Mick on August 24, 2012, 03:36 PM
Hey Mick - did you end up with your "curry in a park"? Sounds massive!
Cheers
Steve

Hi Steve

I actually started typing out a response to this last night, but felt a bit silly, so didn't bother posting it......but:

The guy that suggested it and bought the 50 litre pot has gone working up north in the mines on a 4 on 1 off basis, so it's been a bit difficult. The weeks that he's been home, the weather hasn't been the best, and obviously with only a week back home at a time, family takes priority.

Other mates have been ill with colds and flu, so it's just not worked out for us all yet.

We WILL do it, we'll most likely wait for late spring/summer and guaranteed good weather. 8)