First Attempt

I did the Sheek Kebabs in foil but I think they would have looked better if they had been grilled. That said they were really nice and I'll certainly do them again.

I made enough curry for 6 massive portions in my new pan. I doubled the ingredients and when I tasted it it was very hot, more than I'm normally used to with Ceylon so I ended up with 9 ladles of base in, in an attempt to cool it down a bit. The missus who likes hers a bit hotter thought it was lovely as did the daughter. It definitely was as good as any takeaway one I've had.

 I served it with plain cooked basmati with a bit colouring in done in one of our 20 odd year old trusty rice cookers.

Tomorrows effort will be a traditional style Biriani with a vegetable sauce.

Photos are curry simmering in pan, sheek kebab and plated curry. Apologies for the slight blur as they were taken on my phone.

Gav I can't believe it took you a year to take the plunge! 

You're right, you're right. I have spent the last 30 years eating them all over Britain though  There's a lot of reading to get through for a curry beginner with some delicious looking photo's.

Quote from: Gav Iscon on January 20, 2013, 10:01 PM

For some reason the tip snapped off but I don't know where it went  .  Nobody complained the next day.  :

They probably had acquired immunity from all the fragments of escargot shell they had ingested
** Phil.

I was just hoping they thought it was slither of garlic. Knife was really good though

Double posting

Hi all,

I've been on here for about a year and finally after reading hundreds of posts (some good, some bad, some not necessary imho), I have decided to take the plunge. I've decided to follow Dipuraja's route (with a few tangents) as after a lot of reading I think its a good one to start with for a beginner like myself. I intend to post regularly in this thread with my curry journey. (If it should be moved to another board then please move it).

Bought all the required spices (and even a curry pan) mainly from the Chinese cash and carry I use as they always seem the cheapest and supplemented them along with the pan from MA brothers in Newcastle. Great shop in my opinion with helpful staff.

So following Dipurajas Base gravy (as posted by CA)

Dipuraja's Base Recipe

I borrowed a 7 litre pan from work and doubled the amounts and set to work.
The only difference was that I added a red pepper as well as the green one and the tinned tomatoes were chopped ones.

I cooked it about 15mins longer on both stages as I really should have cut the carrots smaller as they were still a bit firm.
I left the lid on whilst cooking but after blending it was about the consistency of Lentil soup so I added a pint of water figuring if it goes a bit runny, it'll reduce when cooking the curry's.

It reminds me in taste of carrot and corriander soup and I just put a small bunch of fresh in at the beginning including the stalks so I hope I haven't put to much in.

Tomorrow night I'm going to have a go at Chicken Ceylon following Dip's Madras recipe and adding coconut powder near the end  (which reading quickly is the difference between CA's Madras and Ceylon)

Here's the before and after photos of the finished base.

(Note to Self)

Need a better blender. Just about burnt out old faithful blending it down.   ;D ;D