Hi All

I am new to the forum. I have been cooking curries for a while now but only relatively recently had the BIR curry "epiphany" when I learnt about garabis/base gravies, mix powders and the pre-cooking of chicken! Overnight my curries were totally transformed but are still not quite "there" yet. I've tried a couple of different gravies and do have a favourite but I'm still convinced there is a better formula out there.
I managed to pick up a copy of Pat Chapman's Balti Curry Cookbook (1993) for a pound the other day. Bargain I thought, but we'll see. I am intrigued to know if anyone on here owns this book and has tried the Special Balti Base Sauce on page 108. The recipe is as follows:

200ml Milk
200ml Water
2tbsp Ghee or Veg oil
3 Cloves Garlic
225g Onion
110g Carrot
50g Celeriac
50g White Radish (Mooli)
4 Bay Leaves
8-10 Green Cardomom Pods
Several pieces of Cassia Bark
1tsp Fennel Seeds
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1" Ginger

I am actually sceptical about the inclusion of celeriac and even more so about the mooli especially if it actually tastes like radish (I have never tried it) but I know Pat's books are supposed to be amongst the best so who am I to argue. Now I know the book is 20 years old and therefore the recipes may be deemed as obsolete to some, especially as this is unlike the more standard recipes which contain cabbage, peppers and 10 litres of oil etc but I'm very curious to know if this works before I spend an afternoon wasting gallons of petrol hunting high and low around all the shops for the mooli! Any thoughts on this recipe would be appreciated.

Many Thanks

MM