Thanks for your help curryhell..loads of useful tips on getting the base right I've taken everything you've said on board.. everyone else seems to be getting it right, and with some amazing results..Think its just a case of back to the drawing board..I want to try and eventually equal you guys..I googled the Glasgow base you mentioned and this Indian chef was making it..looks simple enough...anyway it might not be what i'm looking for...I need to draw the line somewhere and stick with one and try and get that right first  oh and sorry i forgot there's chewys aswell..see ! there's more....spoilt for choice here lol..haven't a clue when i will be cooking next but hopefully soon..once again thanks for your help....ottis...and the beat goes on

Quote from: Secret Santa on November 28, 2013, 01:25 AM

They look seriously good Rob. I just can't master these lighter, orangey coloured curries. I don't see how it's possible if you burn the hell out of the spices at the start of cooking. So do you think you could give a whole recipe for say a madras? So I'd need exact specs for the base, the madras, the cooking techniques etc. I have to produce one of these lighter colured curries...it's really bugging me.

Madras would be Chewy's recipe SS.  The default orange colour in my efforts is down to my chef friend's mix powder.  Used for the base, pre-cooks and final dish.  Typically, a little extra turmeric in the pre-cooks helps the colour come out even more.  Chef has several mix powders. This one is his "TA" mix. It's very high in paprika (and cumin). The "restaurant" version I understand involves a home-made GM.
Rob 

Thank for your reply I understand now, fair enough about the oil thing..I just hope someday i will be able to cook like yourself..As you said the oils coming from base sauce some other pastes and also pre cooked chicken lamb etc  will give you the excess oil..i've had currys like that before..i'm just a fussy eater so just ignore me...as i said the currys you have up look amazing  you should be proud of them..i would be...I'm dreading posting my first pics..I await the onslaught lol...anyway thanks for sharing your recipes.. i for one will definitely be trying them..Ottis..and the beat goes on

Been eating mushrooms all this week.  Can't get enough of them.  Ditched the cans for fresh.  Just selecting 3-4 prime specimens loose each time at the supermarket.  So far have made chicken and mushroom, pork and mushroom, duck and mushroom, mushroom and mushroom, and looking forward to king prawn and mushroom, and balti(s).  All with thick cut garlic. Here's a couple of pics of the chicken and mushroom (a little ajwain in this one and just slightly under madras strength):

looks nice but i would be  worried with the amount of floating oil..maybe that is normal...I'm new on here so i don't really know...I don't know if my takeaway would serve me something like that with the amount of oil..if he did i would send it back....In my opinion i think it would look a lot better if you used less...Dose it really need it..Is that how you maybe get the T/W flavour..btw it looks amazing but it's just the oil that puts me off..I've only ever cooked the one curry so i have absolutely no experience.. sorry...Ottis...and the beat goes on

Hi guys sorry i haven't been on for a while too busy studding the recipes on here..Made my first curry a few months ago it was better than anything i've made before but was disappointed because i was hoping it would taste like my T/W ..Can get a bit confusing at the beginning..first up is picking a base sauce..i've seen so many variations here and on youtube.. everyone seems to have their own way of making it ,maybe i picked the wrong one i'm not sure..MIX POWDER.Think i seen about 200 lol anyway....The one i used was the called the melting base and used the first mix powder i came across .BTW I also read in a lot of forums and youtube they could also still not create a BIR curry, a decent curry but not the real deal..so at least i'm not alone....i'm hoping someone could point me in the right direction
ps..what surprised me most with all the lovely ingredients i used in the base it tasted horrible..surely this can't be right.. It was not what i was expecting..I made to a runny soup consistency i'm hoping that was right..i made a made a chicken curry bhoona and madras and started of in the usual way..the smells from the pan were wonderful ..and started to smell like my T/W..I think the watered yellow base may have killed it but in saying that i maybe added too much water..I maybe wrong but just my guess...can anyone help ..thanks guys..Ottis.....AND THE BEAT GOES ON