Quote from: livo on April 17, 2015, 04:31 AM

When you double the quantity of a curry recipe you don't double everything in it. The spices and other ingredients are only increased by 50% with the exception of the main ingredients like the meat / vegetables. 

My take on quantities, is that Livo's advice is wrong, wrong, wrong! It makes no scientific sense at all.

You are correct in that I am only a well intentioned amateur. My boat is still out on this George as well. If you make 2 normal sized dishes and combine them you have double everything. However, there is plenty of 'advice' about doing large volume preparation that uses the reduction. In another thread on this point(I'll try to find it) I posted several links to proponents of this theory and I have seen it referred to in videos of traditional Indian food preparation.

I don't think this notion is saying that you can't use normally increased ratios, or that you shouldn't, as much as it is saying that it is not necessary.  In other words, you can get adequate flavour profile development by using the reduced ratio and so using full amount is wasteful and not necessary.

As I say, I haven't put it to a real study to test it out thoroughly.  It is rare that you see anybody in this industry measuring ingredients with any real degree of accuracy. This is quite different to the home cook, who is probably trying to be as accurate as possible, thinking it is critical, which it isn't.  We all vary our spicing to suite individual tastes anyway.

Some base recipes call for cooking on high heat

This is true but ask why. If you are using all or mainly water to boil the onions, high heat  will only affect the rate at which it cooks.  Using low heat just takes longer but reduces the risk of over-cooking. Pressure cooking just speeds up the process further.

Hey Garp, I'm old enough to remember that being a new song.  How sad.   

My wife won 2 free tickets over the radio to go and see The Black Sorrows last Thursday night.  Joe Camilleri has been gigging around since 1982 as Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons and then later with The Black Sorrows.  The band was a different lineup but still a great show. It was quite odd to be in a room full of old rocker fogies, either bald or grey heads and wrinkled older ladies.  Then I remembered what I look like in the mirror these days.  How sad. ;D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojpmDlNiFtI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6Dj4vXJbaA

Stu-pot?  I think you are over-cooking your base judging from the photos a few posts back.  Why are you cooking it on "High Heat"?  Once I have reached a heat level where it is cooking I put the pot on the smallest burner and turn the heat down so that it just simmers away gently for a long time.  I would say if you are having to watch it and prevent catching then you are too dry and too hot.  The T/A chefs aren't wanting to be hovering over a pot of gravy while it cooks away.  They probably go back to it occasionally to give it a stir.  I know I just put mine on and generally leave it go really.

Most of the base gravy recipe videos and pictures I have seen have much less colour that the one you have pictured and it looks way too thick.  I can't say I smell frying onions and I would think this suggests you are getting it too dry and too hot.

This is only just my opinion though. Others may see it differently.  The thing you need to ask yourself is, are you making nice curries out of it?

MM, from my understanding the oil separation indicates that the onions have cooked completely, given up all their water and it is time to move to the next step in the recipe.

I agree with SS about the oil. I'd rather be able to see it and avoid if desired, although I have to say that it looks a good gravy and those dishes prepared in the photo are very nice to see.

In viewing the video I also noticed a few of BB's others. The precooked meat and chicken look good and I'll be giving his Rogan Josh a try.