Cheers for the comments. Been using rajver base for a while and had a lot of success, but think I'm ready to let go and try another in the name of science. Maybe I'll give the Taz a bash. Seems popular.

Here's my rewritten Patia recipe using UB's original as a guide. Feel free to sub the prawns for chicken, lamb etc.

King prawn Patia - serves 3-4

Patia mix

100 ml hot water
25g coconut block
3 tsp tamarind
2 dsp sugar

Method

add 100 ml of boiling water to bowl, dissolve coconut block, sugar and tamarind. keep mixing until all has dissolved.

Main

2-3 tbsp veg oil
380g raw king prawns lightly rinsed and drained
1 tbsp lemon juice
400 ml base gravy ( I used rajver base)
2 tbsp tomato paste thinned with 1 tbsp water
Half a star anise
2 tsp ginger and garlic paste
3 tbsp pathia mix
1 small chopped onion
2 tsp spice mix ( I used Bruce Edwards)
1 tsp salt
1 tomato cut into 8
Handful fresh coriander chopped
1 level tsp chili powder
1 heaped tsp dried methi
2 shredded kafir lime leaves

Method
Warm base in a small pan, heat your curry pan on a medium heat and add oil. Add the onion and fry till lightly coloured. Add garlic and ginger for 30 secs followed by the spices, methi, star anise and salt for about 30 seconds more.

Add the tomato paste and cook out for a few mins. Add about a third of the base and reduce right down, add most of the remaining base little by little, when your close to the desired texture add prawns, these should only take 3-4 mins max to cook through. While these are cooking pop in the fresh tomatoes, lemon and patia mix and use any remaining base to thin if required. Simmer gently for a minute or two to release a little oil, stir in the coriander and serve garnished with the finely shredded lime leaves (optional)

*if I make this again will do away with patia mix and stir in a nugget of creamed coconut into my warmed base, then add a tbsp of tamarind paste and a heaped tsp of sugar towards the end.

OK, so perhaps I'm more risk-averse than most, but for the life of me I cannot understand why (a) manufacturers manufacture, and (b) customers buy, pans with metal handles.  I would never in a million years risk using such a thing -- all of my pans have insulated handles (either wood or thermo-setting plastic), and when shopping for a replacement I wouldn't give a second glance to a pan with a metal handle.  I'd be interested to know what fraction of respondents agree with this, and what fraction are perfectly happy to use a pan with a metal handle and perhaps even prefer such things.

** Phil.

They tend to be favoured in professional kitchens as you can start off a dish on a burner or solid top and throw the whole thing in the oven to finish it off. You can also buy silicon sleeves to slide over the handles.

I can remember on a least one occasion in a pro kitchen I grabbed one by the handle after taking it out the oven. It's easily done as the handle tricks your brain i think.

I suppose another one of my kitchens favourite gadgets would be the bin.

Good for baked Alaska's!

I've found the oxo good grips range is pretty decent too. Got a brilliant whisk I picked up from Rick Steins cookshop in Padstow, and also a mandolin and a gravy/fat separator.

Never been a big lover of gadgets and gizmos in the kitchen, and prefer to get by on a good set of knives and pans for most tasks. However I've acquired a small collection over the years, mainly gifts from friends and relatives who know I cook, and think my life is somehow incomplete without a cherry stoner or a sushi mat. That said, many are undoubtedly useful and i've got a lot of time for my potato ricer, microplane grater, and most recently a salad spinner and use them all regularly.

Anyone else have a favourite gadget in the kitchen they wouldn't be without?