Hi Dave,

Thanks for the recipe Dave.  Looks like it should produce a decent curry base.  .....although I would have anticipated a lot more onions than 1kg?

However, one small point that I'd appreciate someone helping me out on please.  This is the second time now (both times on this site) that I've seen  reference to adding "ajowan" seeds ("ajwain" or "lovage" seeds) to a curry base. 

I'm surprised because, until now (in 20 years or so), I can't recall seeing any recipe, in any curry book, calling for it's use (apart from as a minor ingredient in some minor dishes)? 

I had some ajwain seeds recently, but ended up ditching them because they had a disgusting, strong, pungent, musty smell and I never used them anyway! 

Can someone please enlighten me on what they do to the curry base and whether they are considered an essential ingredient or not?

Many thanks

Hi all,

I?ve only recently discovered this fantastic site!  I?ve read many of the threads and I see that there are some great ideas, and some fanatical curry cooks, here!  I wish I?d found the site sooner! 

For better or for worse, I thought I?d throw in my two-pennies worth regarding that elusive ?Indian restaurant taste? and the use of ?secret ingredients?.  This is a summary of my views formed over about twenty years of trying (and miserably failing, no doubt!) to replicate those brilliant British Indian Restaurant curries. 

Firstly, I think it is reasonable to presume that Indian restaurants are businesses, need to make a profit, and therefore need to make curries as quickly and as cheaply as possible. To achieve this, I believe that they primarily use:

a)   Pre-ground spices (and spice combinations) - not freshly roasted and ground whole spices (however appealing this may sound)
b)   Pre-made spice pastes
c)   Pre-pureed garlic and ginger pastes
d)   Cheap oils (eg; vegetable oil), not expensive oil (eg; olive oil), with limited use of ghee (eg; on naan breads)

For simplicity, I believe that they will also primarily use a limited number of vegetables and spices.  I suggest primary ingredients include:

a)   Onions, garlic and ginger (fresh or pre-pureed pastes)
b)   Curry powders and curry pastes
c)   Tomato paste and puree
d)   Tumeric, cumin, coriander, paprika, chilli and garlic powders
e)   Garam masala

Other key ingredients probably/may include:

a)   Carrots and red and green peppers
b)   Fresh coriander (stalks and leaves) and chillis
c)   Dry fenugreek leaves (imparts a ?savoury? smell and taste)
d)   Yoghurt and cream
e)   Creamed coconut and ground nuts
f)   Lemon juice
g)   Sugar and salt

Minor ingredients probably include cardamom seeds, cumin seeds, whole cloves, cassia bark, star anise, etc.

I believe that the elusive ?Restaurant Taste? is primarily obtained by the combination of ingredients, techniques and (large) scale cooking methods used, rather than from the use of any fancy ?secret? ingredients.  Some of the more important factors (which are sometimes difficult to replicate at home), which I believe are important, are:

a)   Using a large, pre-prepared, pot of mildly spiced curry base sauce/gravy ? cooked slowly (over several hours) 
b)   Slowly cooking the onions (over several hours) to impart sweetness to the base sauce/gravy (and to avoid bitterness)
c)   Browning the garlic to impart smokiness to the food (unless it is burnt, in which case it will impart bitterness!)
d)   Using well-used (blackened) karahis to impart a smokiness to the food  (similar to Chinese cooking eg; special fried rice)
e)   Using very high cooking temperatures to sear ? but not burn - the spices and food.  Also imparts a smokiness to the food, again similar to Chinese cooking)
f)   Similarly, the use of tandoori ovens to achieve the same effect with tikkas, tandooris and naan breads.
g)   Using copious amounts of cooking oil
h)   Decanting and re-using cooking oils in other dishes
i)   Using a mildly spiced stock (?yakhni?)
j)   Avoiding burning spices (which will cause bitterness)

Well, I?m sure you guys probably already know this stuff?.or vehemently disagree with most of it!  Not to worry though, I hope it?s helpful to someone and I?d be interested in your views either way!