Topic: Where to start.... noob here

[shockuk]

Hello Guys,

I've just come across the website and struggling to get to grips with everything.

Lets start at the beginning... I need to buy all my ingredients online as there is no local place I can buy them. I've gone through a couple of pages and seems if I buy the below I should be pretty much covered to cook everything. Can anyone see anything I've missed?

Chilli powder
turmeric powder
Corrainder powder
Cumin powder
Cumin Seeds
Garam massla powder
Curry powder
Coriander Powder
ginger paste
garlic paste
bay leave
cinnamon sticks
green cardamon
dried methi
Tandoori Powder

Second...

I've no idea which base curry to cook? I'm struggling with the structure and could be good if the curries were grouped by the base they use. Can any guide me with a good base to cook and the curries that use this base? Also I want to explore cooking a Balti, would this be a 2nd base?

Thanks for your help guys, I need it haha

[Peripatetic Phil]

I need to buy all my ingredients online as there is no local place I can buy them. I've gone through a couple of pages and seems if I buy the below I should be pretty much covered to cook everything. Can anyone see anything I've missed?

Chilli powder : get deggi mirch & kashmiri mirch rather than generic ground chillies (never "Chilli powder", which is for Mexican dishes)
Turmeric powder : yes
Corrainder powder : actually "coriander" but may be just be a typo
Cumin powder : yes
Cumin Seeds : yes, but also kala jeera = black cumin
Garam masala powder : better make your own
Curry powder : a good one -- Bolsts or Rajah would be my first choices.
Coriander Powder : see above.
ginger paste : Nishaan, or better make your own
garlic paste : -- ditto --
bay leave : must be Indian bay, with three clear veins visible.
cinnamon sticks : yes, and also faux cinnamon = cassia bark
green cardamon : yes
dried methi : both ground methi and methi leaves are useful.
Tandoori Powder : never use it, others do.

Now, your ground spices are fine, and you should be able to make a number of curries without needing any more, but you might consider adding chat masala; you will also want paprika.  Your whole spices, which you can both use to make your own garam masala and also to add flavour to your pulao rice, would also benefit from the addition of some fennel seeds and a small quantity of cloves  are very useful; mace, too, has a small role to play, and an increasing number of CR0 members are starting to include star anise.  Also maybe some black cardamom, mustard seeds (of varying colours) for Bombay aloo, and ajwain (for aloo tikki).

I would also include both freeze-dried garlic flakes and dried fried shallots, both for pulao rice : the former goes in with the rice, the latter is used as a top dressing.  And don't forget plenty of fresh coriander (leaves and stems), and some fresh garlic and ginger, as well as massive quantities of brown onions (for base) and substantially smaller quantities of red (for onion salad).  Tomato puree and tins of peeled plum tomatoes, a few small firm fresh tomatoes, and a small quantity of fresh birds-eye chillis (both red and green).

I've no idea which base curry to cook? I'm struggling with the structure and could be good if the curries were grouped by the base they use. Can any guide me with a good base to cook and the curries that use this base? Also I want to explore cooking a Balti, would this be a 2nd base?

There are a large number of tried and tested bases; in no particular order I can list C2Go's, CA's, CT's, and my own variant KD1/PT.  As far as I know, any "neutral" base (which all of these are) can be used to make almost any main course, but I know nothing about Balti dishes so I leave that part of your question for others to address.

** Phil.

[Unclebuck]

see here mate.
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1848.0

[harley]

I recommend chewytikka's base, great results and straight forward to make. Also he has videos on Vimeo.

I make my own ginger garlic paste easily and cheaply, you don't need a special shop for those.

[Kashmiri Bob]

Good advice on the ingredients. I am relatively new myself.  Best advice I can offer is to invest in Mick Crawfords book.  Info on everything needed to get you started, including the essential spices, a quality base gravy, mix powders, starter recipes, main courses, rice, tips, videos, the lot.  No clutter or waffle.  Go from there.

http://www.indiancurryrecipes-cbm.com/

Rob 

[Edwin Catflap]

Hi mate, I would recommend CA,s base gravy and powder blends. I also have star anise, fennel seeds, coconut powder, almond powder, cloves, paprika and garlic powder in my essential list of ingredients. There's loads more to add as you try a broad selection of meals that are recommended here! Enjoy

 

[curryhell]

Between Chewy Tikka's base and videos, Mick's (Curry Barking Mad) excellent book and CA's recipes, these will get you off to a flying start.  I wish these were all around when i first started out    From then on there'll be no looking back    Keep us posted on the results as they come in 

[ELW]

Hi Shockuk, I've had some good results with CA's base sauce. All his recipe's & photographs are accessible from the same page. I always try to follow a recipe to spec 1st time or I'll have made something different.

[StoneCut]

I'll also suggest trying CA's (CoryAnder's) recipes first - they are very well documented and have most details of all here. Once you understood the basics you can try any other recipe here - they ALL appear to be good!