Topic: BIR Base variation - is there anything to learn

[Secret Santa]

I was in my local takeaway, and the pans to be used for the next orders were above the cooker on a shelf.They were lent back against the wall, some had red paste in them,some yellow paste!

Vinny that 'paste' could just be the remains of the previous curry as some restaurants don't wash the pans between each curry.

[vinnyderloo]

I was in my local takeaway, and the pans to be used for the next orders were above the cooker on a shelf.They were lent back against the wall, some had red paste in them,some yellow paste!

Vinny that 'paste' could just be the remains of the previous curry as some restaurants don't wash the pans between each curry.

SS point taken but it looked like the powder paint we used to use at school in the sixties. It looked new!!
Won't be going there anymore if they don't wash their pans! Regards vinny

[haldi]

will have read up on both masala mark and ashoka - which am sure will give the pointers i need.

I tried the Ashoka base recently
I think the recipe is written wrong or there is a massive difference in curries from Scotland
The amount of coconut seems way too high, and the garlic ginger paste (added to the base) is far too much.
Everything just tastes of garlic ginger
It's the predominant flavour
The Scottish Glasgow curries by Alex Wilie (big boaby) are way better
In fact I think they may be the best on this site
When you are cooking the base, it just smells "right"

The idea of a spicy stock and bunjarra from the Ashoka recipes does seem correct
It's just the base that really muddles it all
Lots of people read these posts but I feel very few make them
Who else tried the Ashoka and Glasgow recipes?

[mickdabass]

I think the Ashoka thing is a complete red herring - at least to me on my personal 1980s BIR quest. Macdonalds pride themselves that a big mac tastes the same whether its from Tamworth or Timbuktu. They do this all through their chain of supply by simplifying the many production processes to utilise unskilled cheap labour etc. After looking on the Ashoka website, they've got 10 restaurants. I wouldnt be suprised if they have all their pastes and maybe even gravy either produced from one facility (maybe their own i don't know) or bought in from an outside supplier. Just my cynical view Im afraid

[JerryM]

Secret Santa,

Will search Alex Glasgow.

Have read up the Aussie lessons. In short 3 bases and water approach. Some good ideas parked for now.

The Ashoka is a sort of 1.5 approach. Even with the pastes still a conventional fry.

I am looking I think for sauce, gravy, finishes approach much like chewy's red CTM.

Going to have to give it a go using the no3 madras as the starting point.

The principle really does both sit well and very bad. Feel I also need to try and get a better feel from the manager of the high level principle. Eg do peppers, fried onion etc all have to go in the sauces - I guess they do.

Ps I don't wash my pan in service.

Haldi,

I did find the Ashoka base pretty good but there are better and I can't see the effort to improve being worth it. It is the tool kit that's stayed with me from the Ashoka ie the g/g green chilli bunjarra paste along with the various sauces

[JerryM]

still need to read further into Alex Glasgow - looks interesting.

anyhow - had to give this ago. most exciting thing on my curry radar for a good few years.

made the basic base and still mashed it - gut feeling blending is ultimately going to be adopted as the mashing really is hardwork. this time i left the oil in the base and did not reclaim. i also put half the oil in the sauce and half in the base (ie 2 tbsp per portion in each - making 1 chef for me in total)

also has a 1st stab at the No3 Madras sauce. you live and learn and would blend more things next time but on the whole was very pleased with method and resulting taste. i cooked it (so to speak, cooked out the chilli powder and heated the rest) in the kitchen on my 1kw hob - worked really well.

all set up for a hot fry tomorrow Saturday to be followed by a Chewytikka Red CTM Sunday.

going to adopt: sauce, base, fry approach (just like the chewytikka video for CTM).

this is all of course pure guesswork based on the few words of wisdom from the manager at my fav local restaurant.

so far if it works then it really is a breeze and has many benefits. as i say real excited.

also going to try out the maillard hot fry thanks to mambo.

Mashed Basic Base:


Cooked "heated" No3 Madras Sauce


No3 Madras Sauce 1st Go recipe

[rshome123]

Good luck Jerry.  Will be interested to hear about your results with the 'double jointed' madras. 

[JerryM]

rsholme123,

did not go well. ended up with way too much oil - because i normally decant the oil before blending i tend to add more than needed. this with the oil in the "sauce" made overkill and effectively ruined the test.

going to have to redo it all.

it was good in away though to get a tasting of the sauce in the finished dish - close but not close enough. thoughts being:

1) add ginger
2) use different mix pwdr (used iffu which is not a hard mix pwdr)
3) more green chilli
4) too much sultana

on the +ve the principle worked a treat ie baggar the sauce in bulk then at dish fry warm the sauce through add the base and done.

ps Maillard - took my temp probe and used the red spot beam for the 1st time - maillard principle works a treat - aimed to keep rim at 180C ish with 200C max. on 1st go adopted this and pan rim stayed really good. on 2nd cook used my norm style no heat gun and after cooking found the rim had black debris. well pleased.

in short what i found happens is towards the end of cooking the pan temp starts to climb dramatically and i just needed to turn turn the heat down a little at this stage.

[JerryM]

Update on the oil fiasco.

Also felt the onion was not mashed enough.

In short decided to blend, add 1.2l water and do a stage 2 simmer aiming to skim the oil off.

Was taken aback by amount of scum on what is a basic base.

In short feel stage 2 is essential despite my objective of keeping the effort to minimum.

Hoping this will also serve to soften the onion more for mashing. The last base stage 1 cooked for 5 hrs so more gas maybe what's needed. Ideally need to try both options out.

Ps chewytikka's red CTM delicious so basic base works if the "sauce" is right. Was so popular made 3 off Sunday and further 3 off Monday night.

As a result going to park no3 madras and try a rogan josh next which for me is cracked

[rshome123]

Nice one Jerry,  sounds like youre feeding happy mouths, despite not totally successful with the paste sauce.  Haven't been cooking much BIR recently, although having a BBQ at the weekend for which I'm cooking some BIR and traditional dishes.