Topic: Talked about base sauce with take away owner and chef

[Yellow Fingers]

Yesterday, a delivery chap delivered a plastic carrier bag of what I assume to be an Indian take away to the house next door. I was ouside and he didn't come closer to 5 yards from where I was standing, as he walked quickly by. The familar BIR smell hit me first, quite strongly.

I think this is where you and me disagree with the likes of Mark J. I think I can make a reasonably close copy of the restaurant flavour for the simple curries, but no matter what I try, they never have this unique unmistakable curry house curry smell. Until they do I won't believe anyone who says they have cracked the taste.

If it`s that strong could it be Asafoetida as it gives of a very strong Onion aroma

I'm pretty sure it's not asafoetida, although I have only tried the yellow powder type and not the brown resin type. I wonder what type the restaurants use?

[DARTHPHALL]

Anyone tried Fenugreek

[George]

Anyone tried Fenugreek

Fenugreek has long been my best guess for 'the smell' but I thought it was dismissed by people here. Whatever 'the smell' is, it is spicy and strong. It's certainly not the difference between 1 and 30 onions, it's not chicken stock, it's not celery or carrots or anything like that. All those ingredients are used in western/English cooking and are not remotely like what I smelt wafting out of the almost sealed take away delivery bag, 5 yards away outdoors, yesterday. You'd be lucky to get that strong a smell from an expensive ladies perfume. It's incredibly strong and I'm amazed we don't already know what it is with 100% certainty.

[blade1212]

I made the chicken vindaloo last night and it was nice. In fact I could tell I had a quality base as some flavour came though that I don't normally get.  But I think it was let down by the restaurant masala mix from the Curry House pages. It didn't seem to add the taste I was looking for - actually it was kinda bland. I think I'll go back to the coriander, cumin, garamasala version for my next attempt at the final dish.

I definitely think this base is as good as it gets, so it's down to the final recipe.

I also used Methi (fenugreek leaves), fresh chillies and ketchup in the final dish.

I believe Methi is the smell you are talking about - nothing else comes close. Maybe we need to add more ?

[Yellow Fingers]

Well, I've used fenugreek leaves and fenugreek seed, both whole and ground. I've used them in small and large quantities and I've tried adding them at the frying stage and adding them at the liquid stage. All I can say is that this does not give the restaurant curry smell that I recognise. Certainly the kasoori methi (dried curry leaf) has a very curry type smell to it and I do think it is an important part, but, at least to me, it just isn't the whole deal.

[pete]

The new curry base is good but on checking, today it is no closer than we have already been.
Their is definitely no trace of the "taste".
I made it with ten onions, and only put in one teaspoon of garam masala, but it really dominates the outcome.
Mind you, there may be some important instructions to come from Mark.
We have rather jumped the gun.
We made it without full instructions!!
But if we agree we have a good base and, as there are loads of witnessed curries being cooked, we can conclude that the magic is happening elsewhere.
Maybe it's in the precooking of the main ingredients.
Perhaps there is more to that, than meets the eye.
I have used and seen fenugreek used in curries.
There doesn't seem to be anything unusual there.
My kitchen smells like a restaurant now, but I know the REALLY strong smell people talk of.
I wondered if that might be the pre cooking of lamb.
I have never tried that.
Sometimes ,when I'm out on a Sunday,I smell people cooking their Sunday roast.
That smells, in some way, quite similar.

[Yellow Fingers]

kasoori methi (dried curry leaf)

Oops!? That should have been dried fenugreek leaf? ?

[blade1212]

I tend to agree there is something in addition to Methi to give the overall smell/taste. The only other spice that has a really nice strong fragrance that I can think of is cloves.

I'm sure this was what I missed from my curry last night as I didn't use any garamasala.

How about a 1/4 tsp of ground cloves at the spice stage of the final curry........ worh a shot.

[Mark J]

I havent used asafoetida before, Ive got 2 types - one is from bart spices, the other is in a yellow container and comes from an asian grocer. I think I will try with the bart one as it is more concentrated.

Ill try this and fenugreek powder in a curry for one Im making tonight, how much do you guys reckon to add, Im tempted by half TSP fenugreek seed powder and 1/4 TSP asaf.?

[DARTHPHALL]

Try one at a time as i have & sometimes you Will get 100% right , but i think its a combination of ingredients & technique who knows ?? .
Asafoetida is very strong (i`ve got the Bart one too !!).Use only a small amount in a single curry, unless of course the take-away`s use loads to achieve that smell you never know .