Topic: PanPot's Ashoka Curry Base

[joshallen2k]

I'm not so sure that what we are looking for needs to be achieved by frying lots of food and having to eat it.

As CA says, there must be a more efficient way of spicing the oil. And I'd be sure that not just any fried food is going to do the trick. The BIR probably sees bhajis, poppadoms, pakoras, and the odd order of chips. If we can devise a way to fry the specific ingredients/spices used in the above, I think we could spice the oil similarly in much quicker time.

[billycat]

SO !!!!!

its the chicken and the egg

if a couple of bangledshis decide to open a BIR takeaway or restaurant what do they use as spiced oil !!!! do they sit there for weeks frying bahjis

[Bobby Bhuna]

if a couple of bangledshis decide to open a BIR takeaway or restaurant what do they use as spiced oil !!!! do they sit there for weeks frying bahjis

Have you ever had a good curry from a new BIR? I haven't.

[haldi]

SO !!!!!

its the chicken and the egg

if a couple of bangledshis decide to open a BIR takeaway or restaurant what do they use as spiced oil !!!! do they sit there for weeks frying bahjis

I don't think they would get a decent BIR tasting curry until they had been going a while.
The first curries would be like we all produce here
I think someone on this site said much to that effect about a very new place he tried.
Was he living above the takeaway or something like that?
It wasn't you was it Bobby?
Anyone remember?

[Bobby Bhuna]

It wasn't you was it Bobby?
Anyone remember?

It was me. It was the Rughi, London Road, Edinburgh. I will make a point of going back in the nearish future and will report my findings. I went to it on its second day. The Madras was classic BE style, with a hint of lemon juice. I could have easily reproduced a curry of similar standard. It was also notably hotter than most, but then they do vary quite a bit.

I remember it did do a really tasty Goan lamb dish, where the lamb was marinated overnight in cider vinegar. Does anyone have a recipe for something like this?

[CurryOnRegardless]

Apologies to the forum for asking questions that had already been answered, that's what the winter flu bug does to you I guess. Anyway did this one yesterday (half scale) turned out really good, its been in the fridge overnight no congealed marg on top but it does have a nice sheen to it, a bit like a red wine/balsamic sauce made with butter for a steak. I wouldn't say it was greasy as some have commented but it is very rich, may need to consider cutting down on portion sizes. Did the banjara stuff as well (stunk the house out) but wow what a combination, the sweetness of the paste balancing out the richness of the base, excellent stuff, do try it. Thanks Panpot and JerryM for all your help.
Regards CoR

[Panpot]

Just got back and a few comments that might help in addition to my post on the recipe thread. The chef did blend the base when the coconut and marg were still floating on top and immediately after putting them in. There was no surface oil and indeed when asked about recovering oil from it he said it doesn't happen sinse it is used up so quickly. He did take oil from the Bunjara to start a dish and recovered oil from the larger portions he coked for the buffet that night.

The marinaded chicken does add extra richness and flavour to the finished results and the camera shot in the Ashoka was taken on the famoussly inefficient iphone.

I feel if you follow things to the letter except for adjustsing the salt as I advise elsewhere then you will get a rather good finished article remember if you will that it is the alchemy of the three basic components to the Kit that is important ie the G/G Paste,the Bunjarra and the Base. I am sure I have them correct except I am suspicious of the over saltiness  for the Bunjarra and my post explains how I remedy that and suggest you all do likewise until I can get back there.

Like others I have been on this quest for over 30 years and I have been delighted with the contributions all over this amazing site but I have to admit that the Ashoka Kit gives me the basic tool set for endless experimentation for rears to come with or without getting more from the chef. Perhasps I should attempt to start a thread for experimenting with a standard Ashoka Kit if others are up for it otherwise I will plough on regardless on my own though after a couple of weeks of indulging in all kinds of festive fare. Cheers Panpot

[chinois]

How about making a 'curry oil horde' haldi? Whenever you make a base or curry or anything similar to indian food, spoon off some oil into a jug. Also do this with curries you've bought from a takeaway. Then you'll have a tasty jug of oil that's got depth of flavour from an assortment of ingredients.
I did the same a while back but with oil from meaty dishes, not curries. It works well. I'm gonna start a curry one when i get home after xmas. Maybe starting it off with oil used to fry bhajis is the best way to start.
I agree that spiced oil is important

[Secret Santa]

The restaurants deep fry in a large amount of oil so they have to fry a lot of bhajis, pakoras etc. to get the required spiciness into the oil. So the obvious home solution is to get a very small saucepan, fill it with a small amount of oil and cook loads of stuff in that. Also increase the surface area of the stuff you are cooking to impart the spiciness even quicker. For example, don't cook just one big onion bhaji, cook several very small ones instead.

I don't agree with haldi that the spiced oil so produced will give the 100% BIR flavour, but I do agree with him that it is a vital part of the old style BIR flavour.

[haldi]

I don't agree with haldi that the spiced oil so produced will give the 100% BIR flavour, but I do agree with him that it is a vital part of the old style BIR flavour.

Maybe you are right but please try this
Get hold of some curry gravy oil from somewhere.
Cook with it
Something plain maybe like lentils
You will be shocked at how good it is
If you are going to try cooking a curry gravy with it, make sure it's a really underspiced one.
The results for mine were unbelievable
I have been chasing a flavour for goodness knows how long and this delivered 100%, every time.
Even when eating it minutes later