Topic: Nice hot curry using MDB’s balti base

[Robbo141]

I have found MDB’s balti base gives me good results when used as a base. (Change your profile name to Mickdabase?)   
I cooked this yesterday.



In the cold pan are;
1/2 chopped small onion
1 chef spoon veg oil
5 Thai chillies, split lengthwise
1 TBSP ginger garlic paste

Off to the side are the base, 1/4 chopped small tomato, chicken tikka, these spices and the obligatory glass of Riesling.



The usual cook / reduce method, adding a couple chef spoons of base each time and the resulting dish was excellent.  Lovely consistency, not overly oily, thick and delicious with garlic naan.  Will no doubt be better this morning when I reheat for elevenses.


Robbo

[livo]

Looks good mate and there's always satisfaction in using (and enjoying) something you've grown yourself.  I think we all agree that Mick's balti gravy is a great base. I'll go so far as to say it may well become my go to base, for now at least.  The question is, have you tried it yet to make the standard Balti Chicken dish he describes in the first post of the 100% Clone thread?

[Robbo141]

I did. My first run out was cooking for me and the missis and I followed the recipe exactly. Well, slightly different in that I use my pressure cooker instead of boiling for an hour, but otherwise identical.  It made a nice enough dish and the missis loved it, but I just prefer to use it as a base. Mick’s right, it doesn’t need salt but for me, adding those spices gets me the result I’m after.
I too will be using this as my default base, but also, after eating seconds at 10am and finding it to be probably the best BIR dish I’ve ever made, I’m going to make cooking the night before and eating next day my default prep too. I’m rarely ever impressed with the BIR-ness of my curries but this time, what a result!  It’s the small things that please…

Robbo

[livo]

OK. Thanks. I remember reading your post about that.  I'll go back and have another look.   I see no issue with doing the base in a pressure cooker. 

I also support the notion that for some reason, whatever this may be, our home cooked curries are better the next day.  I've always known this about traditionally cooked dishes and always wondered why it happens in home cooked BIR style curries when actual restaurants can produce that something extra off the bat so to speak.  If I buy a T/A and have leftovers the next day, they are just the same as the day before. 

[Secret Santa]

I've always known this about traditionally cooked dishes and always wondered why it happens in home cooked BIR style curries when actual restaurants can produce that something extra off the bat so to speak.  If I buy a T/A and have leftovers the next day, they are just the same as the day before. 

Spot on livo!

I've wondered the exact same thing. I really do see this as one of those "secrets" that BIRs (and apparently AIRs) know and we don't. What magic process are they using? I'm convinced if we could crack this particular peculiarity we'd (well maybe I'd) be closer to the curries of old.
New thread maybe?

Edit: I just realised we've all been duped. These YouTube videos and multifarious BIR cookbooks are all sham. What in fact happens is the BIRs cook up a huge batch of all the curries, stick 'em in a cold store overnight, and microwave them the next day to order. Conniving so-and-sos!

[Robbo141]

I think maybe it’s as simple as while cooking, we get overdosed with aroma and become a bit inured (inured? Is that right? Let me google it….yes, that’s kind of right) to the aroma / sensory beauty of a curry. We’re breathing it in constantly and then to eat it straight away, well, sometimes for me it falls flat.  But when you order takeaway, and you get that sensation when you open the foil container (here in the US, they all seem to use plastic round tubs, ugh) and inhale all the heavenly glory (to quote Bruce Lee), the experience is so much better. Even just a foil container of keema pilau has a certain something.  I think it may be a similar experience when letting a curry sit overnight. And there’s definitely something to be said about a vindaloo at 10am.

Robbo