Topic: Changes to the Dhillon base

[Mark J]

Lot of talk of people going back and trying Kris Dhillons base again (must admit Im tempted to do same after recetn reports)

Would/have you guys tinker with it at all? (Im thinking off adding at least a pepper and a couple of green chillis)

[pete]

I water it a bit more
I don't think the garlic:ginger ratio should be equal
I am using less of the ginger
2:1 instead
The ginger seemed to dominate a bit
I am adding more oil, then skim off when it's cold
I use that for frying

[Mark J]

I have trouble skimming oil of bases Pete, do you wait until its cold or do it while simmering or what?

[pete]

I turn of the heat and skim about ten minutes later
I can't get it all out, but most of it
I've just had my most successfull curry using Kris's base
I feel like it's all coming together
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=536.15

[pete]

Is this what most people get when they make KD's sauce?
I've used extra oil, but that's all I changed
http://img457.imageshack.us/my.php?image=fourstagesofkd8mf.jpg

[Curry King]

Cracking picture Pete, thats what mine was like when finished but maybe a bit darker, I followed the recipe to the letter and found that it was far to runny?  Im thinking now maybe I messed it up somehow and the water didn't evaporate enough 

[Mark J]

Yes I just made the KD base again and it is definately too much water, I had to reduce the end curry for ages

[pete]

I think if Kris Dhillon's base is missing something, that is better than having something in it that shouldn't be there.
At least you can experiment with new additions.
The missing part is something with a bouquet
I am sure it's something we know
It's going to be cheap too

[Mark J]

OK this weekend after Pete's success I tried the following:

Made the KD base with the following changes:

Added half a green pepper and half a small carrot to stage 1
Added 400ml of oil to stage 2
Added 1 TSP MSG and a chicken stock cube at stage 3
I then skimmed off almost all the oil to cook with.

I then tried a gurkha masala, pre fried onions, peppers and lamb mince all with skimmed oil

Tried darths boiled chicken method which worked fine but I think I prefer bruce edwards pre cook chicken.

For the final curry (for 2), loads of oil from the gravy (I recycled uneaten oil at the end), browned the ginger and garlic puree (used nishan)

Then added pre fried onions, peppers and lamb, added a TBSP of 100 baltis balti spice mix, quarter TSP of hot chilli powder and TSP of salt, added 2 TSP of tomato puree and ketchup mix, pinch of methi

Added chicken and then a ladle of base, evaporated and then bit more base, reduced the whole lot down (KD base is very watery)

Unfortunately I didnt have any fresh coriander (bloody tescos run out as usual)

The final curry was good, and my wife said it had the taste, but it didnt have that same savoury, yum it all down quality of my local BIR.

I think the oil is key and I will try this again with a slightly different base, I would keep the base the same as above but just add 1 TSP curry powder to slightly spice the oil more. As a side note I have never really noticed MSG add anything to a curry

[grimmo]

Hi guys,

I have read the recent developments with interest. Sounds promising.

One problem that I have is with the skimming of the oil. It doesnt seem to matter which base I use or how much oil. By the time I have finished the base the oil has mixed into it. Can anyone advise whether the thickness of the base might affect oil absorption.?

I tend to either cook with the base straight away or leave it to cool and freeze but I never seem to get the oil floating on top even after cooling.
Same goes for the final dish itself. Typically the dish will call for 4TBP of oil to start, and by the time the precooked ingredients have been added and the dish is ready there is no oil to be skimmed.


I'm puzzled by this. Any ideas where Im going wrong? In all other respects I'm very pleased with the results.

How much oil would it be reasonable to skim of a finished dish using a typical recipe off this site?