Topic: 3 Hour Curry Base

[Curry Barking Mad]

The more you thin it the less flavour you are left with?

Hi Matt.
That is why chefs have the reduction time to thicken the curry and allow all the flavours to develop when making the final curry.
Mick

[chewytikka]

Hi Matt
I'm not criticizing in anyway mate. Really glad you tried this base
and appreciate your feedback and great review.

Just trying to explain the method and share my knowledge.
cheers Chewy

[Graeme]

Hi Chewy and all,

As soon as i tasted my first batch of this i recognized it !

I have had this base from my local take away and in a few restaurants.

[bilabonic]

This looks awesome Chewy and its the first ever base i am going to make tomorrow.

How do i use this for a Madras (my favourite) or a Pathia ?

Pretty new to site so not sure where to look or even if you have any recipes for the finished curries ?

Thanks.. ;D

[curryhell]

This looks awesome Chewy and its the first ever base i am going to make tomorrow.

How do i use this for a Madras (my favourite) or a Pathia ?

Pretty new to site so not sure where to look or even if you have any recipes for the finished curries ?

Thanks.. ;D

Welcome Bilabonic.  Sounds as though you're having a lot of fun and cooking some great BIR food.  CT's is a damn fine base sauce to  use and will go well with any of the recipes in the links below. All will need base sauce.    I'm sure other members will suggest certain madras/pathia recipes in preference to others.  If not read the threads and make your own mind up.  Keep us posted on the results.  I'm sure they'll be good  ;D

madras http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?board=52.0
Pathia http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?board=56.0

[chewytikka]

This looks awesome Chewy and its the first ever base i am going to make tomorrow.

How do i use this for a Madras (my favourite) or a Pathia ?

Pretty new to site so not sure where to look or even if you have any recipes for the finished curries ?

Thanks.. ;D

Hi Bilabonic
Once you've made the base, watch my Madras Video, it should help you.
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=5634.msg55685#msg55685
cheers Chewy

[Smoothound]

Hiya!

I joined the forum a couple of years ago in search of curry cooking tips and recipes, I learned a few things, learned even more from my Indian friends, and can know make a pretty authentic Indian curry (which my friend from Orissa calls a "Party Curry" as it reminds him of the currys the women make when they're celebrating).

Anyhoo!  At that time, it seemed the forum was still in search for that final "5%".  So, I kinda forgot all about it until last week, I thought I'd check back in to see if we'd found that final 5% (convinced nothing will have changed) and by crikey it seems like we're there

I went on a little shopping trip yesterday to get all the required spice blends for the mixed powder, Kashmiri Chilli blend wasn't in any of my usual Indian stores in Leeds, but I eventually found some "King of Spice" branded Kashmiri Curry Masala in a corner shop which is hopefully close enough!

http://www.kingofspice.com/traditional_kashmiri_curry_masala.html

So right now I'm on the initial  boil, about 1hr 45 mins done, it's almost looking like Chewy's in the video, so pretty soon I'm be blending!

Once it's made, I think I may be adventurous and go for a Madras and a Pudinda Murgh for the Mrs

Big thanks in advance to Chewy for posting up the really helpful videos and sharing the BIR secrets he's learned over the years - 

EDIT : Blended and sieved.  It's pretty thick, added some water but my pan is pretty choc-a-bloc    Tastes nice, not what I expected at all, the ginger is pretty much taking over and I only put 2 inch stick in  :

Second boil now, let's hope it ends up something like Chewytikkas!! 

EDIT : Kinda tastes like carrot and corriander soup.  Can't really tell that it's mainly onion :/

[Peripatetic Phil]

At that time, it seemed the forum was still in search for that final "5%".  So, I kinda forgot all about it until last week, I thought I'd check back in to see if we'd found that final 5% (convinced nothing will have changed) and by crikey it seems like we're there

I think, based on yesterday's experience, I can safely say that we have indeed achieved the final 5%, if our gold standard is an average BIR.  If, on the other hand, the gold standard is the Indian equivalent of the Manor aux quat'Saisons, Le Petit Blanc, or the Waterside at Bray, then I don't think there would be any shame in admitting that most of us still have some way to go.  But to expand on yesterday's experience, Khanh didn't want to have a "Super Tuesday at the Taj", as she said she had too much to do, so we opted for a takeaway from our other local BIR.  We had Chicken Madras, Lamb Biryani, Mushroom Pulao, and Sag Aloo.  And we both agreed, as soon as we'd had a couple of mouthfuls, meals that I have prepared in our own kitchen far surpassed the Chicken Madras, the Sag Aloo, and the Mushroom Pulao, and tied with the Lamb Biryani.  So yes, I think we are there, in terms of equalling and even surpassing the run-of-the-mill places, and so it is clearly time to set our sights even higher ...

** Phil.

[Razor]

Hi Smoothound,

This is an excellent base my friend, and full of BIR flavour when turned into your end dish.

Just noticed this though;

Kashmiri Chilli blend wasn't in any of my usual Indian stores in Leeds, but I eventually found some "King of Spice" branded Kashmiri Curry Masala in a corner shop which is hopefully close enough!

I don't think it will be the same mate.  Just the fact that it is a curry masala will mean it will have a quantity of 'mixed' spices, whereas Kashmiri mirch (chilli) is just chilli powder, albeit, a very superior chilli powder in my opinion.

I think it would be worth your while to seek out some Kashmiri mirch or even order off the net if you're struggling to get hold of it locally.

Hope that helps,

Ray

[Peripatetic Phil]

Just to follow up on this message :

[W]e opted for a takeaway from our other local BIR.  We had Chicken Madras, Lamb Biryani, Mushroom Pulao, and Sag Aloo.  And we both agreed, as soon as we'd had a couple of mouthfuls, meals that I have prepared in our own kitchen far surpassed the Chicken Madras, the Sag Aloo, and the Mushroom Pulao, and tied with the Lamb Biryani.

The takeaway lasted three nights in total, and there is still a little left for tomorrow (I eked out the chicken with a couple of boiled free-range eggs).  Rather than simply re-heating what had been a pretty pathetic offering, I set about bringing it up to my normal standards.  The chicken curry was virtually oil-free, and the sauce looked most unappetising as a result, so I added a fair amount of rapeseed oil, made a very quick tarka with some g/g paste and a little Bassar Curry Masala and Achari Masala, and then re-heated the curry with that as its nucleus.  It was certainly far better after that, both visually and taste-wise, than it was when we first took it home.  The Sag Aloo was a harder nut to crack, and on the second night was not much better than when we had brought it home (still pretty tasteless) but tonight I cracked it : a good dollop of ghee, a good sprinkle of chat masala and hing, a heaped teaspoon of g/g paste, a squeeze of tomato puree, a quick stir around in a hot work, in with the sag aloo, up to temperature and serve.  And what a difference !  A really nice sag aloo at last, and Khanh suggested that I go back and offer to show the chef how to do it !

** Phil.