Topic: Tommy99 Base Sauce

[tommy99]

I have tried lots of tips and recipes from this forum but have never before quite got that missing BIR taste.

However, I was having a biryani at a BIR and I suddenly realised that the veg in the veg side curry has the same veg in it as you see in some recipes for a base gravy.

My theory is that the biryani vegetable side curry sauce is basically the base gravy that hasn't yet been blended. I have used my theory to work backwards...to work out what the base gravy must be, and it works.

I now have THAT missing BIR taste. It stems from the base gravy after all. Not long after I started cooking this gravy I noticed that it smelt exactly right.

Notice that there isn't any chilli at the gravy stage.

I have been using Taj frozen garlic and ginger blocks which are incredibly convenient, very cheap from Asda, and don't contain anything else. I also use these in Chinese and Italian food.

Of course which curry you turn this into (by adding spice mix etc. at the frying stage) is up to you. I have tried it making a biryani veg side curry and it was spot-on.

Tommy99 BASE

750g of small-medium sized peeled whole onions (Sainsburys Cooking Onions that come in a 1.5kg pack). Use a knike to cut each onion down one length side and into the centre.
150g carrot chopped into 2" pieces
Small-medium size green pepper cut into 3
200g of potato (this was a large uncooked Sainsburys jacket spud cut into 3)
200g white cabbage (I used 2 pieces of about 100g each)
200ml sunflower oil

2 blocks of Taj frozen garlic (from ASDA)
1 block of Taj frozen ginger (from ASDA)

1 level teaspoon of turmeric
5 Cloves
6 Green cardamom pods split open so the seeds can get out
10 whole black peppercorns
12 pieces of coriander with stalks

1 heaped tablespoon of tomato pur?e
1 very large ripe tomato chopped into quarters

1.25 litres of water to cover

Cover pan with lid and simmer-boil. Give it a stir now and then and cook until the onions are very very soft (takes about 1.5 hours). You might want to add a drop of water now and then to make sure the veg is just about covered. Near to the end of cooking you might want to break the spud and carrot into smaller pieces. Then allow to cool with the lid on for about half a day. I actually left it more than 12 hours.

Drain off the oil from the top of the base gravy. Save it and use some as the oil to start frying your actual curry. If making biryani rice then you can also use that oil to fry the rice part.

[976bar]

Nice post Tommy,

But I can never get my head round why people use "Frozen Ingredients" from Asda when there is plenty of Fresh ingredients around which will have a far better taste.....

However, it is good to see people experimenting to create a taste that suits them and not regimented as to what it should be because it has been done this way for the past 100 years

Keep experimenting and I hope you find the taste you are looking for

[tommy99]

Nice post Tommy,

But I can never get my head round why people use "Frozen Ingredients" from Asda when there is plenty of Fresh ingredients around which will have a far better taste.....

However, it is good to see people experimenting to create a taste that suits them and not regimented as to what it should be because it has been done this way for the past 100 years

Keep experimenting and I hope you find the taste you are looking for

Hi,

BIR use garlic and ginger pastes. Taj frozen crushed garlic and ginger (from Asda and asian supermarkets) are the same. There are no other added ingredients just minced garlic and ginger.

They just happen to be frozen into handy sized blocks. I have managed to get the BIR taste using them.

They also cost less than buying garlic and ginger to make into your own pastes. I get great results when using them.

[976bar]

Nice post Tommy,

But I can never get my head round why people use "Frozen Ingredients" from Asda when there is plenty of Fresh ingredients around which will have a far better taste.....

However, it is good to see people experimenting to create a taste that suits them and not regimented as to what it should be because it has been done this way for the past 100 years

Keep experimenting and I hope you find the taste you are looking for

Hi,

BIR use garlic and ginger pastes. Taj frozen crushed garlic and ginger (from Asda and asian supermarkets) are the same. There are no other added ingredients just minced garlic and ginger.

They just happen to be frozen into handy sized blocks. I have managed to get the BIR taste using them.

They also cost less than buying garlic and ginger to make into your own pastes. I get great results when using them.

Fair Play, I hadn't seen these before..

[chewytikka]

T99
Your theory is incorrect, BIR Garabi is 90% Onion.
BIR simply don't do what you suggest.
Mixed veg is parcooked in advance, for adding to numerous dishes, including Biryani Sauce.

I agree with you on Taj G&G, a very good product.
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=6141.msg61136#msg61136

cheers Chewy

[tommy99]

T99
Your theory is incorrect, BIR Garabi is 90% Onion.
BIR simply don't do what you suggest.
Mixed veg is parcooked in advance, for adding to numerous dishes, including Biryani Sauce.

I agree with you on Taj G&G, a very good product.
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=6141.msg61136#msg61136

cheers Chewy

The side veg curry contains exactly the same chunks of veg that is in the base gravy before it is blended. Therefore it is pointless boiling another portion of the same veg separately. It is quicker, easier and cheaper to just take a ladle of the unblended gravy. It also seems to hold the BIR flavour a lot better throughout the veg. Give my base gravy recipe a try and try the same thing.

[tommy99]

Fair Play, I hadn't seen these before..

Only 97p for a 400g bag. They really are a fantastic product.