Curry Recipes Online

Curry Chat => Lets Talk Curry => Topic started by: Panpot on August 14, 2011, 12:42 PM

Title: Base Substitute (in a hurry)
Post by: Panpot on August 14, 2011, 12:42 PM
I've just blitzed my second batch of Abdulebad's base and it tastes like a spicy vegetable pureed soup. It got me wondering about a previous post on the site regarding short cuts when we are in a hurry or have forgotten to defrost the kit. I find myself returning to the notion that if a good vegetable soup from the supermarket could be blitzed then added to a typical curry routine of GG Paste, Tomato Paste, Spice mix (perhaps a little more than usual) the usual herbs and meat would we have a descent solution when caught out?

I have to admit I have used a tablespoon of Patak curry paste in boiling water to pre cook chicken for 10 minutes ahead of adding to a curry with favourable results. Given the above or from experience can anybody recommend a brand of soup to keep in the back of the cupboard?
Title: Re: Base Substitute (in a hurry)
Post by: emin-j on August 14, 2011, 03:51 PM
Hi Panpot,
Did try a Soup Base some time ago and it gave a decent Curry in a hurry -
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3784.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3784.0)
I reckon a French Onion and a Tomato Soup would be worth a try  ;)
Title: Re: Base Substitute (in a hurry)
Post by: Panpot on August 15, 2011, 11:20 AM
Thanks Emin-j i new there was a post on here though it was a while ago. If I ever fancy a quick curry and My kit is all in the freezer I will have a go with your recipe. PP
Title: Re: Base Substitute (in a hurry)
Post by: Ramirez on August 15, 2011, 12:16 PM
Just out of curiosity, PP, why can you not simply thaw the base in the microwave, or just pop it in a saucepan and warm it up (that's what I tend to do if I have no base in the fridge)?
Title: Re: Base Substitute (in a hurry)
Post by: Panpot on August 16, 2011, 08:55 AM
Your right Ramirez, I suppose my reason for the post was more to do with having no base anyway. Maybe it was worth the asking since The Boss has posted what looks like a cracker of a solution, maybe even creating a new section for us all I.e. "Recipes for when you have ran out of base" PP
Title: Re: Base Substitute (in a hurry)
Post by: emin-j on August 16, 2011, 07:53 PM
Panpot,
Just found that Knorr make a French Onion,Brown Onion,and a White Onion packet Soup  :D I have also used Tomato Juice from a screw top 1ltr container in a Curry and was excellent,can be fun experimenting sometimes. ;)
Title: Re: Base Substitute (in a hurry)
Post by: martinvic on September 22, 2011, 04:23 PM
Lidl have just got an 'Indian Summer' soup, by New Covent Garden Soup Co. in.
99p for 600g. Use date 06/10/11, but is suitable for home freezing.
Ingredients
Water, potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, onions, yellow split peas (5%), butternut squash, red split lentils (3%), red peppers,cream coconut, tomato paste, ginger, lime juice, garlic, salt, coriander leaf, ground coriander, cumin, cardamom, white pepper, turmeric. - Vegetables 44%.

Bought one to have an experiment, haven't opened it so don't know what it tastes like or it's consistency yet.

But from the ingredients it certainly sounds like it could work.

Martin
Title: Re: Base Substitute (in a hurry)
Post by: emin-j on September 22, 2011, 08:30 PM
That sounds spot on  ;) let us know how you get on.
Title: Re: Base Substitute (in a hurry)
Post by: daddyL on September 23, 2011, 09:53 PM
Very interesting, not looked at or tried a base substitute but had some very good results using Heinz lentil soup as a base for a quick tarka dhal, dal, dall (however you spell it)  :)

Will give it some thought though.

Leon
Title: Re: Base Substitute (in a hurry)
Post by: martinvic on September 26, 2011, 04:21 PM
Tried it yesterday and it worked out really well.

Found it was a bit thick and lumpy, so needed water adding and blending.
Looked and tasted quite like a base, strong coriander (I think) taste to it though.
Because it needed blending, and I was prepping some onions anyway, I decided I might as well chop and saut? a small onion to add to it too.

Made a Madras and a Balti with it and they turned out great and, from my limited experience, wasn't really any different to any other curries I've cooked. Oh and they were both really enjoyed by my son and his girl.

Would I bother again?
Maybe in an emergency, but I've usually got a freezer full of base, as I enjoy making it.
I'd never seen this soup at Lidl before, and probably won't again for a long time anyway, As is the way with Lidl.

Martin



Title: Re: Base Substitute (in a hurry)
Post by: emin-j on September 26, 2011, 07:59 PM
Well done for trying it Martin  ;)
Title: Re: Base Substitute (in a hurry)
Post by: George on September 26, 2011, 09:43 PM
I'd never seen this soup at Lidl before, and probably won't again for a long time anyway, As is the way with Lidl.

Many thanks for mentioning this soup. I bought a carton a few hours after you'd first mentioned it, and found the soup very tasty. I would never have noticed it, otherwise. Yes, I fear it won't be a regular line, but is just a 'special' consignment at Lidl. It may be available from other stores though, like Tesco or Asda, perhaps.
Title: Re: Base Substitute (in a hurry)
Post by: martinvic on September 27, 2011, 12:20 AM
Thanks Emin-j, yep well worth a go just as an experiment.
Now, if needed, I definitely wouldn't be scared to knock a base up out of a couple of tins/cartons of soup (onion and a veg probably) + some spices and herbs (none was needed/added with the Indian soup).


No problem George, yep quite tasty indeed.
They, New Covent Garden Soup Co, have a website with loads of the recipes etc.
http://www.newcoventgardensoup.com/ (http://www.newcoventgardensoup.com/)
Sadly they don't mention any outlets that sell their range, but a quick look on the Tesco's site shows they sell them.

Martin
Title: Re: Base Substitute (in a hurry)
Post by: natterjak on October 18, 2011, 12:14 PM
I contacted New Covent Garden Soup Company to find out where I could buy the Indian Summer soup Martin discovered, here's the reply  :-\


Good morning

Thank you for your email with regards to our Indian Summer soup.

This soup was only available during the month of September, it was our Soup of the Month, so will not available again, sorry.

Kind regards

Lynne Dickson
Customer Relations
New Covent Garden Soup Company
Title: Re: Base Substitute (in a hurry)
Post by: Peripatetic Phil on October 18, 2011, 01:42 PM

This soup was only available during the month of September, it was our Soup of the Month, so will not available again, sorry.
In that case, write and ask them for the recipe : if it won't be available again, they have nothing to lose and a lot of customer goodwill to gain  :)

** Phil.
Title: Re: Base Substitute (in a hurry)
Post by: bamble1976 on October 18, 2011, 05:25 PM
Hi

This looks promising :)

Barry

http://www.newcoventgardensoup.com/members-soups/indian-summer (http://www.newcoventgardensoup.com/members-soups/indian-summer)
Title: Re: Base Substitute (in a hurry)
Post by: martinvic on October 18, 2011, 11:50 PM
Yep, as Barry pointed out, there is a recipe for it on their site.

Sorry, the only reason I didn't mention it was I thought the whole point was to have a quick ready made base substitute.

Instead of spending the time making the soup, you might as well make a proper base.


But if you do like soup, it's pretty tasty.



I also used half a carton of this, to which I added a good handful of lentils, cooked them up to make a sort of half dahl half base. Then made a pretty reasonable Dhansak with it.

Martin