Curry Recipes Online
Curry Base Recipes => Curry Sauce, Curry Base , Curry Gravy Recipes, Secret Curry Base => Topic started by: emann on June 18, 2012, 08:59 PM
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Hi,
I am new here and just found this site and would like to try my hand on the BE curry base. I am referring to the recipe found in the pdf file Bruce Edwards Curry House Cookery Complete.
In the last section of this file, there is a recipe with the ingredients and method for the curry base, then a section on "Preparing it for use" and then a section "And now the Curry". In this section there is a recipe to prepare the curry meal itself which does not actually define the recipe as a vindaloo, a madras a jalfrezi, etc.
The question that I have is this. Is this base only to be used with the recipe in the same pdf file in the section "And now the Curry". I imagine not and so would ask how can you prepare and use for a vindaloo or a madras chicken. These are my favourite ones and that is why my interest however from other recipes in the forum they sort of show first the curry base and then a vindaloo or a madras to go with it...the BE base then just says prepare a curry.
Can anyone give some details how to use this curry base and a good recipe to go with it for a madras and a vindaloo please.
Regards,
emann
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Bruce writes : ""This is a basic restaurant curry", so what he is describing is a basic BIR chicken curry (or mutton curry, or whatever base ingredient you choose to use). He also writes "Chilli powder as required (1 levelled tablespoon for fairly serious Vindaloo)", so in his opinion there is a simple continuum from a chicken curry to a chicken vindaloo, with a chicken Madras somewhere near the middle. Others may well disagree, saying that both a Madras and a vindaloo have additional ingredients that make them unique, but I interpret Bruce's words as saying that he doesn't necessarily subscribe to that hypothesis. Elsewhere in the work you cite, he does give individual recipes for vindaloo, phall, etc.
** Phil.
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I cooked with Bruce's base recipe for a good year and found it could be adapted to any type of curry. Like Phil says, further reading of his manuscript will take you to various recipes which include Madras and Vindaloo. However you can alter the ingredients to suit your own taste and if you look for other recipes on this site you will find some interesting discussions on what is and isn't a Vindaloo. This could result in confusion but what i take from this is the opposite - there are variations on every type of curry and as long as you are in the right "ballpark" you will end up cooking delicious curries.
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thank you for the replies.
i know of the recipes in BEs article but i understood that these are to be used with the second method of the base (the one that uses radishes) which is followed by various recipes.
my question is that these recipes can so be used also with his other last curry base in view of the fact that the quantity of spices and type and quantity of ingredients in the curry base is different....is there a need to balance some of the items in the madras curry for example when cooked with the last update of the curry base.
thanks
emann
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Ah, sorry, failed to appreciate the full import of your question. In which case, I can't help further : I have not tried Bruce's recipes, so have no first-hand experience on which to base an informed answer.
** Phil.
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hi emman if you checkout this link http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=108.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=108.0) it is curryhouse cookery update. i would personally use this and use the recipes that are in the article most are there. they changed my curries for the better as a newbie they made my wife start eating my curries after khris dhillons' "curry secret" attempts now i just use one of mine and the simpliest bases from my local yummy bangladeshi/ indian "Mouchak" link here http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=5544.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=5544.0)
i printed the BE document out i still love reading it!
kind regards
gary
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This BE base is still my favourite and it can be used with any curry recipe on this forum.
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Hi Santa,
thanks for the reply...the question is this...i saw the BE document on your link and it is the one I am following. My question is this: the recipes in this file can be followed for both the curry base with the radishes and the one given at the very last section of the file without modifying the quantities of the spices especially?
This is just the answer that I am after.
Thanks
emann
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emann you'll get a perfectly edible curry no matter what mix of base sauce and curry recipe you throw together. You may not end up with the exact curry the author intended but it may even turn out better for it.
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thanks to all...i have now returned home from overseas work and plan to use this wkend for some base and curries next week.
will keep you advised.
emann
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Hi,
ok, done the BE base on friday and a madras yesterday.
well a particular taste was there but I was not really impressed and am sure i have a lot more to practice and learn. The colour of the chicken madras remained quite orange rather than reddish even in view of the fact that i included paprika with the spice mix in the base which is optional. I also used 1tsp kashmiri mirch as the chilli indicated in BEs recipe...there again not really anything very spicy.
What do you think is the next step to improve taste and get that dark red/brown colour of a madras?
thanks
emann
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Hi emann,
I haven't tried the BE recipes yet but adding more red chilli powder, say 1 tablespoon, will make the curry redder and more like madras heat.
Adding more mix powder will tend to make the curry sauce browner.
Cheers,
Paul
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I can only assume that the chilli powder in the BE recipes is the "Extra Hot" variety. A tsp of kashmiri mirch for a Madras, and a level tbsp for a vindaloo wouldn't be nearly enough.
Either as PaulP says, dial up the kashmiri mirch to a tablespoon for a Madras, or go with the extra hot type and keep BE's original spec.
-- Josh
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Hi All,
following your advise I made the second run with 1 tbspn spice mixture and 1 tbspn kashmiri chilli....and yes the colour, texture and taste is getting there...
tonight I will do another run for the madras maybe increasing these a bit more....hopefully i will achieve the taste long sought after.
what would be the next step...try another curry base maybe...which one is recommended for a madras (for me) and a korma (for the lady).
thanks
emann
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I've only tried the SNS base yet (2 batches), but thought it was superb with the SNS Madras, CA Korma and Razors chicken Tikka Rogan josh.
SNS Base and Madras - http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=2757.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=2757.0)
CA Simple Korma - http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=7652.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=7652.0)
Razors Rogan josh - http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=5950.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=5950.0)
Blades Chicken tikka - http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=874.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=874.0)
I'm also wondering which base to try next, but as I've also got Mick Crawfords ebook, maybe I'll work through that first before tackling BE or any of the other wonderful creations on here.
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Hi All,
following your advise I made the second run with 1 tbspn spice mixture and 1 tbspn kashmiri chilli....and yes the colour, texture and taste is getting there...
tonight I will do another run for the madras maybe increasing these a bit more....hopefully i will achieve the taste long sought after.
what would be the next step...try another curry base maybe...which one is recommended for a madras (for me) and a korma (for the lady).
thanks
emann
If you want a red/orange madras you need either a tomatoey base or add more tomato puree at the frying stage. The BE base is decidedly non-tomatoey, which is why I prefer it; I can add tomatoes/puree later. But a better base for a madras might be the SnS one which is very tomatoey (and is why I don't personally like it).
That along with a good frying of the spices at the start and a decent chilli powder should produce a nice orangey/brown madras.
The BE base should be fine for the korma though.