I thought so, too, but this guy won't eat curry. That there's the real problem!

Phil, perhaps it's because my people have redefined the "American Dream" to mean materialism.    Left and Right.

And I also understand why some people would choose to identify first with their cultural heritage (no matter how many generations removed), but nonetheless, it's slightly painful for me. This isn't a matter of absolutes; it's just how we mentally categorize and associate things. My paternal grandmother's family were "Germans." No matter if they lived in Russia as farmers or after the migrated to the United States. Until my grandmother's generation, they saw themselves as German. That is well and fine.

The problem comes when you are too into defining yourself by your heritage that you lack communion with the rest of the larger community around you. I have lots and lots of Mexican family members, and they are cool. But there is one in-law I do not like because he can't see himself as human first. He is Mexican, first and last. He will go to the functions on the Mexican side of the family but not the white. He wears T-Shirts that say "100% Mexican" lest we forget. This is not a Mexican-American problem. This is a HUMAN problem.

Yes, I'm clear and edumacated on the Britsh terms now (England, Great Britian, UK, etc.), but an explanation would have gone a long ways in my school days. It also would have helped if teachers had explained why they marked my spelling wrong when I'd write "colour" rather than "color." I knew I'd seen it like that! But they don't bother to explain anything to children.

I get kind of irked when some people call themselves Mexicans when they are, in fact, American ("Statesman" would sound so much cooler, but it means something else altogether). Why the need to distinguish? I shouldn't be offended, but I am. That is very different from being Scottish first and British second though. Because... Mexico is not in the US, and these people were born in the US.

Not that it matters, but I would like to see the UK get the hell out of the EU, too! The British are so different from other Europeans. When I see other Europeans, I know right away they are European. But when I see all kinds of British people, I don't know the difference between them and us. When I've met them abroad, I've thought, "Oh, hey, North Americans..." and then simultaneously been asked, "Are you English?"

It's more than language. It's in the face or the mannerism. There is a common heritage. The language link was almost lost, however, when German was almost voted the national language of the US in an effort to distinguish themselves from the Motherland. English won by a single vote!

Am not a Brit am Skottish and I can spell kurrys wrongly too!

Okay, don't kill me now, but I always considered Scots as Brits, too. You are the mainland of the British Isles and part of Great Britain. I have learned that people from the British Isles get particular about with whom to identify themselves. Confusing to me! Especially as a kid in history class when England AND Great Britain won that war against France for the Colonies. And then there was the UK. Whew, it was hard learning all your names. Our teachers didn't' really explain it, and I think it's because they themselves hadn't a clue.

I only have a little of your base left, and I'll be making it again. I liked it a lot.

I think Samson is right that restaurants use less spices in their bases and add them instead to the final dish. However, I kinda like them in the bases because it saves time while making the dishes later.

My goal would be to do all the "hard" cooking just one or two days a month, and then do the easy stuff daily.. .Like making rice, taking out frozen, pre-cooked chicken and throwing together a sauce that is mostly done.