UPDATE to my original post.

I have now tried this with TRS garam masala and what a disaster. I now don't use any garam masala and things are better. It seems too many flavours confuse the taste of the end product. Now I work to the 'less is more' philosophy and get better results everywhere.

Only recently got the bug to make BIR curries at home and this site has been my inspiration.

I made a basic gravy using Madras 80s Style Base Gravy recipe but I fried the spices prior to adding them. I then made a few simple curries that turned out fine but lacked that something that we are all seeking.

I had one lot of gravy left last night and decided to try something different. This turned out like a Pathia and tasted incredible. I had it for lunch today at work and it hit all the right buttons for me, if I had got it from a BIR I would not have been dissapointed, in fact I would be looking forwards to going back.

Ingredients:
60ml Oil
Small onion chopped 1" squares
4 Cloves Garlic and 1" cube of Ginger Chopped very fine
8 green chillies chopped fine
6 green chillies cut once lenthwise
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp paprika - I use a fairly bland variety and it probably adds little flavour. Good paprika would not work here. Could probably be left out.
1 tsp garam masala - I used Tescos!
1 tsp ground Methi
1/4 tsp Asafoetida
1 1/2 tsp Sugar
Pre cooked meat
2 tbsp chopped corriander including stalks
2 ladles gravy
1 Lime

Measures are all level teaspoons but I guess you all know that.

Put oil in a hot pan and add onion. Keep moving till browning around the edges. Add garlic and ginger and move pan away from heat. keep moving for 1 minute and add finely chopped chillies. periodically put the pan back on the heat to keep it frying but prevent anything from burning. cook for another minute and add ground spices, now keep everything moving for a minute to cook the spices.

Now on a high heat add half a ladle of gravy, the half chillies and whichever meat you are using, assuming its pre-cooked that is. fry vigorously for a minute then add the rest of the gravy and the corriander. Once its cooking again, still on a high heat squeeze in the juice of half the lime and add the sugar, stir and then taste it. Now add more lime juice a little at a time till it tastes just right.

It may be too many chillies for some but I eat Thai food every day so my tolerance is high, this turned out mild for me. If you don't like too much oil then skim it off at the end but oil and high heat both seem essential to the process. Garnish with a lime wedge and corriander and enjoy.

Hey I'm Andy and very pleased to be here.

I have plenty of cooking experience and have spent the last couple of years cooking and eating Thai food. Rarely eat anything else if i'm honest but I do like curries.

Talking of food...  Time to eat again I think  ;D