Yes - i use them - especially in Dhal curries - i have been lucky enough to grow some and after a hard cut back a few weeks ago they are fantastic - its dark here now but will try and gt a pic

best, Rich

Are they easy to grow in the UK?  I've seen some plants for sale on the web.

Thais don't as far as I know 'melt' onions and neither do the Chinese.  I've done courses in both but am in no way an expert.   I just thought that maybe somebody might have a suggestion.  The Bangladeshi who I watched cooking and melting the onions did so on a pretty battered saucepan.  But it's heavier than what I've been using.   Tonight I used a heavier saucepan I got down from the attic and it seems to not burn the onions and brown them well.  Of course, this is not a scientific conclusion as I've only done this once.  Might it have been the saucepan or my technique tonight?  No worries. 

PS  I've watched Cris's video and it's great but not quite like the one I watched being made.  His is also much drier....I mean the end product.   Does he mention the type of saucepan?

Thanks.....but I've seen them use aluminium pans but for making BIR dishes.  They don't need to melt onions as they're in a way already melted in the base gravy.  I'm talking about making certain Indiand dishes from scratch.

You all know that staff in the indian take away or restaurant eat different curry than comercial curry but is still damn good so ive decided to share what ive seen with you
Ok here is the mix
2 spoons of chilli powder
8 spoons of donia /corianda
1 spoon of haldi /turmaric
1 spoon of jeera /cummin
in a saucepan put about half a mug of oil,1 piece of cinamon 5 caddamoms,and 2 bay leaves
start frying for about 4 mins stirring making sure no burning.Now ad some chopped onion finely choped about 2 large onions,also add a spoon sull of garlic ginger paste the ratio is 2 times ginger to 1 times garlic,plus some salt
keep stirring for about 6 mins now add 2 deswrt spoon of spice powder 2 fresh tomatoes cut into halves also add your meat.Now let the mix powder fry for about 30 seconds.Now slowly start adding water to bhuna it tjat means slow cook for about 2 hours.to make hotter add a little lemon and some more chili.This mix is nearly always used in bengali homes by the time 2 hours have past the onions   and tomatoes would have melted giving you a nice curry dont forget fresh coriander the last 2 mins. THIS IS STAFF CURRY.hOPE YOU ENJOY

This isw very similar to the staff curry which I saw being made a few times at my local restaurant.  But the did add a few cloves.  I never did find out what their spice mix was made of.  The owner wasn't very forthcoming in sharing information..

Thanks.  Maybe it can be substituted?