i've not cooked for almost 4 mths now. in the interim i've been making up the curry shortfall at the TA.

my remaining "gap" to BIR has been proving very difficult to identify - in tasting my dishes and comparing with BIR TA.

i'm 100% confident that it's not the base or the equipment or the technique.

the differences in general terms seem to be:

1) lots more chopped onion in the BIR
2) very little use of green pepper and very small pieces when used in the BIR
3) hardly any tom puree used in the BIR
4) more garlic in the BIR somehow - i can always taste garlic the next day but not after my own cooking.

one thing that i can't get out my mind is mix powder - i'm sceptical that we have the full BIR picture. i think CA might have been on the right track with adding other ingredients (garlic,ginger).

clearly i'm going to try these few tweaks over the coming weeks.

after these i'm really struggling on what we're all missing. any specific thoughts on things to look at would be appreciated specifically ingredients or pastes.

i sort of looking at it as a process of elimination. i've got to the point when i think this might work as i'm pretty settled in most that i do now and can live with the time that it will take to work through each change one at a time.

Has anyone had any breakthrough thought's

Iv'e just made a post in curry videos, and hopefully it will be of some help to you when I post the video. I'm just waiting on one of the members (Gazman 1976) to help me post the video.

Cheers EHC

Hi Jerry,

I've always thought the same as you with regards to garlic.  After a restaurant BIR, the garlic taste the day after is very strong.  With this in mind, and trying to get more savouriness into my curries, here's my spice blend;

https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=4706.0

I know you have been wary of methi in the past, but it works a treat in this blend.  Anyway, have a look and see what you think.

Ray

Hi Jerry,

I made my usual Garlic Chilli Chicken at the weekend. I normally use 2 cloves of garlic sliced as well as the usual 1 tsp of garlic and ginger as well.

This time I used 5 cloves of garlic and I also reduced my 1 tbsp tomato puree down to 1 tsp.

I have to say that the dish turned out much better than normal. Usually its quite an abrupt/raw tasting dish and although very enjoyable I also felt that something was not quite right.

However, on Saturday this dish totally transpired from that rawish taste to one of a more mellow curry where you could actually taste the other spices too and much more reminiscent of a BIR curry. A much needed improvement

appreciate all your thoughts.

real looking fwd to extrahotchillie's video - tantalising

Razor,

i'm now ok with methi (use loads in dippies biryani). i've just made a batch of jb's mix and will need to try this 1st but will then adapt it to as close as poss to yours.

given what 976bar says i am now convinced to go ahead with what was in my mind - (against my normal principles) - buy a jar of processed garlic paste. i've seen a lot of these jars on the shelf and someone must be buying them.

it's worth a try given what Axe reports from IG (oil, puree, garlic) - the puree at my local TA is not runny but it's darker than out of the tin. i've tried making my own garlic but that did not work. hence try the shop version.

Hi Jerry,

It's worth making your own garlic puree really. You can buy jars of ready peeled garlic in either oil, brine or vinegar (pickled).

I just put all of these into my food processor with about half of the juice from the jar and 1 tsp turmeric (this helps to preserve it), then blend until you have a smooth puree. Transfer back to the jar and cover with about 1cm of oil over the top to keep fresh.

I find this will keep fine refrigerated for around 4 weeks if it lasts that long lol

The problem with the tubes of ready made garlic puree is that most of them have preservatives in them.

I agree that the missing link might lie within the garlic, but I think it's down to how it is cooked rather than how much is included. I think we add in the spices / base sauce too early. To me that BIR taste is more of a roasted garlic taste. I think the g/g paste needs to be properly brown befoe adding other ingredients.

Quote from: JerryM on September 13, 2010, 08:33 AM
buy a jar of processed garlic paste. i've seen a lot of these jars on the shelf and someone must be buying them.

But why Jerry...why?

It's this trend towards everything being pre-prepared that is giving the BIRs a bad name.

You start with Pataks pastes, then add pre-pulped garlic and ginger. Where does it end?

The reason the BIRs are generally so naff now is that they have gone down this route too.

It may well lead you to be able to reproduce the taste of your local BIR but is that what we really strive for? Why not just go the whole hog and buy a jar of Pataks madras sauce or vindaloo sauce.

Secret Santa,

u know me too well - i'm not happy at all at the thought of clutching a bottle of garlic paste through the checkouts at my local Asian store for sure.

of course along the lines of 975bar - i'd like to make my own. trouble is i've had a go at that (roasting bulbs and extracting the pulp to add to the puree) but the taste i'm after which is a general one across dishes was not there.

i appreciate long term i need some serious recipe refinement to complete my jigsaw (on the dishes i'm not happy with). i'd just like to get this general missing gap sorted 1st. it may well not be garlic but i can't think what else it could be as i've tried pretty much everthing else. the 2 things that look "dodgy" in my local TA are the mix powder and the tom puree - i'm convinced my gap is in that location. "dodgy" because these areas the chef won't talk about. i'm thinking of changing tack and asking for a sample as this seems a more comfortable approach down to the english barrier.

i do like chriswg's idea of browning the g/g paste - this i don't do at the mo as i'm frightened of burning it. as soon as the g/g paste becomes sticky i pull the pan off the heat. i'll give chriswg's idea ago for sure.

Quotetrouble is i've had a go at that (roasting bulbs and extracting the pulp to add to the puree) but the taste i'm after which is a general one across dishes was not there.

Jerry - you roast your garlic for puree for use in BIR cooking?

I use roasted garlic in other cuisines, and find it imparts a quite different taste.

Just wanted to clarify...

-- Josh