4lbs of onions. I cut them it to quarters then half the lot. Put into two pan ( I don?t have a massive pan, I just got three, I use the biggest to put it all together, I put the onion puree into another bowl until ready to use ) with a lug of water and simmer for about 30-35 mins until soft.

Once this has been completed I blend in two batches to form a smooth paste.

Then heat about half a quarter of a pint of ghee, not too hot mind. I add 1 garlic bulb peeled split in into there cloves and add them to ghee, keep taking it off the heat so not to burn.

Then I add 50 gram of curry powder and 1 level tsp of chilli powder. Stir it in and and keep moving on and off heat not to burn for bout 5-6 mins. If you do burn, start again.

(As for the curry powder I get mine from a scoop shop and it's labelled medium curry powder, I guess you could use madras)

Then I add 50 gram of tomato puree, stir this in and cook out for 5-8 mins.

I then add again about a half a quarter of a pint of milk, semi skimmed and let it all come together 1-2 mins

I then add about 4 cardamom?s pods and 1 star anise.

Then add a can of chopped tomatoes (plus one chicken stock cube). Stir through building the heat now.

Then add the onion mix. I then turn the heat down and simmer for about 35-40 mins. Keep checking so it doesn?t catch on the bottom.

I add about 1 lemon, Juice of to finish it.

You can add some pineapple chunks too.

You can use straight away or leave for a day, I think this improver?s the flavour

As for the chicken, I just poach with a chicken stock cube medium heat for about 25 mins. I then cut into chunks, I add this to smaller pan with main sauce and freeze the rest (when its cold).

Any thoughts? Taste good? I know it does 

Milk in curry base!?!?!?

Hi,

Milk is an odd one isn't it. Yet if you look at the first Bruce Edwards curry base version as printed by Pat Chapman in about 1995 Bruce uses Milk in the base!

Ray

The first time I came across milk being used in the base was in a Pat Chapman book. I can even remember the name of the chap who contributed it, Ivan Watson (I think). He called it a pakistani gravy or something like that. I have used it way back when, but I think I didn't feel that it added anything.

Hi All,

Here is the Bruce Edwards recipe from Pat Chapmans book using Milk in the base.

Bruce Edwards Curry Base

Modified in Pat Chapman?s ?Vindaloo and other Hot Curries Book?

Serves 4 when added to 1 ? lbs of main ingredient

Makes 2 pts Sauce

INGREDIENTS

2 garlic Cloves
1? fresh Ginger
1 lb Spanish Onions, chopped
1 medium size Carrot
1 stick Celery
1 TBSP Red Pepper, chopped
4 Green Chillies, chopped
1 Tomato
2? cube white radish, (Mooli)
2 TBSPS fresh Coriander, chopped
5 TBSPS Veg Oil
1 pint Veg Stock or Water
? pt Milk

SPICES

1 tsp Coriander
1 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp Aromatic Curry Powder
1/3 tsp Ajwain Seeds (lovage)

METHOD

Mix spices with 2 TBSPS Water, Finely chop all the Vegetables.
In a five-pint saucepan heat Oil, add Garlic for 20 sec?s.
Add the Ginger and 20 sec?s later the spice mix. Stir-fry for one minute. Add Onions, stir-fry for ten minutes. Add the Stock or Water and Milk and bring to a simmer. Add the Vegetables, Simmer with a lid on for 30 min?s or more. The timing isn?t critical. Allow to cool and blend until you have a pourable gravy.
You may need to add a little water to obtain the correct texture.
The base is now ready.


Regards

Ray

Quote from: Yellow Fingers on November 10, 2005, 02:48 PM
The first time I came across milk being used in the base was in a Pat Chapman book. I can even remember the name of the chap who contributed it, Ivan Watson (I think). He called it a pakistani gravy or something like that. I have used it way back when, but I think I didn't feel that it added anything.

Apart from something that I'm allergic to!

Quote from: thomashenry on November 10, 2005, 11:27 PM
Apart from something that I'm allergic to!

What, Pat Chapman..or milk?

The curry base I was shown at Bengal Cuisine has  condensed milk in too

Onion Gravy

Ingredients:-

2 large onions sliced
1 green pepper sliced
1 medium potato sliced
3 tablespoons Garlic ginger puree
1 carrot unpeeled chopped
1 cup of vegetable oil
? cup vegetable ghee
1 desertspoon salt
2 desertspoon turmeric
2 desertspoon of Pataks Kashmiri Masala
2 green chillies chopped
2 whole tomatoes from a can
Water equal to half the volume of the above
i.e. if the above comes to half way up the pot, then add a quarter of a pot of water

Boil the above for only ten minutes.
This is until you can see the sliced onion wilting
Now add:-

2 desertspoons of curry powder (rajah)
2 desertspoons of ground almonds
2 desertspoons of coconut powder
2 tablespoons of condensed milk

Cook another five minutes and then blend
The mixture is bright yellow
Add enough hot water to make it very runny
About half it?s volume again
This doesn?t look like your finished oily curry gravy but I was told with more oil, and longer cooking, it would.
As far as the chef was concerned, we had what we wanted.

Full post at
https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=118.0

Some Italian tomato sauce based dishes use milk to make the sauce richer, it?s added at the meat cooking stage and simmered until totally absorbed/reduced.

I make a bolognaise using this method and it?s very nice.

Pete - it would be an interesting experiment to see if you could take the knowledge from the development of the KD base and make this base really "work"...without changing it to the point it becomes the KD base of course!!