Hi, I know this is really lazy and most of the fun is making the base sauce etc etc

I'm so busy and find it difficult to get the base sauce right every time, I'm lucky if I get it good 1 in every 4 attempts.

Therefore is there anywhere where one can by I wholesale batch of base sauce? I've heard some takeaways etc use a wholesale batch.

Because of my lack of success, I find it off-putting to use curries using home-made base sauce so really desperate for a source where I can buy it ready made!

Many thanks,

Sorry I've never seen anything like that for sale.

If you tell us what is going wrong with your base sauces we might be able to help you.

Paul

Yes, I agree with Paul - a much better solution would be to work out what is going wrong. You should be having a much greater success rate than that. Once you become familiar with the process it should be a walk in the park with consistently good results.

What recipe are you using and what do you feel is going wrong (taste, texture, etc.)

Thanks guys, the first one I made was superb, I was using a melting base recipe from another forum which doesn't seem to be around any more. I think it was called melting base 2.

I've tried to copy it exactly using the same spices etc since and the curries just seem really bland. Hard to describe but certainly not smooth and sweet like they should be.  Have u got any recommended base sauces that are easy and relatively fool proof?

Thanks

I'm familiar with that base, although I've never cooked it (I think it is at version 3, which is why you can probably no longer find version 2).

I would start with CA's recipes - simple, great results and very clearly documented.

CA's base: https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3772.0

Links to the recipes for the final dishes are included within that link. Let us know how you get on.

I have bought base sauce from my BIR before, if your a good customer of there's they may sell you some, you can only ask.

I too use the melt base and tried others on here but the BIR's was better, i got some tips when we showed them Taz's base recipe, they said it was good but add fresh tomatoes aswell as tinned also add the corrianda at the end of cooking along with a pinch of saffron.

They also said that the cooking of dishes is all about timing and is difficult to get right for a non chef so i guess practice and more practice.

Gunna get some more tips from them hopefully soon as there a friendly bunch

ATB
Fishy

hi you can buy a ready made base sauce here www.psGoldenFoods.com

if you search typing in golden foods it has already been posted by me many years ago

regards
gary

I would agree with the others and go for trying to work out what's going wrong with your base efforts - there's loads of advice here.

How would you feel about starting a new thread when you make your next base and post some pics at each stage of your cooking?

Can I also suggest checking that your ingredients are reasonably fresh, especially important not to use old spices, they will taste like sawdust shavings if they've been lying for months.

Thanks all for the replies.

I've took the plunge and had another go at making a base sauce.  It's still simmering away and I will be blending later.

I used CA's base sauce, but it's slightly amended in that:

Used 'Supreme' Mild curry powder (4 heaped tsp rather than 1 tsp and 3 x spice mix)
Used Natco Garam masala (1 heaped tsp)
Pinch saffron
Pinch fenugreek leaves
1tbsp salt (I misread! oops!)
4 green cardamon pods
1tsp sugar
added an extra 75mls oil as I feel that in the past I haven't used enough and the base has suffered
Added 2x tsp Bisto Chicken gravy powder (I felt that it's worth adding some kind of savoury stock)
I also fried the onions so they had just started to caramelise then stopped and added the water and rest of ingredients.  I'm sure some kind of caramelisation should take place to get the sweet taste.  I thought if I part caramelise the onions, when I come to use the sauce and cook it really hot, it might caramelise the rest as soon as it hits the pan so you get a nice fresh caramelised taste.

It's not blended yet but I had a quick taste and I'm very hopeful.  Normally I can get a good feel for the base sauce by tasting before I blend and it's a good indication.

It's still quite bland which you'd expect it to be but also has a nice sweet and savoury undertone to it.

Will post pictures and an update.