Quote from: ELW on May 17, 2012, 07:43 PM
Low heat bir curries are still eluding me & I can't find a single post from someone who has had success with this method.

Well, I may be the exception that proves the rule.  Starting as I did with the Kris Dhillon method, but tempering it so as not to incur the wrath of SWMBO, I produced many BIR-quality curries in my early days without once trying to Taz-evaporate the base to the point of non-existence, or Zaal-cremate the spices.  When I learned of the Taz and Zaal techniques, I tried to incorporate them, but from that point on my results became inconsistent and I had as many (or even more) failures than successes.  I therefore genuinely believe that high-heat is /not/ essential to the BIR flavour, although I do not doubt for one second that in skilled and experienced hands the techniques are capable of achieving the desired results.

** Phil.

I sincerely hope you can put a spoke in my wheel on this phil & if so you will be on a short list. I

Quote from: ELW on May 17, 2012, 11:38 PMCutting acidity is key, but how long does it take at home?

It only takes a few seconds if you throw in a bit of bicarbonate of soda.

Hi prawnsalad

Thanks for posting, don't beat yourself up to hard.
I enjoyed reading all about it, a honest and to the point write up, well done.

As for replacing you spices for new - good on you to try that 

Regards

prawnsalad great post which turning it on its head suggests that there is indeed no special secret. Like Phil I don't cook on incendiary heat and I don't see any problem. Unlike Phil I am using the Taz base regularly now with consistent results. Maybe it's the product of repetition but I seem to be able to tell how far back the first reduction should go.

I am also like haldi in that I don't fret about things like "the missing 5%" I just cook to the best of my ability and enjoy creating curries that taste good and as good as most that I can buy locally, better than some and not so good as others. That seems to me to be not a bad point to reach and it has been the input of loads of forum members and their enthusiasm that has helped me get there.

prawnsalad,

many thanks for taking time to post - i really love this sort of thing. hoping that something innocuous might just get my curries better.

i agree on all that you say and i'm not surprised with the result.

the only help i can add (other than what i've already posted) is an odd statement by Bruce Edwards in his post - he sort of intimated that practise makes perfect. at the time i felt there must be something else to close the gap between home and BIR.

i do very much now agree though - i feel BIR is only achieved when all the pieces are done exactly right. it takes this "time" to get an understanding of the taste of everything.

you don't need fresh spices - like you found.

i still do think there is something i'm missing. i currently think it has something to do with the oil (hence my post & trials). i would also tryout a burner if you've got a shed, garage to cook in.

in short  like the oil the difference is small but all these "smalls" soon add up.

Hi prawnsalad,

Thanks for taking the time to post about your experience.
I really must pull my finger out and get curry making again. I haven't cooked a curry for about a month now.
Maybe tomorrow I'll start a new base.

Cheers,

Paul

Quote from: pauly58 on May 17, 2012, 09:49 PM
Is the difference down to the heat they can get from a commercial stove ?

Hi Pauly
That's what I thought, so I bought a second hand one, from ebay
The stove is great for heating up large pots quickly
It's in my garage and I do all my "smelly" cooking there
But sad to say, it never closed the gap, in my curry cooking
I still use it a lot for my curry bases, onion bhajees and samosas
So it wasn't a waste of money

JerryM
I am becoming convinced you are right, practice is everything.

How many curries do we cook a week ? Three would be my average, imagine making 50 a night , six days a week.

Inconsistency is my biggest problem, I'm sure if we were cooking more often we would nail it.

Quote from: pauly58 on May 18, 2012, 08:00 PM

Inconsistency is my biggest problem,

I don't think that inconsistency is just a problem for us armatures, but also for chef's who work in the same BIR kitchen, In my local TA the head chef does a really excellent madras, when he has a day off his son does the cooking, and the madras is nowhere the same as his old man, being taught by the old fella you would think they would taste the same, but no, So it varies even in the same TA depending on who cook's it, So if they can't get it right, why should we kick our selves to death ;D

Les