Quote from: Axe on August 16, 2012, 02:25 PMI can't think why paste would be used other than for convenience, cost, speed and consistency.

And if I were a BIR restaurateur, I think I would probably find those four reasons more than sufficient !
** Phil.

Hi Phil,

I suppose it depends on what side of the fence you are. If I were a restauranteur, I would put the taste and quality of the food above that of the convenience and cost to make it. Choosing to charge more for a better plate of food.

On the other hand, if I were the proprietor of a take-away, I would opt to choose a quicker more convenient and consistent method to produce a cheaper plate of food. After all, you can't make a packaged meal (curry in a foil container) look good and nor does it travel well either.

Just my view though.

Quote from: Axe on August 16, 2012, 02:46 PM
If I were a restauranteur, I would put the taste and quality of the food above that of the convenience and cost to make it. Choosing to charge more for a better plate of food.

Yes, I'm sure you would, Malc; and M. Blanc jr. would undoubtedly do the same.  But if you think how many BIRs there are in the U.K., and how intense the competition is (at least in the more populated areas), then I think you might agree that a significant fraction of the proprietors might opt for convenience, consistency, economy and (whatever the last one was).  In Paris, there is only one Tour d'Argent, for a very good reason : the very rich dine there, everyone else dines somewhere less expensive.  I think the same is probably true of our towns and even our villages, in terms of BIR cuisine.

** Phil.

To answer the original question...too long!

At least they started to dominate starting in the early nineties as more restaurants opened, hoping to cash in on the curry boom, but needing to cut every corner to stay in business. Bloody patak pastes!  ;D