A Newbies thoughts on gravy

[PhilUK]

Hi
I'm new here- this is my first post.
I've cooked both professionally and as an enthusiastic amateur for 30 yrs.

I've revisited BIR cooking after a few years of absence.

Tonight I made  Admins 'New base sauce'- its bubbling away as I type,
I've got to say, It smells and tastes fantastic!-almost like a curry
And this is my point-( I stand to be shot down here).

I must say, I had my doubts as I was adding the spices, my point being a base sauce should be just that- Basic!!!!
Onions/Garlic/ ginger/tomatoes(one tin, optional)-end of-nothing else!
It shouldn't smell or taste anything vaguely like a curry(Again  my opinion)
My personal opinion is that a base sauce is a vehicle for customisation- not a taste in itself- it serves two purposes- firstly to add bulk to the curry(as required).
secondly to act as a canvas to add spices to without having a particular taste of its own.

One thing I learnt early on in my cooking life was K.I.S.S- keep it simple.
I see base recipes with 6 or more spices in- add to that that the spices that go in at the finishing stage and you have a proverbial dogs dinner of different flavours competing with each other.
I think the end product is more down to certain factors- such as the cooking technique itself, I think the oil is important too.

I do believe that how the sauce is cooked is important- personally I think slow frying the basic ingredients before liquidising is the way forward- slow frying brings out the flavour in onions/ginger/ garlic in a big way.

Once I've tried the sauce that's on the stove, I'll get back to you re my basic sauce which I'm formulating.
I'm probably talking out my bottom- but would appreciate feedback from the professionals on here.

Thanks for listening to my rantings.
Phil

[Peripatetic Phil]

[Long snip, one section retained]

I must say, I had my doubts as I was adding the spices, my point being a base sauce should be just that- Basic!!!!
Onions/Garlic/ ginger/tomatoes(one tin, optional)-end of-nothing else!
It shouldn't smell or taste anything vaguely like a curry(Again  my opinion)
My personal opinion is that a base sauce is a vehicle for customisation- not a taste in itself- it serves two purposes- firstly to add bulk to the curry(as required).
secondly to act as a canvas to add spices to without having a particular taste of its own.

Almost 100% agreement.  Minor points of difference : I use a little turmeric and paprika in the base, and there seems to be an increasing consensus that oil in a base may help to bring out the sweetness of the onions (if one is looking for sweetness in a curry), but your "two purposes" (firstly to add bulk to the curry, and secondly to act as a canvas to add spices to without having a particular taste of its own) are exactly my own feelings on the subject.

** (The other) Phil.

[Ramirez]

I don't think you're talking out of your rear at all - I agree with a lot of what you have said and I think it is a good post. This is one area I have certainly struggled - knowing how tasty the base should be. Admittedly, you can correct this either way in the final dish, but it would be nice to get it right.

It's a long time since I've made that base, but looking at the ingredients it looks to be one of the more simpler base recipes on the site and there's only three spices in there that will impart flavour (coriander, cumin and chilli powder). I do not have problem with adding spices to the base - I think the number of bases on here that are from genuine takeaways/restaurants proves this is common practice.

[Les]

I've used this base, and i think it works quite well with the more robust currys, Madras, Vindaloo, etc,
But bare in mind this is a Balti base and is a bit more spicer than your normal base,

[rhodriharris]

No expert but made my fair share of bases and i agree, too many spices ends me up in a whole heap of trouble when making the final curry and yes i only add three spices but there corriander, cumin and tumeric.  My bases are definatly sweeter when i add oil in the first reduction but i prefer to add a carrot and green pepper just to give it more taste.  I use my own variation of mick/taz's base as it seems real simple to do and always add a whole tomato at the end.  ::)K.I.S.S.