Made this recipe again the other day and wasn't as good as the first time around. (but still a very good recipe that also makes spiced oil and spice sludge

)
The difference was that there was football on.

I'd started it during half-time and
should've turned it off when the onions were cooked, but you know how it is sometimes. :

(i'm a drummer, i can multitask)
So instead of stopping and waiting for the football to finish i carried on with the spices stage and kept cooking on the very lowest heat, nipping in and out of the kitchen every few minutes.
This is the important stage of the recipe, to cook the spices properly. Usually, i would take them as far as possible using a moderate heat and never leaving their sight. (harder to tell when on the lowest heat to notice the colour change)
So the answer to your question George,
I don't know why Frank appears to rate it far more highly.
is that
I took my spices further than you did.
That was where the rich and intense flavour came from the first time around.
One other thing I noticed after scrolling up, is that there is coconut powder in this recipe. I didn't add that, neither did i see it. Upon further investigation, I've found out there are 3 recipes for this! :

BUT, thats not the main reason why mine was good and Georges not. It would have definitely contributed though because fresh coriander cooked down does add a richness to the curry.
Replace the coconut powder with a handful of fresh coriander and you have the recipe that I used.
Cheers, Frank.

p.s. I doubt whether the original recipe pushes the spices as hard as I did, but it works for me.
