Topic: Newby wiv a bland problem

[al-frezi]

Hello fellow curry lovers

I need help... I'm a curry fiend with a problem!
I've been trying and trying to replicate my local curry house balti sauce but with no success. It just lacks that depth of taste i can't seem to achieve. Its the sauce of choice because it suits all tastes and i've roped myself into doing a curry night next week for 7 friends and myself, and ive been practising all week but i'm not 100% happy with the sauce.

This is the recipe i've been following :-

Ghee
3 large onions
400g chopped tinned tomatoes
1 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
1 tbsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper
 
It just tastes bland, no depth of taste and the spices taste raw, even tho i cook them out for longer than the required time.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Cheers.

[RubyDoo]

Hi. The obvious ommission there is a good base gravy, the reduction of which should give an intensity to the rest of you dish.

May I suggest to have a look at the Balti recipes within the relevant section of the forum and then get your gravy sorted.

That may sound a little unhelpful but by doing this research I believe that you will, like I did, learn an awful lot.

Just hope you can get on top of it before the party

Welcome to the website.

[Peripatetic Phil]

I think you will have to tell us how you are using the ingredients, rather than just what they are and in what quantities.  My gut feeling is that the liquid from the tomatoes is overwhelming the ghee, and that the spices are therefore boiling rather than bhooning (cooking in oil, or in oil with aqueous content), but the spice quantities are also suspicious : a whole tablespoon of paprika seems out of proportion to the more normal spices (chilli, turmeric, cumin, coriander, cardamom).

** Phil.

[al-frezi]

Thanks for the suggestions... Will check out the balti section within the forum and try get a few more ideas.

Re spice quantities query from phil... Sorry paprika quantity was a mistake, it should of said "tsp of paprika"
 
Cooking method is as follows-

Heat Approx 2 tbsp of ghee , add onion and garlic paste and soften for around 5 mins,
Stir in toms, and all the spices and bay leaf.
Bring to boil and simmer for approx 20 mins.
 
Leave it to cool for a while then i blitz it wiv a hand blender.

Does that sound like the normal procedure?

[Stephen Lindsay]

I also wonder if you should try including some dried fenugreek leaves - they give a nice savoury note to dishes.