Base Questionnaire

[meggeth]

So, I made my base tonight, and I fried the onions in the oil for a good amount of time until they were pretty translucent. I think the resulting base has a sweeter taste to it, a little less bitternes than usual. I suppiose frying creates a higher heat and affects the cooking of the onions in a differet way. Don't know how this will affect my curries yet.

Anyway, I got to thinking about which bases forum users make, and why, what steps they take, and whether these steps make any differencew to the end result. I thought it might be good to share our knowledge. I'll start.

1. Do you always cooks the same base, have you settled on a base that you think gives you the best results? If so, which one?

I usually use CAs base with Abdhuls modifications. Have tried others. but I feel this gives me the best result.

2. Do you fry onions before boiling?

See above! Have to wait and see what the final result is.

3. Do you filter out the fibrous bits after blitzing? If you have done both (filtering and non-filtering), do you think it makes any difference to the end result?

Yes I do, I assume a smoother gravy will give a better result, but to be truthful, never tried a base with fibrous stuff left in.

4. Do you re-boil/simmer after blitzing? Do this make any difference?

Yes, because of point 5.

5. Do you skim off the froth if you simmer? Does this make any difference?

Yes. I remember reading in a book (Kris Dhillon?) that this was an important step, so I do! Not really sure if it makes a difference, but as I am making a base I think I may as well do it because if I don't, it might be as good!

[Peripatetic Phil]

So, I made my base tonight, and I fried the onions in the oil for a good amount of time until they were pretty translucent. I think the resulting base has a sweeter taste to it, a little less bitternes than usual. I suppiose frying creates a higher heat and affects the cooking of the onions in a differet way. Don't know how this will affect my curries yet.

Anyway, I got to thinking about which bases forum users make, and why, what steps they take, and whether these steps make any differencew to the end result. I thought it might be good to share our knowledge. I'll start.

OK, herewith my responses :

1. Do you always cooks the same base, have you settled on a base that you think gives you the best results? If so, which one?

Yes, KD1/PC (KD1, cooked in a pressure cooker).

2. Do you fry onions before boiling?

I have done, once or twice; usually I do not bother.

3. Do you filter out the fibrous bits after blitzing? If you have done both (filtering and non-filtering), do you think it makes any difference to the end result?

I have filtered (using a simulated mouli), it does make a difference, but I don't have the time or the inclination to do it every time.

4. Do you re-boil/simmer after blitzing? Do this make any difference?

Not immediately, but as I tend to warm the base before adding it to the finished curry, it does get re-simmered in practice.

5. Do you skim off the froth if you simmer? Does this make any difference?

No, because despite Kris Dhillon maintaining it was important, I could detect no difference at all.

** Phil.

[Stephen Lindsay]

1. Do you always cooks the same base, have you settled on a base that you think gives you the best results? If so, which one?

I have settled on the Taz base for the past 2 to 3 years, giving excellent results.

2. Do you fry onions before boiling?

Yes.

3. Do you filter out the fibrous bits after blitzing? If you have done both (filtering and non-filtering), do you think it makes any difference to the end result?

No, I blitz in batches in a liquidiser to ensure it is smooth.

4. Do you re-boil/simmer after blitzing? Do this make any difference?

No I don't I believe it makes a difference.

5. Do you skim off the froth if you simmer? Does this make any difference?

Yes.

[Secret Santa]

1. Do you always cooks the same base, have you settled on a base that you think gives you the best results? If so, which one?

I still tend to experiment in the forlorn hope that one day I'll stumble on the secret to old-style curries but currently I'm using a slightly modified KD base.

2. Do you fry onions before boiling?

No because I've tried it in the past and it doesn't seem to add anything other than the extra effort needed. Onions boiled for a sufficiently long time naturally sweeten which is what you're really after.

3. Do you filter out the fibrous bits after blitzing? If you have done both (filtering and non-filtering), do you think it makes any difference to the end result?

I've never done it because my curries have a fine, smooth BIR texture without doing so - I don't see the need

4. Do you re-boil/simmer after blitzing? Do this make any difference?

Yes, sometimes with extra water added to bring the oil out of the emulsion

5. Do you skim off the froth if you simmer? Does this make any difference?

Nope. Utterly pointless in my opinion. I've tasted the froth and it has no discernable unpleasant taste, so why bother. I have skimmed in the past and it made no difference either so again, why bother?

[fried]

    1. Do you always cooks the same base, have you settled on a base that you think gives you the best results? If so, which one?

  Luckily I started with CT's which I've settled on. I now add a kilo of chicken wings to it for that old-skool taste.

    2. Do you fry onions before boiling?

    No, the base is sweet enough without frying.

    3. Do you filter out the fibrous bits after blitzing? If you have done both (filtering and non-filtering), do you think it makes any difference to the end result?

    I stopped filtering for a long time as it was very time consuming, since I started adding chicken to the base I restarted just to get out the bits of bone that I didn't spot before blending.

    4. Do you re-boil/simmer after blitzing? Do this make any difference?

    Yes, it's alwayus nice to see the red oil dancing on the surface. NIce to check the consistancy too.

    5. Do you skim off the froth if you simmer? Does this make any difference?

    Sometimes, not convinced it makes that much difference.

[Secret Santa]

I now add a kilo of chicken wings to it for that old-skool taste.

That's exactly what I'm going to do on my next base. Don't know why I haven't done it before.

[Naga]

1. Do you always cook the same base, have you settled on a base that you think gives you the best results? If so, which one? The Zaal Restaurant base is my mainstay nowadays, although I'm happy to make limited batches of other bases to evaluate them for myself if I think they look likely.

2. Do you fry onions before boiling? No.

3. Do you filter out the fibrous bits after blitzing? If you have done both (filtering and non-filtering), do you think it makes any difference to the end result? No. There aren't any fibrous bits in the Zaal base that I've noticed.

4. Do you re-boil/simmer after blitzing? Do this make any difference? No.

5. Do you skim off the froth if you simmer? Does this make any difference? No. It gets stirred straight back into the base.

[fried]

I now add a kilo of chicken wings to it for that old-skool taste.

That's exactly what I'm going to do on my next base. Don't know why I haven't done it before.

I highly recommend it, probably not suited to subtle curries though.

I've often wondered why meat isn't added to base recipes, since plenty of reports from old BIRs mention that the meat would have first been pre-cooked like this.

The family are always gettting me to make Happychris' staff curry which has that traditional taste, so trying for the best of both worlds.