Topic: The other night's supper

[curryhell]

Haven

[Kashmiri Bob]

Superb as usual CH.  Interesting to see you upping the cassia/bay for the base.  When Chef Moike was at my house recently I had stage 1 of the base (veg boil) already made from the night before, so we could see him do the main spicing/bagar.  The first think I noticed was him piling in the cassia.  At the TA he didn't use any whole spices for the gravy, and instead introduced these flavours via the pre-cooks (chicken etc).  Moike explained he was varying the recipe in favour of his "restaurant" method. I am not entirely sure why the two (TA vs restaurant) should differ; possibly time/cost.  Another change he made (that really took us by surprise) was the addition to the base of a fair old lump of dairy butter.  Moike indicated that in the "best" restaurants the chef would include at least a full block of butter (I'm guessing 250 g) to a "large" handi.  These changes I felt certainly increased the depth of flavour in finished dishes, particularly after the base had been left a good while.  Anyway, after seeing your madras fest I think I'll spoil myself and make one tonight, chicken or duck.

Rob     

[Edwin Catflap]

Hi CH looks bloody yummy!!! I'm not that keen on butter ghee, whats your opinion on the veg ghee and what does it bring that normal oil doesn't?

Cheers

Ed

[Stephen Lindsay]

lovely looking curry as ever CH.

[Garp]

Stunning, CH.

Anyone got a link to the Zaal base?

[Peripatetic Phil]

Anyone got a link to the Zaal base?

How about :
    Curry Recipes Online

[Garp]

Cheers Phil 

[Micky Tikka]

Lovely looking curry again CH
Also Im trying not to eat because im saving myself for to nights curry
Im off to the Restaurant Brilliant in Southall which has been on my must try list for awhile
Those pictures have sent my stomach rumbling  ;D

[Secret Santa]

whats your opinion on the veg ghee and what does it bring that normal oil doesn't?

My personal opinion, having tried the exact same recipes side by side one with ordinary veg oil and one with veg ghee, there's absolutely nothing to recommend veg ghee and it's more expensive as well.

I honestly think some of the perceived benefits/differences of certain ingredients are down to nothing more than placebo effect, i.e. you're told they're better, do more, taste different so you are lulled into the false belief that they really do when in fact they don't.

[Secret Santa]

I decided the best dish to sense check the base was a CT madras, simple but effective when cooked correctly, and a good testbed for any base...As always the dish did not fail to disappoint.  A good balance of flavours going on in the sauce, tomato present but not over-powering which combined very well with the spice, gravy and lemon, with the Lee & Perrins adding a little something but very hard to describe exactly what.  Very rich  tasting with a great depth of flavour.  This dish was most definitely worthy of my CBM mutton.  Obviously, my gravy passed muster. The heaped tbs of chilli made it a bit hotter than normal madras

I should really post this in CT's madras recipe page but as you've described your view of the dish I thought perhaps, as a comparison, I might take the opportunity to post my review to contrast yours.

I made CT's 3 hour base for the first time and I really like it. It's the lightest colour base I've ever made and I'm not entirely sure why as the ingredients aren't all that different to most other bases. But anyway I've been looking for a light coloured base as the starting point in my efforts to make the light brown to orange coloured curries I have so much difficulty in producing. CT describes the spicing as robust but it tastes relatively mild to me and very sweet too but those are both characteristics I want in a base. So yes, a good base.

The madras though?

I made it exactly to spec and followed as near as I could the technique as demonstrated by CT in the accompanying video. Now I wasn't expecting to like the curry, incorporating as it does my two pet hates for savoury curries, i.e. lemon juice and kashmiri chilli powder. Long story short it was a distinctly unpleasant curry for my taste and experience of BIR curries.

The lemon and worcester sauce in combination made the curry unpleasantly sour tasting, something I'm just not used to in a madras. The tablespoon of kashmiri chilli powder, while adding nicely to the overall colour of the curry just isn't man enough for a madras so it was distinctly low on the chilli-heat scale for a normal madras. And, as ever, the kasmiri adds what for me is a distinctly non-BIR almost bitter flavour to the curry and made it even more unpleasant tasting.

The spicing wasn't sufficient for my taste, I would probably need to double the teaspoon of mix powder added to bring it up to 'spec'. And the absence of kasoori methi in a savoury curry was too noticeable.

All in all it leaned towards what I know as a madras but definitely wasn't anywhere near the type I am used to. In summary it lacked chilli heat but had the unpalatable kashmiri flavour, lacked robust spicing, had the sour flavour I hate and cried out for a bit of methi.

I'd certainly use the base again, in fact it may become my standard, but this madras has boldly gone where no madras has gone before and I shan't be hurrying to follow it!  ;D