Topic: Jb's takeaway base gravy

[mak]

Gotcha. I'm doing a bit of a cook today. I've taken that on board.

How did you get on with this method of cooking the garlic livo? Think I will give it a whirl.

[livo]

Mak, I found that I was already giving the garlic a pretty good cook anyway so I didn't need to adjust my timing much. I guess the point is to reach the spot where you don't want to risk burnt garlic.

[daveyham]

My tarka Dal went from being ok to lush when I took the garlic slices to almost but not quite burnt.

[daveyham]

I believe it's the Malliard affect. "The flavour you cannot buy".
White bread tastes of white bread, toast on the other hand taste's of toast. Nothing added except heat.
Does this make sense.

[zikomo]

Hi All Curry enthusiasts,

I live in Central Africa and here I cant seem to find the coconut block. What is the right alternative to use? coconut milk? cream? powder? etc. I'm a bit lost and I really want to try and make this base as I'm missing good-old blighty.

Thanks

[Sverige]

Hi Zikomo,

You could safely add any of the substitutions you mentioned, or omit the coconut entirely - it's far from necessary in this or any other base sauce recipe. If you were cooking a chicken Ceylon curry then yeah, you need some coconut flavour from somewhere, but for a base gravy the most Important flavours are very well boiled onions and turmeric. Other additions like carrots, red peppers, tomato, garlic and spices only add small changes to the flavour.

Most of the flavour in your finished curry will come from the garlic, ginger, spices and tomato paste you fry at the beginning of the dish. The base gravy will just be adding bulk to the sauce. Don't get too hung up on trying to replicate exact ingredients in a base recipe. Most important is that it's mostly comprised of onions, has turmeric in, and is cooked for long enough to give a mild flavour without a harsh bitter onion taste.

[livo]

Solid advice. Non critical ingredient and can be from any form of coconut.

[jonnie63]

Wow JB what can I say,

Thanks so much for posting this recipe.
I cook curry gravy in bulk because I am worse than Lister off Red Dwarf.
Over the years I have been looking for elusive ingredients or the magic secret.

I am not sure how to fully judge the result I came up with following your recipe, I think its best to explain this way. I am in Ireland for a few years, but born in the UK - I found very good local restaurant in Ireland. I did not feel their offerings were "mainstream" they have a certain unique quality but the point is I really love the flavour.

Following your recipe landed me pretty much bang on my favourite dish from this restaurant - actually I preferred the one I cooked !!!

Has it opened the door for me to be able to replicate curries from other restaurants I have enjoyed? I am not sure about that.
Has it opened the door for me to be able to replicate gorgeous curries from one particular restaurant that I have loved - ABSOLUTELY YES !!!

I have followed sooo many recipes over the years, always hoping that in exchange for my time and effort I could open the magic pandoras box and have free ( well almost ) restaurant quality curries whenever I wanted them, I have put in a lot of effort but I am not an intuitive cook and so I need to learn from others.

I feel your gravy has provided me with the means to reliably produce fantastic tasting curries of a distinctive style and right now that is enough for me, I am still smiling about it.

Two things stood out for me....

1. Yes everyone says cook the onions really well but somehow the way you described it persuaded me to go much further than usual - as if I was trying to cook them into oblivion.

2. I think the coconut block has something to do with it as well - I have tried coconut milk in the past but the solid stuff is completely different.

Finally after buying all the usual BIR at home books I think I am now on the path I wanted to be on.

Thanks

Jon

[Peripatetic Phil]

[...] Following your recipe landed me pretty much bang on my favourite dish from this restaurant - actually I preferred the one I cooked !!! [...]

Jon, do please share your recipe !
** Phil.

[mickdabass]

Has it opened the door for me to be able to replicate curries from other restaurants I have enjoyed? I am not sure about that.
Has it opened the door for me to be able to replicate gorgeous curries from one particular restaurant that I have loved - ABSOLUTELY YES !!!

Hi Jon

Glad you're having success with JB's most excellent Gravy. I have not used any other recipe since JB posted this!!!

To be honest. I find the spicing subtle enough to make the gravy really versatile for just about any bir dish. You just have to tweak the recipe to allow for that.

Just out of interest, whats the name and location of the restaurant you refer to?

Regards

Mick