NOTHING BEATS THIS BASIC CURRY RECIPE A+++

[Woks Up]

In my humble opinion, fenugreek is indispensible in BIR cooking.  It believe it helps develop both the BIR taste AND the aroma (together with garlic....in its various forms).

I also understand it is one of the key ingredients that typifies "Balti" type dishes.  Invariably, Balti dishes, as far as I understand, use copious amounts of fenugreek (typically dried leaf).

Regards,

[Ashes]

Yes Mark, "real Balti" (which is a British phenomenon) use dried fenugreek leaves (The fenugreek plant grows wild from the eastern Mediterranean area to China. Its cultivated worldwide as a semi-arid crop.The name fenugreek or foenum-graecum is from Latin ( ;)not saying a word) for "Greek hay"). Apparently the Romans used to feed their horses with it.

The BIR curry and real Balti are "British", meaning that although origins are Asian/Middle Eastern, the taste and techniques have been developed by the British Indian restaurant trade, yep, although you can get an BIR curry in europe, unless it is tradionally cooked or traditional "restaurant" cooked, it has originated in the U.K.

We have spent years (centuries) eating Indian food and quite a few years eating Indian restaurant food in the U.K (and proud of it we are  too!!!)! But the U.K scene has a specific flavour, so whether fenugreek is a part of that scene or not can?t be judged by anyone who hasnt tasted the U.K BIR food. I am talking about traditional BIR curry, not Tamarind or any other trad type food outlet.

Hope this helps 
Ashes

[Chilli Prawn]

Balti, as I have said before , means simply "bucket"  My wife taught kidz in Pakkistan (north in the Kush) and her balti each day was a simple 'curry' cooked on a fire in a Crawfords biscuit tin. the spices and maslas were very simple, simply because the complex spice in the South was not attainable or could they afford it.

[Mark J]

but don't you find that all the curry's taste the same, fenugreek has a very overpowering flavor. Trust me guys I am a born & brought up Punjabi + I run a very successful (touchwood)curry business in Europe ;D & I am very fond of you all :

Great to have authentic input MOS but also bear in mind the main goal of this forum is authentic Indian cooking, its British Indian restaurant cooking as run by Bangledeshis

[Curry King]

I agree with MOS to some extent, I used to use fenugreek in every dish but it's not right.  I now use it sparingly if im making a bhoona or dhansak but thats about it.