Topic: Base gravy - am I doing it all wrong?! (JB takeaway version)

[k4ssie]

Hi, I'm new here and have just tried cooking a base gravy for the first time. Wasn't sure if i should put this question in the thread for the gravy, but i didn't want to mess up the "pro" discussion with daft questions!

So I made the JB takeaway base gravy; I had to make a half quantity because i only have normal domestic pans, and the largest one i have would just about take 1 1/2 kilos of onion. I used 4 tbsp to a chef's spoon as a basic metric and then halved the spice quantities. I did everything exactly as it said apart from using a sachet of coconut cream rather than block. Also i wasn't 100% sure what "garlic / ginger" meant but i used "nishaan" brand minced ginger and garlic from a jar, from my local pakistani cash & carry - i'm in East London so ingredients aren't a problem!

I cooked the first stage for around 3hrs because i'm on an electric hob, but did have it at a good rolling boil; then the second part for around an hour on lower. The onions were still visibly onions, i just don't know what "melting" should look like that's why i gave it the extra time to try and make sure.

So my question is: should it taste nice at this point?! It smelt pretty good, but when i tasted it it really did just taste of boiled onions to me, not much complexity, plus it had a metallic-y taste and slightly bitter. All in all not really pleasant at all. Any ideas as to what went wrong? Or will it magically improve when i do the garlic tarka part?!

any help much appreciated

[Garp]

Silly question, but you have blended it?

What's the colour like?

I haven't made JBs base, but, by all accounts its good. Doesn't look like you've done anything wrong, but not sure how it scales down, not having tried it.

[k4ssie]

No perfectly sensible question! yes i blended it, the colour is...kind of yellowy orange i guess. looks a bit like a brightly coloured korma!

I've tried to add a pic as an attachment. but not sure if it's working or not. (edited to add - sorry, photo is giant. you can see the colour though!)

Another question - i'm going to need to freeze most of it, if i'm going to freeze it can i still do the tarka part first, or not? I'm thinking that when i defrost it will be in much smaller portions so getting the right amount of garlic will be harder?

[Garp]

Firstly, our dear friend Phil, will advise you on resizing your pics (I think it's 725 x something).

The base looks good. Nice colour and consistency looks, if anything, just a little thick. I'd do the tarka before freezing. I'm sure it will be fine when you use it in a dish 

[Peripatetic Phil]

Looks just perfect to me.  I use Picasa to export at the size I want but beware -- when Picasa asks "Resize to", that is the /larger/ dimension of the image.  Your target width is 720px, so use that if the picture is landscape format (as yours is after re-cropping) but if the picture is portrait orientation you will need to adjust the figure appropriately. Oh yes, and I agree with Garp -- almost certainly too thick.  Maybe add at least as much water again if not more, then re-boil and stir well.

[Garp]

Maybe even blend it again before boiling 

[k4ssie]

Thanks for the reassurance.

 I've just been to the pound shop for takeaway cartons for the freezer. Have added some extra water (i agree it does seem thick, especially since it coooled), done the tarka (2 tbsps oil and 2 sliced garlic cloves, definitely golden to brown) and reboiled for half an hour so far. But i'm just getting frothy scum on the top, no sign of oil rising? Should i just keep boiling until i lose the will to live or the neighbours complain about the smell of onions permeating everyone's flat?!

Here's a pic, better size this time i hope

[Garp]

It still looks thick, K4ssie, and the volume doesn't look any more in the pot than the previous picture.

I'd add more water to just about halfway up the rivets in the pan, blend it again, then freeze it

[fried]

It looks fine to me. Aim for milk consistancy after blending.

I made this base, I added the tarka before freezing and it turned out fine once defrosted.

A good tip for freezing is to use those freezer bags that are closable, then lay them flat and stack in a box in the freezer, seperate the layers with a bit of paper towel. I don't have much freezer space and this advice has proved invaluable.

[littlechilie]

Looks good to me Kasse, I've also just cooked another pot of jb's base, mine is the same as yours.