Is it possible to over cook your base ?

[JerryM]

that I don't really like the taste & aroma of base. 

Its key to turn that around before doing anything else.

Before blending any base should taste so good you can stop wanting to taste it. Other than perhaps a slight perception of too much salt. After blending it should taste completely different - i know it as moorish.

[Stu-pot]

that I don't really like the taste & aroma of base. 

Its key to turn that around before doing anything else.

Before blending any base should taste so good you can stop wanting to taste it. Other than perhaps a slight perception of too much salt. After blending it should taste completely different - i know it as moorish.

OK. Been working on this and trying to 'turn it around' - My problem is I dislike many vegetables so i decided to make a base using vegetables I do like, keeping in mind some basic rules of making stocks.

I boiled/simmered for 4 hours:  4kg Onions, 2 Parsnips, 3 Carrots, 5 Sticks Celery, Handful of Coriander, Salt & 250ml Rapeseed oil. - 3 hours with lid on and plenty of water, 1 hour lid off to reduce.

Left it to rest for 2 1/2 hours while I popped out to an Indian restaurant I use and have had lessons previously. Sat and ate at the Bar and told the owner what I'd been upto and he took me into his Kitchen and let me try their bases!  I got lucky!  It's an Indian Restaurant and they had 5 bases on the tops, different dishes require a different base he told me.  I've no idea at this point which goes with which but I'll work on that...  The Gravys went from Onion based and being light'ish to Tomato based and being heavier, richer but all had that very familar base aroma & taste that we all know and make at home!  The Chef said the vegetables I put in (above) is OK, he said you have a free run at that stage and can put in almost anything you like!  It's what you do next that counts... He didn't go any further on that, shame.  So with all this in mind, I got home last night at 23:00 and made the second stage of my base which was:  Heat up 500ml Rapeseed oil.  Add 3 tbsp G&G fry out until just starting to change colour.   Add  3 dsp my Mix Powder and cook out (Rajah and the usual extras).  Add 600ml Passata, cooked out for 10 mins till I knew it was cooked.  Then I poured my pur

[Onions]

How big were the 'bags'? It sounds like a lot of salt / sugar! Relative to the size of the base of course.

[Stu-pot]

How big were the 'bags'? It sounds like a lot of salt / sugar! Relative to the size of the base of course.

Hi Onions

I was referring to their base in their kitchen and trying to find out how much salt & sugar they put in thei base.

When I got back home last night to finish off my base with the second stage, I'd had a few bevvys and thought this is time for "twist or bust"   When I mixed stage 1 with stage 2 I also whacked in a huge amount of salt & sugar.

This morning it's still warm so I've just removed the oil and tried it and WOW......  First base I've made that tastes good!  Very good!  Keep wanting more, doesn't even taste like I've put a monster amount in!

I've had a strong suspicion for a long while that salt & sugar are the missing ingredients in the right quantaties!   I just didn't know when or where to put them in plus when you've spent hours making the base it's very hard to do the naughty thing and stick a pile of sugar and salt in it.   No wonder they don't want anyone to know, they'd have empty restaurants! 

Just got to prove this with a couple of curries now but it's raining outside and I'm barred from the kitchen!

[Onions]

Intersting. I guess the sugar would caramelise? -although not putting it in right at the end? I'd be up for trying this- perhaps make a mini-base to experiment with. Although I don't know how to reduce any of these base recipes to a one-portion quantity- and suspect that the amount cooked makes a difference in the resultant taste.

Stone me it's complcated for a Sunday morning!  :

[Peripatetic Phil]

it's raining outside and I'm barred from the kitchen!

Maybe she'll let you back in once you've dried off ...

[chewytikka]

{popped out to an Indian restaurant I use and have had lessons previously. Sat and ate at the Bar}
{ I got lucky!  It's an Indian Restaurant and they had 5 bases on the tops}

Interesting, Whats the name and location of this restaurant please.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Stone me it's complcated for a Sunday morning!  :

Sure beats attending an Orthodox Mass delivered in Old Church Slavonic

[Onions]

Absolutely!


Or running the London marathon.

[Stu-pot]

Interesting, Whats the name and location of this restaurant please.

Hi Chewy

It's the Cinnamon Culture, Bromley. 4 mins walk from home. It's a posh one. We'll run back & front. Trying hard for a Michelin star. Michelin chefs often in there. And they don't use Pataks for Tandoor marinade!  Very good but very expensive. I had the Tandoor grill then Chicken Makhani. Pillau and a few beers and dropped