Topic: Just a bit of direction and can I make madras powder?

[sliver]

Hi all
Relatively new to this homemade BIR game. Started off making a base from Kris Dhillons Curry Secret and was happy, if not overjoyed with it and the subsequent curries i made.
I have been reading this site for a while now and it's a lot to take in. I've settled on trying a Taz base (with JB's base at a later date if that goes well).
Can anyone point me to some idiotproof recipes to try as a novice? I'm thinking:
Basic Chicken curry
Korma
Madras (I like the look of a post by Stephen Lindsay, he uses a Bruce Edwards spice mix whch has madra powder in it; is there any tips on making a madras powder or is it best just to buy?)

Fortuntately for now I have low expectancies. I'm from the midlands but live in Aus and haven't got a local TA to try and match, and anything is better than the franchise slop I tried recently ;-) The other downside I have is a lack of the more readily available ingredients you all use but hopefully it's not too much of an obstacle.
Thanks
Sliver

[sliver]

So the base seemed to trun out OK, nt too different from the pictures in the thread although a little more orange coloured, I put that down to my uncontrollable need to tinker and the carrot I threw in along with being a little heavy handed with the tomato.

I went on to make an improvised curry based on this http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,8088.0.html although I had no madras powder and only bog standard chilli powder. Make a mix of 2 turmeric, 2 cumin, 2 coriander, 2 paprika, 1 garam, 1 fenugreek, 1 chilli. End result was very pleasant although I used smoked paprika whch smelled out of place in the raw mix. It wasnlt immediatey identifiable as a prticular curry but was very tasty. And now I have loads of base so things can only get better.

Anyay, I'll stop talking to myself   :-X

[Onions]

Hi ho Silver, experimentation is the name of the game, well done! Sorry you were talking to yourself but the rest of the board not lucky enough to be in Oz were all asleep when you posted... as indeed you probably are now

[loveitspicy]

Readily available ingredients - the LARGEST obstacle you will ever try to over come !

I have had the same problem for years - its a headache !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For the fortunate people that can go to the Asian shop like i did back in the day and get off the shelf anything i wanted - in most UK areas - taken for GRANTED when you have to wet your feet and replicate dishes without the ready on hand ingredients - substituting things a different ball game altogether and that is when recipes become more guarded !

We buy from Aus so im sure you should be able to source most of your ingredients...

As for making a Madras powder there are many versions on the internet and this forum if you look at the recipe list.

best of British -

Rich

[Naga]

Just to add some (probably redundant!) information, but I've been in a few local Asian groceries in the Perth area and the availability of spices and other ethnic foods was quite amazing given that these were only corner shops.

[sliver]

Thanks all
Onwards and upwards from here. I'll put together some reipes and seek out ingredients. It seems most spices are available but my local supermarket was definitely lacking in Madras powder. I'll seek out some madras powder recipes over the next few days, and I want to plough through the pilau threads next too.

[sliver]

If anyone could point me to a Madras Powder recipe I would be really grateful.

I have spent what seems like an age ploughing through the Supplemental Recipes forum and haven't found one.

On a plus side, I made my second ever curry with the Taz  base I made, my Lamb wasnt quite as tender as it should have been, but altogether still a plesant experince. On yet another plus, I managed to find an Asian shop which had mild madras powder and Kashmiri mirch, so  new spice mix is on the cards; still want to make my on Madras (although reading all the thread and recipes it sounds like I should be focussing my attention on home made Garam Masala rather than madra, but I've never been one to follow the obvious path 

[Peripatetic Phil]

I guess I would query why anyone would want to make a Madras curry powder.  The whole point of curry powder (be it Madras or any other designation) is to save time -- you buy it ready made and use it.  If you want to make your own /masala/ (i.e., "blend of spices", garam or otherwise), that is another kiddle of fish entirely, but making a Madras curry powder seems to me a pointless task, to be honest.

** Phil.

[sliver]

I guess I would query why anyone would want to make a Madras curry powder.  The whole point of curry powder (be it Madras or any other designation) is to save time -- you buy it ready made and use it.  If you want to make your own /masala/ (i.e., "blend of spices", garam or otherwise), that is another kiddle of fish entirely, but making a Madras curry powder seems to me a pointless task, to be honest.

** Phil.

I'm probably just coming at it from the perspective that at some point, curry powder was just a spice mix and hence should be relatively straightforward subjet to having a recipe.
Having mulled it over and seeing the amount of different spice mix recipes here that include madras powder, I imiagine a more  authentic BIR aproach is to buy in said powder.  It still surprised me that I was unable to pinpoint a recipe on ths site given how many people appear to ty and replicate other things. That's by no means a criticism, I fear I would be making Kris Dhillon basic curry from the first book if it wasn't for what I have just started to learn here and I'm very grateful.
I recetly found a madras powder recipe here   by The Curry Guy so I might give it  go, but it's on the back burner for now. http://www.greatcurryrecipes.net/2015/02/25/homemade-hot-madras-curry-powder/