Topic: Restaurant Base Sample

[littlechilie]

lol,  typos! heels  ;D

[Invisible Mike]

Hi MM,

Wishing you well on your creativity, but have you tried going back to the source of your base and explaining your quest. They may just write down the recipe for you with an explanation.

I would... In fact, the waiter I spoke to was on the verge of asking his gaffer if I could go in and help out at some point. But this place is quite a way away from where I live. It is therefore unlikely I'll be going back. At least not for a good while...

I'll just make a veggie base. If it's no good for proper curry I'll keep it for my winter mulligatawny soup.  ;D

[littlechilie]

I'll just make a veggie base. If it's no good for proper curry I'll keep it for my winter mulligatawny soup.  ;D

Mmmm!  mulligatawny soup. : ) Is there an authentic bir recipe on the forum please??

[Invisible Mike]

Do they even serve it in BIRs??? You can have my version. It's the Heinz replica lol.

[George]

... this place is quite a way away from where I live. It is therefore unlikely I'll be going back. At least not for a good while...

If the food was above average or anything special, I assume you would be prepared to travel a bit further.

Therefore, I assume the food is not very good at all. So why all the interest in their base sauce, if it's used to produce the lacklustre food found in too may BIRs these days?

[Peripatetic Phil]

... this place is quite a way away from where I live. It is therefore unlikely I'll be going back. At least not for a good while...

If the food was above average or anything special, I assume you would be prepared to travel a bit further.  Therefore, I assume the food is not very good at all. So why all the interest in their base sauce, if it's used to produce the lacklustre food found in too may BIRs these days?

It seems to me, George, that even the finest base in the world would produce lack-lustre food in the hands of many of today's BIR "chef"s (scare-quotes fully intended).  But if Mike feels that the base is good, regardless of how poor the final dishes are, then it is surely worth investigating, is it not ?

** Phil.

[Invisible Mike]

George/Phil The dishes were good - probably above average by todays standards and the base was interesting in that it was so different from what I'm used to. I would love to go back more regularly and try to get in the kitchen but it's just not practical considering the distance and other commitments I have at the moment. Therefore for the time being I'll keep making my curries and gleaning what info I can, when I can. One day perhaps...

Anyway I don't know whether this base sample (in my hands at least) will make a decent curry yet. It's still in the freezer!  ;D

ATB

[George]

The dishes were good - probably above average by todays standards and the base was interesting in that it was so different from what I'm used to.

That's good to hear. My guess was wrong then, so I agree the base sauce becomes relevant and you are lucky to have obtained a sample. Good luck with anything you can learn from it.,

[Invisible Mike]

**Veggie Base Update**

600g Spanish Onions
50g Carrot
1/3rd Yellow Pepper
1/3rd Green Pepper
30g Potato
125g Frozen Sweetcorn
10g Coriander Stalks
3/4 tsp Turmeric
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Sugar
1/2 Veg Oxo Cube
1 1/2 litres Water

Add the above to a saucepan, bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 3 - 3.5hrs

Baghaar/Tarka
75ml Veg Oil
25g Garlic & Ginger Paste
3/4 tbsp Cumin
3/4 tbsp Mix Powder
100g Fresh Tomato (finely chopped).

In a seperate pan fry the garlic until lightly browned, then add the mix powder and cumin and fry gently for 1 minute. Add the tomato and fry for another 3-4 minutes. Add to the onion pan and simmer for a further 1/2 hour then blend well. Add more water to thin down if necessary. Use.

To cut a long story short how I got to this recipe, I tried somebody's home made vegetable soup and it tasted virtually the same as the veggie base from the restaurant that I've been trying to replicate! Anyway after finding out what went into it I adapted it for base gravy applications and I've nailed it. THIS MAKES A SUPERB CURRY, better than most "proper" base recipes. The sweetcorn gives it a lovely smooth, rounded flavour but does mean it requires blending for longer than usual. Try it!

MM

[Peripatetic Phil]

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