Topic: How can a curry kit or curry paste possibly make up for no curry base?

[CURRYISNICE]

Hello all,

I have made my own curry at home from scratch and yes they are amazing but I simply dont have time and am unable to make them now.

Anyhow, the question that I have is I thought I would try some of these curry pastes ie Shermin, Pakats etc etc. Where you simply fry some onions and add the paste and then add either tinned tomatos or yoghurt or both to create the curry sauce. But I have found that the curry sauce just tastes either like a spicy tomato flavour or a spicy yoghurt flavour or a combination of both! But a resturant curry has a spicy pured vegetable taste normally (unless its a Korma etc) which is normal right? as thats how INdian resuturants make their curry with lots of vegetables ie carros, onion, cabbage, potaots etc etc cooked and then blended and then to make a finished dish you add your spices and meat etc.
So how can one of these curry pastes possibly work without the curry base which is many vege blended together? is it not true that they simply CAN NOT work or taste anything like a Indian resturant curry as they are missing out on the whole curry base (ie blended vegetables)?

[Peripatetic Phil]

I agree that few, if any, so-called "curry kits" are capable of reproducing the authentic BIR experience, but if making the base is now too time-consuming or otherwise impossible for you, you might like to try Shaheen Onion Masala Base. which does take much of the hard work out of the process.  It still requires further blending in my experience but is definitely capable of replacing a home-made base.

** Phil.

[Les]

I think bottled or packet mix's are supposed to make more home made style curry's, rather than BIR, so they will never come close to restaurant style cooking.

[George]

I think bottled or packet mix's are supposed to make more home made style curry's, rather than BIR, so they will never come close to restaurant style cooking.

My recent findings on BIR food are not very good so I suggest the packet mixes are more than capable of producing superior results. So I could rephrase Les' comment as: "they will never drop to the poor standard of restaurant style cooking'.

Further information - last night I had a chicken biriani at a BIR which had impressed me the last time I went there about 10 years ago, First impressions were good - it looked good,. But the more of the rice part and vegetable sauce I ate, the less I enjoyed it. How could they fail to inject so little flavour into this classic BIR dish? Prices are also too high, partly as a result of a rise in business rates. It's all too hit and miss. If only something like 1 in 4 restaurant visits delivers a good tasting meal, it fails to be economically viable. I'd go as far as saying a chilled food biriani from M&S or Waitrose probably tastes better, at a fraction of the cost. And I can definitely produce a superior tasting chicken biriani (rice part) myself, so all I need to do, is restart my R&D into producing a BIR style vegetable sauce. When I asked if anyone here had ideas on that, before, there was no response, other than Phil saying he hates the stuff so perhaps I'm the only person interested in a vegetable sauce to accompany a biriani.

[Les]

. I'd go as far as saying a chilled food biriani from M&S or Waitrose probably tastes better, at a fraction of the cost.

Totally agree 100% with you there George, There are some really crap biryani's coming out of BIR places lately, (and curry's)  My local BIR does not make a veg curry to go with the biryani, just some weak tasting curry sauce that tastes like dish water.
If BIR's want to charge such high prices, then let's have some high quality food. The business rates are their problem not ours. If Thea can't afford the rates, then get out of the BIR business.
Nuff said, I'll get off me soap box now.

[CURRYISNICE]

I agree that few, if any, so-called "curry kits" are capable of reproducing the authentic BIR experience, but if making the base is now too time-consuming or otherwise impossible for you, you might like to try Shaheen Onion Masala Base. which does take much of the hard work out of the process.  It still requires further blending in my experience but is definitely capable of replacing a home-made base.

** Phil.

Shaheen Balti Masala Paste or Shaheen Onion Masala 175g to make a Dopiaza? which type of curries can be made with these two? The owner said to use Shaheen Balti Masala Paste  for a Dopiaza and NOT a Shaheen Onion Masala ! Do you think thats right? if so what can a Shaheen Onion Masala be used to make?

Talking about BIR here in the West of Scotland I have ordered a couple of currys recently and I could tell right away they used the curry sauce you get with Curry sauce and chips at your local chippy which is just a packet of chip shop curry sauce powder and you just mix it with water!!!  then they just added the chicken, onion or whatever vege! can you even believe that??!!!
Not to mention the countless places that use frrozen chicken which is so rubbery and awful

[Garp]

Where in the west of Scotland are you CURRYISNICE? Perhaps I can recommend a few restaurants/takeaways which are more to your liking.

[CURRYISNICE]

Garp thanks for that, appreciate your help.

Honestly I think I have tried pretty much everywhere within 20 mile radius and found everywhere to be very Punjabi cuisine, nothing wrong with that at all, just not for my taste in curry. Im near Inverclyde . So anywhere within 20 miles is fine. If you can suggest anywhere I havent tried then that would be great.

Theres not a single Bengali resturant anywhere near me. Nearest is Edinburgh and thats it That I know of anyhow, everywhere else is Punbabi "Indian"

I have managed to find a couple places that are to my liking, similar to England currys!!!! and but I have found most places have alots of raw ginger as Punjabi Cuisine they add the ginger to the finished dish unlike Bengalis who add it to the base only. I have sadly found some places use cheap frozen chicken, but I am sure some places in England do too. I find that Punjabi cuisine is very spicy compared to Bengali cuisine. I have found alot of places in the area in west Scotland use a very tomato based curry base compared to the area I am from orginally. Nothing wrong with that, just personal preference thats all

[Garp]

There are more falsehoods in that post than a Tweet from Trump.

There are many Bangladeshi 'Indian' restaurant around you, although I have found their dishes rather bland. But I guess it's what you are used to.

Many more Pakistanis than Bangladeshis have settled in central Scotland through the years and that is why the Punjabi-style curry house is prevalent.

My only suggestion, if you can't find any curry houses you like, and it means so much to you that you choose to post such, to be honest, insulting remarks, is that you relocate to NE England and live happily ever after.

[CURRYISNICE]

There are more falsehoods in that post than a Tweet from Trump.

There are many Bangladeshi 'Indian' restaurant around you, although I have found their dishes rather bland. But I guess it's what you are used to.

Many more Pakistanis than Bangladeshis have settled in central Scotland through the years and that is why the Punjabi-style curry house is prevalent.

My only suggestion, if you can't find any curry houses you like, and it means so much to you that you choose to post such, to be honest, insulting remarks, is that you relocate to NE England and live happily ever after.

Can you tell me of any Bangladeshi resturants in my area please as I can not find any. There are many Bengali resturants in Scotland such as Edinburgh and INverness and the eastern side of central Scotland. But I can not find any between Inverkip and Edinburgh or between Falkirk and Ayr at all. Please tell me of one.

I did not think my post was insulting at all, athough your post was rude , I just said that I am not keen on the Punjabi cuisine and the reasons why ie ginger in the finished dish, very spicy etc....you are right that Punbaji cuisine is the main influence in the areas I mentioned whereas lots of places in England and Edinburgh Bengali cuisine is the main influence.