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

[Garp]

I am not Google - Google is Google.

[CURRYISNICE]

I am not Google - Google is Google.

OK I was hoping you may know of some but thats ok, thanks for your help Garp!

[Ghoulie]

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

I had a madras curry (so called) in Essence in Broadheath Altrincham lasy year.  It was basically tomatao ketchup with a couple of spices thrown in.  Absolute crap.  I gave them a corresponding write up on Tripadvisor. The owner was not best pleased at my suggestion he sacked the chef - better still he should taste the crap they are serving under the disguise of Indian meals.  I directed him to the Jai Kathmandu in Northenden to make a taste comparison - not World, but Galaxies apart

[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

I had a madras curry (so called) in Essence in Broadheath Altrincham lasy year.  It was basically tomatao ketchup with a couple of spices thrown in.  Absolute crap.  I gave them a corresponding write up on Tripadvisor. The owner was not best pleased at my suggestion he sacked the chef - better still he should taste the crap they are serving under the disguise of Indian meals.  I directed him to the Jai Kathmandu in Northenden to make a taste comparison - not World, but Galaxies apart

Good! you did the right thing to correct them on this, most of the time people dont say anything and if they do or write a review ie tripadvisor it makes no difference. Ive had currys from INdian resturants in England and Scotland that have been made with a packet of chip shop curry sauce powder with some spices added to it! and the same as you had Ketchup curry or ketchup chilli sauce with a few spices thrown in! Shocking even more is that some people incredibly still buy it!

[ELW]

Curryisnice
Indian / Pakistanis cooks using ''Chinese' chip shop curry mix for bir dishes?
Highly unlikely. Think you may have too fine a palate.
Do you reckon you could tell a Bengali gravy from a Punjabi one by ingredients or taste?
I reckon you couldn't

ELW

[CURRYISNICE]

Curryisnice
Indian / Pakistanis cooks using ''Chinese' chip shop curry mix for bir dishes?
Highly unlikely. Think you may have too fine a palate.
Do you reckon you could tell a Bengali gravy from a Punjabi one by ingredients or taste?
I reckon you couldn't

ELW

Yes one place I have visited the curry sauce was IDENTICAL to the chip shop curry that you get at a chippy, I could tell it was the same.

elw, I can tell the difference between a curry from a Bengali Resturant and one from a Punjabi resturant., they are two totally different tastes. Not just me who can tell the difference, also DalPuri whos also a member on the forum can also tell the difference as he said QUOTE.

" I'm not keen on Scottish curries for this same reason.
The difference being, Bengali's will fry the garlic and ginger at the beginning, where as Punjabi's will add it after the sauce has gone in giving a raw G&G flavour to the finished dish."

Nothing wrong with Punjabi curry just personal preference thats all. Ive had lots of people in West Scotland say how awful the currys are in England and how on earth can I prefer Bengali CUrry over Punjabi curry, well I am sorry but I just do prefer it, just my personal preference, Im sorry.

[Garp]

I have no idea where you get this notion of Punjabi BIR chefs adding raw ginger to a finished dish. Having eaten curries in Scotland, and elsewhere for at least 35 years I have never heard of, or indeed, tasted this.

[CURRYISNICE]

I have no idea where you get this notion of Punjabi BIR chefs adding raw ginger to a finished dish. Having eaten curries in Scotland, and elsewhere for at least 35 years I have never heard of, or indeed, tasted this.

Its what I have been told by many people including chefs and on this forum too ie DalPuri being one person who also confirmed this. ALso in the West of Scotland most places I have had a curry from I can taste the ginger in the curry and everyone I was with also said they could taste the ginger too.

[George]

I have no idea where you get this notion of Punjabi BIR chefs adding raw ginger to a finished dish.

Madhur Jaffrey's early 1980s recipe for Makhani sauce includes grated fresh ginger. The sauce is warmed up a bit but the ginger isn't fried or hardly cooked. The overall sauce is delicious so the approach does work. Neither is there an obvious ginger flavour so how would you know if it was included in any sauce?

[Garp]

Fair enough, George, but I don't think Madhur's recipes could be described as BIR.