Topic: Hello :)

[bolinao]

Hello
My name is Steve, I live in Adelaide, South Australia, I am a curry lover who has come here to learn how to make nice curries, I have taken the first step already and made a base gravy I learnt from here, the Saffron base gravy, so now to to around for some recipes to use it on.

A question please, I will need to freeze some of this as I have a lot, is it ok to freeze ? and how much, would around 200ml per container be ok ?

thanks again. .

[Peripatetic Phil]

My name is Steve, I live in Adelaide, South Australia, I am a curry lover who has come here to learn how to make nice curries, I have taken the first step already and made a base gravy I learnt from here, the Saffron base gravy, so now to to around for some recipes to use it on..  A question please, I will need to freeze some of this as I have a lot, is it ok to freeze ? and how much, would around 200ml per container be ok ?

Welcome aboard, Steve

[bolinao]

Welcome aboard, Steve

[Peripatetic Phil]

Use either a stick blender or a jug blender and mix it all up until the oil content emulsifies.  If you don't do that, much of the the oil content (which will otherwise float on top, but carries most of the flavour) will go into only the first few containers (assuming that you have made about two litres), and after that the others will receive primarily the aqueous content which provides texture rather than flavour.

** Phil.

[bolinao]

Ok, no worries, thanks for the advice.

[livo]

G'day bolinao.
I'm an Aussie, but from the East on the NSW Central Coast and I've been a member here for just over 5 years.  As Phil points out, you are the second to join this week.  You will find all you want to know here. 
As for the base you've made, you will be able to use it for just about any curry you choose.  Some would say that different base recipes are matched to a particular set of finished dish recipes and they would be correct. However, it shouldn't stop you from using any base with any dish.  The result may be different to the intended outcome, but if you do it well, you should still end up with a good curry.  To a point, any good base should be a near neutral, mildly spiced, thin gravy.  A blank canvas to turn into whatever dish you want.

If you read my recent comments from making a half batch, you'll notice I felt it was too thick in the final boil and the oil would not separate (indicating completion). I added more extra liquid than the original recipe called for. Half quantity called for an additional 500 ml of water after blending.  I used that, added extra in in small doses as it boiled and I skimmed the scum, but then found I still needed to add another 600 ml to get the oil to come out.  I ended up using the additional water for the full quantity but with only half the other ingredients.  You could freeze it in the pre-water stage to save room in the freezer and add the extra water just before you use it,  This thickness could be due to the inclusion of the potato or even the type of potato.  You could easily leave it out or reduce the amount used.

As odd as it sounds, the base gravy should be really thin and you add it in small increments, cooking it off before adding more until you've used the amount the recipe calls for (or to your own preference).  This process of cooking the base away and adding more, allowing it to actually cook (caramelise but not burn) on the pan is the flavour.  Another thing to be aware of is that typical BIR curries are apparently much wetter than we are used to here on the other side. I can't say for sure having never been but some British members have been out here.  Perhaps the other new Aussie will know more having lived in the UK for a while.  You wont find many glowing reports on Aussie curry recipes on this site.  The expats out here don't rate them at all which makes me wonder what we're missing. 

[bolinao]

G'day bolinao.
I'm an Aussie, but from the East on the NSW Central Coast and I've been a member here for just over 5 years.  As Phil points out, you are the second to join this week.  You will find all you want to know here. 
As for the base you've made, you will be able to use it for just about any curry you choose.  Some would say that different base recipes are matched to a particular set of finished dish recipes and they would be correct. However, it shouldn't stop you from using any base with any dish.  The result may be different to the intended outcome, but if you do it well, you should still end up with a good curry.  To a point, any good base should be a near neutral, mildly spiced, thin gravy.  A blank canvas to turn into whatever dish you want.

If you read my recent comments from making a half batch, you'll notice I felt it was too thick in the final boil and the oil would not separate (indicating completion). I added more extra liquid than the original recipe called for. Half quantity called for an additional 500 ml of water after blending.  I used that, added extra in in small doses as it boiled and I skimmed the scum, but then found I still needed to add another 600 ml to get the oil to come out.  This could be due to the inclusion of the potato or even the type of potato.  You could easily leave it out or reduce the amount used.

Hi Livo

I actually did read your reply yesterday,  I also made a half size batch and I had the same problem,

The oil wouldn't rise either, I added about 4ooml extra water but it still wouldn't rise, gave up in the end. Is it really important for the oil to rise ?, if so should I have another crack at it today ? as I have put the cooking pot in the fridge overnight. can do this today if necessary or will the brew be ok as it is ?... thanks

[livo]

As for oil rising, probably not absolutely critical and it should be fine as it is.  Oil separation is a well known indicator of any base gravy being "done", but you aren't the first to have this problem with this recipe.  It won't make it unusable at all.  Of course it makes it impossible to skim off excess oil and this is a fairly oily base.  You can skim oil off after the final dish is done in the pan if you think there is too much. It will definitely separate in this stage.  I wouldn't cook it again unless you are keen to actually see it happen, in which case it won't do any damage.  You may even find some oil has come out while in the fridge overnight.  You'd need to blend that back in if your not going to use all of it, as Phil said.  I've been adding more to my previous post above (as you replied) about freezing in smaller quantities without oil separation to save room in the freezer.  This is common practice.  I'm not used to having anybody in a close time zone.

I used a lot of extra water / stock to get it to occur and the final stage in the recipe says to boil for 30 minutes after blending. That should be fine, but I think I ended up doing more like 90 minutes before really diluting it out and getting the oil to come up.

I'll have to cook curry today as I still haven't used any of the base I made 4 days ago and the pre-cooked chicken is still in the fridge. It's today or freeze it all.  It's predicted to be 36'C here today so I'll be indoors most likely.  East Coast Low last week then 36'C today, bushfires in Qld, floods here and snow in Tassie last week. Crazy weather.

[TikkaTai]

Hi Steve

I'm a newbie here too, joined a few days ago & am amazed at the knowledge to be found within the site and helpfulness of other members.

I came over to Australia 16 years ago. At that time getting hold of any ingredients bar Sharwood's pastes were near impossible (I was out in the back of beyond though). Nowadays its much easier, especially where I've moved to. I truly miss the BIRs in the UK.  I cooked Chewy Tikkas chicken Madras last night witch turned out really really good! I used the base gravy quite thick to emulate the British style of Indian cooking.

Tai 

[bolinao]

Hi Tai

I have never tasted curries from the BIRs in the UK, but they are legendary, so was excited when I found this forum.

Lucky for me in Adelaide there are Indian supermarkets everywhere, I have a great one a street away and have bought lots of spices from him in the last few weeks, in fact the first time I went there the Indian worker gave me a recipe to try lol, I cooked it that night, was delicious.

Yesterday I made the Saffron base gravy and use some of it it tonight in a Chicken Rogan Josh curry which I got the recipe from here. Man it was so yummy.

Thanks everyone for being so friendly and helpful towards me. I know I am going to enjoy my stay here and learn lots.