Topic: Syed base gravy

[livo]

And now I know the answer, I need to find somewhere quiet to go to lie down and die.

Back in May Aldi had their "knock-off"  Le Cresuett range as a special buy again for the third year. They sell out in minutes and are meant to be good. That's if you not a brand snob. They are about 1/20 of the price.
https://www.mamamia.com.au/aldi-pot/

[livo]

Nice!  How much cream was added and how much difference did it make?

Not much and I doubt it made any real difference. Syed answered that he used 2/3 of a Chefs spoon which is approximately 2 TBSPs in his video batch. I used 1/6 which is only 1 tsp. I haven't cooked a dish with it yet but intend to today. I think it could be omitted really and cream is added to creamy dishes anyway.

I commented earlier on the use of Carnation Evaporated Milk in The Bengali Cook's base gravy.  I've found that the flavour of evaporated milk when used in a dish is overpowering (prominent or noticeable might be more the point). I've not tried his base gravy.

To my mind adding dairy to base gravy in a commercial venture would require an additional dairy free pot for lactose intolerant customers. My father in law is troubled by shop / restaurant curry but I am able to feed him dairy free by using vegetable oil and Ghee instead of butter and he just avoids the creamy dishes.

[livo]

So what's your full recipe for a micro-Syed base?

20 ml oil
1 heaped tsp g&g paste
1 cricket ball sized onion (200 g peeled)
1 small potato (80 g peeled)
1/3 medium carrot (50 g peeled)
1 coriander plant (3-4 stalks, leaf and root)
1/2 - 3/4 level tsp salt
1 heaped tsp tomato paste (concentrated puree)
1/2 tsp each of butter Ghee and butter (1 tsp of either would do. Optional anyway)
1 heaped tsp Syed's mixed curry powder
1/3 tsp RCP (I used mild red chilli powder. Can use Kashmiri, Paprika, hot or blend to taste)
1/2 - 3/4 tsp Kasuri Methi
1 tsp single cream
1 1/2 cups water. I calculated this amount as approximately 1/6 of 8 cups but ended up using additional water due to extended cooking and I'd suggest topping up to 900 - 1000 ml finished volume to get the consistency right.

I followed the exact method used in the video with these changes.
I cut the onion into 16 pieces instead of 8. Half, quartered then halved again..
I cut the potato and carrot smaller than Syed's cut as well.
The cook time where he says to cook until softened after adding the Tomato paste was about 8 minutes. All other cook times were timed and as stated by Syed.
Syed has informed me that extended cook and oil separation is not required. It may happen after a day or two of use and reheating / refrigeration but it doesn't matter at all. I think this is what Phil showed in his photo.

Note: In line with confirmation that spicing is not linear, if anything, this micro-cooked version would be just slightly under-spiced since I scaled down by linear 1/6. You could possibly increase RCP to 1/2 tsp, kasuri methi use the upper limit and maybe up to 2 rounded tsp of mixed curry powder.  Syed explained in the comments on youtube that scaling up or down is not directly linear but about achieving balance.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Back in May Aldi had their "knock-off"  Le Cresuett range as a special buy again for the third year. They sell out in minutes and are meant to be good. That's if you not a brand snob. They are about 1/20 of the price.https://www.mamamia.com.au/aldi-pot/

There's nowt wrong with Aldi cast iron cooking utensils

[livo]

At least you didn't catch fire.

[George]

it is clear that it is f****d

Phil - you accuse me of sniping but, in my opinion, you bring it on yourself. Why go out of your way to use a banned word by using four stars as a sort of workaround? You could have used a word like 'ruined' so where's the advantage of using a banned word? Especially as you are the current moderator. It really is quite shameful, lowering the tone of this forum. Unless you mean that type of damage was caused to the pan quite literally. If so, by whom? The mind boggles.

[Peripatetic Phil]

I knew as soon as I wrote it that you would take exception, George, but to be honest I cannot see that there is anything wrong with describing a now-useless pan as "finished".  Would you sooner that I had described it as "b****d" [banjaxed] ?  They mean much the same.

Anyhow, "Report to moderator", as always.  When I first took on the r

[livo]

Sorry guys. Yes. 1/6 of 8 cups.  I usually go back and proof and modify but this one slipped through.
Anyway here are some pics of the Chicken Bhuna / Chicken Rogon (sic).  Pic of the meal over on Josephine.

The pictures below are of the 1st half Chicken Bhuna, 2nd half Chicken Rogon stage 1 and followed by stage 2.  Absolutely delicious.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Bhuna looks good.  I have four breasts portioned and pre-cooked, and will be making a new base just as soon as I can get hold of a carrot, so bhuna chicken will be on this week's menu, along with a basic chicken curry and a chicken curry modified to bring it closer to a Madras.  Don't know what I will do with the rest of the pre-cook, but maybe a chicken not-tikka vindaloo ...

Just done the (Excel) sums on Syed's restaurant-sized base, by the way, and for 1kg onions (a 1kg sack of 50

[livo]

Thanks Phil.  Good for me.  It is only a correction so I'm sure Martinvic shouldn't mind.

The good news is that the Micro-base recipe is a goer and works a treat.  If you've been enjoying Syed's recipes so far the Bhuna / RJ wont disappoint.