Topic: Who believes there is a secret ingredient to the curry base?

[DARTHPHALL]

Thanks Ray.
I think Mark j has ?
              & posted some pics of the Caramelized Onions, i think 

[raygraham]

I have also read ( but can't remember where ) that to get the best results use a LARGE saucepan so the Onions are spread out and not piled up then cook uncovered very slowly and don't disturb them much. Not moving them around aparently helps the caremalising process. Best thing will be to give this a go.

Ray

[traveller]

Funny you brought this sauce up today...i had printed that recipe out and was tempted to try it this week myself.  But this sauce is very similar to what is used in authentic indian cooking....to make anything with a gravy, like potato or koftas or anything else, we use a sauce just like that one.  As you must have noticed, there is no curry powder!
One other thing if I may point put, there is a masala called "Kitchen King" by MDH - apparently it is an all purpose kind of seasoning that many indians I know buy in huge, I mean HUGE, boxes!!  The main ingredients seem to be coriander and turmeric as it is yellowish but it looks like coriander powder.  I have started using it in almost all my dishes and it adds a great flavor.  I know you can get the list of ingredients online at the MDH site.  May be worth a try - maybe its like Ray's basaar mix?!!
Back to the "Daag sauce" - the onions must be cooked very slowly with plenty of oil - then they can be cooked 20-30 minutes without being burnt...i do my onions like that for some indian dishes but there must be enough oil.  I will post my findings once i make the sauce too but i will make half the quantity - I dont like to freeze things - have too much free time as it is ;D

Payal

[raygraham]

Hi Payal,

Thanks for your input.
It would be good if you could try this "Daag" recipe anyway and post your findings as you are used to this kind of sauce in everyday cooking.
Is Daag a "real name" as I have never seen it printed anywhere except Camelia's book. It is a good idea to use a fair amount of oil as I can see without it the Onions will burn although they do create liquid of their own. The oil can always be strained off afterwards.

I will look up your Kitchen King Masala as the Asian shops round here have some very unusual things that you don't find in all the shops.
If this Masala is bought in such huge quantities ( like the Basaar Mix ) do you know what your Indian friends use it for or what recipes it is used in?

The Basaar Mix is like a very high quality Curry Powder and includes many of the aromatic spices so has a very powerful smell. The only thing I am not keen with it is the amount of Chilli Powder in it ( it is the main ingredient ) so it is a bit too fiery for my taste. However, some Asian friends have said they only use a teaspoon  of it in a dish. I can see why!!

Ray

[traveller]

Hey Ray,
I have never heard of the "daag" recipe name - the only meaning of that word i know is "a spot or mark" like a drop of something making a mark on clothing or something like that.
As for the kitchen king masala, apparently a number of companies make it but the MDH one is rated the best.  Other indians use it in almost all their recipes!  Some of my mom's friends make what they call "onion sauce" in which they cook down onions and garlic and ginger, tomatos and masalas - just like the daag sauce! They then use that a gravy for most everything - we eat mosty lentils so we dont make such thing  - I didnt grow up eating garlic and onions in our indian food - we dont add those things to lentils and veg cooking mostly! 
I just bought kitchen king 1 month back and now have started adding it to everything - it has 22 or 23 ingredients in it - the listing can be found at the MDH spices website.  It is very fragrant and tasty - the good thing was i didnt find it too spicy and since i dont eat spices at all, that must mean it is pretty bland so you can still use the chillis you normally use.  Chili is the 3rd ingredient here.

Payal

[Mark J]

Hi Folks,

I havent tried Cameilias Daag, I did try caramelising onions in the last base I made which was Pete's 600ml oil one.

Payal, does this stuff have MSG in it?

[traveller]

Of course not ? MDH is doesnt have those additives - thats why i use all their masalas.? Plus, I get them from India as they are very readily available there for a fraction of the cost ;D

Payal

[Mark J]

Here's the stuff

http://www.e-qualityfoods.co.uk/info.asp?cat=26&product_id=393

Ingredients: Coriander, cumin, chillies, turmeric, pulses, black pepper, salt white, cardamom seeds, dry ginger, fenugreek, nutmeg, cloves, cassia, cinnamon, mace, cardamom, ani seeds, caraway, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard, cardamom green, asafoetida.

Looks like someone emptied their spice cupboard into a mixer!  ;D

[traveller]

I agree with you!  There seems to be most all spices in that 1 package!!  The MDHspices.com website has the same info on it - just a bit easier to read.

Payal

[Mark J]

Im definately going to get some of this stuff and give it a go.

On a different (on)topic, I was wondering yesterday why most of my curries tend to have a similar taste at the back of them, I smelt an oily smell this morning, whilst microwaving a take away prawn puri for breakfast, that had the BIR smell about it. I wonder if part of the taste is down to the make of oil the BIR's use. Next time im in my asian grocer I will get some of the stuff that they use (as log as I can buy it in less than 5 gallon drums  ;D)