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

[John]

Thanks Darth for listing your recipe for the base again, it looks pretty straight forward, i shall give this ago during this christmas period.

Just a though about the missing ingredient: we use tomato in the base and we know that tomato ketchup is used in bir's but has any one tried alittle bit of HP brown sauce as that has a slightly fruity taste and it's very moorish.

[DARTHPHALL]

I've tried Tomato Ketchup,puree & fresh all making no major difference.

This brings me to the missing ingredient quandary, it is so distinct, the only ingredient that I've noticed to make that much difference is Maggi liquid Seasoning & the water from the cooked Chicken.
Everything else just adds what we all seem to be saying " an extra dimension & depth" to the Curry overall, but i have enough of that. i want that missing link, i have a sneaking suspicion its not an orthodox Indian ingredient,or what we assume is orthodox.
I`m going to post the final stage Vindalloo now .
DARTHPHALL..... .....

[pete]

Do you add msg Pete? I dont think it is the missing flavour however most BIR's would use it IMHO

Hi Mark
? ? ? ? ?have you tried it in the base?
I'll add some to some base I have already made
I must admit that I feel I do something wrong with msg.
I add it and can't tell a difference
I tried it on a few things recently
I know you have had a lot of success lately
Do you think you make exactly the same as your BIR now?

Just a though about the missing ingredient: we use tomato in the base and we know that tomato ketchup is used in bir's but has any one tried alittle bit of HP brown sauce as that has a slightly fruity taste and it's very moorish.

Hi John
? ? ? ? ? I'll give that a go too
It definitely seems to be a fruity sort of taste

I've tried Tomato Ketchup,puree & fresh all making no major difference.

This brings me to the missing ingredient quandary, it is so distinct, the only ingredient that I've noticed to make that much difference is Maggi liquid Seasoning & the water from the cooked Chicken.
Everything else just adds what we all seem to be saying " an extra dimension & depth" to the Curry overall, but i have enough of that. i want that missing link, i have a sneaking suspicion its not an orthodox Indian ingredient,or what we assume is orthodox.
I`m going to post the final stage Vindalloo now .
DARTHPHALL

Hi Darth
? ? ? ? ? ?I've got some maggi seasoning, I'll try that as well
I wouldn't be surprised if there is an unorthodox ingredient
But at least I've got a few more ideas to try
Thanks everyone!

[Mark J]

Hi Pete,

>have you tried it in the base?
Yes I have

>I'll add some to some base I have already made
>I must admit that I feel I do something wrong with msg.
>I add it and can't tell a difference
Me too, I cant tell the difference  ;D

>I know you have had a lot of success lately
>Do you think you make exactly the same as your BIR now?
No but my curries since the cracked it thread are more like a BIR. My local BIR is very good though 

[DARTHPHALL]

I used MSG in my 99.9% Clone & found i couldn't perceive any difference between it & using Salt, its such a subtle additive with all the health implications i feel it is not worth using it.
Although it might be good for scaled down base gravies as its not as strong as Salt & therefore you will be less likely to ruin it by making it to Salty etc...

[Mark J]

I'm inclined to agree with you Darth and Ive stopped using it in curries, however the fact remains if you are trying to 100% (not 99.9%  ;D) duplicate most BIR's you must add MSG IMHO

[DARTHPHALL]

 ;D

[pete]

I'm inclined to agree with you Darth and Ive stopped using it in curries, however the fact remains if you are trying to 100% (not 99.9%? ;D) duplicate most BIR's you must add MSG IMHO

Hi Mark
? ? ? ? ? If BIR's are happy to spend money on msg, then it must be well worth using
It must be as important as a spice
We don't know how to use it
When I have cooked with it, I added a little towards the end of cooking (as instructed on the bag)
That is clearly wrong too, because it does nothing
Maybe it's in the curry gravy right at the start

[DARTHPHALL]

I used it in the final stage of the actual Curry itself, & put it in with all the Spices.
Salt Gives the same results there abouts, MSG, is i think, to subtle an ingredient to be used in heavily Spiced dishes to be of any real consequence to the overall flavor IMHO.

[Mark J]

As I recall I think it doesnt have much of a flavour on its own, its raison d'etre is to enhance the other flavours in the dish.

My bag also says to add near the end of cooking, Ive tried it at the start/at the end/in the base and at no time did I think it made a clear difference