Topic: The near perfect BIR base sauce ?

[stargazer]

What size of tin for tomatoes?

[Belan]

Indeed, who will try this base first ?

Actually the onions will not dry out, they will retain all their moisture but yes this is how you get the smooth (sweet) taste. The quantity of oil used is in no way a short cut to increasing profit, it purely results in the taste that we have been preconditioned to believe is the perfect tasting curry ! The more oil used, the better the flavour, this is essential to arrive at a BIR result. Remember, it is the oil that absorbs and reflects the spices used ! So I have been told

[lorrydoo]

Just wondering how this would be made on a large scale in a BIR?

[Ganda]

Hi all curry fans! I'm new to this site and it seems to be one of the best that I have seen so far...keep it up folks.

Someone was asking about the Base Sauce. I worked for sometime as a delivery driver for both Indian restaurants and Takeaways and it seems they all use a very similar method for the base. Forgive me if I don't know the exact names of utensils, but as you'd expect, the base is in a very large aluminium or stainless steel pot - the type with a handle-grip on each side, and probably 15" across to about the same in depth. The method they used was a follows, obviously you'll need to grade the measures down to your needs, unless you want to open a takeaway!
Please bear in mind that all this work was done in afternoon - 12 till 2pm-ish.

First they rough-chop enough onions fill to 75% of pot (they do need lots of base)
Add enough water to just cover contents of pot.
Now, there were 4 spices added into a cloth muslin bag and dropped among the onions.
These were a few(6 - 8)pieces of cinnamon bark (mmm!), half a dozen or so cloves, same for green cardamom seeds and I think the final spice was either fenugreek or cumin seeds (couple of tsp's). If I remember correctly, enough curry powder was added to make the base a golden yellow.
Cooking oil - about 2-3 tea cups poured in the pot and then simmered on the range until onions were soft. The muslin bag of stuff was removed,then a huge hand-held blender (more like a garden strimmer!)was used to cream the contents finely.
Meanwhile, the chicken, for example, was dressed and cut into the regular sized pieces you'd find on your plate in the restaurant, or your tinfoil takeaway carton.
A similar process was applied to the chicken or lamb - pot of water, spices and not so much oil this time. I guess the meat was pretty much cooked as will be seen later.
Now when the takeaway opens and an order comes in - it can be prepared within minutes!
The base sauce is used to make every curry dish on the menu, of course other things are added during the final stage of the customers' order to make it right.
At the back of the range or on a nearby shelf, various containers with different spice powders, sugar, salt, dessicated coconut, etc are at hand for the end result.
The meal itself is prepared in what I'd call a frying pan type of utensil, on a fairly high heat at first - oil - then certain spice powders - then meat and base to make what turns out to be a fine meal.

Hope someone finds this informative - and my mouth is watering as I type!

[mike travis]

Hi Ganda,  welcome to the family,  ;D nice first post. A mate of mine just started delivering Chinese food and I have asked him to do a bit of spying (all in the aid of research you understand). Look forward to hearing more from you.....regards..mike

[Cory Ander]

Yes, that sounds just about right to me Ganda 

[curryqueen]

Hi Ganda,

Fantastic post, keep it coming.  CQ

[parker21]

hi ganda
that is a simple base just ONIONS,CURRY POWDER,WATER AND OIL AND REMOVEABLE WHOLE SPICES.don't suppose you picked up a recipe for vindaloo or phall?

great first post

regards
gary

[cg13]

What is the basic curry powder added

[Onions]

The Ship pub is now an African pub called the Gold Coast. The Star restaurant is now the Star Sandwich Bar.

Basic BIR sauce - good for Madras and Vindaloo

Hi Belan
        So is this a base or a finished meat/chicken curry?
Very interesting post
Thank you
I think I might have been to this restaurant in 1972
It was somewhere near the top of Portland Road
I think a pub called the Ship was quite close