Topic: New Base Gravy from visit to Saffron

[Secret Santa]

Smokenspices, a great report on a absolutely standard base recipe and follow up prawn madras.

I don't need to make this to know it will not produce what I need from a BIR curry. So where the heck am I going wrong?

[ast]

Actually SnS, that raises an interesting point.  Can you and/or Bobby give an approximate indication of

a) the size of pot you need to cook the base from start to finish, and
b) approximately how much base this makes?

Thanks in advance,

ast

Hi Ast

Makes about 4 litres of gravy. The rate at which you simmer/boil the ingredients will have some bearing on how much you end up with of course.

My pot is 7.5 litres and it fits very comfortably in this - see photo on original post.

Regards

SnS ;D

That's great, SnS.  Thanks.  Need to go check the volume on the biggest pot in the house...

[SnS]

Smokenspices, a great report on a absolutely standard base recipe and follow up prawn madras.

I don't need to make this to know it will not produce what I need from a BIR curry. So where the heck am I going wrong?

I have a theory. Ain't gonna help you much though SS.

When I first tasted curry I was a mere nipper (1971). I'll never forget that first taste. All those new spices. My taste buds had never experienced anything even close to that before. In those days, a Madras to me was like Lucifer himself dancing on my tongue .. far too hot .. but it must of hit the spot ... cos I went back for more. I loved it.

Likewise, I'll never forget the taste of my first Chinese takeaway - a "Yung Chow" fried rice, a plastic spoon and straight out of the foil carton. Absolutely wonderful.

I know I will not experience those first tastes again .. because it's won't be new. Over the years my taste buds have changed and so has the "pattern coding" that's transmitted to the brain. These tastes are already in memory and therefore they wont ever have the same affect.

I can always remember my first taste of bitter (Whitbread Trophy - yuk), my first crafty sip of whiskey from the old mans special bottle of malt (bigger yuk) ... etc, etc. I quite like both of these tastes now. My first cigarette - absolute torture, but yeah I still smoke .. but without the torture part. Over time my taste buds have changed. They have become accustomed to different tastes (even immune to some).

These were all new taste experiences, and over time our taste does become dulled. I can now nibble on fresh red habeneros and I often complain that a restaurant vindaloo is too mild. I've never again found that special taste of my favourite "yung chow" fried rice either. It probably has all the same ingredients but I just cant taste it anymore! I drink bitter now without cringing .. and malt whiskey ... well only on special occasions.

What's is the longest period you have ever gone without eating a curry? My guess is that if you refrained long enough you may get to the point where you (your tastebuds/brain) can rediscover that special taste you once remembered and now desire.

But of course this is just my theory. What else can it possibly be??
Surely ALL the restaurants cant be crap.

Regards

SnS ;D

[SnS]

Just found this article which may help answer some questions about taste and smell deterioration.

http://www.supermarketguru.com/page.cfm/299

There are plenty of sites (just use "taste age" as search on google)

Regards

SnS (over 50 and can't taste a thing)

[Cory Ander]

and over time our taste does become dulled. I can now nibble on fresh red habeneros and I often complain that a restaurant vindaloo is too mild

"Dulled" SnS?    I'd be surprised if actually actually got any left SnS!  ;D

Funny thing is, I also fondly (?) reflect upon those Yung Chow Fried rices and spring rolls spewing oil!....yum!....and that Whitbread Trophy and Tankard tops....ha!  

I think you make a good point SnS.  However I'm not sure I can totally agree.  

I agree with SS, in part.  It seems that times are a changing, and not necessarily for the better for many people, like SS, me and many others.  I think the BIR scene HAS largely changed, for all manner of reasons:

Increased competition.  Not necessarily from other BIRs, either, but from other "fast food" outlets, pubs, sandwhich bars, etc.  This can lead to cost cutting, and selling to a price, and hence lower quality.

Increased health awareness and regulation.  For instance, less oil, no recycled oil, "healthier" oils.  You said yourself that the Saffron does not use MSG.  Sorry, but its use was ABSOLUTELY STANDARD in BIRs and Chinese takeaways in the 70s and 80s (....together with the cats and dogs, no doubt!  ).  Who wakes up now, in the middle of the night, with a raging thirst?  Who can smell the curry permeating the skin?  Not I!   And who's witnessed the proliferation of "MSG free!" chinese takeaways?!  I avoid them like the plague, but that's why I'll probably die young!

I'm sure there are many other reasons too.  

But I KNOW I've had recent curries with the exact taste and smell of the 70s and 80s. I've had many crappy ones too, and not just the ones I've cooked myself!  

So, that's where my opinion differs, I disagree that it's gone in ALL the BIRs, just from many.  Then again, I've never eaten curries in the London area so I dont know the particular story there.

[ast]

I haven't eaten curries as long as a lot of you then.  I was only introduced to them in a serious way in around 1999-ish, but I'd had some "feed the masses" buffet stuff in the US prior to that.  I've only ever eaten one "real" BIR curry (the Phal I've mentioned before) at a place across the street from the Hilton in Kensington, so I guess I'm not qualified to judge if my results meet the elusive "taste" and "smell" you guys are chasing.

That said, what I will stand behind is that I would much prefer the curries I've made most recently to any that I can get on a regular basis right now save for one place.  I'd rather hone the results I've had so far to see how much better I can make them to my own personal taste, in addition to starting to experiment a bit with some recent ideas, than pay to eat them out or have them delivered.  That's the whole reason that I'm interested in learning all I can from the site and the generous people on it (um, that's you guys )

There's one place near where we live that I've yet to try, and, by all accounts, it is supposed to have excellent food.  We just haven't made it there yet as something always seems to pop up when we're supposed to go.

I've been wondering if this hasn't come up before, but is it geographically possible to have a "curry night" or some sort of "curry summit" somewhere where a few of us can meet and either make and/or share the results we've gotten with each other to get the benefit of this history of tastes?  Until something like that happens, I think we'll all be off in our own, subjective little worlds, doing our own thing until we've either found something we're happy enough with or just get frustrated enough to quit.

In the US, you can ship stuff packaged in dry ice and it thaws out by the time it gets there (meat, desserts, etc.), but I've never heard of that sort of thing here in Europe.  If it was a bit more common (it doesn't cost that much there), I'd suggest that was a way to take this forum the next step towards a taste-sharing curry club.

Ah, well...  probably just a lack of sleep and too much time in the kitchen over the last few days talking--I've also started down the path of experimenting with making naan using a sourdough starter that we seem to have gotten going over the weekend.  If it doesn't work, we can always make beer, I guess...  ;D

[haldi]

I whipped up a quick prawn madras using 2 ladles (200 ml) of sauce and I've got tell you ... it was really great.
SnS ;D

Hi SnS
      Thanks for the post
I can't remember if you said, but is the madras recipe from this restaurant too?

[SnS]

I whipped up a quick prawn madras using 2 ladles (200 ml) of sauce and I've got tell you ... it was really great.
SnS ;D

Hi SnS
      Thanks for the post
I can't remember if you said, but is the madras recipe from this restaurant too?

Yes it was Haldi. Like SS pointed out, this is the standard Madras curry.

[Yousef]

I am making this base sauce as we speak. I am taking photos so will post them up when the curry sauce is complete.
I am very excited about this curry sauce.

Will keep you posted. ;D

Stew

[haldi]

One reason that I like the cr0 site, is because you can't get, a recipe like this, anywhere else
It's obviously totally genuine and you can make whatever constructive criticism about it
You can also be sure,the restaurant the curry base comes from, will still be using this recipe in two months time
I'll be trying this as soon as I have a bit more space in my freezer
Thanks again!!