Topic: the real base sauce taught by Indian chef

[Secret Santa]

How big is the chef's spoon measure? They do seem to vary so I think we need this information even if it's only a guess.

[Yousef]

Im looking forward to trying this on Friday.
I will report back with photos.

I dont suppose you have the madras recipe? ;D

Stew

[ronnoc]

i just knew i would be asked how big is a chefs spoon.
it holds about 4 table spoons and they were all rounded.
i suggest if anyone fears making this base then hold back. i will be making another within next few days. i will take photo's of each stage.
one other thing i will suggest is you all go down to your local and ask them nicely if they will sell you a dish of this yellow sauce they put in their curry's as i feel sure most have not even tasted this base.
so how will you know if you are on target.
some on this site  are very similar to this base so i assume these are correct also. just maybe the local chef's way. nothing wrong with that. others on this site you all rave about and are as far from the real takeaway curry you all crave. nothing wrong with that either.
but believe me anything that insists you put heaps of tomatoe puree, chilli powder and every available spice they are just trying to be creative. nothing wrong there either.
but think of the head chef needing to make a wide selection. if he adds all the above to his base how can he make a dish yellow and mild. how can he make a dish taste unlike the next if all the eggs are in the same basket.
one of the other questions was this sounds like a masala you describe. no, no. that is another thing and yes i do know how to make this.  and look at the amount of typing i have committed myself to for letting you in on the base.

so i am afraid i will stop there until i build up some of your trust in me. but i was describing a tomatoe base he makes seperately that uses various amounts in each dish. this is why some are redder than others.
anyways the base is not intended to enjoy on it's own but indeed a gravy to be added.
try this once it is made

KORMA
use about 1/2 a pint of base
4-6 table spoons of veg oil
heat oil and fry 1/2 tea spoon of garlic /ginger for 1 min
add i dessert spoon of mild curry powder and fry for about a further minute

remove and add 4 heaped table spoon of ground almond or cashew or coconut. YOUR CHOICE. 1 table spoon of sugar and carry on frying while stirring for maybe another minute.

now add 1/4 of a pint of condenced cream OR DOUBLE CREAM and stir for another minute or two. also add precooked meat or veg at cream stage.

add base sauce and stir then fry out for 5 mins. when oil rises IT is done. when done garnish with chopped corriander.

now go on tell me this is not the real deal!

ronnoc

[ast]

Hi Ronnoc,

Personally, I really appreciate you sharing the recipe and committing to all this typing!   I'm pretty sure everyone else does too, but the questions are a necessary evil for the rest of us trying to get that last drop of stuff outta your head.  Please forgive us!

It sounds like you've been on the trail of this for quite a while and have a decent relationship with the chef.  I think that's great.  I know that I didn't follow-up with the initial contacts I had at a couple of different places beyond being friendly and nice.  Looking back, I should have - and it wouldn't be hard to do now - but, at the time, I wasn't trying to do this myself as I was close enough to the restaurants.  It's all a different story now, for sure.  I'm jealous.

Stew's planning on making this base, and I'm sure others will too.  I just used the last bit of my Saffron base yesterday, so I'll be needing to make some more in a couple of weeks (out of town this weekend, so no cooking).  This one definitely sounds like one that will give good results.

I put a lot of stock in, and have great respect for, these recipes that have come from personal accounts of BIR recipes.  They will always top my list of things to try.

Please keep up the good work and bear with us--especially us newbies!

Cheers,

ast

[Cory Ander]

so i am afraid i will stop there until i build up some of your trust in me

Hi Ronnoc,

Yes, thanks for sharing your information with us Ronnoc.  I'm sure we all appreciate your time and effort.  I share your opinion about a curry base being a simple and versatile affair.

A word of caution, if I may.  I suggest you will "build up trust", far better, by continuing to clarify, explain and add credance to your claims (as you have been doing to date) rather than by simply "stopping". 

Unfortunately, cr0 has experienced a number of people who have posted here who have (rather arrogantly I feel) never felt the need, or inclination, to justify themselves, their claims or their recipes.  Put simply, the "take it or leave it" approach just doesn't work well.  You mention that you've seen that yourself. 

I therefore would like to encourage you to please continue as you are doing 

[Cory Ander]

i suggest if anyone fears making this base then hold back. i will be making another within next few days. i will take photo's of each stage.

That's brilliant Ronnoc, thanks for that, I look forward to seeing your photos! 

(don't forget, just shout if you need help posting them OK)

[Secret Santa]

Hey ronnoc, don't be put off by all the questioning, it's a neccessary evil I'm afraid. From my own point of view I would prefer, once you are happy with the quantities, that you give the original chef's recipe with its original quantities. That way I can scale it to suit me.

Thanks for the effort you're putting in.

[Bobby Bhuna]

I'll second that Ronnoc, we all appreciate your time and effort. Thanks very much mate! I'm looking forward to the pictures and will give it a go

[ronnoc]

don't get me wrong i am not hung up about questions. it,s needless ones. such as the one question asking for the original chefs batch so it can be scaled down by each and anyone who cares to.. is this not what i have posted for you. please read rarther than just needless chat back and forth. i have not got time. i have a very young family and my time is limited. i posted this sauce as i understand every ones hunger for the real thing. as i have said earlier i have posted seldom on this site because i am not into internet chatting. though i have a passion for creating takeaway style curry's. i have seen countless times on this site the fraze "someone out there must know"
well i did not answer because i was not quite there at that point. i am now and i have givven it to you. but how large is a chefs spoon which i have seen many times answered on this site by others that i thought it was common knollege on here.
do i meen grams or mils when i clearly wrote grams. what is the chefs batch when i spent so long typing this out, for my pc to crash, and have to rewrite it again for you, to only not bother to read it correctly.
i am only doing my best to answer all these questions as i feel if i don't you will feel me a fraud for reasons beyond me and your quest for the real base will continue.  i will continue to visit my local and continue to learn more dishes. i am knocked for six that i am allowed in as i have spent so long trying i thought  it was impossible. but one thing is for sure if i was to post things on here i have not got time to be cross examined every step of the way. i have nothing to gain from doing so. i prefer to work by only posting when i have something new to offer.
ronnoc

[Bobby Bhuna]

don't get me wrong i am not hung up about questions

I really appreciate your input to the forum and understand that you have limited time, and no interest in chatting online. Chill out a bit though. Wouldnt you be quicker just saying "Yes, I can confirm it is grams", and "a chefs spoon is x number of ys" rather than writing a 350 word post on how you don't have time to waste?