Topic: Saffron vs. Darth 100 Percent Madras Clone base sauce comparison (illustrated)

[Bobby Bhuna]

Thanks Jerry, very well put!

[Domi]

Telling people their wrong only helps self ego.

The post uses a control (rajver madras) to compare 2 bases and finds 1 base better than the other. This is perfectly ligament and relevant.

Relevant to what, exactly? The only person it has any relevance to is Bobby as it is based solely on his opinion alone. :-X

I think a better way to summarise this experiment is thus:

The rajver bhuna curry recipe (in Bobby's opinion) suits the saffron base better than Darths, however, when used in comparison with the madras recipe, the two bases were very similar (I don't quite see how, given the differences in ingredients, but I'll take Bobby at his word). Maybe if BB had used different curry recipes, the results may have been reversed..... .

Curry houses, no matter how many bases they use be it 1,2 or 3, base their curry recipes around their own particular base and the spices or ingredients used therefore it is natural to assume that any curry recipe must be dependent on the base itself, not the other way around and so I alter recipes to suit the base (unless they already suit it, that is - but only testing and experimenting will show this).

Of course, certain curry recipes may work with a wide range of bases, others will not. A bad curry is not always down to poor technique, lack of cooking skill or inferior ingredients, it may just be that the wrong base and curry recipes have been used in conjunction with one another - this does not mean that one is necessarily better than the other, it just means that the spices/ingredients in one may suit the spices/ingredients better in another , which makes this generally a poor test to me. You may give a curry 6/10 when using one base, but it could get a 10/10 when used with another, differently spiced base. I conclude that each base is as versatile as the person's tastes who is using it

Hence my conclusion that mixing and matching recipes (although it may sometimes work) is not always guaranteed to work. Ergo, it shouldn't always be done, far better to test with the recipe author's base of choice when used in making the curry recipe as it will do away with any inconsistencies technique/ingredient-wise.

Most curry houses use base gravies, yet the difference in taste, flavour and appearance vary from restaurant to restaurant, they could all actually be use the same curry recipe, but the base makes all the difference and so I'd doubt you'd get the same curry from any two curry houses although they all may taste similar, but not identical, although each of us would express a preference there would always be winners and losers however it doesn't mean that anyone is right or wrong.

When I said that Bobby was wrong, it was in his supposition that because a recipe is better suited to the one base rather than the other that the second one must therefore be inferior, which is wrong, but he can't be wrong in saying that he preferred it ;D because that's purely his own, very personal opinion, nothing more...which is always good to read...and it has given rise to some interesting debate.

[JerryM]

Domi,

well said. i'm glad we all remain friends.

[Bobby Bhuna]

I think a better way to summarise this experiment is thus:

Domi - go on then, you've sold me 

In hindsight the comparison probably is completely irrelevant. I was trying to compare two bases on their ability to work for the generic case to determine which is more versatile. The problem is, that there is no generic case because every recipe could result in a more well balanced dish when coupled with its ideal base sauce. In an ideal world each base should come with a handful of the classic curry recipes we would like, to be used in conjunction with it.

My conclussion...

My girlfriend and I both prefer the Saffron base in conjunction with the Bhuna recipe specified earlier, than the Darth base in conjunction with said recipe.

My girlfriend slightly prefers the Saffron base in conjunction with the Rajver Madras recipe than the Darth base in conjunction with said recipe, while I find both equally delicious and pretty similar tasting.

What about other recipes? I don't know, I've not compared them

[Domi]

In an ideal world each base should come with a handful of the classic curry recipes we would like, to be used in conjunction with it.

Which is exactly why I prefer posters to state which base was used, it's the best way to test a recipe. I'll be making the saffron base tonight and making a saffron recipe tomorrow, the replies in the thread look very promising - excepting the odd one or two - and I'm looking forward to trying it out. ;D

[George]

Many thanks to anyone and everyone who runs so many tests and comparisons. Hoefully, some real gems will come out of it. Please be sure to write up a summary of exactly how it's done (a cohesive recipe) if you come across any real winning combinations.

[SnS]

In an ideal world each base should come with a handful of the classic curry recipes we would like, to be used in conjunction with it.

Which is exactly why I prefer posters to state which base was used, it's the best way to test a recipe. I'll be making the saffron base tonight and making a saffron recipe tomorrow, the replies in the thread look very promising - excepting the odd one or two - and I'm looking forward to trying it out. ;D

Hi Domi

There are no detailed "Saffron base" curry recipes as such, but there are a few who have posted detailed curry recipes using the Saffron base. Which recipe do you plan to use?

SnS  ;D

[Domi]

ooh I don't know yet, I'll cross that bridge tomorrow, unless you can recommend one to me, SnS?

Have to say the base is bubbling away at the mo and it smells great!

[SnS]

ooh I don't know yet, I'll cross that bridge tomorrow, unless you can recommend one to me, SnS?

Have to say the base is bubbling away at the mo and it smells great!

Hi Domi

Now diverted to here .... 

http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,2271.msg22139.html#msg22139