Talked about base sauce with take away owner and chef

[Chilli Prawn]

Thanks very much Gary, that is most welcome.

CP

[Mark J]

I printed out my cut down version of this but Ive lost the word doc! Ill try and find it

[Chilli Prawn]

Thanks Mark.
CP

[Mark J]

Found it, based on my recent success with the natco base if I were to cook this again I would add an extra 3 TBSP of garlic paste.

Mark J Curry Gravy Base

10 onion base version

vegetable oil to cover large pan upto a height of 3/4 inch
3 tbl Garlic & Ginger paste
1 tbl curry powder
1 tbl Turmeric
1 lvl tsp Chilli powder
10 tennis ball sized onions, chopped
2 celery stick chopped
1 green pepper chopped
2 large carrots chopped
1 tsp Salt
1.5 lvl tsp Garamasala (Natco is very nice)
1 tin tomatoes (450g) - or pasatta
handful of fresh coriander ripped or chopped
2 tbl Knorr 'Touch of Taste' liquid chicken stock concentrate
water

1) Heat oil until hot add the garlic and ginger and fry until brown, keep stirring
2) Add curry powder, turmeric and chilli powder and stir fry. Add some cold water (few tablespoons) when it starts to stick to the bottom of the pan. This frees it up instantly
3) Add the onions, carrots, green peppers and celery
4) add salt and garamasala and mix around
5) add tomatoes then add boiling water to cover the vegetables by an inch
6) once up to the boil, add liquid chicken stock and simmer on lowish flame for 1 hour
7) Liquidise - easiest way is to use a hand blender straight into the pot
Boil hard for 10 mins - the top of the sauce rolls just like the base you may have seen in BIRs
9) cook on low for another 5 mins, leave overnight.

all measures are rounded spoons unless it says lvl

[Chilli Prawn]

Thank you very much Mark, I will have a go with this soon along with Darth's darkside base.

Happy Cooking
CP

[livo]

I've last night made the scaled down version and today expect to make a curry or 3.  I will post pictures in an hour or so once I get them off my phone.

This linear scaled version of reduced quantity, producing about 1 litre of base gravy, appears to be success. Proof will be in the pudding as they say.

It looks enough to make 3 dishes and I suspect I'll make a Butter Chicken or maybe a Madras and George's Korma.  I'll  get some lamb today for a Balti Lamb as well.

I didn't have 2 medium onions so I used 1 medium and 2 small. Peeled and chopped weight of 400 grams.

I paid special attention to browning the garlic and ginger.

The vegetables were fried in the oil, along with the splash of water added with the spices, for about 15 minutes before adding the bulk of the water for further boiling.  The onion was well translucent but not browned at all and the carrots and celery were well cooked before the water was added.   The entire preparation and cooking took about 90 minutes and it certainly appears to be a good curry base gravy.

I used a Continental no added salt chicken stock concentrate (jelly pot).

[George]

Livo - well done for giving this excellent base sauce a try. Your onion weight is spot on and the resultant colour looks right as well. The base should taste 'moreish' on it's own with no hint of being bitter, bland or with any other adverse quality.

[livo]

Thanks George.  I'm looking forward to trying your Korma as well.  I've been a bit disappointed in my recent attempts.  What about your comment in regards the Bay Leaf?  I didn't add one as it wasn't a listed ingredient.  Do you usually include one?

[George]

Livo - yes, I add a single, fresh bay leaf from my garden. I'm not sure it makes an big difference, though. As for korma, I have almost lost interest over the past 10 or more years. I never order korma in a restaurant and haven't made one for at least 10 years. It's interesting how one's tastes can change in food.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Do you grow Indian bay (Cinnamomum tamala) or European (Laurus nobilis), George ?  I find the flavours very different, and actually dislike European bay while loving Indian ...

** Phil.