Topic: Bruce Edwards Curry Sauce & Basic Curry - From The Man Himself

[haldi]

Are you sure it was just plain base that you bought haldi, one of the ones you have seen being made?

Absolutely positive, it was just base
But I have never actually seen this one made
The chef has discussed exactly how it's made and has given it to me on several occasions
The base is made daily for next days use. It's quite thick and very yellow
They split it into "gravy" and "curry gravy oil"
The gravy is diluted and reboiled before use
I have tried loads of times to make it
I can get a similar taste but the aroma never happens

[JerryM]

I can get a similar taste but the aroma never happens

i know it's not what people will want to hear so apologies but it still niggles me - the burner issue (which has been discussed many times).

i feel my bases can't really be improved and as that "missing" ingredient has never materialised i feel it must be down to technique.

i watched the BBC2 Chinese cookery programme last night - glued to it - i love the lady's style. see uses a portable wok burner on propane.

the thing is the gut feeling in me still says the high "wok burner" cooking must do something equivalent to BIR's compared to my measley 1.5 Kw electric hob.

[Derek Dansak]

Jerry, i totally agree. I had a demo from a very helpful chap at local BIR and he explained every detail of what was in his tubs, spice mixtures etc. He was definately not hiding anything. The ingredients/techniques are exactly what we all use. The only thing i can't match is the cooker. I am thinking the magic taste must be mostly to do with having flames licking up into the base during cooking, as well as the high heat. My crappy electric hob can never match this. If anyone on this site can comment on how mutch improvement a proper gas cooker achieves, i would love to know. I actually tasted the base in this BIR, and it tasted very similar to the safron base. However it was thinner, had a slight taste of chicken, and basically tasted less 'tasty' than the safron base. My conclusion was that the safron base would have resulted in the same delicious curries, had the chef used my own base during the demo. I believe most mildly spiced, oniony base, will do the job. Its what happens afterwards that really matters. Not that i claim to be any expert! Heck i wish i was!! 

[JerryM]

Derek,

i've got it on my list to buy one as soon as cash permits - probably towards mid august - birthday - i have the propane (6kg for plumbing and 19kg for gas BBQ) - parker21 has pin pointed one via ebay ~?20 - looks very similar to one used by the BBC2 Chinese cooking lady.

i did try my gas bbq a little while back but on reflection it's not the right thing - no blue flame.

the SnS June 08 base confirmed the "thinness" key factor you mention. i think CA in his earlier post mentioned chicken stock - must admit i tried this with currytester - the main objective to appreciate ghee - the trouble for me is i've been curried up on veg oil and the ghee too strong a taste for me. i did not feel the chicken stock made a difference - i even made it by boiling a carcase.

i've already far surpassed my original objective on joining the site - to be able to put a decent curry on the table mid week/more often when cash won't permit a TA. with the slight touches BE's info has brought along with my existing experience (the 7 items listed in my earlier post) i feel i'm not that far away - to the extent it's not that discernable ie does not matter and time better spent refining existing recipes. i was very much interested in haldi's 3hr cooking and intend to try this out (my normal cooking being 2hrs). with the burner even if it does nothing for my curries at least i'll be able to do a better rendition of Chinese than i can now which is a pretty poor "chicken cashew nuts with egg fried rice". ;D

[Derek Dansak]

Hi Jerry, i am already excited about hearing how you get on with a propane gas hob. You clearly have the experience to really make full use of one. I think you are on to a winner there! On the topic of the chicken taste in the base, the BIR chef commented that some restaurants put chicken soup in the base. I actually brought some quality chicken soup after the demo, but somehow couldn't bring myself to add it to last weeks safron batch! It looked so tasty bubbling away as it was, i left it be!   ;D 

[JerryM]

Derek,

i'm with you 100%. let the saffron be!

no chicken soup going in for me for sure.

[haldi]

i've got it on my list to buy one as soon as cash permits - probably towards mid august - birthday - i have the propane (6kg for plumbing and 19kg for gas BBQ) - parker21 has pin pointed one via ebay ~?20 - looks very similar to one used by the BBC2 Chinese cooking lady.

Hi Jerry
        Maybe I'm wrong, but I think propane won't cook the same way as restaurant gas cookers.
I  bought a restaurant cooker/hob
It's got the same massive gas rings as a number of takeaways I know
But the flames are totally different to theirs, because I have to use propane gas
The flames in a takeaway/restaurant are big and lazy
Propane makes smaller and far more intense flames
I still can't cook the same way
Believe me, it is very different
Closer than an ordinairy cooker but not the same

[adriandavidb]

I don't want to seem like a 'party-pooper' but I feel that this thread is being hijacked somewhat!  It sems to turning into a general forum about technique, as opposed to questions about Bruce's stuff.  None of my business I know, I'm not a moderator!

I recall Bruce is quite specific about generating the required heat for cooking.  It may well be that an electric hob is not up to the job, but I believe that practically any gas hob IS!  I think that provided spices are fried 'till the "toffee" smell is produced it does not really matter how fierce your flames are!!

I have a 6 ring Smeg hob, now as it happens, I don't think it's 'much cop' for a variety of reasons ('wouldn't get another!) BUT it does have several sizes of burner, including a so-called wok burner for hight heat.  This burner is no where near the output of the sort of thing used in a commercial kitchen, but never the less it does kick out some joules!

I've tried frying my spices by a variety of methods:-

   - Over a moderate heat in a heavy cast frying pan on a 'normal' ring

   - In a wok over the wok ring, in a light thin wok, on the wok ring

I have found that provided I stop when I get the right smell, it makes NO difference to the final taste!  It is slighty eaier to ruin the spice by burning in the wok on the high heat, because it has less thermal inertia and can overheat quickly.  But that's it, end of story!  I made a Bhuna last night, and the kitchen still had the  BIR TA smell this morning.

I DON'T believe I'm an expert, and what I have learnt has largely been due to this site, BUT I REALLY BELIEVE THIS QUESTION OVER USING HIGH OUTPUT BURNERS IS BARKING UP THE WRONG TREE!

[haldi]

I DON'T believe I'm an expert, and what I have learnt has largely been due to this site, BUT I REALLY BELIEVE THIS QUESTION OVER USING HIGH OUTPUT BURNERS IS BARKING UP THE WRONG TREE!

Ok , if it isn't necessary,why would you massively multiply your gas bill?
You can turn these gas rings down low, but they don't
In fact, they turn them UP to cook
The funny thing is that this heat is not a burning heat
It is not incredibly intense
I have seen them cooking garlic ginger in oil for a maybe three minutes, and it doesn't burn.
I can't do this on my cookers, it would be black in that time
Now, the curry gravy, that is cooked on low
It's on a simmer for hours
I think they turn the heat up on cooking curries, because it needs it

[Chris303]

I DON'T believe I'm an expert, and what I have learnt has largely been due to this site, BUT I REALLY BELIEVE THIS QUESTION OVER USING HIGH OUTPUT BURNERS IS BARKING UP THE WRONG TREE!

Your entitled to your opinion, but I believe you are so wrong on that. High heat and shorter time definately impacts a different flavour than using lower heat for longer durations. If this was the case then surely the same would also apply to wok cooking? I got a much high power heater in my new house than I had at my old house - which was still gas the quality and taste of my curries dont even compare - only different being a better gas cooker. I am sorry if you have a electric cooker or a poor gas cooker but no need to shout about it.