Topic: Bobby Bhuna's Base July 2008

[Bobby Bhuna]

Hey guys,

Here's the latest base I'm using. This base takes inspiration from several good bases, all from this site, hopefully using the stong points and disguarding the weak ones. I rate this base very highly and especially like the improvement in texture, offered by the Mooli radish.

Also, with the recent trend in less commonly available spices, I'm trying to keep it real here (apart from the Adjwain seeds, which I wanted to try but I don't think make much difference, although I didn't use much).

Ingredients

8 medium sized onions
1 mooli radish
1 large bulb garlic
1 2 inch piece ginger
4 green chilies
2 medium sized tomatos
1 red pepper
1 tbsp coriander stems
1 tbsp salt
1 tin tomatos
1 dsrt spoon turmeric, paprika, coriander and cumin
200ml oil
1/4 tsp adjwain seeds



Method

Roughly chop and add all the fresh veg, coriander, salt and oil to a stock pan. Cover with water, bring to the boil and then simmer until the onions look cooked (transparent and very soft - takes about an hour).

Add tinned tomatoes and spices and blend thoroughly. Gently simmer for 40 minutes. Done.

[joshallen2k]

For me, this is the purpose of the site.

Members taking "best practice" from each others efforts to build upon and improve the experience of the community as a whole.

BB's base seems to take a bit from the Saffron, the original BE, and the new BE (and probably some others I'm not recognizing) in terms of ingredients and method.

I will probably give this a go once my fridge and freezer yield some room.

Great contribution BB!

-- Josh

[joshallen2k]

Oh yeah, where did you find the "mooli radish"? Is this something you can only find at an Indian grocery? Does it go by any other name to your knowledge?

-- Josh

[matt3333]

Oh yeah, where did you find the "mooli radish"? Is this something you can only find at an Indian grocery? Does it go by any other name to your knowledge?

-- Josh

Mooli can be purchased in Tesco ,well I can buy it in our 24hr one, however I've used it and IMHO it made no difference at all.
Matt

[joshallen2k]

Thanks Matt, but unfortunately I'm several thousand miles away from my closest Tesco. 

But I did do some digging, and found this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daikon

I've seen these in my local grocery store in the chinese vegetable section.

So, for anyone outside of the UK, you may find Mooli Radish in your local grocery called a "Daikon".


-- Josh

[Bobby Bhuna]

Members taking "best practice" from each others efforts to build upon and improve the experience of the community as a whole.

BB's base seems to take a bit from the Saffron, the original BE, and the new BE (and probably some others I'm not recognizing) in terms of ingredients and method.

I will probably give this a go once my fridge and freezer yield some room.

Thanks very much Josh! I totally agree that people on the forum trying this and that and reporting back helps us all progress faster!

It does indeed take inspiration from Saffron, and SnS's base June 2008 and BE's original curry house cookery base (if you look at the date on the picture, BE's new base wasn't posted yet ) and ifindforu base (which I think took inspiration from BE's original base). Learning from my own failures, I tried to keep it minimally spiced (4 dsrt spoons total) which I think helps a lot. Also by keeping to the plain and simple rudimentary curry spices, I think the base has a very solid flavour, nothing you wouldn't expect.

The mooli radish does nothing whatsoever for flavour that I can notice. However it really aids the texture in my opinion. I always felt that a BIR madras had more body than the ones I knocked up at home. Saffron did a little for this with the addition of potatoes but I could taste and smell them in it and I didn't like that. I think the mooli adds the body to the base, without affecting the taste and smell. For me it's soley in there for the texure.

This base is no holy grail or anything like that - I don't think they exist. I think many of the bases on this site are up to BIR standard, hopefully this one included. But if your looking for something no nonsense, with a great texture and good standard taste then I promise this base won't disappoint. It's the favourite in my freezer atm, but we'll see what others think.

[JerryM]

inspirational Bobby.

the ajwain needs to be 1 tsp or getting towards it(1/4 is not enough for 8 onion).

i like the addition of coriander but again would add more (all the stems of a bunch)

the oil vol looks pretty good.

the one part of your recipe i've not tried is the green chillies - you've chopped them up and added (no fork puncture) - how did taste and heat work out.

[Bobby Bhuna]

inspirational Bobby.

the ajwain needs to be 1 tsp or getting towards it(1/4 is not enough for 8 onion).

I think you're right - I was a bit scared having never used them before and have heard it said they can dominate the flavour quite easily.

i like the addition of coriander but again would add more (all the stems of a bunch)

That's certainly worth trying. I'll do that next time around.

the one part of your recipe i've not tried is the green chillies - you've chopped them up and added (no fork puncture) - how did taste and heat work out.

That's right. I keep trying to get that green chilli flavour to my curry but have yet to succeed. They hardly add any heat actually. They could probably be left out altogether.

[JerryM]

thanks BB,

how are the resulting curries turning out c/w previous.

very disappointed "gutted" on the chilli comment - i thought this might just get us there (and u've added enough to adequately test for sure)

ajwain seeds - they can dominate the flavour quite easily

this is definitely the case - it's a tricky call to get it right - too much and it's lost (overpowers) - too little lost no taste - get it right and it adds that little something - it's not the last 5% though.

[Bobby Bhuna]

how are the resulting curries turning out c/w previous.

The curries are turning out well. The base tastes just as good as the other good ones we all know IMHO but offers that little something extra as far as texture goes. Even if you don't want to make this base, trying popping a mooli radish in whatever other base your knocking up. That's the only real difference this base offers over the other contendors on this site.

Cheers,

BB.