Topic: Base Experiment - Nothing new here

[chowie]

Sorry it's another base, it's no different I've just spent some time reading comments and have made a recipe that I'm going to try, it's a mix of recent bases from this forum and just wanted to see anyones suggestions before I try it this weekend. Highly influenced by currytesters, which is based on Bruce Edwards with additions of Kid Currys, plus users comments.

Have not decided my exact final method yet but was thinking these ingredients;

Onion 2lbs
Carrot 8oz (25%)
Coriander fresh including stalks 1oz
Red Pepper Half (3oz)
Celery 1 sick
Garlic/Ginger Puree 1oz of each (blended first)
Tomatoes 2 medium fresh
Tom Puree 1 heaped tbls
BE Spice mix 4 level tbls (no paprika)
Salt 2 tsp
Chilli Powder 0.5 tsp
Ajowan pinch
Oil 400ml
Water 4.5 pts, plus adding more whilst on simmer

Thoughts appreciated.... What would you change.

[joshallen2k]

Looks similar to the BE, but you've dropped the onions by a third. At the same time you've left of the other weights the same. Not sure if that is a good idea or not.

You might want to reduce the coriander if you're reducing the onion volume. I found 1 oz. to be a lot of coriander, so it will be even more noticeable with your reduced onion volume. Also suggest frying the onions in the oil for a while before adding the water and other ingredients. I found it improved my BE base.

-- Josh

[chowie]

Looks similar to the BE, but you've dropped the onions by a third. At the same time you've left of the other weights the same. Not sure if that is a good idea or not.

You might want to reduce the coriander if you're reducing the onion volume. I found 1 oz. to be a lot of coriander, so it will be even more noticeable with your reduced onion volume. Also suggest frying the onions in the oil for a while before adding the water and other ingredients. I found it improved my BE base.

-- Josh

Yes but as the Currytester base (which was good) only had 1lbs 5 oz, still with 1 oz coriander, so I've increased the onion and decreased the carrot. So really it's a base in between the two.

Will go with frying the onions too, thanks.

[JerryM]

i'd certainly go for lowering the coriander - i've just used 50g in an 800g onion and it's well ott. tastes fine but it just put the base out of balance. i reckon 10 or 15g is more like it for 800g onion.

i'd reduce the celery by at least 1/2 (probably more).

i'd use 1 tsp of the ajwain.

the trouble is for me is i am now convinced (having just made KC's) any of the top bases on the site are spot on. we need to focus elsewhere for the last 5%.

the only other thing i do is to add fragrant spice and remove prior to blending. it adds a different taste for sure but probably not everyone?s cup of tea

[chowie]

Ok, have reduced coriander by about 40%

Celery is already in

Will increase Ajwain

I agree bases here are excellent, there is room for slight improvement and probably always will. been thinking everyone has different tastes but there are some recipes on here that all agree with but not so much a base.

[JerryM]

Chowie,

are u going to continue the cooking after blending - adding water so that u end up with the same vol at the end as u had at blending.

i find this a crucial step and cook for 1 hr. i've not seen much improvement passed the 1 hr mark.

[chowie]

Chowie,

are u going to continue the cooking after blending - adding water so that u end up with the same vol at the end as u had at blending.

i find this a crucial step and cook for 1 hr. i've not seen much improvement passed the 1 hr mark.

Absolutely, I'm about half hour into simmering after blending, have topped up once, I was thinking of simmering longer but already have a lot of oil on top. It's (oil) not has dark as the currytester one and the smells not has good I don't think.

[JerryM]

emm!

i'm sort of in the same ball park.

i love my paprika - for me what makes the red oil (plus a bit of chilli). made my best curries using base with almost just onion, garlic, tom puree and paprika.

since tasting a real BIR base i've switch to yellow oil (ie no paprika in the base spices). it does not taste as good by far. but i'm pretty sure that's how it's needs to be. it's at the frying stage when it gets sort of converted.

the only thing i've not yet confirmed is that the yellow improves (as the red) when it?s recycled into the next base.

[adriandavidb]

I agree with JerryM, my best bases have hardly any carrot and pepper, when I reduced these ingredients the bases started to taste better, and produced better finished dishes, my spices for the base consist of mainly paprika, turmeric and a little spice mix (Bruce Edward's).  I'd bother to write it down, but it's similar to so many others on here!

[chowie]

updates are now here, I'm liking the extra carrot idea, I think that and the extra oil is improving the taste and I have the feeling this helps the moorish factor.

http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3089.0