Topic: Bobby Bhunas latest base sauce goings on

[Bobby Bhuna]

I tell you what, they've certainly got the BIR "smell"!!! ;D

[adriandavidb]

Hi JerryM

The corry stalks: I put them in if I've got them, but don't worry too much if I have not!  It's thought to be one of the flavours that 'cook-out' anyway so it's proabably not crucial at that stage.  I alaways stick some in at the end of the final dish preparation 'though.

The garlic/ginger ratio I use has come about by careful experiment, it's done to my palate here of course, but I have found the ginger to be too dominant in the past.  In fact I started a 'bitterness in base sauces' thread a while back only to sheepishly discover that it was too much ginger that was making by bases bitter, and nothing to do with the onion, derrr! 

I take your point about cardomom, some does get in, because it's a constituant of garam masala.  I don't like too much cardomom, it remains me of the flavours I got making 'Madur Jafery' style food years ago.  It was all very nice but, I was really after a BIR taste.  Having said that I use Cardomom in my pilau rice, but tend to stear clear of too much of it in most dishes.

Celery: others may have tried it here independantly, but I first got the idea from my wife who suggested it.  Onion, carrot, garlic go into BIR, but also into  mexican and mediteranian grub as well.  But the later two styles often incorporate celery as well.   Also celery is regularly used as a constituant of vegetable stocks.  It's one of those flavours that don't seem to dominate, but seems to subtly enhance the other flavours present.  I appreciate that assumptions like that don't always come-off, but I really think it works!

As for the whole chicken stock business, I am personaly CERTAIN it makes a big difference.  A couple of base batches back I didn't use any, and BOY was there something missing from the currys I made as a result.  I had to make a separate batch of stock, reduce it in volume by boiling done, and freezing it in ice-cube trays, so I could add it back whilst preparing each dish, without swomping the curry.
The really important thing about this stock is: 1) using home made, not nasty salty cubes, & 2) the resulting falovour is not concentrated enough to make the finsihed dishes taste noticibly of chicken.  It acts a a general flavour enhancer (I keep mentioning those, don't I!); in rather the same way as it works in chinese food.  The fact that I use a carcass from the previous evening's roast chicken dinner, I think prevents an 'over-the-top' level of "chickenyness".

I know it's impractical, but I still think it would be brill if we could all get together with dishes we've prepared, I think we'ed all learn so much off each other.  That would probably account for the missing 5%!!

I've got to the stage were I'm pretty happy with some of by efforts, madras included.  It's not quite as good as the very best I've tried 'up-north', but I believe my attempts are better than any of my local BIRs.  I hope that does not sound too conceited, but maybe all my locals are crap!

[adriandavidb]

Bobby, sorry about all this, I don't want to give the impression that I'm hijacking your thread!

[Bobby Bhuna]

 ;D

No problem atall buddy!

[JerryM]

Bobby,

me too (sorry for the extra posts).

Adrian,

agree 100% on all u say except the chicken stock. i think this now must be down to regional variation. currytester is also sold on it. i'm 100% confident that chicken stock is not in the curry's i've been brought up on - only on taste having made CT's base. i've no other info. i will ask at my fav restaurant when next in the midlands though to be sure.

best wishes ps i too like the meeting up and part of my interest in the advanced cooking course.

[haldi]

How is that you get to see so many BIR goings on? I never have any luck.

I pester the life out of them!!
I keep taking samples of base and ask "what do you think of that?"
I tell them I'm not happy with it
I also spend a lot of time chatting about cooking.
Sometimes the conversation drifts onto other things.
I think they show me their cooking, because they feel unthreatened and sorry for me
All the people I have met have been really lovely people, I consider tham now as friends.
Only once have I been completely unaccepted.
That was in Helston, Cornwall.
The owner/chef was really protective against his "cooking secrets"
I don't think there is one of us, who would stop buying curries if we could do it at home.
We all know how much trouble the preparation is.
For me, it's the knowledge of "how" they do it, that's important.
It's the thrill of solving the mystery, and the satisfaction of knowing I can cook a 100% BIR meal.
No BIR chef cooks BIR at home either
Only their wives cook

[Secret Santa]

I don't think there is one of us, who would stop buying curries if we could do it at home.

Unfortunately haldi I already have stopped buying curries and not because I make them at home. It's because, at least in my experience, they are all now third rate slop. Either that or I'm in the curry desert of the UK. I suppose I need to hope for a curry mirage that takes me back to when there was a real pleasure in eating them.

[adriandavidb]

I don't think there is one of us, who would stop buying curries if we could do it at home.

Unfortunately haldi I already have stopped buying curries and not because I make them at home. It's because, at least in my experience, they are all now third rate slop. Either that or I'm in the curry desert of the UK. I suppose I need to hope for a curry mirage that takes me back to when there was a real pleasure in eating them.

I agree, I still buy the occasional BIR curry, but not as often now. My curry is usually better, however that has more to do with a reduction in quality of all the BIRs close to me in the last 20 years, rather than my efforts being objectively fantastic.

[JerryM]

Secret Santa,

they are all now third rate slop

working on the myth's at mo and this one was eloquently timed on the pre 90's stuff.

this certainly hit's home a little for me too. i find it ever increasing the gap between the good and the rest and more and more difficult to find out the good. i think  some regions are worse affected than others but have no thoughts as to why.

[Bod68]

When your in South of France and have 2 BIR (STYLE) restaurants within 75km I can't be TOO choosy, hence this site is a breath of fresh air