Thanks,Unclebuck,Bod68,Parker21,CoryAnder and everyone else who have commented.The
variation including the tandoori masala and the tomato paste account for the red/brown colour and I am sure now it was CA's version I followed. For such a small contribution to this site this little idea caused a lot of trouble and interesting to see again some people here dismiss it without trying it.
It could be regional variation that helped people to turn away from it or the time to cook it and I now remember the 90 minutes of stirring it after it got to the bread dough stage but hey in my case it made all the difference. Many who had a go with me actually burned it and understandably didn't have another go for fear of yet another wasted 90 minutes.
The smell of it coming out of the ice cube tray was fantastic even a year later.
It was called the "Secret Ingredient" it came into our awareness, it caused a real load of controversy and it disappeared as fast as it came. It has not been found in recipes here once Andy and those who followed him left. I don't know if it is used on the site he started but I absolutely know that in my 30 year search for the perfect BIR copy it made a significant difference and precisely because it did I came looking for it again and asked for your help.
I realise that risking 90 minutes of constant care and attention to what on the face of it seems such an insignificant thing seems just too much for some but I would welcome some of us having a go and comparing notes.
I made the version that came back to me a couple of weeks ago from another post but it was the one without the tandoori paste and tomato paste, it turned out a light green colour but does have remnants of the smell of the one I made at the time of the controversy.
I intend to make CA's version later this week and will use the one above with my curries tonight.
Thanks for contributing to this for me, I will report back in due course.