Topic: opinions required on my base sauce

[Cory Ander]

have noticed on here that most sauces call for the spices to be added 5 mins or so before the end is there any benefit to this as i have always added mine at the beginning

Hi DM,

I think the advantage (if there is one) is probably that the spices retain more of their flavour if they are added towards the end of cooking (and therefore haven't had the crap..and flavour...boiled out of them).  On the other hand, boiling them for longer makes the flavours more diffuse and subtle, which is no bad thing.

As far as your base recipe is concerned, there seems to me to be to be too few onions (I'd up them to 2 - 3kg) for the quantity of other ingredients there.  And maybe too little oil (I'd increase it to 500ml or so if you also up the onions).

Personally, I wouldn't fry any ingredients first (but others would disgree).  I'd just chuck them all in a pot, add the water, boil them for an hour or two, then blend them until smooth.

How do you find it anyway?

[Derek Dansak]

In my opinion, A good bir madras does not include any potatoe flavor. If you add potatoe to the base then how can you arrive at a true bir madras. Answer: you can't. At least this is what a bir chef taught me during some lessons. His curries are superb, yours i have not tried, so i am inclined to believe him more than you. When i stopped adding potatoe to my base everything else improved. sorry if this pisses anyone off, but thats what my taste buds reported back. Its also what a very good bir chef taught me. try it, you wont be disapointed. if you are, then go back to your old potatoe habits. 

[SnS]

Sorry but your statement regarding use of potato is rubbish. 

Your statement is rubbish (and no, I'm not sorry).   ;D

Yes, we all know you're never sorry SS - and we all know you're against potatoes being used in the base ...

... however they certainly do not clash with some spices as suggested (which was my point) ... unless of course you know different ... in which case why do so many restaurants and TA's still use them?

I've been told (from reliable 'chef' sources), that potatoes were very often used in the 70's/80's bases (together with chicken stock), which may or may not help in producing that distinctive taste that some here would love to reproduce (including you SS)......

SnS 

[SnS]

In my opinion, A good bir madras does not include any potatoe flavor. If you add potatoe to the base then how can you arrive at a true bir madras. Answer: you can't. At least this is what a bir chef taught me during some lessons. His curries are superb, yours i have not tried, so i am inclined to believe him more than you. When i stopped adding potatoe to my base everything else improved. sorry if this pisses anyone off, but thats what my taste buds reported back. Its also what a very good bir chef taught me. try it, you wont be disapointed. if you are, then go back to your old potatoe habits. 

Derek

2 or 3 small salad potatoes included in a base of some 3 litres (or more) is not going to make the base, Madras curry or any other curry taste of potatoes is it?  :
SnS 

[Derek Dansak]

I am only trying to make suggestions on improving this base on what i was kindly shown by a bir chef. As with most things on this site, i am sure there is no true right or wrong approach. I used potatoe in my base for 6 months. now i don't. In my vindaloo a like the potato flavor, so i add 3 small pre boiled potatoes to the dish just before the base goes in. Hope this helps. I like the flexibility of this approach. And lets face it, a good base should be as flexible as possible. Ok thats enough of my ranting for one afternoon   

[SnS]

I am only trying to make suggestions on improving this base on what i was kindly shown by a bir chef.

Derek

I'm sure you are and it's always nice to share any information we can get from BIR chefs.

I suppose the real point I'm making is that the base ingredients will vary between chefs and we cannot rule out the use of potatoes based on one or two chefs' opinions.

The Saffron base which contains potato, was also demonstrated to me by a BIR chef, so it can't be wrong. I know of at least 5 other BIR chefs that have in the past, or still do, add spuds to the base - so we cannot dismiss it as an ingredient - nor should we dismiss the possible use of any other vegetable (even the Mooli radish).

SnS 

[dirtymull]

to ca
cant get the hang of the quote feature?
but i have always found it quite decent i have tried a few others bruce edwards,khris dillon few ebay kits etc not really much difference in taste but texture is certainly differant (i do like them pretty thick). anything i have tried though is certainly missing something for me the best taste i can manage is  like a happy hour bir curry in a cheap restaraunt at best (5 courses ?5.99)
i am now out of frozen sauces so hoping to try a few off the site any recommendations on something that can stop my having to go to the star of asia twice a week lol
as this guys south Indian garlic chillie lamb tikka is the finest i have tasted

[Bobby Bhuna]

this guys south Indian garlic chillie lamb tikka is the finest i have tasted

and that's why you should continue to go. There's nothing like a great BIR curry to keep your curry chef skill level self rating realistic and for the most part modest! I think I'm the man, then one great BIR later, it's melancholy!

[adriandavidb]

Where is that BIR dirtymull?

[dirtymull]

Where is that BIR dirtymull?

ocean rd south tyneside mate too much competition 2 sides of street nothing but curry houses for a mile
have seen as low as ?4.95 rice,starter,side,nan,pickles,popadomms,lager,ice cream