Topic: Members most recent choice of base / curry recipe

[Cory Ander]

Ashoka was lost on me. I really don't think much of it.

The one thing I did think though was that this base was just made for making korma.

I concluded the same about the ashoka base SS.  Not necessarily just for a kormas, maybe, but for the milder, creamier, coconutty dishes, in general (such as korma, pasanda, chicken tikka masala, etc).

Otherwise, I agree with some of the other statements; the better bases are much of a muchness.  Although some seem more appropriate for particular dishes, eg:

- Ashoka (onioney, mildly spiced, coconutty and creamy - probably suit mild, creamy, cocunutty dishes best)
- SnS's (medium spiced, very tomatoey - probably suit medium dishes best, such as madras)
- Bruce Edward's (lightly spiced - probably an all round versatile base)

[SnS]

- SnS's (medium spiced, very tomatoey - probably suit medium dishes best, such as madras)

Certainly not 'very tomatoey' CA  Have you tried it or are you reporting on SS's findings?

[Cory Ander]

What? 

You KNOW I've tried it SnS! 

This is how it stands:

- Ashoka (3% tomatoes as a percent of total "solids")
- Bruce Edward's (12% tomatoes as a percent of total "solids")
- SnS's (18% tomatoes as a percent of total "solids")

So, yes, your base is more tomatoey than the others (by some considerable margin).  This is not a critism, but a statement of fact suggesting it is more suitable for more tomatoey curries (such as madras perhaps)! 

[SnS]

How would I know? I've just been through the postings on the SnS Base and there is nothing from you to suggest that you've tried it.

Are you not confusing this to the original Saffron base which I know you have tried?

BTW: When you calculated the % ingredients, both the Ashoka and BE bases contain either tomato puree or tomato paste, whereas there is none of this in the SnS base .. how did you arrive at such accurate figures for tomato content?

[Cory Ander]

How would I know? I've just been through the postings on the SnS Base and there is nothing from you to suggest that you've tried it

Cos I DID post it...on your ammended one?

Are you not confusing this to the original Saffron base which I know you have tried?

I don't know? I'm referring to the "revised" Saffron version.  Are there more??

BTW: When you calculated the % ingredients, both the Ashoka and BE bases contain either tomato puree or tomato paste, whereas there is none of this in the SnS base .. how did you arrive at such accurate figures for tomato content?

For zero decimal places, I simply calculated the weight percentage of tomatoes (and/or tomato paste) in the total weight of solids (onions, garlic, ginger, pepper, tomatoes, etc).  I thought this would suffice, as a rough indicator, in the first instance.  Crunch your own numbers then, see what you come up with 

[Cory Ander]

OK, I can see that I was referring to the "revised Saffron" base (the one from the restaurant and the one that I've tried?) http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=2271.0 and not your "SnS base" (the one not from the restaurant?) http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=2757.0.

Anyway, I can't see that the quantity of tomatoes is reduced in your latter SnS base? 

In fact, I estimate it to now be about 30%!

[SnS]

In fact, I estimate it to now be about 30%!

Perhaps your maths is not quite what it used to be CA.

The finished base is 2.65 litres (2650 ml)

Amount of tinned tomatoes added is 1 x tin at 400 ml (+ 1 fresh tomato)

400/2650 is 15% - This is a maximum percentage! Tinned tomatoes contain a lot of water which will evaporate (unlike tomato pastes - and to a lesser degree, puree's) so the percentage in 'tomato' terms will be a lot less than 15%.

SnS 

[Bobby Bhuna]

The finished base is 2.65 litres (2650 ml)

Correct me if I'm wrong but I recall reading that CA was working on "solids" and not finished base volume.

On another note, I'm down to the freezer base sauce dregs (trying to rid myself so I can start anew) and used the Ashoka base. God I hate that base. I swear, it's near imposible to knock up a bog standard curry worth eating. Gross.

[SnS]

The finished base is 2.65 litres (2650 ml)

Correct me if I'm wrong but I recall reading that CA was working on "solids" and not finished base volume.

On another note, I'm down to the freezer base sauce dregs (trying to rid myself so I can start anew) and used the Ashoka base. God I hate that base. I swear, it's near imposible to knock up a bog standard curry worth eating. Gross.

That appears to be true Bobby - however my point is that tinned tomatoes are not solids and cannot therefore be compared in percentage terms with tomato puree or tomato pastes used in other bases as these are already condensed.

Anyway - who cares?  ;D I like the 'VERY TOMATOEY' base.

[Bobby Bhuna]

Anyway - who cares?  ;D I like the 'VERY TOMATOEY' base.

I wouldn't say it comes over as particularly tomatoey to me. Besides, I've tried all the main bases on this site several times and still have best results with your June 2008. This is probably because it works so well with a Madras, which is what I make most of the time. It's also perfect for Bhunas.

I very rarely make any of the gay curries ;D anyway, so I don't care how a base works in a Korma etc. As "versatile" a base as I need is one that works for Phall, Vindaloo, Madras, Bhuna and Jalfrezi.