Topic: The Base sauce from my teacher

[chilli head]

From the guy that taught me to cook Indian food the base sauce recipe from his restaurant in Greece.Some details are missing but i will give it a go.
 recipe,
     1 tin toms
     1/2 kg red onions
     4 cloves garlic
     2 carrots
     1 stick celery
     1 inch square bit of ginger
     1/2 cup veg oil
     2 heaped d spoons curry powder
     2 dessert spoons tom puree
     3 " " "    " " " Worcester sauce
     1 " " "    " " " garam masala
 method
     cut veg up place in sauce pan and boil When cooked set a side. Heat up the oil in a pan add the curry powder when bubble's come to serface add tom puree and cook for 2 Min's then add it to sauce pan bring to boil again then allow to cool add the Worcester sauce and garam masala then blend
  Sorry did not get the water content in sauce pan but i would say just enough to cover veg,But you could all so use chicken stock in stead of water i think.
 This is the recipe that came back with my in laws that went out there this week and ask my ex boss for it.I have not try this yet but he made very nice meals.
It seems very different to most base sauces ive seen or have you hard of this one before?
 I will try it when i get the chance.
              Andy

[JerryM]

Andy,

the Ashoka chef i think had a preference at home to use red onion (not commercially viable).

the worcester sauce addition is something i've not seen before. i do add it sometimes to madras curry sauce though.

i have used celery before and could never make my mind up (i don't think it needs much - more of a suttle taste for me).

i'll sit on the fence for a while as i have your base along with 3 others to revisit.

it's what i would call "complex" spicing which makes it interesting against your "simple" spice version (and for me needs bottoming - which is best of does it not matter)

[chilli head]

 hi Jerry                                                                            I will experiment with a small amount then make a meal when i get chance.
Andy

[Derek Dansak]

hi chilly head. are there any more insights you could share from your time in the greek restaurant kitchen. sounds like a cool experience. cheers dd.

[parker21]

hi kris dhillon states on her curry secret website that adding worcester sauce to the base sauce can improve the base. it did come up when i posted about it last year or earlier this year. it may have been when we found out about the new book coming out1
regards
gary

[chilli head]

It seem to me that there is no perfect base you must find your own personal choice and work on it till you are happy with it and never change it again LOL ;D But as Ive said  before we are all looking for that something that we think is missing So experiment we all do
I find that the one i use now not the one with Worcester sauce works well for me.
 Andy

[JerryM]

there is no perfect base you must find your own personal choice and work on it till you are happy with it and never change it again

my aim for defo.

[Derek Dansak]

way too much time has been spent on endless base optimizations on this site. i too am guilty of this  ;D. i have tasted the real base at my local bir 3 times now. some weeks when they are low on supplies, it is just a plain veg stock. other weeks it is more elaborate. however they always produce a good curry with even the plainest of bases. they work their magic, and the taste off the underlying base is not really noticable. the texture is still there. i know this as i purchased a madras and a tub of their real base one night. and compared the 2. its odd as they add about a quarter of a chefs spoon of spice mix to each curry. about 2 tbs. shocking amounts ! 

[chilli head]

I remember using a large serving type spoon and just guessing the amount of garama masala or cumin maybe its a madras so a little more chili powder etc but nothing is measured exactly as i said before i think this is because you are all ways looking for that slight difference that seems to make it taste that bit better the only thing you need to get close not spot on is the base sauce mix and texture and i think as i my base the texture is the important bit slightly thick.
   Andy

[JerryM]

its odd as they add about a quarter of a chefs spoon of spice mix to each curry. about 2 tbs. shocking amounts ! 

my chef spoon is 4 tbsp and use 2 tsp per portion so the above sits well with me - i would add that their base must have minimal "simple" spicing which i'm coming around to. (having navigated the optimisation globe the long way round).