Topic: Base sauce taste

[Ring of Fire]

Hey

Just a query - made a batch of base following Darth's recipie and it's crap. Tastes like a really bad pea and ham soup without the ham. Not impressed. What did I do wrong? What is it supposed to taste like?

[Unclebuck]

Hey

Just a query - made a batch of base following Darth's recipie and it's crap. Tastes like a really bad pea and ham soup without the ham. Not impressed. What did I do wrong? What is it supposed to taste like?

not heard of that before its not ment to taste that nice to be fair..  not till youve made the main dish with it anyway.

[chriswg]

The base I make tastes pretty gross. It is very thick, spicy and ever so salty. I don't think you did anything wrong, just finish off making the curry then decide how good it tastes.

[Cory Ander]

Tastes like a really bad pea and ham soup without the ham.

.....and without the peas too perhaps? 

[Ring of Fire]

Ok thanks - that's comforting anyway. The next stage (either a Dopiaza or a Dhansak) will follow later this week. I'll advise as and when

[Cory Ander]

I can't agree that the base alone "is not meant to taste that nice" or that it is "pretty gross".

If this is the case, I suggest you ditch it and start again or try another base.

The base (being a base) should be pretty nondescript (as in mild tasting and subtly flavoured) but should nevertheless taste pleasant enough in its own right...otherwise this "grossness" will show through in the final curries.

[chriswg]

Not necessarily. My base is very condensed and needs to be watered down at the curry cooking stage. As it stands, it is too spicy and salty - once it is watered down sufficiently it tastes lovely.

[billycat]

cant agree with that either

why would you water it down !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[joshallen2k]

Agree with Billycat.

Reducing down the curry (incorporating a thin base sauce) I think is one of the key to a good curry.

Try it both ways - a) reducing down a thin based curry; and b) watering up a think based curry - and I think you will see a notable difference.

[Cory Ander]

My base is very condensed and needs to be watered down at the curry cooking stage

I'm not sure why your base would be in a very condensed form Chris?  Which base recipe are you using?  Surely the base should be ready to use, as is?  I will add a little water to it if it has inadvertently become too thick.

Anyways, my recollection is that Darth's base certainly doesn't taste "crap" on its own.  Like most other reasonable bases, it tastes like a mild curry flavoured vegetable/oniony soup.  If it tastes crap (like pea and ham soup?  ), perhaps something has gone wrong in its preparation.