Topic: Base sauce taste

[chriswg]

Hi CA

I have just posted my base - http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3720.0

I'm sure you will have plenty of reasons to slate it, but I would much prefer if you could try it first and let me know if you have any constructive criticism. Not everyone has the time or equipment to make a huge batch of base, or the storage space to freeze it.

I think this recipe will appeal to a lot of people as you only need 1 frying pan, 1 blender and about 45 minutes to cook a delicious curry.

[Cory Ander]

Ring of Fire,

I don't know what your experience is with bases and typical BIR cooking techniques, but I should also probably state that you shouldn't expect the base alone to taste like you would expect the final curry to taste (it is simply the foundations of the curry, if you like).

I am still somewhat perplexed by your rather forceful first contribution ('it's crap) to cr0 though...

[George]

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.

I agree. Dath's base tasted like a "mild curry flavoured vegetable/oniony soup" when I made it.  I can't relate to the OP's comments at all. Perhaps he can't follow a recipe, doesn't have enough cooking experience to do little more than boil an egg, is just plain rude, or perhaps the whole thing is just a wind-up.

[Ring of Fire]

Hey

I'm not suggesting the recipie itself is flawed - my comment was directed at the end result of my attempt at the base. Although never having tried cooking a curry from the ground up I suspect this batch is not worth continuing with, hence my query as to what a base is supposed to taste like.

@ George - I assumed it was a simple enough question and didn't think anyone would read any more into it than that. In fact most people appear not to have done.

[JerryM]

Ring of Fire,

Dath's is one base i've never tried. i did pick it out in the early days but somehow never got round to it.

in terms of what a base should taste of is a very difficult question to answer - they all taste  different. the important things is that they pass a threshold. when they do the difference in the final curry is not that significant and is affected more by what goes in and what is done at frying/cooking stage.

i have no help to offer on how to measure "threshold". it's very clear once u've cooked a curry with a base that does not pass muster though. for me u have to make several bases and u soon get a feel for it. for me the threshold means that the base is in balance with nothing standing out yet it has a depth of spice. it's almost a finished curry but not quite there. it should taste good and be quite thin in terms that there is excess water in it (this evaporates at the frying stage). u should be able to see a lot of texture in in though at the same time. the closest comparison in normal cooking is a thin soup.

i would start with BE's base. it's pretty good. not tier 1 but there is much learning there.

links: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=2815
, http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3074.0;topicseen


if u have specific questions just say. after BE i would go for something like saffron/SnS2008/Admins, then say the ashoka. that sort of tour would give u a very good appreciation of what makes a good base and more importantly what u're personal preferences are eg i like fresh coriander and coconut and add it to all bases.

as for u're existing batch - just knock up a curry and see how it tastes - all part of learning this tricky game. the cooking part for me is at least 50% of the jig saw.

[Ring of Fire]

Well, I had a go at a dansak (dhansak?) based on dazkimber's recipie. Didn't end up as a particularly good dinner but at least it was edible. For me anyway. The wife didn't like it at all.

At a guess I'd say next time I'd miss the pineapple juice and use only half the mango chutney as it was way too sweet for my taste overall. Certainly needs more in the "sour" department.

The base sauce, the taste of which I thought was not particularly encouraging, kinda disappeared into the general concoction with no ill effects. I have a fair amount of the base left so I'll have another go and see if I can improve.