Topic: CA's Curry Base (aka "gravy"/"sauce")

[chriswg]

Hi Cory

It looks good, I'll give it a go once my frozen stash runs out.

You mentioned you are waiting for a breakthrough, do you mean with the base sauce? I really don't think there will be. I think we have got as far as we can with base sauces, if there was a breakthrough to be had, someone would have uncovered it by now. The only difference now between a BIR base and our efforts is the huge size of pot they use to cook it in but I don't see that having a positive impact on the final result.

I believe individuals will have eureka moments that satisfy what they are looking for (e.g. using old chip oil in the base). Only you know what result you want to achieve, I'm 100% happy with my quick base and Madras because that is how my favourite BIR chef cooks them. You've been searching and experimenting longer than probably anyone on this forum so I hope you achieve your personal 100% result soon. Have you ever asked for a kitchen tour or demo at your local? If you order from there a lot I'm sure they will be only too happy to pass on a few tips.

Good luck and thanks again for sharing your recipe.

[Cory Ander]

Hi Chris,

I'd be interested to hear what you think if you give it a go.

Yes, I mean a breakthrough in the curry base.  To my mind, I still think this is where the real BIR magic happens.  I really think the final curry preparation is not complicated enough to account for it.  I know some others agree.  I know some others disagree.

So I feel that the richness, savouriness and depth of flavour that I think is still somewhat lacking in my curries (i.e. all of my curries; from mushroom bhaji, to korma, to phal) stems from something missing from the base.  Please don't get me wrong, I'm probably being very self critical here and my wife, for instance, would think I'm nuts.  But, of course, I know better (not about being nuts but about knowing that something is missing) 

I still can't help but feel that it is something like Haldi's used oil, or stock.

Yes, like several others here, I have spent many hours questioning BIR owners and chefs and have prepared my own curries in their kitchens.  I probably paid too little attention, at the time, or was too p*ssed to bother 

[JerryM]

i've got the base on the go.

made a "boo boo" straight off though - i added the coriander with the rest of the veg - apologies for reading the instructions wrongly.

everything else going ok (making chriswg bhajis using the 4/5 hr wait and CA's tikka). have orders for butter chicken and kashmiri so far.

[JerryM]

have got the base made.

i've somehow got more than the 2L spec (2.8L). consequently it's very thin (thinest i've ever made).

the taste is very good - i'd say top notch. i don't feel it's significantly different to what i've experienced before. the proof of the quality will only show in the cooking though.

there are a couple of areas of difficulty for me.

1) Cooking time - i find that base changes when it's cooked with added water after blending (~1hr). this gives to me what seems like a more moorish taste. i've not cooked for a long time with base that i've not cooked for this extra hr. the only exception being chriswg's curry in a hurry (which tasted pretty good but not as good as my norm bases). consequently it will be very interesting for me if this extra cooking does make a difference or not.
2) Chilli - very minor point but i like to just get a tad of chili into the base (~1 tsp)
3) Reclaimed oil - ignore this if u're not a fan. i added an extra 325ml of oil and reclaimed it before blending. the oil does not taste as good as when the spices are added at the start of cooking.
4) Whole spices - i'm totally sold on their inclusion. i'm undecided whether there is any difference between using a spice ball or tgad2007's oven roasting method (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=2203.70).

i've not told the family of the different base and spice mix being used. it will be interesting to see if they notice. i will make my std madras as a starter to enable me to take a view.

in short at the mo up their with the best but not a break through.

[976bar]

have got the base made.

i've somehow got more than the 2L spec (2.8L). consequently it's very thin (thinest i've ever made).

the taste is very good - i'd say top notch. i don't feel it's significantly different to what i've experienced before. the proof of the quality will only show in the cooking though.

there are a couple of areas of difficulty for me.

1) Cooking time - i find that base changes when it's cooked with added water after blending (~1hr). this gives to me what seems like a more moorish taste. i've not cooked for a long time with base that i've not cooked for this extra hr. the only exception being chriswg's curry in a hurry (which tasted pretty good but not as good as my norm bases). consequently it will be very interesting for me if this extra cooking does make a difference or not.
2) Chilli - very minor point but i like to just get a tad of chili into the base (~1 tsp)
3) Reclaimed oil - ignore this if u're not a fan. i added an extra 325ml of oil and reclaimed it before blending. the oil does not taste as good as when the spices are added at the start of cooking.
4) Whole spices - i'm totally sold on their inclusion. i'm undecided whether there is any difference between using a spice ball or tgad2007's oven roasting method (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=2203.70).

i've not told the family of the different base and spice mix being used. it will be interesting to see if they notice. i will make my std madras as a starter to enable me to take a view.

in short at the mo up their with the best but not a break through.

Hi Jerry,

I like you like to add a bit of chilli to my base sauce as well. I'm going to give this a go early next week too

[emin-j]

Sounds a nice simple recipe CA , will give it a go when my sNs base runs out.
I think your right when you say the overall flavour of the finished Curry is down to the Base , I remember the words of the Chef at my favourite T/A when he said ' if the base isn't right the Curry wont be ' .
I have also found that a Base with minimal ingredients can produce a cracking Curry ( as in the Base at our T/A ) .

[PaulP]

Hi JerryM,

Looking forward to your opinions on this base - could be the next one to try for me.

Do you rate the reclaimed oil? - I guess you use it for the stage 2 final cooking.

One thing struck me about adding excess oil then removing most of it for reclaim - many of the flavour components from the spices dissolve in oil rather than water so I wondered if adding excess oil then removing it would weaken the spicyness of the remaining base. I suppose if you cook later on with the reclaimed oil you are then putting these flavours back into the curry.

Just one more thing - how long do you keep the reclaimed oil?

Cheers,

Paul.

[Cory Ander]

One thing struck me about adding excess oil then removing most of it for reclaim - many of the flavour components from the spices dissolve in oil rather than water so I wondered if adding excess oil then removing it would weaken the spicyness of the remaining base. I suppose if you cook later on with the reclaimed oil you are then putting these flavours back into the curry

I share that concern PaulP.  As you say, the oil carries the flavours of the spices.  Adding more oil and removing it is very likely to remove much of that spice flavour from the base.  You won't necessarily recover all of it in the cooking of the final curry either since you might be using a smaller proportion of it.

I figure if you're going to reclaim the oil from the base then you probably need to add more spices to the base.

[976bar]

One thing struck me about adding excess oil then removing most of it for reclaim - many of the flavour components from the spices dissolve in oil rather than water so I wondered if adding excess oil then removing it would weaken the spicyness of the remaining base. I suppose if you cook later on with the reclaimed oil you are then putting these flavours back into the curry

I share that concern PaulP.  As you say, the oil carries the flavours of the spices.  Adding more oil and removing it is very likely to remove much of that spice flavour from the base.  You won't necessarily recover all of it in the cooking of the final curry either since you might be using a smaller proportion of it.

I figure if you're going to reclaim the oil from the base then you probably need to add more spices to the base.

Hi Cory,

I think you're right there, but I think that adding too many spices to the base could also ruin it.

What about adding a spice mixture to the reclaimed oil? As long as the oil is heated up just like preparing a curry, then frying a spice mixture in it, ensure it is evenly mixed and allowed to cool before bottling it?

Just a suggestion......

[Cory Ander]

I think you're right on both counts 976bar ("hallelujah!", he cried!  ).

I've tried exactly that (i.e. separately frying spices, etc, in oil).  I didn't have a great deal of success, but it's probably something I need to revisit.  There is a thread on it here:  http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3295.0

I also have found that adding too much oil to the base makes it...umm....oily.

I'm surprised that Jerry managed to reclaim that oil after only 1 hour of gentle simmering.