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

[JerryM]

No. it's very different to msg.

i find the rajah very salty though. i would buy TRS or East End next.

it tastes on wet finger dip very nice.

ingredients listed: salt, mustard flour, paprika, black pepper, flavour enhancer, sugar, onion powder, garlic, herb, spice extract, celery

the closest i can describe is as a veg stock granule.

[adriandavidb]

No. it's very different to msg.


ingredients listed: salt, mustard flour, paprika, black pepper, flavour enhancer, sugar, onion powder, garlic, herb, spice extract, celery

the closest i can describe is as a veg stock granule.

That's on of the reasons I put a stick of celery in my base Jerry!  It's a componant of most vegtable stocks; what's base but a thick vegtable stock?

[adriandavidb]

All this talk of adding garlic powder and ginger powder, dopes sound a little like doubling back toward Pat Chapman :

What the heck, I'll go and give that a try too

[Cory Ander]

ingredients listed: salt, mustard flour, paprika, black pepper, flavour enhancer, sugar, onion powder, garlic, herb, spice extract, celery

The "flavour enhancer" will be the MSG 976bar (I got it right this time  ).

[Cory Ander]

All this talk of adding garlic powder and ginger powder, dopes sound a little like doubling back toward Pat Chapman :

What the heck, I'll go and give that a try too

They do add a different dimension to using fresh garlic and ginger DD (as does using powdered versus fresh versus dried fenugreek).  I use it in my masala (aka spice mix) because of it.  I'm not certain that BIRs use it regularly though, I admit

[Cory Ander]

That's on of the reasons I put a stick of celery in my base Jerry!  It's a componant of most vegtable stocks; what's base but a thick vegtable stock?

When you boil it down to the absolute basics, a curry base is little more than an onion puree with some other things (including minimal spices) chucked in.  But the onions (by far the biggest percentage) is paramount.

I agree that celery (fresh or otherwise) can add a savouriness to it though.

[JerryM]

adriandavidb,

i've tried celery before in base (ronnoc's). i'm not a celery fan but i must admit ronnoc's base had some real promise and i think the celery played a big part. i never got round to revisiting it. i'd say that now being totally happy with the 3 bases i make regular i don't feel a need for it. clearly down to personal taste buds (similar to the methi).

Secret Santa,

i tried the addition of APS last night - i was well impressed. i added it into CA's aka minus the methi. it would have been a 1 off portion in the full spec (i actually added 1/2 tsp having only 1/2 of the full spec amount of 15 units).

it worked very well in the madras and i would make it std for me. i could not really taste any difference in the 976bar kashmiri. i also made ashoka pathia for the 1st time but although i don't know for sure i think it would have helped.

in short i'm sold. i would add as a pinch at frying stage as i don't think certain dishes would benefit (ie cream & coconut). i also felt thirsty overnight just like when i've had TA. the msg must have come into play. for this reason i would have a big dilemma - taste or sleep. easy for weekend meals not so work days.

many thanks to Secret Santa. i think this together with CA's garlic/ginger powder has sorted my seasoning search. i feel recipe refinement in terms of ingredient and proportion is now my sole focus. 

[joshallen2k]

I tried this base today. I made it to spec (including the CA spice mix), but with the following tweaks:

- Used 50% fresh oil, and 50% CA's spiced oil
- Used red onions and red capsicum (just for a change)

The base turned out great, without anything being very different to other bases I have mode (on the surface at least). It was noticeably redder than even the SnS base, but that was to be expected with the red onion and capsicum. Consistency was comparable to the SnS and BE.

I made two curries: a korma, and CK's Bhuna, just for a bit of variety so I could judge the versatility. I didn't use any oil with the korma (used the CBM BIR technique). It turned out just as good as usual. But the Bhuna - wow! For this I used about 5 tbsp of the spiced oil to start, and right after adding the peppers and onions the kitchen smelled like a curry house.

The finished Bhuna was amazing, no doubt one of the best dishes to come out of my kitchen. The oil made a big difference. The smell was amazing. I partially attribute that to the big pinch of methi used in the final curry.

I need to try the oil/base with a Madras to develop a definite conclusion, but I believe this is a step forward for me.

-- Josh

[Cory Ander]

But the Bhuna - wow! For this I used about 5 tbsp of the spiced oil to start, and right after adding the peppers and onions the kitchen smelled like a curry house.

The finished Bhuna was amazing, no doubt one of the best dishes to come out of my kitchen. The oil made a big difference. The smell was amazing. I partially attribute that to the big pinch of methi used in the final curry

Hi Josh,

Thanks for trying my curry base recipe (and my spiced oil recipe) and posting your findings Josh

I'm not too clear what it is you're attributing the "wow!" to, for the Bhuna, Josh?  Is it:

- the curry base, or
- the spiced oil, or
- the Bhuna recipe, and/or
- the big pinch of methi?

I need to try the oil/base with a Madras to develop a definite conclusion, but I believe this is a step forward for me

You might have noticed that I have also posted my Chicken Madras recipe now (here: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3830.msg34732#msg34732). 

It would be great if you could use this to "develop your definite conclusion".  I'd love to hear your opinion? 

[joshallen2k]

Hi CA,

I'm not too clear what it is you're attributing the "wow!" to, for the Bhuna, Josh?  Is it:

- the curry base, or
- the spiced oil, or
- the Bhuna recipe, and/or
- the big pinch of methi?

I guess that's why I said I need to try it on something else. To be honest, I think it was a combination of the above. Today is Thanksgiving in Canada. I don't think I'd hear the end of it if I decided to make a Madras today. Besides, we have family coming over and my house STILL smells like a curry house.  ;D

-- Josh