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

[JerryM]

CA,

your teasing me. the my take is of course your take as i've been taught by a good master.

by spectrum i meant that i started out exactly where u say CRO2 "onion only" and copied a few things that i rate from other bases (rajver, saffron, ashoka & ifindforu). in short no tomato but coconut and marg etc.

ps i'm sold on the mix powder (minus the methi). i've also adopted Secret Santa's idea of a pinch of APS too.

[Cory Ander]

JerryM,

And you're confusing me!   

Your take on my take and your take is a little different than my take on your take and my take then!  ;D

It seems we both took the same starting point and, thereafter, took widely different courses then!  Nothing wrong with that! 

[JerryM]

CA,

exactly it.

ps for info i now find that with any of the bases that i rate (inc the AKA) the finished dish is not that different. this surprises me a little. just to be clear there is a discernible difference when tasting the base itself but it ends up not a big deal overall.

[Secret Santa]

ps i'm sold on the mix powder (minus the methi).

That's weird you know Jerry!

For me the one thing that gets me closer to BIR flavour is the use of methi. I've seen it in use on both the East restaurant feed and Malik's, and in quite large amounts too.

I've also seen it (but not actually being used) in a couple of kitchens I managed to get into.

Soooo...why on earth aren't you using it? My experiences tell me that it's used more often than not in BIRs.

[JerryM]

Secret Santa,

i totally agree - it's very weird.

i do agree it is used widely in BIR's.

for some reason i just don't like the taste it brings. i've tried several ways of using over time as recommended on the site but all end up with this overtone.

i can live with it in small amounts. i may revisit it in the future - at the mo it's not a priority (and a long way down the list).

i think/believe it is the main ingredient in the BIR's that i don't like. for example i've tried curry in Bradford (3 times in think) and expected it to be real good - i just did not like it. the same has put me off going to rusholme (it's not in all restaurants there but i feel most).

the taste does not come through in BIR's from Birmingham or in most of my local area. it does in some balti's though. it also varies from dish to dish.

it could be that i'm using too much. i think last go was 1/4 tsp. in short it seems to spoil what is a very good result (the garlic & ginger in the mix along with the APS sorting my "seasoning" needs).

best wishes

[adriandavidb]

[quote author=JerryM link=topic=3772.msg35673#msg35673 date=1258356271
i think/believe it is the main ingredient in the BIR's that i don't like. for example i've tried curry in Bradford (3 times in think) and expected it to be real good - i just did not like it. the same has put me off going to rusholme (it's not in all restaurants there but i feel most).
[/quote]

I grind my dried methi into a fine green powder (a la Chris Dillon), and use a lev  qtr tps (measuring spoon), per 450ml of base in my madras.  Contrary to what some think is best, I fry-it-in with the spice mix right at the begining.   have you dried doing that way Jerry?  Added near the end it can be bitter.

I agree with SS, whilst not the full answer, it gets me nearer BIR than any other individual thing.

regards

[Panpot]

Ive noticed it being used in The Ashoka and my local TA back in Glasgow as its open plan and a pinch is thrown in towards the beginning in both cases. PP

[JerryM]

thanks all - honest i'm not loosing any sleep on the methi front.

i have tried adding with the mix powder, after spice frying ie just before base and in with base. i even tried adriandavidb's prompt on grinding the stuff.

the only thing on my mind at the mo is chilli sauce (for madras) and getting some huge "jalfrezi" chillies i saw on my last shopping treat.

[emin-j]

JerryM , Chili Sauce  I think your wandering off the BIR track a bit there  Ive watched a few Chef's cook a Madras Curry now and they have only used what we all ' normally ' use including about 1/4 tsp of dried Methi usually put in right at the start of cooking ( just as the oil gets hot ).

[joshallen2k]

Jerry - others have said it, but I have to say it again.

Methi is key to the BIR taste, in the savoury curries at least - madras, vindaloo, bhuna, jalfrezi...

I inadvertently ran out once, and the Madras I made noticeably did not have the depth of flavour and the BIR smell was diminished.

Have you confirmed that the takeaways you frequent do NOT use it? I have a hard time with that one.

I don't bother with a fine grind, just a crumple in the fingers as I put it in the pan.

Have you done a side-by-side with and without methi?

I can understand if you simply have an "incompatibility" with methi, but in which case, you are striving for a different taste than most.

-- Josh