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

[Cory Ander]

For me, this is the best base on the site.

Hi BB,

Glad to hear that you are still having such good results with my curry base 

Like Josh, I too would like to understand if you have deviated from the recipe at all?

I would also appreciate your view on whether the tomato is "excessive" (as SS so "eloquently" puts it)?  Of course, you could always cut back on the amount of tomato if you felt this was the case.....

The only thing I've recently done to it is to double up the quantities with no discernible detriment.

[Bobby Bhuna]

Question - do you use the CA spice mix as per spec? In the finished curries as well?

Hey Josh!

Answer - sometimes. It's one of a few spice mixes I have kicking around. I used it recently and got great results. I had all the correct powdered spices in and used measuring spoons, so my batch will have been spot on.

Cheers

BB

[Bobby Bhuna]

I'm surprised to hear you say that Bobby as it clearly has an excess of tomato. I actually rate this base quite highly but prefer Bruce edwards' as his is similar but lacks the tomatoeyness.

I assume you mean in comparison with other bases on the site? Which B.E. base are you referring to? I really liked his most recent one but did feel that the blending of the raw garlic / ginger in cold water just makes it too harsh (others have disagreed with this, but I think it?s so strong that you can smell the difference from an open frozen tub of base). Perhaps I'll revisit the B.E. base. On that note, we've not heard from him in a while.

[Bobby Bhuna]

Like Josh, I too would like to understand if you have deviated from the recipe at all?

As I say, sometimes I like to do my own thing. At the weekend I followed your recipe style fairly loosely. I used standard sunflower oil from the bottle, 2 large cloves of garlic chopped finely, 1 tbsp finely chopped onion, 1 tbsp finely chopped capsicum, 1 tbsp tomato puree watered down, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp of your spice mix, 1 tsp Rajah medium Madras, a portion of pre cooked lamb, and however much base I felt was needed to get the right consistency. I popped in some finely chopped coriander before serving. It was just stunning.

[Secret Santa]

Which B.E. base are you referring to? I really liked his most recent one

That's the one Bobby!

This tomatoeyness of the base is clearly down to personal preference as many rate SnS' base highly, while for me it is no different to a can of tomato soup with a hint of spiciness.

My ideal falls toward the no tomato base, although I always use some, as I believe this makes the base more versatile.

[Bobby Bhuna]

This tomatoeyness of the base is clearly down to personal preference as many rate SnS' base highly, while for me it is no different to a can of tomato soup with a hint of spiciness.

It's funny that you should say that because SnS' June 2008 base is my second favourite. I obviously like the tomatoes!

My ideal falls toward the no tomato base, although I always use some, as I believe this makes the base more versatile.

Sorry SS but I can't get my head around this. Do you mean that a no tomato base is better for some of your favourite curries but that it doesn't sit so well with different curries that you're less passionate about, whereas a base with tomatoes will do the job for your favourites (not quite as well as the zero tomato base, but still to a high standard) as well as the other curries you eat less often?

Cheers

BB

[Cory Ander]

sometimes. It's one of a few spice mixes I have kicking around. I used it recently and got great results. I had all the correct powdered spices in and used measuring spoons, so my batch will have been spot on.

Sorry Bobby, I'm not clear, do you use my spice mix/masala to make my curry base?

It seems to me that several others have tried my curry base, and commented on it, but they haven't used my spice mix/masala to make it.  Nothing wrong with that, but the end result is bound to be different (for better or for worse).

I think it's important to be very clear on any deviations to recipes when commenting on them (not least of all, for the benefit of others who may try to reproduce the result)

[Secret Santa]

[Sorry SS but I can't get my head around this. Do you mean that a no tomato base is better for some of your favourite curries but that it doesn't sit so well with different curries that you're less passionate about, whereas a base with tomatoes will do the job for your favourites (not quite as well as the zero tomato base, but still to a high standard) as well as the other curries you eat less often?

Bobby it really comes down to the old adage 'you can always add it in but, once it's in, you can't take it out!'. So I just prefer a base light on the tomato and then I can add different amounts of tomao paste in the curry making depending on the type of curry.

For instance, and I know some will think the opposite, a madras for me should be tomatoey and a vindaloo should not (or at least much less so). If I used SnS' base, for example, this would not be achievable.

[Razor]

Hi SS,

For instance, and I know some will think the opposite, a madras for me should be tomatoey and a vindaloo should not (or at least much less so).

Again, I think this comes down to regional variances.  I agree with your analogy of Madras and Vindaloo, and I would add garlicky to vindaloo, but up here in the dirty north, certainly around Manchester, a Rogan Josh on most menus is described as a medium to hot dish, cooked with fresh spices and peppers in a rich tomato sauce.  I had a Rogan josh, in Kitts Green, nr Brum, a good few years back, and the only tomato I could detect, was a couple of wedges briefly fried before serving, and not really tomatoey at all!

Incidentally, I did SnS's base a while back, and I think I said at the time that it reminded me of a mildly spiced tomato soup? much more tomatoey than any of the other bases that I've tried, even my own which contains a full 400g tin of tomatoes.

Ray

[Secret Santa]

I would add garlicky to vindaloo...

Definitely, but not vinegary!