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

[Razor]

Hi Fi5H,

I soaked the chicken in water overnight and 15 mins before cooking soaked it in lemon juice and it was mouth watering.

Intersting tip, one I may give a go.

Just one question, does the chicken give up a lot of water in the final curry?  Don't suppose that it would be a problem if it did, as you could simply cook it off I guess?

Ray

[Fi5H]

Hi Razor,
Yes it did give off more water making the sauce thinner, I tried to get the chicken as tender as possible and didnt want to cook it any longer than i needed to so i cheated and added a little cornflower.. next time i will be making my base a little thicker.

Andy

[Cory Ander]

FiSH,

I don't think you need to add (nor should you be adding) cornflour to your (BIR) curries!  Nor do you need to make the base thicker.  Rather, if you curry is too runny, simply boil it, for a few minutes, until you have the desired consistency.  Or add less base (and add a little at a time).

[Fi5H]

hi cory,

I made another batch of your base yesterday, I nearly filled the pot with onions chopped in half, just threw in the vegetables with no exact amount, increased the oil and spices slightly, filled the pot to just underneath the onions and cooked for 90 mins, let it go cold, then reboiled it for 30 mins, cooled it down and blended it... I just made a jalfrazi with it and it was really good.. Ive started on the slippery slope of experimentation lol 

[Cory Ander]

I made another batch of your base yesterday, I nearly filled the pot with onions chopped in half, just threw in the vegetables with no exact amount, increased the oil and spices slightly...

Hi FiSH,

With respect, in which case, it is no longer my base (which states specific amounts for all ingredients).

Whilst experimentation is great, I feel that the general approach you've outlined above would make it difficult (or well nigh impossible) to deliver consistent and reproducible results.

I know that some will say "but this is how BIR chefs do it...they measure nothing and just seem to chuck it all in", but, they do it day in and day out and probably become quite consistent in what they do.  Even so, we all know that their curries can differ quite dramatically from day to day too....is it any wonder?

My advice is to measure any variables that are practically measurable (weights and volumes, for example).  This is the only real way to produce consistent and reproducible results, in my opinion.

[Bobby Bhuna]

measure any variables that are practically measurable (weights and volumes, for example).  This is the only real way to produce consistent and reproducible results, in my opinion.

Hear hear!

[solarsplace]

Hi CA

In your recipe, you specifically specify brown onions.

I was wondering why this is, and if you have tried the recipe with other onions such as Spanish onions?

I have a hunch, that some of my favorite restaurants are using Spanish onions in their bases, mainly because of the sweetness in some base that I acquired from one of my favorite TA's, but this of course could be a load of rubbish.

Your base being the main one I cook - is probably the best choice for a comparison project.

Thanks

[Cory Ander]

Hi SP,

I specify common all garden "brown onions" in my recipe because I don't believe it really matters much which onions you use. 

Perhaps using other onions (e.g. white, Spanish, red, etc) might have a subtle effect on taste and sweetness, but I've never really found that.  Others may disagree?

So I suggest you use whatever onions are readily available and cheapest.

[Bod68]

Going to try this today m8 Hoping its as good as it looks. Thanks for all your hard work!

[Bod68]

Sorry for the long delay... Was excellent! Going to try another recipe with the base tomorrow