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

[Unclefrank]

Hi Tolns i peel onions then weigh them and i top and tail carrots then weigh and for the peppers they are deseeded.

[Tolns]

Many thanks for the steer Unclefrank. Appreciate it !

[Cory Ander]

Hi - I'm a newbie on here so be gentle if I'm asking the bleeding obvious.....

I want to try this recipe but I'd like to know please whether the original quantities stated are before or after peeling (i.e Onions and carrot) and whether the red or green pepper are deseeded ?

No worries, Toln, all questions are good ones!

As UF says, all are peeled (i.e. the onions, garlic, ginger and carrot), cored (i.e. the tomato and capsicum) and de-seeded (i.e. the capsicum) weights.

Good luck with your trials and please let us know how you get on 

[bmouthboyo]

I'm sorry if this has been asked before, I did see this discussed a while ago when browsing but can't find it now and the site seems very slow when loading pages.

I only have double concentrated puree that comes in a tube, I assumed this is stronger than paste and so instead of adding 40g i added 20g, however on CA's Ceylon recipe it states "1tbs tomato paste (diluted to a puree with 3 tbsp water)" implying that paste is stronger?

Have I added the correct amount? I could still add it now as its not yet blended

thanks

[Peripatetic Phil]

I only have double concentrated puree that comes in a tube, I assumed this is stronger than paste and so instead of adding 40g i added 20g, however on CA's Ceylon recipe it states "1tbs tomato paste (diluted to a puree with 3 tbsp water)" implying that paste is stronger?

I would be inclined to assume that any recipe on this forum that calls for tomato paste or tomato puree assumes that you will use the commonly available double-concentrate stuff that comes in a tube unless it explicitly states otherwise.  The real problem comes when a recipe says something like "1 tbsp tomato puree (diluted with 1tbsp water)", because it is never clear whether the author meant "dilute before measure" or "measure before dilute".

** Phil.

[bmouthboyo]

Bugger after rea reading this topic and finding the discussion regarding paste and puree I came to the conclusion that CA at least takes paste to be about 3 times stronger than puree.

Hence I just added more puree to bring the total I added to 120g of double concentrated puree.

Have I shagged it CA?

[bmouthboyo]

Sorry for the post Blitz but wanted to share my first attempt.

I followed the recipe to a T apart from 3 slight deviations

• I used 120g of Double Concentration Pur?e
• I only had TRS "Hot Madras Curry Powder"
• My scales are not digital so possibly slightly inaccurate

Raw ingredients:


In the Pan Prior to cooking:


After cooking just before blending:


Finished:


First Impressions
Not too complicated which was my main concern moving from KD base to one from this forum. Readily available ingredients after making up CA's Spice mix.
I do not think the "Hot" Madras Curry Powder will have too drastic an effect as it is such a small quantity. Slighty concerned about the amount of Double Concentration pur?e I added, but I read around and from what I could gather on page 19 the general view from CA is that you need between 3 and 4 times the amount of puree compared to stated paste.

It tastes very pleasant, almost like a tomato / curry soup. Quite different from KD base's I often made.

Texture I would say is relatively thick, almost consistency of a soup. It made 2Litres exactly which I portioned up to roughly 5 400ml containers.

Thanks CA will let you know how first curry goes

[Wickerman]

Looking good,bmouthboyo.
Let us know how you got on.

[Cory Ander]

I'm sorry if this has been asked before, I did see this discussed a while ago when browsing but can't find it now and the site seems very slow when loading pages.

I only have double concentrated puree that comes in a tube, I assumed this is stronger than paste and so instead of adding 40g i added 20g, however on CA's Ceylon recipe it states "1tbs tomato paste (diluted to a puree with 3 tbsp water)" implying that paste is stronger?

Have I added the correct amount? I could still add it now as its not yet blended

thanks

Hi BMB,

Sorry my reply is too late!

I use 40g of double or triple concentrated tomato paste (Leggo's, or similar) that I mentioned earlier in this thread:

http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3772.msg37751#msg37751

Your base will be quite tomatoey then!  Maybe go easy on adding more in your final curries (or skip it altogether and just add base in its place?)

[Cory Ander]

The real problem comes when a recipe says something like "1 tbsp tomato puree (diluted with 1tbsp water)", because it is never clear whether the author meant "dilute before measure" or "measure before dilute".

Just to clarify: when I specify "1 tbsp tomato paste (diluted to a puree with 3 tbsp water)" in a recipe, I mean "take 1 tbsp of tomato paste and dilute it by adding 3 tbsp of water"