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

[cargoeng]

Hi CA
Not long home (Merchant Navy), and finally managed to break my base gravy cherry.  Your recipe was very easy to follow, the results were excellent, silky smooth.
Managed to get 8 portions from this batch, which are currently freezing.  Yet to decide which of the fabulous recipes on here I'll use as my first BIR base gravy curry - can't wait.
Photo doesn't do the gravy justice, needless to say it wasn't that 'orange'.

[RubyDoo]

Hi CA
Not long home (Merchant Navy), and finally managed to break my base gravy cherry.  Your recipe was very easy to follow, the results were excellent, silky smooth.
Managed to get 8 portions from this batch, which are currently freezing.  Yet to decide which of the fabulous recipes on here I'll use as my first BIR base gravy curry - can't wait.
Photo doesn't do the gravy justice, needless to say it wasn't that 'orange'.

Can I recommend the CA chicken Ceylon?  Did it the other night. V nice. Although i use C2G base. Pics in curry pics bit.

[Unclefrank]

The Jalfrezi is my favourite by far it's an excellent recipe try it, then post pics.
Also the Dhansak with the Taarka Dhal in the thread is just wonderful.

Jalfrezi link
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,3877.0.html

Dhansak link
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,3869.0.html

Use CA base with the recipes.

[Phall_Me_Up]

Greetings fellow curry lover!

I'm brand spanking new to this site & as my name suggests, I love a good phall, (I eat no other curry unless tasting a friend's or family member's to then ridicule them on it's 'mildness!') However, having tried endless different recipes from a plethora of online sources I've never even come close to reproducing that elusive BIR phall experience in the comfort of my own kitchen.

I've browsed through a few recipes so far on this site & have but a couple of questions for you, tailored specifically to phall physics!

The first:
Is this particular curry base recipe the best possible one to use for a phall & if not could you please advise on one?

And the second:
When you mention the term 'spice mix,' does that consist of specific brands of spices or is there any room for adjustment when taking their availability into consideration?

I'm already intrigued by your obvious culinary capabilities & will wait as patiently as possible for your response with my mouth watering, hoping I don't run out of saliva before too long! 

Thanks in advance,
Phall_Me_Up   ;D ;D ;D

[goncalo]

When you mention the term 'spice mix,' does that consist of specific brands of spices or is there any room for adjustment when taking their availability into consideration?

Welcome Phall_me_up! The spice mix recipe for phal is here:
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,3765.msg34202.html#msg34202

If you are trying to figure out whether, say, schwartz turmeric vs rajah turmeric is important, I don't think the underlying brand is important, but then again I have not really tried to find the differences (though tried both schwartz and rajah turmeric powder and I noticed no differences taste or smell wise)

[spiceyokooko]

Is this particular curry base recipe the best possible one to use for a phall & if not could you please advise on one?

As far as I'm concerned (and I'm sure there are some here who may disagree) pretty much all base gravies are generic and much of a muchness. They're all pretty much made with the same basic ingredients and in the same way. They do vary of course, but the variations are not significant.

Having said that, until you get used to spicing, it's best to stick with one persons base gravy and the corresponding main dishes that go with it. CA's base and corresponding dishes are all good and work well together and as such represent a very good point to start from.

When you mention the term 'spice mix,' does that consist of specific brands of spices or is there any room for adjustment when taking their availability into consideration?

That depends on what you mean by adjustment and availability. Can you substitute coriander for turmeric? No. Can you substitute Rajah's Turmeric for West End's? Yes. Is Rajah's paprika the same as Shwartz's? Who knows, maybe, maybe not, it depends what country it comes from, whether it's hot or sweet and whether it's smoked or not. Is one brands chilli powder the equivalent of another's? Probably not, there's many varieties of chilli peppers out there it depends entirely on which ones they've used.

As you can see this question depends almost entirely on context and what particular spice you're talking about.

[Peripatetic Phil]

When you mention the term 'spice mix,' does that consist of specific brands of spices or is there any room for adjustment when taking their availability into consideration?

I am not entirely convinced that the answers given so far really address PMU's question.  CA wrote "3 heaped tsp spice mix" and following that link we read :

This is my masala (aka 'spice mix" or "mix powder" or "curry powder") that I have been using for sometime now.  It is based on the basic spices that I personally like in a curry.  I use it in my curry base and in my main curries:

Ingredients:

    4 tbsp tumeric powder
    3 tbsp coriander powder (ground seeds is best)
    3 tbsp sweet paprika powder
    2 tbsp cumin powder (ground seeds is best)
    1 tbsp garlic powder
    1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (crushed/rubbed using fingers)
    0.5 tsp ginger powder
    0.5 tsp cardamon powder
    0.5 tsp fenugreek powder

so /if/ I understand PMU's question correctly, (a) no, no specific brands are specified, but (b) the ingredients, and their proportions, are, and there is no room for variability/adjustment here if some are not available.  That is not to suggest that omitting something that is simply unavailable, or substituting something "similar" for it, will not lead to an acceptable spice mix -- it well may -- but it won't be CA's spice mix, it will be something else (your spices mix, to be precise).

** Phil.

[spiceyokooko]

I am not entirely convinced that the answers given so far really address PMU's question.

That depends on what you mean by adjustment and availability.

[Phall_Me_Up]

Hi again!

Thanks to all who have responded to my questions so far, I've taken all advice into account & many thanks to gagomes for the phall spice mix link - much appreciated!

Just to clarify, what I meant by 'adjustment & availability' was aimed purely at the spice brands themselves & not quantities as I fully understand the necessity of implementing the correct ratio of proportioning & was just curious if different brands offer different or substantial end results to which you have all addressed & given helpful answers to.

My only concern for whether the brands used play a crucial factor within the recipe is due to the fact that I'll be moving over to France soon & I'm not entirely sure what's on offer over there in the way of spice brands at present!

Is one brands chilli powder the equivalent of another's? Probably not, there's many varieties of chilli peppers out there it depends entirely on which ones they've used.

I do, from past experiences, also believe that certain brands of chilli powder itself do vary in the flavour & quite obviously the spice levels that they give to dishes & agree entirely with spiceyokooko's comment with regards to this.

Anyway, thanks once again for the help guys & I'll look forward to cooking what I hope will be a tasty 'BIR' style phall in the near future & will post my results once I've achieved perfection!

I shall also be intrigued to see the reaction of my French friends when they try a 'proper English BIR style curry' as one of my friends & I went out for an Indian meal last year whilst I was over there & long story short - it was terrible!!  What was supposed to be a vindaloo tasted nothing like one that even I've cooked in the past let alone a BIR vindaloo - the chicken was dry & tough & the sauce was far too concentrated & even sickening if I'm honest so if they're used to that then I hope to have one heck of a surprise up my sleeve for them heh heh!

 ;D ;D ;D

[fried]

Where are you moving to in France?