Topic: best curry base on the site / "the curry house" base

[fourmations]

hi all

Im a noob

What in general opinion is the best base here?

Has anyone used the one off thecurryhouse.co.uk
any thoughts? - its the only one i've used

regards

[Curry King]

Hi,

There are 3 or 4 bases on here that are all worth trying, I don't think there's a "best one" as such.

Heres a few:

http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=279.0

http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3.0

http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=179.0

Try a couple and see which one you have more success with.

[steve e]

Bruceys,
Here goes, made a bruce Edwards base sauce left to stand over night,while that was going on
marinated four fresh chicken breasts cut into strips lengthways in Pasco mild tikka paste(excellent
trust me).
Ok here goes chicken tikka masala,
heated 2 tbs oil high heat
added 2 tbs garlic puree fry 30 sec
added2 tsp tomato puree fry 30 sec
added 1 tsp curry powder mild
added 1 3/4 tsp turmeric
added 1 1/4 tsp cumin
added 2 tsp coriander
added 1tsp salt
added1/2 tsp fenugreek leaf
added 1/2 tsp chili powder (heat for all the family)
red food colouring( I know, but if its not THAT colour they won`t eat it)
all above in the pan at same time fry for a futher 30-40 secs
add 1 ladle of base sauce evaporate off
add 1 futher ladle bring to simmer

meanwhile oven on highest temp chicken in baking tray in foil covered cook for 15 mins uncover for last 5-10 mins cut into small pieces save oil in foil to add to curry sauce,(taste the chicken tikka mmmmm).

ok back to sauce
1 ladle of base sauce
add 1 tbl spoon ground almonds
small slice creamed coconut
2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
add chicken and juices simmer gently 5 mins
take off heat pour on 1-2 tbl spoon of kwik save simply evaporated skimmed milk
sprinkle of fresh coriander leaf
enjoy
Steve e

[raygraham]

Cheers Steve,

I have been playing with Bruce Edwards base myself this week. I do rate this guy's recipes and your Chicken Tikka Masala sounds ace. I will try your idea of adding Chicken Tikka to the sauce. A lot of my take-outs do dishes using Tikka'd Chicken/Meat and they are much tastier. I think it is also a way for restaurants to produce moist chicken and meat etc by using the tandoori oven. You can put some hot barbeque charcoals in a baking tray at the base of a very hot oven for an effect near that of a Tandoor. Just make sure you leave a door and window open for the smoke and let the local fire brigade know the shortest route to your house!! Joking aside I have tried it and it does work! It creates far higher temperatures than your oven can produce.
The idea of the evaporated milk isn't so strange either as many asians use this as it is always on sale in their shops. I used to eat "Carnation" milk as a child on tinned fruit........yum!
Single cream is an option.

Looking at the recipe, almonds, coconut, sugar, evaporated milk isn't it very sweet or does it balance with the Lemon? I know Bruce Edwards doesn't like using lemon very much either. One or two recipes I have made uses Lime Juice instead. Chicken Tikka Masala is for me one of the easiest and most authentic of all dishes to creat. Seems to be very consistent each time and a good old standby when the guests turn up! Thanks for the tips, appreciated!

Ray

[Mark J]

I do rate this guy's recipes and your Chicken Tikka Masala sounds ace.

Its quite similar to mine, to my mind creamed coconut is the key ingredient.

I remember when I started out on this lark solely armed with Kris Dhillon's curry secret, I read the book and it all just slotted into place, made total sense this had to be it. I made the base and then with trepidation made KD's CTM, it was nothing like! Then eventually I tried adding creamed coconut to it and bingo!

 

[blade1212]

Have you tried the coconut in any other final dish ? Does it give these dishes the extra push towards the taste ?

[Mark J]

I dont think it is linked to the taste, my firm belief is that 'the taste' is onion, I am trying caramelised onion in a curry tonight

[blade1212]

Good luck - I've been doing that for a while and thinks it makes a difference, but not the final step either.

[steve e]

Hi Ray,
In answer to " does it make it sweet" strangely no it doesn`t and this is from someone who has
no sweet tooth whatsoever.On to the caramelised onion theme,yes i think there is a marked difference using these in the base sauce and also when required in the finished dish,as for
choice of onion all i can say is mine are bought from local asian store ?1 for 5kg quality varies
everytime but its where the local takeaways shop so who knows.I still firmly believe in comments from earlier threads "keep it simple, dont overspice and make subtle changes until you hopefully find
what you consider to be "the taste".This is a great site with a lot of hard work being done by its members,I am sure we will crack it in the end.As for the tandoori tip.........she would have my guts for garters lol.
Good luck
Steve

[Mark J]

The reason I think onion is the key (in some form) is that I have sat in my BIR on many occasions analysing that smell and taste and always come to the conclusion it is predominantly onion