Topic: What Ingredients are we missing

[Cory Ander]

i have been using an adapted version of the old smelly kd base recently. i really would advise it, as its very close to cooking with the real bir base i once purchased. the texture of the final curry is exactly like a real bir

I know many members started with, and rate, Kris Dhillon's base, but I always found it (and her main curry recipes) distinctly lacking compared to other bases (and main curry recipes) available.  I certainly never found the taste an/or texture to be anything like I've ever had from a BIR.

i also believe it will be more suited to adding half a chef spoon of spice mix per curry. (like real bir do)

But doesn't Kris Dhillon also specify using only small amounts (i.e. a teaspoon or so) of spices in her main curries?  Half a chef's spoon is about 6 teaspoons isn't it?

a tsp of spice mix per curry is all you can get away with , using safron style bases

I think you can "get away with" adding as much, or as little, as you like and find acceptable to your pallate DD

lets face it many members have posted new base recipies in the last year, but they are still closely resembling the safron base

I think that is only correct in so far as the Saffron base, just like other bases here (available before or after the Saffron base) are anyway pretty similar because they have the same origins i.e. some combination of sources like Kris Dhillon, Bruce Edwards, Pat Chapman (etc) and restaurant observations.

Its about time we all realised the safron base is a time waster

I have to say that's a bit harsh DD!  It (and other bases) is quite capable of producing very acceptable BIRlike curries, even if some subtleties may be missing compared with the best.

if none of us are happy with our curry, and we all use safron derivatives, it just illustrates how crap that base is

I think that's simply wrong DD.  I believe many members are happy with their curries.

my local bir would never use it, i know that for sure it would really take the edge off there curries.

How do you "know for sure" DD?

there own base is bland and thin and pukey

I'm sure we shouldn't be aiming for that DD!  :

Nevertheless, I do feel that something is still missing to enable us to reproduce top notch BIR curries.  What specific suggestions do you have for the base then (other than the above statement which, sorry, I find somewhat ludicrous)?

[Cory Ander]

how many very thin unusually bland bases do we have on this site? there is an odd lack of bases which fall into this category. i know of none, and i have tried 8 at least.

I can't think why we would ever wish to produce a curry base which is "unusually bland" DD, other than that being how you (and others) might define what your (their) BIR uses?   

What, otherwise, is the point or rationale for it?  It's like saying a good stock is a tasteless stock which would be, in my opinion, total crap.   

What it might suggest is that some BIRs can produce "stonking curries" without a good/tasty base?

Anyway, what would you suggest regarding making "an unusually bland base" DD?  I can suggest a few things (like boiled and pureed onions, with no, or minimal, other spices, for instance)?

Off topic, I know, but I suppose it begs the question as to why BIRs use a curry base (here:  http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=4029.0) and, particulalry, what constitutes a good curry base (the subject for a new topic?)?  I've also used the term "bland", to describe a curry base, but I think I really mean "subtle"; with no particular taste dominating the others.  For sure it should add something to the taste/smell/texture; otherwise, why bother?

[Cory Ander]

I regard the deep delayed taste/effect of chilli as a success, something to strive for. An initial lip sting tells me the chef doesnt know how to prepare chillies properly or they're using bad quality or strong powder

I agree with that Chinois.  I think it is very easy to get "lip stinging" (just chuck chilli, of whatever type, in) but much harder to get a balance of heat also in the mouth and at the back of the throat.  I believe pepper(corns) and ginger play a part in the latter.

[JerryM]

i'd love to get back on post.

however just in short i made KD1 for yrs before joining the site - i've never made it since. the new version KD2 is the same. don't get me wrong it's a very good base - it's just not up their now with the best.

i also feel the technique to cooking base is equally important as the ingredients.

[Derek Dansak]

CA, i was not endorsing the whole of the kd book. just the base. I too never got on well with the recipies for the curries. But i have been pleasantly suprised with re visiting the base. In conjunction with all the new techniques i have picked up in the last 2 years since first using that book. In retrospect it probably suits my own style of cooking, largely copied from my local bir. namely, adding all the oil at final curry making stage. That could be why it seems to work better for me than safron base. I was possibly being a little harsh about the safron.

[emin-j]

Ive been using the Saffron Base for the past few weeks and find it a very versatile base I make Madras and Korma with excellent results , I would think this is just the sort of base a BIR would use.

[JerryM]

namely, adding all the oil at final curry making stage. That could be why it seems to work better for me than safron base

the saffron base (and for me any/all) don't have to have bags of oil in them - in fact for me less than 10% of the onion wt (ie 100ml in 800g onion) is as much oil as u need to leave in the base.

it would be impossible to cook for me without adding "most" of the oil at final curry frying stage too.

ps DD - given your current preference on the KD1 type of base u should try the CRO2 base - some real learning to be gained from it.

[JerryM]

does anyone know of an existing list of ingredients (other than above).

see the trouble is the search button on this topic don't really help.

there must be some things (ingredient, paste etc) that members used that are not listed.

or is that the list above is - the definitive list of all u need to cook BIR.

[Derek Dansak]

Thanks jerry, any tips from old school members like you are always welcome !

[Mikka1]

So you have to have been here a few years to be taken seriously? 

Jerry.

I did a search on this forum for Black Cumin. Results made up just one page which I found astonishing.  :

This is why I'm still headed towards more traditional methods too. If you are not trying the whole batch of spices, cooking with them, seeing how they interact with other spices and oils how on Earth can you hope to cook a BIR curry?

On the nail Jerry, nice post.