Topic: Dipuraja's Curry Base Gravy

[JerryM]

All we have to do now is replace the pastes with decent ingredients and add a bit of fine tuning and weve cracked it.

totally agree

[Secret Santa]

Well i must admit it makes a bloody good curry... i did have to reduce them both down quite a lot to get a strong enough flavour

peter are you sure the success of this one isn't just down to the reduction? This is standard technique for me with any base and I find that it definitely improves the overall flavour.

[Secret Santa]

The point I'm making with this is, If it needs a red pepper, then why doesn't he state 'Red Pepper' in the ingredients list, as we all know it has a significantly different taste to green, and thus, must effect the final taste?

You often see base recipes where they state half a red OR green pepper! I have to agree they don't have the same effect but, most of the bases I've seen made actually include both and I don't think the difference is all that great in the finished base.

[peterandjen]

It could be SS, with this base anyway, my usual base doesn't need as much reduction.
But dont forget a Balti has a lot more flavour than a standard chicken curry, hence its thicker.
Im with jerrym also about the fact that im surprised about how much spices dip used, i never use this much usually. Thing is it works here.
Its a bit weird really. You'd think it would be over spiced.
Im thinking that once the spices are fried they reach maximum flavour, and then with further cooking/simmereing/boiling they actually mellow out. Its something i have noticed before with bases, the longer you cook them the more subtle the spiceiness.
The trade off being you have to boil away the rawness of your bonions, and at the same time make sure your spices reach the right level of flavouring at the right time.

[Razor]

Hi SS

The point I'm making with this is, If it needs a red pepper, then why doesn't he state 'Red Pepper' in the ingredients list, as we all know it has a significantly different taste to green, and thus, must effect the final taste?

You often see base recipes where they state half a red OR green pepper! I have to agree they don't have the same effect but, most of the bases I've seen made actually include both and I don't think the difference is all that great in the finished base.

And I would agree SS about the peppers but the amounts that DPR has given us, are to make 5 portions of base.  His ladle looks exactly the same as mine 200ml, and he uses a ladle and half in each dish =1.5 litres of base.  I think that anything you put in or, leave out of such a small base, would make for a noticeable difference! especially if green peppers (bitter) or red peppers (sweet) are added or omitted.

Same thing about the overspicing.  Jerry says he got 10 portions out of this base, but it is only meant to give you 5?  So no, Jerry's won't be overspiced.  I do believe Jerry usually uses about 300ml of base per dish, so, he must have ended up with 3 litres of base, and it's that, that I'm struggling with.  I made it to spec, and added enough water to give me 5 portions.  The result was an overspiced base, and subsequently, an over spiced final dish

[Malc.]

I think your spot on with the changes in recipe having a greater effect on a smaller volume being made. An extra spoonful in BIR stock pot is not going to be that noticeable as the change in ratio of ingredient to liquid remains virtually unchanged. In our saucepans at home though, that same spoonful will have a much larger impact on the flavour as the ratio of ingredient to liquid will be changed significantly. So too can be said for the use of green or red pepper and even a tomato.

The one thing that we must consider though, is that DPR suggests to us that this recipe will produce 5 portions typically. Looking at DPR's style, he uses alot of base per portion which is not what I would do. So making this recipe, I would expect to get more portions from it, as I would naturally use less. Of course watering it down too much will obviously dilute the flavours.

[JerryM]

Razor,

i did end up with 3L or just over of base. i use 300ml per portion plus 75ml when i hot fry the spices.

the base was thinner than i'm used to and even with my burner found i was waiting a little longer than normal.

i do think there is something in this - low spiced very thin base combined with heavy spice at dish frying. myself the same as perterandjen was amazed that 1 tbsp of spice worked. i intend to use 1 tbsp mix powder when i next make a base i know to see what happens.

[Domi]

I had to bin my base been sick as a dog all week (shurrup before ya start!) Gonna make another this week though but I do think either the base should be heavily spiced and lighter spicing used in the final dish or vice versa...light bases and light spiced final dish just doesn't do it for me...

[Secret Santa]

I do think either the base should be heavily spiced and lighter spicing used in the final dish or vice versa...light bases and light spiced final dish just doesn't do it for me...

What determines the base spicing for me is that it's going to be the only spicing in a BIR style korma. So the base spicing should be just sufficient to create a good korma.

[Razor]

I do think either the base should be heavily spiced and lighter spicing used in the final dish or vice versa...light bases and light spiced final dish just doesn't do it for me...

What determines the base spicing for me is that it's going to be the only spicing in a BIR style korma. So the base spicing should be just sufficient to create a good korma.

I was just going to say, the base has to be mildly spiced , IMO, if it is to be versatile enough to make the milder curries.

I had to bin my base  been sick as a dog all week

OOOO, it wasn't coz of the base was it

Ray