Topic: What is a good base meant to taste like?

[Secret Santa]

the BIR's and TA's keep theirs on a slow simmer all night, meaning that the base is developing all the time.

By 'all night' I assume you mean during opening hours rather than literally all through the night Ray? If so that's been a topic of conversation several times over the years and it's a good point.

Have you ever anecdotally heard of, or indeed experienced, the phenomenon of getting a better curry at the end of the night than at the start? Coincidence?

Perhaps there's some merit in simmering any base for four or five hours?

[Malc.]

With the quality of the recipes that can be found on here, I don't think i'd ever succumb to cooking out a base stock for 5 hours. I am happy to submit to the fact i'll never produce an identical curry to my BIR.

I have been toying with an idea about getting extra flavour into the base. It also kills two birds with one stone. I looked at some pre-cooked chicken in the fridge at the IG and it looked as though it had been cooked in a liquid similar to the base. This lead me to thinking, why not pre-cook some chicken and lamb for that matter, in the base once its been blended. It will certainly add flavour to the base and will impart a good flavour to the pre-cooked meat as well. Given the quantity of base made I could cook alot of meat to freeze as well.

Has this been discussed before?

[Domi]

Have you ever anecdotally heard of, or indeed experienced, the phenomenon of getting a better curry at the end of the night than at the start? Coincidence?

I have to say I've always thought so...if we're having a takeaway we always leave it till around 10pm to order it simply because of that reason.

[Razor]

Hi SS,

Yes I have seen it with my own eyes in my local TA which is very good BTW.  They have an open kitchen, very clean and well run, and there is always a massive pan of base very very gently simmering away during the night's service (not overnight  ;D).  I have also seen them with what looks like a large plastic ghee tub, full of cold base, taken out of the fridge, and poured into the pan of base.

So they must top up also, for a busy nights service?

And I always order late, 10/11pm usually, and yes, I do believe that the curry tastes better than an early ordered dish

Ray

[JerryM]

Axe,

cooking chicken in base is done and does work. the ashoka recipe for marinated chicken is very good starting point. i would not cook chicken in the main base pot though. i've tried adding chicken stock to base and it takes for me further away from BIR.

http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3189.0
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3189.msg28438#msg28438

[Malc.]

Thanks for the links Jerry, it will make for a good read.

[CurryOnRegardless]

Curries always taste better late on because

a) the base has had longer to marinate.

b) you (if you're anything like me) have had longer to marinate, in some booze!

Cheers (hic)
CoR

[Malc.]

b) you (if you're anything like me) have had longer to marinate, in some booze!

Now you see I truly believe that no matter how hard we try, this really is the missing secret ingredient. 

[Domi]

Curries always taste better late on because

a) the base has had longer to marinate.

b) you (if you're anything like me) have had longer to marinate, in some booze!

Cheers (hic)
CoR

;D piss head anything tastes nicer when you're ratted...that's how those burger vans make their money....