Topic: I couldn't believe my eyes

[joshallen2k]

He really is quite proud of his base

Hey Axe - any luck getting in to get some more recipes from IG, considering the success  that was gleaned from the bhajis?

[Razor]

Chris,

I saw the same thing at Zaffrons except his were chopped onions rather than whole. He had a tool like a crowbar for stirring them.

I assume this is purely down to the scale that they are making. If you tripled your recipe the onions would be overflowing. Its amazing how much they reduce down too.

I suppose you could triple the recipe but unless you have a big enough pan, you won't get enough liquid/water in there.  I'm thinking, make sure that the onion are over flowing, with the lid sat on top, and increase the spicing, perhaps double to start with, and increase on the next batch, if needed?

Domi,

Dip's base pot was like that too, Bezzer

Yeah, I noticed that in his video but when I first saw it, I thought that they would separate the quantity into two pots but, after seeing it with my own eyes now, obviously this is the way that they do it.

Ray

[Malc.]

Josh,

I do hope to go back to IG for more insightful demo's but work and family commitments make it very hard to at the moment. I will do my very best to get back for the base.

Ray, I am not sure that simply increasing the amount of ingredients you cook will really make any difference in a domestic kitchen environment. If the balance of ingredients is right compared to a BIR base, then simply doubling up will not change anythign really.

In my mind, the main difference is the size of the pot they use. Once the base is cooked, it will hold it's residual heat for a very long time compared to a domestic saucepan large or not. So perhaps the infact, we should be cooking base not for 2 hours but for 4 maybe for example?

[Razor]

Hi Axe,

No, I think you misunderstand me mate, what I'm suggesting, is increasing the amount of onions from 1 kg, to maybe 3kg.  Only increase the spicing in small increments, if it needs increasing at all.

What I'm basically saying is, I'm not sure that we are getting enough onions into our base's.  It's only a theory but, judging by what I've seen with my own eyes, I think it would be worth giving it a go.

Ray

[Malc.]

Ray, yes I think I have, it was the doubling up in your last comment that threw me, sorry 'bout that.

My suggestion would be to increase the amount of onion and keep the spice level the same. That way it is easier to measure the success or failure as you'll be keeping one constant and varying just the onion.

 

[George]

Ray, I am not sure that simply increasing the amount of ingredients you cook will really make any difference in a domestic kitchen environment. If the balance of ingredients is right compared to a BIR base, then simply doubling up will not change anythign really.

I agree. Many of the alternative suggestions in this thread simply don't make scientific or common sense!

[Razor]

Hi George,

I agree. Many of the alternative suggestions in this thread simply don't make scientific or common sense!

Would you care to elaborate George? 

Judging by what I saw with my own eyes, increasing the onions in such proportions that they will overflow the pot makes a great deal of common sense to me.  The beauty of trying this method is that any of us can give it a go, irrespective of the size of our pots!  As long as the onions come at least an inch above the top of the pot, then onion to volume ratio should be there or there abouts.

The next stage would be to settle on the level of spicing and liquid to add.  Again, no big deal.  If the base wasn't spiced enough to your liking, you simply increase the spicing at the main dish stage, and then increase it on your next batch of base!

Ray

[Razor]

Guys,

I went and bought a 14ltr pot today from my local Asian Supermarket, ?19.

I've got the base on the go and I have used 4kg of onion, and it barely reached halfway up the side.  At a guess then, the pot that I mentioned at the beginning of thread, must of contained at least 18kg of onions.

No wonder they have them boiling away for 3-4 hrs

Ray

[joshallen2k]

Good stuff Ray. Very curious if there's any discernable difference when making base closer to restaurant quantities.

-- Josh

[Razor]

Hi Josh,

To be honest, I was so excited at havin a massive new pot, that I didn't really follow my own recipe for the base.  I added green pepper and carrot, just because I had them in and the onions looked a little lonely in there on their own, lol.

I also forgot to add any oil at the beginning, and didn't add it until I'd blended the onions.  The base came out fine though, and does have a curry taste to it, so it should be good in the final dish.  I hope so, I've got 8ltrs of the stuff in the fridge and the missus is goin on one coz there's no room for owt else, lol

Ray ;D