Topic: curry base

[moonster]

Ham,

2 minutes ago i finished your madras dish(everything to spec). I did not ask for feed back because all i could taste was salt and still can.

saying that i think your base seemed very good as i was cooking it and very much had the aroma of the real deal.

to clarify a few things on your website in your base recipe. it does not state how much or when you add the corriander stalks, also you need to put into gramms how much onion you use as 3 onions in 4 inches in diameter is pretty subjective (btw i used 15g of coriander stalks, 20g of ginger and 600g of onion.

conclusion

lose the salt from the main dish do not add any extra.

as a base it has great potential and I will know more when i make my own regular dishes.

it reminds me of a base sauce of Akbars from bradford!!!

Thanks Ham i will feed back more on this base when i have tried other recipes of this forum.

please try this base members you wont be dissapointed but half the salt in the base

regards

Alan ;D

[Razor]

Hi Moony,

I also found the salt levels too high in the Madras but, I didn't do his base and used mine instead.  Are you also saying that the salt levels are quite high in the base sauce too?

Ray

[moonster]

Hi Ray,

In both probably, the salt level spoilt what i thought was a very good base.

I still believe ham is onto something with his base and i will know better when i do your jalfrezi

too clarify i did everthing to hams spec like i always do for the first time with members recipes even precooking the chicken in the base.

it does need a few tweeks here and there but it really does give the impression of a restraunt base despite the salt levels!!!

I will know better when i do your Jalfrezi mate.

on a side note Hams method does ring true in the fact that you stew the ginger/garlic as opposed to frying in the early stages of the base sauce.

Ray the base ingrediants reminded me so much of yours but i believe the cardamons particuarly the black give that restraunt after taste!!!

the only negative for me was the level of salt

Alan ;D

[Razor]

Hi Alan,

Ray the base ingredients reminded me so much of yours but i believe the cardamons particularly the black give that restaurant after taste!!!

That was my first thought too, that's why I have no problem with trying this base as its almost the same (ingredients wise) as mine.

Just for background, the reason I fry mine initially is to try to get that familiar sweetness in the base without adding sugar.  I doubt very much that the BIR's will fry off their onions in their base.  Could you imagine trying to turn the veggies in one of those big pans?  It would be a nightmare!

I had a Chicken Tikka Madras tonight for my supper ordered, from my fav TA.  Just as I think I'm getting close, my local TA just shows me how far away I really am.

The minute I took the lid off the foil tray, the smell alone, made me realise that I've still a long way to go.  The look of it was so vibrant.  The oil residue around the edge of the foil wasn't red but a wonderful golden colour.  And the taste, well, sweet, savoury, moorish, think of any superlative you can, then apply it to this curry!

Hopefully, Hams base will take us a step closer but we'll see.

Ray

[moonster]

Ray,

I think it has stepped us that bit closer even though i dont want to sound contradictory i was dissapointed with the final dish given the salt levels but you could tell it was a restraunt style base.
 like you say i cant imagine a TA/restraunt  frying off onion/ginger and garlic prior to the stewing.

in previous bases i have prepared before i have used no more than one  black cardamon, but this asked for six even now my home has the aroma of a restraunt curry.

give it a go Ray but lose the salt in the base. I think that you wil be pleased with the outcome.


BTW it does not taste or smell like your base Ray given the subtle change in ingrediants and method.

How this puzzle goes on!!!!


Alan ;D

[Razor]

Hi Al,

Sounds like it's a 'must try'!  I'm all out of base so I'll give this a whirl during the week.

I think the Ham suggests that it will yeild enough base for 5 or 6 curries?  I'll give it a go but if it works out well, I'd like to up scale it to give me at least 10 - 12 curries but that will mean 12 black cardamoms....wow, that sounds like a lot to me, but hey ho, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Ray

[Peripatetic Phil]

I think the Ham suggests that it will yeild enough base for 5 or 6 curries?  I'll give it a go but if it works out well, I'd like to up scale it to give me at least 10 - 12 curries but that will mean 12 black cardamoms....wow, that sounds like a lot to me, but hey ho, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Well, I put one in tonight's curry, but I can't say the effect was dramatic : the addition of the whole spices added what I might call "gracenotes" to the final dish, but none changed its character significantly.  On that basis, you should be safe with 12 BC in 10--12 curries.

** Phil.

[moonster]

Ray,

suprisingly it produces the exact same litreage as your recipe. but takes 2 hours more too produce!!!!

i wouldnt personally double up on the black cardamons.

but i feel that the they have made the singular biggest difference to the base.

Alan ;D

[stevejet66]

Hi all,thankyou for the massive feed back,truley appreciated,yes the salt maybe a bit much, so just leave it out, im the oppersite, i cant taste salt to well but i cant stand sugar, weird i know, all i can say is ust tweek it to suit your taste, i have changed the ingrediants i.e the salt to 1/4 tsp. got to go to work so will try and answer to the more precise weights amd measures i.e onoins/ginger later.
catch you  all soon
thanks again
steve m
tha ham.

[Unclefrank]

Hi ALL,
For the people that have tried this base, does the ghee come through alot in the final dish, i ask because i am not a fan of ghee neither is the other half.
Thanks.