Topic: Base sauce, so many to go at?

[spadge]

Let me start by saying I am no curry wizard! and my skills are limited although I'm not totally useless- been trying for around 5 years so know a tiny little bit 
Thing is when I make a base sauce I generally do enough for 8-10 dishes, a lot to waste if it goes wrong! To give you an idea of my knowledge I only learnt the other week that garlic goes bitter if overcooked- doh! wondered what it was!
 Now this might seem obvious to you but what id like to know is their an allround universal sauce recipe that can be used for a korma to a vindaloo? or say a masala to a vindaloo?
Think my favourite curries tend to be tomato based so a really good base to suit that taste would be nice.
Is their a base sauce that lots of you can agree on - tried and tested?
Please don't post loads of options to recipes for base sauces, just your absolute favourite that has done the test of time.
Might get shot for saying the Kris Dhilon one was not for me? Is it really any good? as it may just have been down to my cooking (lack of) skills.

Cheers Spadge

[PaulP]

Hi again Spadge,

Yes burnt garlic tastes awful and the bitter flavour dominates and ruins the curry.
Better to undercook it if in doubt, until you can get it just right.

For a detailed set of recipes and a matching base sauce you could do worse than using CAs (Cory Ander) recipes as they are very well documented and a lot of people seem to like them. He has posted recipes in the relevant sections for madras, vindaloo, korma, ceylon, jalfrezi etc.

Let us know if you can't find them.

Cheers,

Paul

[spadge]

Thanks for the prompt reply-
While I'm asking about base sauces this is my latest

2 cups of veggie oil
8 medium dutch onions
4 star annise- remove after softening onions
25 cloves garlic
3" fresh ginger grated
1 large carrot
1 small potato
half green pepper
half tsp salt
add all above into pan one at a time, but cook the onions a fair bit first.
Cover and simmer

next..... add spices pre fried in a little oil or ghee (both)

1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp ground Coriander
1 tsp Turmeric
2 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Curry mild madras Powder
2 tsp fenugreek leaves
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
Rinse spice pan with 500ml chicken stock
Then add 2 chopped green chili's
400g tin chopped tomato's
cover and simmer
Blend until smooth

Am I going wrong?

[Peripatetic Phil]

[snip]
Am I going wrong?

I would say you are pretty much spot-on !  Your base is more complex than mine (which is KD's), but if yours works for you, stick with it.  Well done, Spadge.
** Phil.

[PaulP]

Hi Spadge, I guess you are looking for constructive criticism as you said you don't enjoy your curries much.

Most base recipes call for spices to be added to the pot without a frying stage. If you are frying powdered spices on their own (i.e. no water containing ingredients such as onions, tom puree etc.) it will be very easy to burn them.

There is quite a lot of garlic in your recipe but that may not be a bad thing.
On the other hand 3" of ginger - this could be too much. I would say the ginger should not weigh more than the garlic. Too much fresh ginger IMO can ruin a curry.

I guess you like the effect the star anise gives or you wouldn't use it.

From this forum I have tried the SnS 2008 base, the Saffron base, the Cory Ander base, the Dipuraja base and the Taz base. I have also tried a couple from other sources.

All of these base recipes allowed me to cook perfectly edible and enjoyable curries, I have not had to bin any of these bases.

Hope this helps

Paul

[Razor]

Hi Spadge,

Looking at your base, it's not too dissimilar to mine!  The method is almost the same too.
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=4596.0

I decided a long time ago, to leave out any other veg such as carrots, peppers and so on because it really didn't make one iota of difference with them in or out, to the final taste of my base.

I do agree with Paul however, too much ginger to garlic ratio IMO.  You want to be looking for a 1:1 split (50/50).

Just be careful when frying your spices, even in liquid, they can still burn, and if they do, any dish will be quite bitter.  So if they are burnt in your base, no matter what dish you cook with it, it will no doubt have a bitter note to it.

Did you develop this base yourself Spadge or is it one you've been given?

Good effort fella,

Ray

[spadge]

Thanks all for the advice- First of all I will take on-board the ginger/garlic input so maybe do a 50/50 split with around 15 garlic cloves and just under 2" of ginger. Yes, they do sometimes taste a little bitter so frying the spices before adding will go out for the next batch.
I have noticed a slight carrot flavour but that could be in my imagination? dunno?
Would I be correct in thinking people are adding a potato just to thicken the sauce and not for the flavour? is this something I would be best to omit?
Finally the base came from various readings and I just adapted bits from each with no great knowledge of what the probable outcome would be.
Given that, I have a fair amount of the base left can someone give me a recipe that will let me know if its just a poor base or whether I'm going wrong in other areas.
What I mean is a fairly simple step by step recipe and cooking guide for say a chicken madras, dopiaza or bhuna.
I have a couple of batches of pre cooked chicken ready to go.
You lot are good and very helpful
Thanks again

PS forgot to mention the base has about 15 sprigs of fresh corriander... (1/4 of a bunch)

[Peripatetic Phil]

Given that, I have a fair amount of the base left can someone give me a recipe that will let me know if its just a poor base or whether I'm going wrong in other areas.
What I mean is a fairly simple step by step recipe and cooking guide for say a chicken madras, dopiaza or bhuna.

Spadge, my variant of Kris Dhillon's Chicken Madras is very simple, and may be worth a try :

    * 5 tablespoons of vegetable oil
    * 3/4 pint curry sauce
    * 1/2 lb pre-cooked chicken
    * 2 teaspoons Bassar curry masala
                    (substitute Kashmiri ground red chillies if you have no Bassar C.M.)
    * 1 teaspoon salt
    * 1 teaspoon ground cumin
    * 1/2 teaspoon ground fenugreek
    * (Optional) 1/4 teaspoon chat masala
    * 1 tablespoon finely chopped green coriander stalks
    * 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped green coriander leaves and stems

    * Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan, and add the curry sauce, and bring to a gentle rolling boil.
    * Without reducing the heat, add the salt, Bassar curry masala  and chicken, and continue cooking for about five minutes.
    * Reduce the heat and stir in the ground cumin and fenugreek. Simmer for a further 2-3 minutes.
    * Put in the chopped coriander stalks and cook for another two minutes.
    * Skim off any excess oil and serve sprinkled with chopped coriander leaves.

Note : All spoons are rounded, not flat

** Phil.

[spadge]

Cheers Phil
will give a try on my next go- I have bassar mix but no chat masala but should manage to get some no prob.
Can I simply half all the ingredients for a smaller appetite?
Thanks Spadge

[Peripatetic Phil]

Cheers Phil
will give a try on my next go- I have bassar mix but no chat masala but should manage to get some no prob.
Can I simply half all the ingredients for a smaller appetite?
Thanks Spadge

Can't think of any reason why not !  But I would probably err on the cautious side, and even if you halve the chicken, I would still use 2/3 of the sauce and the spices.  The chat masala is really a personal thing, and you should probably try without first, then add just a smidgen the next  time until you find the amount you like, but don't go overboard with it because it will ruin the dish.

But in preference to making a smaller portion, why not make the full dish and then save half for the next day : it stores really well, and imvariably tastes better on the second day.

** Phil.