Topic: Mouchak curry base sauce

[natterjak]

No pics this time but it's sure to be one I try again so will take a snap and maybe even video it. Mind you, my phone seems reluctant to upload video to YouTube at present so will have to overcome that!

[parker21]

hi guys thought i would my post a bump up the charts lol!

regards
gary ;D

[JerryM]

parker21,

not sure if anyone has made this but i intend to make it next.

i've come to it via the spiced water idea which i want to try. i'm also trying to understand the rajver oil better. i currently think green pepper is causing a problem for my oil - it's just difficult to believe it hence giving this very similar base a go might just clear things for me. 


very best wishes.

[parker21]

hi jerry try upping the onion half a kilo
regards
gary
ps go careful with the spiced water though it can overwhelm the aroma

[goncalo]

parker,

would you say this base suits the hot curries best or would you consider it to be a generic base?

[parker21]

it can be used to cook any curry korma to phall! 
regards
gary

[JerryM]

really pleased i made this base - it's amazing how you need to keep the blinkers off in the curry malarkey.

i intend to put this into my top 3 in place of the rajver but add in the bits from the rajver i like. i think this is the quickest way to improve the "rajver" type of base.

like parker21 says the taste and smell of the spice fry off is just a delight.

having said all that i certainly tripped myself up - the 4 off curries i made were below par. i used my norm 0.5 tsp mix powder and pretty sure that was the main cause (given 1 dsp is called for in the parker21 associated recipes - only looked afterwards).

i like the passata and sure it produces much better result than tin toms (the seeds)

i think i've got about 15 portions

the big thing for me was that the green pepper was not a problem (truly well pleased).

thoughts going forward:
1) i need more oil in it to reclaim - got barely a teaspoon worth
2) would halve the chilli powder
3) add in coriander root (rajver)
4) i'm not sure the fry method is any different to my norm all in - time will tell as i get to know the base
5) i would bring the characteristics more in line with the other 2 base i make for consistency (calculated on the original onion volume: oil 3% - norm 10% + rec, initial water 42% - norm 20%, spice 1.7% - norm ~3%)
6) i would heat the akhni for say 10 mins (i used 1L)

parker21 remains star man for me - well chuffed

[goncalo]

Thanks for the clear report JerryM, this goes to prove that sometimes good quality bases can go undetected in this forum for longer periods of time, simply because there is no connection with what we read and/or the user who posted them. This is why I'm starting to try a ton of other bases, just to find one that comes closer to what I'm looking for. Fingers crossed it is the Zaffron one, because if not, this will be a runner up along with KD1.

Goncalo

[Malc.]

Good darts Jerry.

It just occurred to me though regarding your comments previously about the green pepper, I notice your green pepper is frozen. I wonder if this is affecting the taste what. I would suggest you try using it fresh.

[JerryM]

goncalo,

well worth trying a good few bases - much learning to be had. KD1 should not end up in your top 3. i made this for a good while before finding this site. the addition of veg makes a big difference over the KD1.

Axe,

yes the green pepper was frozen. i do normally use fresh as i need it for the mogul. i thought the frozen would be as you suggest an even harder challenge. i am now pretty sure the problem was down to the garam masala being used in the rajver and me using too much - time will tell.


update:

cooked 3 off parker21/tgad CTM last night using ifindforu tikka - spot on standard. i did miss personally the reclaimed oil but that's being very picky. i used 1 tsp of spice mix or x2 my norm. this made the difference.

aiming to cook what i call proper curry dishes ie no cream next.