Topic: 3 Hour Curry Base

[chewytikka]

Hi All
I usually do my 1hr pressure cooker base, which is here
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=5606.0
But for people without a pressure cooker, here's the 3hr version:

Watch 3hr Curry Base Video

[Razor]

Hi Chewy,

Great video my mate. As I've mentioned before, what I like about the look of this base, is how it runs off the spoon, leaving the spoon clean rather than coating it.  Also, the straining of the base is something that I've never done but do intend to on my next batch.

So Chewy, if you don't mind me asking, what's your background in BIR cooking?  How did you come by your methods and techniques, are your recipes your own or gleaned from your favourite BIR chef?

Sorry for the questions but you seem to be offering us something subtly different than has been mentioned before and maybe your style is what quite a few of us are looking for?

Just one more thing if I may, would you mind putting up the exact measurements to this base?  I know we can see it for ourselves, and you have also added commentary on your video but there is something reassuring about seeing a recipe in print  ;D

Many thanks Chewy, excellent work again fella.

Ray

[Ramirez]

Really enjoying these videos chewy.

As Ray requests, could we have the exact measurements? I've ran out of Taz base and want to give yours a whirl.

[chewytikka]

Hi Chewy,

Great video my mate. As I've mentioned before, what I like about the look of this base, is how it runs off the spoon, leaving the spoon clean rather than coating it.  Also, the straining of the base is something that I've never done but do intend to on my next batch.

So Chewy, if you don't mind me asking, what's your background in BIR cooking?  How did you come by your methods and techniques, are your recipes your own or gleaned from your favourite BIR chef?

Sorry for the questions but you seem to be offering us something subtly different than has been mentioned before and maybe your style is what quite a few of us are looking for?

Just one more thing if I may, would you mind putting up the exact measurements to this base?  I know we can see it for ourselves, and you have also added commentary on your video but there is something reassuring about seeing a recipe in print  ;D

Many thanks Chewy, excellent work again fella.

Ray

Hi Ray
I don't think any base has exact quantities, but here goes...
200ml any vegetable oil
1 medium carrot.
1 Large bulb of Garlic.
3 inch piece of fresh ginger.
A quarter of medium white cabbage.
1 medium green capsicum.
A handful of fresh coriander+stalks.
1tbsp of Salt.
2 Kilos Onions.
3 litres tap water
Put a lid on and Boil it up for at least an hour.
____________________
Add quarter of a tube of tomato puree, or Chefs spoon.
2 tbsp of Mixed Powder. ( for a stronger flavoured base)

Mixed powder in the vid :-
2 tsp Madras Curry Powder
2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Coriander Powder
1 tsp Cumin Powder
1 tsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder
0.5 tsp Garam Masala or Kitchen King

Cheers

[Curry Barking Mad]

I have tried this base recipe and followed it as best as I could with out the exact amounts and it does produce a very good garabi.
I have never seen a chef sieve his garabi before. I PMed Chewy about this and he confirmed that this was 'old school' from the 70's. My first kitchen visit wasn't until the 80's so that would explain that.
I did sieve the garabi myself and I was surprised how much fibrous material was taken out, I would suspect a lot of it would have come from the cabbage. It did leave the gravy very smooth.
Having tasted it once made, it tastes very much like a finished curry albeit not as intense of course. I went on to make a lamb dopiaza madras hot.
It was a very good curry with a great depth of flavour.
Nice one Chewy, I really enjoyed it.
Cheers,
Mick

[Razor]

Mick,

Interestingly, I defrosted 500ml of my own base sauce last night after watching Chewy's video, and I also was left with a surprisingly large amount of 'fibrous stuff' too.

My own base contains no cabbage, peppers or carrots and is a simple as it get, so I was also surprised at what was left in the sieve.

As you have observed, it made for a very smooth final curry, with a very nice flocculated texture.

I'm definitely going to give Chewy's base a go and do the sieve thing.

Many thanks Chewy and thanks for the ingredients list.

Ray

[chewytikka]

I have tried this base recipe and followed it as best as I could with out the exact amounts and it does produce a very good garabi.
I have never seen a chef sieve his garabi before. I PMed Chewy about this and he confirmed that this was 'old school' from the 70's. My first kitchen visit wasn't until the 80's so that would explain that.
I did sieve the garabi myself and I was surprised how much fibrous material was taken out, I would suspect a lot of it would have come from the cabbage. It did leave the gravy very smooth.
Having tasted it once made, it tastes very much like a finished curry albeit not as intense of course. I went on to make a lamb dopiaza madras hot.
It was a very good curry with a great depth of flavour.
Nice one Chewy, I really enjoyed it.
Cheers,
Mick

Hi Mick
Glad you tried it and enjoyed a good curry 
This is the bit of kit that used to be in all the BIRs I've known, but 4 times bigger.
Cheers Chewy

[Peripatetic Phil]

This is the bit of kit that used to be in all the BIRs I've known, but 4 times bigger.

Oh boy.  If only I'd had one of those when I tried to make blackcurrant sorbet, it might have been edible rather than having a texture not dissimilar to cassis-flavoured sawdust 

** Phil.

[Razor]

Chewy,

Was these food mills used in place of a blender  or food processor?

Ray

[chewytikka]

Chewy,

Was these food mills used in place of a blender  or food processor?

Ray

Hi Ray
Before and as well as the big power blenders, just the final step for the sauce.
I mentioned it in my first post on cr0, which I referred to it as a grinder.

(Grinding or passing it through a sieve gathers all the unwanted pulp, onion fibres/skin, pips and seeds etc. leaving you with the smooth BIR textured sauce.

The importance of the grinder, if your trying to emulate the curries of the 60/70/80's
in those days, every BIR and TA would have two or three whole chickens boiling away in the curry base brew!

They would fish out the overcooked chicken at the end, literally falling apart, leaving lots of bits and pieces behind.
Once put through the grinder the base was ready to go!  This was a real "curry secret" which meant all the vegetarian's of the time weren't, if they liked a good curry that is!)

cheers chewy