Topic: My 80's madras style from Bradford/Rick Stein experiment.

[stevepaul]

Hi everyone,

Thought some might like to hear the results of a little experiment that produced the best base and madras I've had in a while. I've been making BIR style curries for a good number of years...Chapman, Dhillon and from the 100 Best Balti Curries cookbook. All were reasonable but just not what I was looking for, that being 80's style.

Since viewing this excellent site I've tried the Bruce Edward's base and madras which I found too bland, and then CA's base and madras which I found to complex. By complex I don't mean in the making, but in the taste. There is no intended disrespect or criticism towards you in that statement CA and I hope you don't think there is.

Anyway. In looking for another base to try I went for the Bradford/Rick Stein recipe that many one here were impressed with. http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1894.0
  I liked the simplicity of the ingredients which I think would be close to those used in the late 70's 80's curries. After knocking up a batch I noticed, like others on here, how dark it was with quite a bit of heat from the amount of chilli used. To my mind this didn't leave much wiggle room for making the more mild, lighter curries, and although the madras I made from this base was pleasant, it still wasn't to my liking in terms of taste or colour.

Now, not wanting to discard this panful of base I set to thinking about how could I adapt it for further use. I wanted something that was lighter and less spiced to make it more versatile. I though that if I cooked up a simple onion, garlic and ginger base and combined this in a 50 50 ratio with the Bradford base it would be a good starting point. Once the onion base was made I combined a ladle of each and cooked it up. The resulting base was, well, perfect. Lighter in colour and much less spiced. What really struck me though was how sweet it was and the madras I made from it was first class and as good as any I've had from a restaurant, or TA.

When I next make the Bradford base I intend halving the spices, but increasing the garlic and ginger slightly. Hopefully this will produce the same result.

For anyone interested the onion base I made for the 50/50 ratio was. 3 medium onions. 1 tbsp garlic and one of ginger. This was sweated off in oil until soft then blended. For the madras I added 1 tbsp tomato puree. 2 tsp garlic. 2tsp ginger, 1tbsp BE spice mix. plus salt and green chilli to taste. A godsend I found yesterday was green chilli puree. For my use this is going to be the best thing since Gaviscon Liquid.

Sorry to ramble.
Steve.

[Jeera]

nice post :-) gonna have to try this

[Les]

This is the only base I have ever used, And I like it because it is a Balti base, I love Balti, I do add extra onions and garlic to mine, I think 80s curry's had a lot more onion and garlic taste to them than what they do now, I dont care for Korma type currys. so I leave the spicing as it is, Works well for me. Let's know how your next batch turns out Steve. I could be due for some minor changes ;D
HS

[stevepaul]

Well, I made up another batch of the Bradford base using the altered version I experimented with as mentioned in my first post. All I did was to halve the spices. I also added an extra 5 cloves of garlic bringing the total to 20. Once cooked and blended the resulting base turned out just the way I hoped it would.

It was the colour I prefer, sweet to the taste and had good oil separation. It also had that "orange peel" look to it, if you get my meaning. The Madras I made from it was once again superb and so simple to make. Furthermore, the Madras I've made from this base is the only one where I haven't felt the need to add sugar in the final cooking. To sum up I couldn't be more happy with the result from this experiment.

It would be interesting to hear the opinions from anyone else who tried this variation on the original recipe posted by Stew, who, I would like thank for doing so in the first place.

Steve.

 

[Les]

Think I will give this one a shot Steve, Just to see if it is better than the original recipe,
Glad you had success with it ;D

HS