Topic: Cracked it!

[pete]

Thanks for all the info Mark
This really is the last piece of the puzzle
These methods really produce an excellent base with the sweet and savoury flavour we all know.
Everything is now on the site
I shall be keeping one base going forever now
Anything left over will be frozen and added to the new.

[Ian J]

I think it would be very helpful if we could have a new posting of the complete method in the appropriate forum.

Many thanks to Mark and everyone else on this forum for solving this puzzle.

[George]

Re. spiced or flavoured oils, I guess the heat and long cooking times will reduce the health risk:

http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/asksam/keepingfoodsafe/asksamstoringpreparing/
Lots of different types of flavoured oil are available in the shops, containing garlic, peppercorns, chilli and various herbs including rosemary, oregano and bay leaves, and these often have a long shelf life. But it?s not a good idea to make flavoured oils at home unless you are going to use them immediately. This is because plants, including herbs and spices, can carry spores produced by bacteria. Occasionally, they could carry spores of a type of bacteria called Clostridium botulinum, which can cause botulism. This is a very unpleasant disease, which is rare in the UK, but can be fatal...If you have some oil left over, put it in the fridge straight away and use it within a week. Some oils can go cloudy or become solid in the fridge, but if this happens don?t be tempted to leave it at room temperature, because this might not be safe.

http://www.foodsafetyline.org/english/oils.html
Oils infused with garlic and herbs provide fabulous flavour. But these mixtures are high-risk products...


http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/7005/oilvin.html
Flavoured oils are great for cooking, salad dressings & vinaigrettes, and make great gifts. They're easy to make too! Keep these things in mind...Use sterile bottles (boil them!)...whenever you want to add anything moist & fleshy (onion, garlic, peppers, etc.) you should acidify it first to prevent toxins from building up...

Regards
George

[Mark J]

When I get to typing up the pre cook chicken method and final curry method I will place all of it in one area, in fact I might pop it in a word doc and attach it.

[Mark J]

OK here's the 2 recipes I talked about, I have cooked the base and this curry twice now over the last 2 weeks and will be cooking it again today. Make sure you skim off all the oil from base or the curries will be oily (not a big problem if you like them oily).

This weekend I will change the base slightly by incorporating the things Pete has added to the KD base that he said made the difference: 1 black cardamom (probably add this after pureeing the onions), 1/4 tsp ground thyme and a slice of lemon


Pre Cooked Chicken

Unlike our other pre cooked chicken recipes I think you need to cook this every time, not sure it will work out as well if you freeze it. This method produces the best results of any of the pre cook methods I have tried and is essential in reporducing the final experience I believe.

Chop up 350g chicken breast
Add 1 TBSP spiced oil on medium heat and stir fry the chicken until it is mostly white all over (not long, only takes 1-2 minutes really)

Next add 4 TBSP curry base and 2 TBSP water, bring to the boil and cook for 15 minutes, its important that the mixture is boiling slightly and not simmering.

Once done leave for 30 minutes for the chicken to absorb some of the juices, this chicken and juices will then be used in the final curry


Chicken Achar (Serves 2)

I have adapted this recipe from curryhouse.co.uk premium area, I recommend spending the money on this site, you get Dave Smiths curry cookbook which is well written and is a full guide to BIR cooking.


Add 2 TBSP spiced oil to the pan and heat on high (you can use more oil but my base is a little oily as is the lime pickle so I only use 2)

Add 0.5 TSP each of fennel and kalonji and fry them for 30 seconds

Turn down to medium and add: 1 TBSP of curry base and fry for a few seconds, add another TBSP of base followed by 2 TSP cumin, 3 TSP coriander, 1 TSP paprika, 1 TSP turmeric, 1 TSP chilli powder. Stir fry for 30 seconds

Add a ladle of curry base* and fry for a 30 seconds

Add the pre cooked chicken including all the juices, add 2 TBSP lime pickle (chopped finely or I have pureed mine), 1/4 TSP black pepper, 1TSP sugar, 1 TSP mint sauce and chopped coriander

Bring back to the boil and simmer for 10 mins


If the curry gets too thick add water (or more oil)

At the end I reclaim any excess oil back into the spiced oil pot

*Up to you how much curry base you add here depending on how saucy you like things

[pete]

I made the Dave Smith base the other day
I used loads of oil (new and old)
When I had finished, there was plenty of spiced oil left over.
I put some of it, with another curry base, I had.
See:-
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3.0
It is so close to perfect
This old oniony oil really is it, when coupled with a good base.
There are lots of good base recipes on this site and your choice will be decided by what you are used to (I still rate KD too)
The smell & texture of the base can't be improved at home
I bought a curry last night and, with a? direct comparison, there is virtually no difference.
If I keep my curry base going each time, adding old to new,I will be able to get it right consistantly.

[John]

Curry Base Recipe
This is adapted from curryhouse.co.uk, I would recommend this ebook to anyone, well worth the money.
Add remaining spiced oil (usually ~250ml) and top up with ground nut oil to ~500ml
Heat to medium and add 350gms of finely chopped onion
The oil will pretty much cover the onions, deep fry for about 10 minutes

i made this base on sunday then left it to flavour till tuesday, i find this base extremely sweet, i made the final curries using bruce edwards spice mixture and created a chicken madras (using darths precooked chicken), a spinach and mushroom bhajee and a phall sauce, now all recipes were good and the phall sauce one realy tasted like my BIR but all of the sauces had too much sweetness to them that i couldn't hide, not by pepper or other spices. so i think i'll go back to boiling the onions - even if it does stink the garage out....(oh yeah, forgot to say that my missus can't stand the smell of the onions cooking so i've recently been making the base sauce in the garage on my bbq side burner.

[raygraham]

(oh yeah, forgot to say that my missus can't stand the smell of the onions cooking so i've recently been making the base sauce in the garage on my bbq side burner.

Hi John,

Sound's a bit unfair to me!

Now that winter's upon us why not put a chair and telly in the garage and the missus can live there instead!!
Nothing like cooking in comfort!

Ray

[DARTHPHALL]

Yes john, looks like the missus will have to go, time for you to order a side dish (Geddit !!).
DARTH......... ;D

[raygraham]

Hmmmm,

Now that's not a bad idea.............for a starter!

Ray