I've been battling this particular flavour since my first attempts at BIR and if anything it's intensified over time, although not unpleasant in its self it overpowers everything else so whatever I make always tastes the same.
I'm not using anything unusual, just the core ingredients listed in most base sauces found on here. It develops during the main cooking stage of the base after I've added water, leaving it to simmer for about an hour getting stronger right up to the end dish and isn't easy to describe other than to say it has something in common with that out of place taste you get with cheap potato salad which I always assume is down to preservatives as it clearly does not belong there.
Reading a recent thread on slow cooking for 6+ hours I was hoping it was because the base needed to mature but having just made some for a Prawn Madras it's as strong as ever.
I used:
Sunflower oil, brown cooking onions, green pepper, vine tomato, celery, spring onion, potato, carrot, garlic, red chilli, radish and coriander from a plant.
I fry onion, garlic and ginger first, add water, boil, then simmer it for half an hour before blending and pouring over the above loosely chopped veg followed by water.
After 45 minutes I add plum tomatoes, turmeric, coriander, paprika and cumin following SNS?s Saffron method by which time it's by far the dominant odour, noticeable as much in smell as in taste.
I know it's a stab in the dark but if anyone can advise I'd appreciate it.