Topic: CBM Little India Base Gravy

[natterjak]

Cory, did you taste your base before and after adding the akhni? In my experience too much akhni, or too strong (too many whole spice in the water) adds a bitter flavour, which takes a long time to mellow out in the final boil.

[haldi]

with absolutely no hint of bitterness at all

Bizarre.  I wonder what we did differently then (besides the scale)? 

I have had this problem before and never got to the bottom of it
Sometimes a base just comes out bitter and other times sweet
When I made the little India base, it was silly sweet
Perhaps it could be down to how much water is added at the first stage
If there is very little, the onions fry more, until they release their own contained liquid
Since the curry2go book, I have cut down on water with the initial boil
Salt and oil/ghee effect the sweetness too
I also found the last stage of frying tomato, garlic ginger and spices really adding depth to the base
I reckon when you add water to this fry, and simmer it, it extracts something very special from the spices

[Cory Ander]

What is your verdict on the CBM Little India base?

Paul asked the above question in this thread http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=8422.msg74373#msg74373 but I thought it would probably be more appropriate for me to answer it here.

So far, I have mostly made hot curries (e.g. Vindaloo) from it (plus the mild Biriani mentioned in the above thread). 

Like Haldi, I like this base.  I think it's up there with the best that I have tried on this forum.  I've enjoyed all the curries that I have so far made from it.  They have all been very tasty (and with good aroma and texture).  I like the spice mix too.

Having said that, for me, it doesn't really bridge the gap I have with producing top notch BIR curries.  The balance, savouriness and intensity of taste and flavour is still somewhat lacking by comparison.

I was a little concerned that the base, by itself, had a slight underlying bitterness to it.  But that hasn't come through in the final curries.

I am a little bemused by the (seemingly overly complicated?) preparation used to make the base.  There just seems to be too much repetition (but, I suppose, that seems to be the case with most BIR curry cooking...."layers", some call it).  For example, garlic/ginger paste and blended tinned tomatoes are added in "stage1" and then again in "stage 3" (and thereafter, invariably, in the cooking of the final curry!).  Perhaps this imparts different tastes?  But I'm not convinced.

I have also tried Akhni stock several times in the distant past (it is also something that, as far as I'm aware, Pat Chapman was the first to bring to the attention of the masses).  I always found it added an "astringent" taste to the base and abandoned using it accordingly.  Perhaps this is why so little of it is added to the Little India base?  It is interesting to see its use mentioned a little more nowadays.  Together with "aromatic salt" - another Pat Chapman "first", as far as I'm aware.

[Ramirez]

Quick question: during stage 3 (tomato/spices) he adds 2 litres of water - how much did everyone add for Mick's scaled down version - 500ml?

[haldi]

Quick question: during stage 3 (tomato/spices) he adds 2 litres of water - how much did everyone add for Mick's scaled down version - 500ml?

Yes, about 500ml
That's one of the problems of scaling down
The amounts can get unmanageable, because they become too small
You know the sort of thing
Something works out to be an eighth of a teaspoon

[jb]

I made this scaled down base yesterday;I was very,very impressed with the final outcome.Easily the best base I have attempted so far.It was sweetish but not overly so and had a nice underlying flavour(The smell was still lingering as I was putting the base into portions this morning).I'm not sure how CA ended with bitter undertones,mine was spot on.I think it was scaled down perfectly,many thanks Mick for this and for posting the video/recipe.I guess the the real test is in the final curries,I now have the base sorted as well as massala paste and I knocked up a version of Mick's onion paste,hopefully all will go well.

[George]

with absolutely no hint of bitterness at all

Bizarre.  I wonder what we did differently then (besides the scale)? 

The difference could simply be 'bad luck' and a bit like some of my attempts at various curries when I make the same recipe and, on one occasion, it tastes brilliant and on another occasion it's rubbish. So all factors seem to be constant (recipe, chef, ingredients, method) and yet there's an inexplicable difference. If that happened on trying a new recipe, like this Little India base, I probably wouldn't try  it again, and it might well be my loss.

[emin-j]

with absolutely no hint of bitterness at all

Bizarre.  I wonder what we did differently then (besides the scale)? 

The difference could simply be 'bad luck' and a bit like some of my attempts at various curries when I make the same recipe and,

on one occasion, it tastes brilliant and on another occasion it's rubbish

. So all factors seem to be constant (recipe, chef, ingredients, method) and yet there's an inexplicable difference. If that happened on trying a new recipe, like this Little India base, I probably wouldn't try  it again, and it might well be my loss.

George, most of our local T/A produce good and sometimes not so good curry's so we must be doing something right 

[Achille17]

I would be glad to try this base too, but two things remain unclear to me:

1) what is the time needed for each step of the preparation?

2) how much water is added (in particular at the very beginning with the onions and other vegetables)?

Thanks to Mick we have clear instructions about the ingredients, but I need clearer instructions about the cooking method.

Any help or indication is most welcome for me!

[jb]

I would be glad to try this base too, but two things remain unclear to me:

1) what is the time needed for each step of the preparation?

2) how much water is added (in particular at the very beginning with the onions and other vegetables)?

Thanks to Mick we have clear instructions about the ingredients, but I need clearer instructions about the cooking method.

Any help or indication is most welcome for me!

Hi there,I initially boiled the onions/veg etc for about one hour fifteen minutes,actually quite a bit longer than I used to do in the first stage of any base sauce.I left the onions whole,not sure if it makes any difference but that's the way the chef in the video did it.I think the most important thing is to ensure the veg is cooked out,ie if you put a knife into the onions they offer no resistance at all.The akhini stock I boiled for about twenty minutes before added to the boiling veg pan.Water was put in initially on the veg so it just covers them.Water is added at the end to thin the gravy out to your desired consistency.Hope that makes sense.