my latest attempt

[natterjak]

Well the flavour of kashmiri chilli powder is different and it's certainly milder than my preferred normal chilli powder (rajah brand). I know some people love it but I prefer to stick with normal chilli powder most of the time.

[jb]

Hi Jb, your food photos look great.

Was a scaled down recipe (with quantities) ever posted for the CBM Little India base?
I would love to see a recipe for this that makes a manageable amount for home cooking.

Cheers,

Paul

You can find it under the Little India Base Sauce video section but here it is...Mick forgot to add the evap. milk.

Stage 1,
20 Onions medium size
0.5 a small Potato
1 average sized Carrot
1 tbls of Salt
2 tbls of Garlic/Ginger paste
2 tbls of Veg Ghee
3-4 Coriander stalks
40 ml of Akhni stock
1.5 tspn of Moong Dhal
18 grams of Coconut Block
200 grams of Plum Tomatoes
1.5 tspn of Turmeric

Stage 2 (Akhni stock)
4 Asian Bay Leaves
1x 2.5 inch Cassia Bark
2 Green Cardamon
0.5 Black Cardamon
Pinch of Fennel Seeds
Pinch of Cumin Seeds
300 ml of Water

Stage 3 (Spice/Tomato Fry)
250 ml of Veg Oil
1 tbls of Garlic/Ginger paste
375 ml of Blended Plum Tomatoes
3 tbls of Mix Powder

Baba Mia's Mix Powder
2 parts Coriander Powder
2 parts Cumin Powder
1.5 parts Curry Powder
1.5 parts Turmeric Powder
1 part Garam Masala
0.5 parts Paprika Powder
0.25 parts Chilli Powder 

[ELW]

Well just polished the lot off.The taste has definitely improved overnight in the fridge,so has my sense of smell!

Masala was spot on as well the balti.The madras was as close as I've ever got,texture,taste and aroma was very very good.There's still an underlying taste in every madras I get from a T/A though that I can't match.Can't put my finger on it just a deep savoury taste that every BIR chef manages to obtain very easily.Is it something that's in the gravy?(although CBM's recent Little India Video leads me to think overwise).I've watched just about every piece of footage of these chefs in action in their kitchens,they make it look so easy with the minimal amount of ingredients and nothing apparently secret so where does that taste some from??  I know we've debated it for years but it's so frustrating to be so near yet still missing the last piece of the taste.

Anyway I have loads of base left so I've got plenty of time to practice!!!  ps thanks for the kind comments!!

JB

Looks great JB. I've also been trying to nail the madras, should be simple right?.  Chewytikka's version has got me closest if i'm very careful with the lemon juice. Madras in Glasgow can be pretty hot, but with a deep chilli flavour. I use Eastern Kashmiri chilli powder , which comes in a smallish box(around

[PaulP]

Jb,

Thanks for posting the recipe 

Paul

[jb]

Well just polished the lot off.The taste has definitely improved overnight in the fridge,so has my sense of smell!

Masala was spot on as well the balti.The madras was as close as I've ever got,texture,taste and aroma was very very good.There's still an underlying taste in every madras I get from a T/A though that I can't match.Can't put my finger on it just a deep savoury taste that every BIR chef manages to obtain very easily.Is it something that's in the gravy?(although CBM's recent Little India Video leads me to think overwise).I've watched just about every piece of footage of these chefs in action in their kitchens,they make it look so easy with the minimal amount of ingredients and nothing apparently secret so where does that taste some from??  I know we've debated it for years but it's so frustrating to be so near yet still missing the last piece of the taste.

Anyway I have loads of base left so I've got plenty of time to practice!!!  ps thanks for the kind comments!!

JB

Looks great JB. I've also been trying to nail the madras, should be simple right?.  Chewytikka's version has got me closest if i'm very careful with the lemon juice. Madras in Glasgow can be pretty hot, but with a deep chilli flavour. I use Eastern Kashmiri chilli powder , which comes in a smallish box(around

[ELW]

staying off topic, one of the restaurants near me, on opening the door has a great smell of the cooked food. Another where the kitchen is closer has exactly the same aroma as I had after cooking like a madman after watching the Zaal stuff. A completely different aroma/smell, like a roasted onion & tomato smell. It appeared after adding the gravy to the spices/GG/ etc. Needless to say those curries were right on what i'm looking for - gap closed. I thought I had it cracked, but consistency is still eluding me

ELW

[curryhell]

Still staying off topic, which take away would that be jb?
Now back on topic, nice looking dishes mate.  Kashmiri chilli powder adds a nice chilli flavour without so much heat as ordinary and a lovely red colour too.  You can get the small MDH boxes of it in the general store next but one to spice.  I've not seen it anywhere else in grays.  Any plans to try the NIS in the near future.  I'm begining to work on emulating the elaichi one now as it's becoming a regular delivery item :

[jb]

Still staying off topic, which take away would that be jb?
Now back on topic, nice looking dishes mate.  Kashmiri chilli powder adds a nice chilli flavour without so much heat as ordinary and a lovely red colour too.  You can get the small MDH boxes of it in the general store next but one to spice.  I've not seen it anywhere else in grays.  Any plans to try the NIS in the near future.  I'm begining to work on emulating the elaichi one now as it's becoming a regular delivery item :

It's the one at the bottom of Grove Road/Gypsy Lane called Spice Corner.I had takeaway once,it was ok although they do have some unusual dishes on the menu I must try.Like I said sometimes the smell is incredible,it litterally hits you in the next street as you approach.I have loads of gravy left.I'll have to get some of the chili powder and I will try the NIS.I had an elachi the other day,I could be wrong but I'm sure I could detect the aroma/taste of some non sweetened massala paste in it.Could it be one of those chef's special dishes that uses it I wonder?

[curryhell]

It's the one at the bottom of Grove Road/Gypsy Lane called Spice Corner.I had takeaway once,it was ok although they do have some unusual dishes on the menu I must try.Like I said sometimes the smell is incredible,it litterally hits you in the next street as you approach.I have loads of gravy left.I'll have to get some of the chili powder and I will try the NIS.I had an elachi the other day,I could be wrong but I'm sure I could detect the aroma/taste of some non sweetened massala paste in it.Could it be one of those chef's special dishes that uses it I wonder?

I know the one you mean.  It used to go by a different name a few years ago.  I have never tried it.  Re. the masala paste, the dish, just like Spices, has a definite tandoori element in it.  Take it away and the the dish changes completely as i found out  a couple of  months ago.  The colouring of the Elaichi dish also suggests a tandoori element and it doesn't have the savoury sweetness of the Spices dish, just the savoury flavour.  Both dishes however, do have the same underlying flavour and aroma.  The urge is coming to head off into the kitchen  ;D

[StoneCut]

In his book, Julian (C2G) writes that customers will start lining up outside of his takeaway as soon as he puts some garlic/ginger paste into a pan. Maybe this is the smell you're referring to ?!