Topic: what is bassar curry masalla ?

[Hightime]

Thanks for your speedy response Phil,

I'll be making it with one kilo of keema and 2 medium potatoes, might even drop a bell pepper in there too.

So with one kilo of keema would three teaspoonfuls be enough? And the other question, do I still need to use any other spices along with this basaar mix I have?

Thanks again!

[Peripatetic Phil]

I'll be making it with one kilo of keema and 2 medium potatoes, might even drop a bell pepper in there too.

So with one kilo of keema would three teaspoonfuls be enough? And the other question, do I still need to use any other spices along with this basaar mix I have?

1kg of mince is far more than one portion; thinking in terms of chicken (which is what I normally cook), I reckon on about 6oz/person, so your 1kg is about six portions.  On the other hand, I don't recommend scaling linearly, as you could blow the roof off your mouth (and that of your guests).  For safety, I would recommend making a 1-person portion, using 1/6kg of mince and 1/3 potato, first and then when you have a feel for the effect of the Bassar, and how much you would have used for a one-person portion if you had known the effect in advance, then scale that up by a factor of 3.  Remember, you can always add spices, but you can't take them away !  As for the other spices, I would follow what "Titi's Busy Kitchen" has to say, simply substituting the Bassar for the chilli powder in her recipe.

** Phil.

[Hightime]

Brilliant, thanks for your speedy responses Phil!

[livo]

Apparently Bassar Masala is not available in Australia. I read somewhere this morning of a member who couldn't find it in the USA either and someone commented it could be down to the Mustard Oil content.  Anyway, undeterred I started to see what I could find out about it and it isn't much.  It seems to be a bit of a closely guarded formula.

I want to use it in the Kashmiri Chicken Masala dish originally posted by 976Bar and modified by JerryM in this thread, kindly shown to me by Phil. http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3585.msg32021

Apart from the listing of the ingredients (in order I hope) of the Al Noor brand it took ages to find 3 other versions with instructions.  These are from 3 different sites by Archana, Ammi ka Kitchen and Yesmien. They are similar in ways but different in others. I'll put the links up later.

Here is my usual spreadsheet analysis screenshot which is enough to go on should anyone wish to give one of them a try or make a hybrid from your own spice knowledge. At least it is a starting point, for me anyhow.

The transposition of the 3 different recipes from cup and spoon measures to grams and visa versa is very rough although I did do some weights and measures along the way.  24 Bay leaves in Archana's transposed recipe seems like quite a lot but they don't weigh much at 3 - 4 leaves per gram. Same concern for 12 whole nutmeg and 36 whole turmeric (fingers). How big is a whole turmeric piece and how do we convert that to grams or spoons of powdered?

The Ammi ka Kitchen version uses some whole / crushed ingredients and it's not a powder. It wont keep for long with the use of Fresh Garlic and Ginger as well as dried cranberries (or mango or plum). These could be swapped for powders and the berries omitted.

One thing I did read, but then couldn't find again, was the inclusion of Pomegranate seeds to give sourness / tartness in Kashmiri Masala.

[livo]

Links to what was the only close reference to Bassar / Basaar Masala I could find.

https://goodfood.uktv.co.uk/recipe/yesmiens-basaar-mix/

https://www.archanaskitchen.com/how-to-make-homemade-kashmiri-masala-spice-mix-recipe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ma_k9x0D50k

[Peripatetic Phil]

Normally I'd offer to put some in the post to you, Livo, but (a) I suspect Australian Customs & Excise would have a fit, and (b) since moving to Cornwall such things are much harder to find.  Looking online I have not been able to locate an Australian source of bassar, but this post from SBS suggests that it is indeed available there ...

** Phil.

[livo]

Interesting that she has posted one of the only 3 home made Bassar Masala available online. Store bought? Not as far as I can see. But thanks. I'll now pursue her.
Google her Phil. She's from the UK. And selling 50 grams for nearly 4 quid.

[prawnsalad]

I love the flavour of Bassar masala!
It is a Pakistani curry powder and a Lot hotter than madras curry powder and probably more authentic than its British invented counterpart. 
I'm still on the lookout for the Mild version to try in my mixed powder.  (the original being too hot for a lot of people)

If anyone is living in the midlands, then you're a lucky person.
Looks like they deliver to a 30 odd mile radius around Worcester.
The prices in this place are great!
And a good range of products too.

It was the mild bassar powder which led me to them. The intention was to replace the madras powder with mild bassar in my mixed powder.

Unfortunately i'm just a bit too far for delivery. 

http://www.asianstoreuk.co.uk/shop/home.php

This place is 1.3 miles from my house, just off the asian dominated area called Wylds Lane. Will take a look and report back when I get the time.

[prawnsalad]

I love the flavour of Bassar masala!
It is a Pakistani curry powder and a Lot hotter than madras curry powder and probably more authentic than its British invented counterpart. 
I'm still on the lookout for the Mild version to try in my mixed powder.  (the original being too hot for a lot of people)

If anyone is living in the midlands, then you're a lucky person.
Looks like they deliver to a 30 odd mile radius around Worcester.
The prices in this place are great!
And a good range of products too.

It was the mild bassar powder which led me to them. The intention was to replace the madras powder with mild bassar in my mixed powder.

Unfortunately i'm just a bit too far for delivery. 

http://www.asianstoreuk.co.uk/shop/home.php

This place is 1.3 miles from my house, just off the asian dominated area called Wylds Lane. Will take a look and report back when I get the time.

Having looked on google maps I've realised this is the same asian grocer thats been there for years providing Halal meat to the residents from a pretty serious back room sporting an industrial conveyor and saw. I bought some spices there about 5 years ago. Looks like they decided it was time to expand.

[livo]

I love your username. I like prawnsalad but I do prefer a fresh school prawn sandwich on FRESH soft white bread with thick full fat salted butter. You should be able to feel my arteries hardening from over there.

If you can get some and we try to post it that would be great and much appreciated.  Phil had offered as well but there may be a customs issue and that is possibly the reason for it's absence from down here.  All forms of "Kashmiri Masala" as discussed here are for some reason completely missing, although I am having hopes of finding the Mangal brand product.

I've even asked the Australian Pakistani Association website if they know a formula or recipe.  Someone's parnani or panarna (great-grandmother) must know how to make it.