Punjabi base

[sp]

I had a takeaway lamb madras last night from my usual bir (the al bhar in elgin) and everything, except possibly the rice, was just, to my taste buds, better and morish than my home efforts.  The vegetable pakoras had a batter like taste and look to them which was different to the home made ones.

I'd mentioned in a previous thread about star anise providing some of the taste that was missing from my madras, but the thing that really stood out for me compared to mine is the sweetness.  After careful poking and prodding of the real article I could find the merest hint of coriander, no methi leaves and not much else (apart from a quarter of a tomato), but the thing that really stands out is the sweetness, even the pakora sauce is sweet - much thinner than my pakora sauce (chilli powder, lemon juice, water, tomato sauce and mint sauce), not as spicy, definately mint and chilli in there but almost translucent and sweet, like chinese sweet and sour sauce.

Now, looking at the C2Go bangladeshi base which I'd made previously, and the UC base before that, they are very similar if not identical.  In the "secret to the takeaway curry taste" C2Go another base is covered - an indian one.  It's got jaggery in it (which could explain the sweetness of the final curry) and star anise - sounds promising!  Anyone tried this or other "indian style" bases?  How do they compare in taste?

I've still got a lot of c2go bangla base left and was toying with the idea of just adding the jaggery (on order, will make do with demerara sugar for now, has anyone compared the two bases and/or demerara to jaggery taste-wise) to my existing base when I cook the curry, as I now add the anise when starting off anyway.

A final thought on this, the Madhur Jaffery Curry Nation series has a programme on Glaswegian Punjabis (which I've yet to watch) - this may fit in with the indian base idea?

[Kashmiri Bob]

It was base day today for me and I went with the c2go Bangladeshi recipe.  First impression is that it is a lot sweeter than the c2go TA recipe.  A lot sweeter.  Also be interested to hear if anyones tried the Indian base prep.

Rob

[curryhell]

Hi Stephenperry.  I cooked the Bangladeshi base from C2Go.  To be honest i find the Zaal base sweeter.  Of the two i definitely prefer the latter.  I would try adding a little jaggery to a portion of the base you have left and see what difference, if any it makes.  Or even add a touch to the curry as you're finishing it.  Let us know how you get on.

[sp]

I tried adding demerara sugar (waiting for my jaggery to arrive), fresh tomato and a touch of asafoetida at the weekend to my usual madras method, much better, just missing that smoky barbecue type aftertaste now, result!

[Les]

just missing that smoky barbecue type aftertaste now, result!

You could try a little touch of smoked paprika.

Les

[sp]

great idea, thanks Les 

[sp]

an update...

My block of natco jaggery goor arrived, i've been away on a course for work since wednesday and got back late last night, so I'm eager to see what difference that makes to the taste, the demerara was a lovely substitute but see if the real deal is better or worse

Tuesday was an in-service day at the school so we in the technicians group got the chance to all go out together for lunch, i suggested a new BIR i hadn't been to yet in the town, but they didn't have a website for more information so we ended up going to a restaurant I hadn't been to in years and I'm sorry to say that the food has really gone downhill.

One of my colleagues ordered a kashmiri chicken korma and said it totally lacked any discernable taste, i tried it and i had to agree, i don't know what the kashmiri element adds or detracts but i expected at least some taste - this had absolutely none.  The rice was crunchy and tasted like the microwaveable bag ones from Tilda.

My lamb madras fared little better - the consistency was there, but the meat had an unappealing taste which I couldn't describe, I thought the meat may have been off and wasn't very enjoyable.

I was describing all this to my wife, who had been shopping after work and got the smoked paprika I'd asked for, having never tried this before I tentatively dipped a wet finger into the jar - have a guess!   That "unappealing taste" in my madras was smoked paprika.

Three lessons learned - 1. be wary of going to that restaurant again, not anywhere as good as it used to be.  2.  smoked paprika is used in particular BIRs and 3.  I don't like it!