Topic: A Good Curry Base

[lorrydoo]

I am going to make this base again as the first time I burnt the spices!   Eventhough, it still tasted like a BIR curry I once had back in 1985, so I belive this is the most authentc recipe I have tried upto now.

[lorrydoo]

Here is  ifindforu base I made recently.

[lorrydoo]

This is the finished base.

[JerryM]

have made this base as per spec and probably a little disappointed. this because of the high expectations and the significant differences in recipe and technique to the other bases i've tried.

it most certainly does pass the threshold for me. i can't rate it for sure till i've cooked with it and will post again. i put it up there with rajver (parker21) & saffron.

i think if you?re not too keen on coconut then you might take issue with the base but as i am a fan then it suits my pallet a treat (i did reduce the cream coconut via tasting from the spec 200gm to 100gm).

a couple of observations:
1) bitterness of onions - i had none at all and the onion cooking stage only lasts 15 mins or so - amazing
2) spice cooking stage - this seemed a lot of phaffing for me (used to just chucking it in and letting the boiling do its magic). putting the pots in and then taking them out has really got me perplexed
3) rajah gold madras curry powder - obviously i too could not buy the gold but the rajah hot madras tasted the best i've tried/made (i'm simply devastated that you can buy such a good powder off the shelf)
4) tamarind - very interesting. not used it before and find there is a trio of flavours which work this base into such a good taste (coconut, tamarind, ajwain)
5) i used ajwain for adjowan which i think is a typo
6) the rajah all purpose seasoning - no longer gutted on the odd bought item being good. this lived up to expectation just as much as the rajah curry powder with one big exception - salt. the taste of the seasoning is 100% spot on - it even has that dreaded celery and yet still tastes brill. the salt does not though - it's weigh ott.

conclusions (so far)
1) it is pretty good and up there with the rest. it's certainly slightly different to what i've made so far ie rajver, saffron, CRO2 base, KD, LB. i need to cook with it now to establish if the difference is significant or not (i don't think it will be - i think the remaining step to BIR is not in the base but in the cooking stage)
2) some bought combination spices are much better than i thought. Some however disappoint hugely due to the addition of cheap unnecessary ingredients ie salt.

[JerryM]

Made my std madras with the ifindforu base and well impressed with the results.

would probably say still not quite the BIR/TA taste but very very close. Close enough infactforme (sorry for the pun) for my needs - make a decent curry at home instead of mash or chips whilst still retaining that frequent desire to have it all done forme at my local BIRTA.

The high proportion of salt in the ?all purpose seasoning? was not a problem in the final dish presumably lost in the volume of the base. What particularly sold it was the combination of coconut, tamarind and ajwain (thyme flavour, although would not say the seeds taste that brill on their own)

In terms of other bases I?ve tried I still like them just as much and suppose the best way of looking at it is how others have put it - they simply reflect the diversity of top notch curry houses that we have in the BIR/TA world ? each being slightly different but just as good.

[parker21]

hi jerry
try the rajver base it  has coconut  milk in it but you would not know. i have great results the wife scoffs it do with the occassional hiccup( vindaloo hot and some times phall) but the base is so versatile you can make any of the curries on the menu using it. not normally cooking anything else but the above mentioned but cooked a friend  a chicken korma and he and wife loved it.

regards gary 

[JerryM]

gary,

just realised you've posted here (just read your post on the pre fried onions).

do i know the rajver base. i most certainly do. would say probably the no 1 fan.

i'm also No 1 fan of your toffee post in terms of cooking/frying technique to get that choking smell.

i use the base and technique to make my own madras, chris303 rogan josh and Curry kings CTM. all i must say are absolutely spot on. i'm currently looking at a propane burner to make the final step to BIR/TA. funds won't allow the trip to aussie to get one of CA's 16 quid super burners though.

[ifindforu]

 CURRY BASE
  
 
CUT EIGHT ONIONS 1 GREEN PEPPER AND BOIL.WHEN STARTING TO BOIL ADD A  QUATER TEASPOON OF bicarbonate soda AND HALF CUP OF OIL (more flavour is had by boiling about 5 potatoes and removing when boild
AND 1 TEASPOON OF TERMARIC A  HALF TEASPOON OF SALT,BOIL  FOR ABOUT 5 MINS THEN SIMMER FOR ABOUT 10 MINS THEN LEAVE STAND FOR 10 MINS  THEN LIQIDIZE WITHOUT STRAINING THEM,THEN LEAVE TO STAND
 IN A SAUCEPAN PUT 1 MUG OF OIL FRY 4 DESERTSPOONS OF GARLIC PASTE,HOME MADE OR BOUGHT AND 2 DESERTSPOONS Of GINGER PASTE AFTER FRYING FOR 2 MINS UNTIL A LITTLE GOLD BROWN, ADD THIS PASTE (1 MUG OF WATER 1 DESERTSPOON OF RAJAH GOLD MADRAS AS WHAT MOST B.I.R. RESTAURANTS USE .2 DESERTSPOONS OF TURMARIC,HALF A DESERTSPOON OF CUMMIN,1 DESERTSPOON OF CORIANDER,1 TEASPOON OS GARA MASALA, 1 TEASPOON OF CHILLI POWDER OR LESS. FRY FOR A FUTHER 3-4 MINS MOVING ABOUT IN THE SAUCEPAN NOT TO BURN.NOW ADD ABOUT 2 HEAPED TABLSPOONS OF DOUBLE CONCENTRATED TOMATO PASTE AND FRY FOR ABOUT 3 MINS ADDING A MUG OF WATER TO STOP BURNING.ADD ANOTHER MUG OF WATER AND FRY FOR ANOTHER 3-4 MINS,ADD A TEASPOON OF ADJOWAN SEEDS,ADD ANOTHER MUG OF WATER AND COOK FOR A FUTHER 5 MINS. NOW ADD TO THE MIXTURE THE ONIONS THAT WERE BLENDED IN THE BEGINING AND MIX ALL TOGETHER.ADD 1 FULL BLOCK OF CREAMED COCONUT AND 1 Tablespoon sugar Plus  half teaspoon salt plus 2 chicken stock cubes THATS YOUR BASE  To make vindaloo just use chilli powder and squirt of lemon TERRY when making your curry dish PS
I use all purpose seasoning instead of chicken cubes SPRINKLE IN UNTIL YOU ARE HAPPY WITH THE TASTE .as this is what they use in the take aways or retaurants please note,more salt and suger will enhance the taste

please dont forget to visit us at www.ifindforu.com

[madmatt]

Am giving this a go. Have followed it to the letter and will report findings. Makes a change from ca's pressure cooker base that I normally make. I've made the original base as shown on page 1, it's frustrating when a base is so popular the posts take an age to go through, and I always end up wondering if on page 27 or whatever there is a magic update!

[Karahi Master]

Perfect BIR taste.