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Author Topic: Curry Stocks....  (read 10,045 times)

AI Summary
The discussion revolves around the differences between complex gravies and simpler stocks used in curry preparation. Participants suggest that what bjplayer refers to as "stocks" are essentially the same as base gravies or sauces commonly used in British Indian restaurants, which involve a combination of root vegetables and spices. The consensus is that while some prefer simpler methods, the more complex gravies are not overly complicated and can be learned through practice and recipes available in various cookbooks or the forum itself.

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Offline bjplayer

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Curry Stocks....
« on: December 27, 2010, 02:37 PM »
hi guys,

ive read thru the site a bit and theres some great recipes, i chat a lot to the local muslim indians who work in numerous restaurants near me, im looking to make my own curry as we all are but when i read these complicated gravy recipes i find it a bit off putting, the guys i were talking to talk about making stocks from boiled root vegetables that are handy at times , not endless lists of spices mixed in with onions etc,,

maybe one of you can tell me the difference between these complexy gravys and the simple stocks i hear the local guys talk of to add to their meats..??

thx guys happy new year... bjplayer :D
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Offline Peripatetic Phil

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Re: Curry Stocks....
« Reply #1 on: December 27, 2010, 02:43 PM »
Quote from: bjplayer on December 27, 2010, 02:37 PM
maybe one of you can tell me the difference between these complexy gravys and the simple stocks i hear the local guys talk of to add to their meats..??
I'm just a "simple stock" man myself, BJ : never felt the need for a complex one.  Give KD1 base a try and see how it goes.

** Phil.
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Offline Stephen Lindsay

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Re: Curry Stocks....
« Reply #2 on: December 27, 2010, 03:44 PM »
there's no difference as far as I'm concerned bj, they are just the same thing with different names - stock, gravy, sauce, base, there's lots of recipes here - Phil advocates the Kris Dhillon base, I current use Bruce Edwards (2008) base which is fairly simple too.
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Offline George

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Re: Curry Stocks....
« Reply #3 on: December 27, 2010, 04:04 PM »
Quote from: bjplayer on December 27, 2010, 02:37 PM
when i read these complicated gravy recipes i find it a bit off putting, the guys i were talking to talk about making stocks from boiled root vegetables that are handy at times , not endless lists of spices mixed in with onions etc

I guess that most people on this forum are quite enthusiastic about cooking, whereas I suspect most of the public at large are a bit lazy and prefer pre-prepared curries from bottles, chilled containers, etc. Indian restaurant staff surely work very hard as well, despite the misconception you may be under. If lifting a few teaspoons of spices out of packets and into a saucepan sounds too much like hard work, then perhaps you'd be better off sticking to ready-made foods and take-aways.
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Offline Peripatetic Phil

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Re: Curry Stocks....
« Reply #4 on: December 27, 2010, 04:19 PM »
Quote from: George on December 27, 2010, 04:04 PM
If lifting a few teaspoons of spices out of packets and into a saucepan sounds too much like hard work, then perhaps you'd be better off sticking to ready-made foods and take-aways.

George, do you really think that this is any way to encourage a newcomer to the forum ?  Why not be positive for a change, and suggest he tries one or two of your less-difficult favourites ?

** Phil.
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Offline bjplayer

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Re: Curry Stocks....
« Reply #5 on: December 27, 2010, 04:42 PM »
hi guys, bjplayer again... ive given slightly the wrong idea and still managed to cause an argument it seems  ::).

i have cooked a few curries in the past and of course never as good as the shops , i did go thru a phase of morning , noon and nightly of trying to get it right before t'internet was born, in the end preferred the takeaway as it was so much better but believe there was no lack of effort.

as for the stock i was referring to , i didnt mean to imply there were no spices involved  just that the stock was seperate ie... you would start by frying spices in onion (normally very small amount of spices (maybe tsp)) in oil  then add  meat then ....... then the stock which is where it got confused which is just plain root veg boiled in water added. then finished with whatever coconut etc...

im assuming most recipes on here come from cross of books and like me trying to bend the ear of the local restaurant after few cobras? so suprised with these complicated graviy ideas was my point, just curios where they all come from , hope this clarifies...bjplayer
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Offline Unclefrank

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Re: Curry Stocks....
« Reply #6 on: December 27, 2010, 05:12 PM »
Hi BJ, I use this recipe by CA https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3772.0

Plus all of CA's recipes found in here https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?board=3.0

Its well worth that little bit of effort at the start then it  get easier and easier, and the more you make, the better you get. The bases aren't really that complex (a couple are) but give CA's a go.
Cheers.
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Offline Peripatetic Phil

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Re: Curry Stocks....
« Reply #7 on: December 27, 2010, 05:29 PM »
Quote from: bjplayer on December 27, 2010, 04:42 PM
as for the stock i was referring to , i didnt mean to imply there were no spices involved  just that the stock was separate ie... you would start by frying spices in onion (normally very small amount of spices (maybe tsp)) in oil  then add  meat then ....... then the stock which is where it got confused which is just plain root veg boiled in water added. then finished with whatever coconut etc...
OK, I think that most of us would differ in regard to "plain root veg boiled in water"; there is, I think, a general consensus that this has to be liquidised before it is ready to be added.

Quoteso suprised with these complicated gravy ideas was my point, just curious where they all come from, hope this clarifies...bjplayer
Can't help you here, I am afraid; I believe that a stock should be a very simple thing, with water, oil, ginger, garlic, onion, tomato, salt and (for spices) at most paprika and turmeric; I will let those who prefer more fully flavoured gravies explain from where their ideas come.

** Phil.
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Offline Stephen Lindsay

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Re: Curry Stocks....
« Reply #8 on: December 27, 2010, 05:46 PM »
Quote from: bjplayer on December 27, 2010, 04:42 PM
hi guys, bjplayer again... ive given slightly the wrong idea and still managed to cause an argument it seems  ::).


you didn't cause an argument bj, but it is a feature of this site from time to time unfortunately

Quote from: bjplayer on December 27, 2010, 04:42 PM

im assuming most recipes on here come from cross of books and like me trying to bend the ear of the local restaurant after few cobras? so suprised with these complicated graviy ideas was my point, just curios where they all come from , hope this clarifies...bjplayer

bj that's true but only up to a point. Several of our members have spent time in BIR kitchens learning things first hand, so you can be fairly sure that base recipes are representative of the takeaway industry albeit they are posted in downsized quantities to suit the domestic kitchen.
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Offline George

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Re: Curry Stocks....
« Reply #9 on: December 27, 2010, 09:06 PM »
Quote from: bjplayer on December 27, 2010, 02:37 PM
maybe one of you can tell me the difference between these complexy gravys and the simple stocks i hear the local guys talk of to add to their meats..??

A belated welcome to the forum. The 'complex gravies' and 'simple stocks' are most likely to be the same thing. The recipes here are as close as damn it to what's being used in 95% of British Indian restaurants. The chaps you are talking to may play down the nature of their stocks and sauces but the actual recipes and applications will be the same as you can see here, or on youtube or other web sites with actual videos of chefs making and using the same thing. The base sauces are not that complicated to make, and once you've made a few pints of the base sauce you can rush out several final curries in a few minutes.
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