Hi all,
Found this while browsing. May be of interest!
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THE BASE CURRY SAUCE
Stage one
ingredients:
               15 fluid oz measure of SPLIT RED LENTILS
               4.5 pints WATER
Thoroughly wash the lentils in several changes of water and remove any
stones.  Put them in a large pan with the water and bring to the boil.
Turn down the heat and simmer for 20 minutes uncovered.  Skim off the
froth that collects.  Partly cover the pan and cook for a further 40
minutes, stirring occasionally.
While the lentils are cooking take the following
stage two ingredients:
               4 lb COOKING ONIONS
               7.25 teaspoons GROUND GINGER
               7.25 teaspoons GARLIC POWDER
               1.5 teaspoons ASOFOETIDA
               5.5 pints COLD WATER
               3.5 teaspoons SALT
Peel and slice the onions in half, place them in a large micro-waveable
casserole with 8 tablespoons of the water.  Cook on high for 16 minutes
(650-watt Microwave), stir and cook on high for a further 16 minutes.
Leave to stand for 10 minutes.  Add the rest of the water to the onions.
Put the ground ginger, garlic powder and asofoetida in the liquidiser with
a third of the onions and water - liquidise for two minutes.  Liquidise
the remaining onions with the water for two minutes.  Put the mixture in
a large pan, add the salt and bring to the boil.  Turn down and simmer
for 10 minutes.
While the lentils and onions are cooking take the following stage three
ingredients:
               29 ozs TINNED TOMATOES
               2 large FRESH TOMATOES
               18 fluid ozs SUNFLOWER OIL
               3.75 teaspoons TURMERIC
               3.75 teaspoons PAPRIKA
Liquidise the tomatoes for two minutes.  Mix all the ingredients together
in a saucepan.  Bring to the boil, turn the heat down and simmer uncovered
for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
When the onions and lentils are cooked put them together in the large pan
and mix in the cooked tomatoes.  Bring the mixture back to the boil and
turn the heat down to simmer.  It is important at this stage to skim off
the froth that rises to the top of the sauce.  Continue simmering and
skimming for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the sauce
sticking.
You should now have approximately 10-11 pints of base curry sauce that
can be cooled and frozen for use later (in small batches), or used
straight away.


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This recipe found at : http://homepages.tesco.net/~andy.oddjob/curry.htm

Barry.

Hello good people,

Have been cooking traditional style curries now for the past 12 years.
Last week discovered this excellent site. I have read through almost
every single post and every topic. Until now I have never really tried
to emulate restaurant style curries. It does however seem that this
site may have now infected me as well. (drat!) I have been thinking.....
What if.................
1. The curry gravy/base onion sauce is maybe too concentrated. Maybe it
? ? should be diluted with water or yoghurt or something and because it is
? ? too concentrated, it is "masking" "THAT TASTE"
2. Your onion base is correct but that the secret lies in the sauce that the
? ? meat/chicken is cooked in. When the onion base and meat are combined
? ? to make a madras or any other dish, maybe some of this sauce from the
? ? meat is added into the equation?
3. In one of the posts mention is made of two white powders etc. Could one
? ? possibly be corn flour used as a thickening agent?
4. There are various types of Garam Masala, what I call "general garam masala"
? ? with a few variations in recipes but there is also "kashmiri garam masala" The
? ? recipe for this garam masala differs to that of general garam masala. Maybe,
? ? just maybe ??
5. The chemical in onions that "burns" your eyes, with heat, is changed to sugar
? ? hence the sweetness in dishes containing onions. Therefore really strong onions
? ? should therefore produce more sugar. By using more or less onions, the
? ? sweetness is varied and this theory also goes along with my possible dilution
? ? theory.
Now for the curry gurus out there, please be gentle with me. These are just my
thoughts. Remember I do not have the Restaurant style cooking experience that you
have. From making the more traditional curry I have learned that you do not want
an overpowering taste but a very gentle blend of spices.
If my comments have been addressed elsewhere on the forum, please ignore my ramblings
as I may have missed it.
Respectfully,
Barry.

Hello all,
I am searching for an authentic recipe for making poppadums.
I know it is easier to just buy them and drop them in oil but I
would like to make my own.
This to me also seems to be quite a closely guarded secret!
Thank you.
Barry.