I always cook on a low heat, Just a nice simmer will bring out the flavour of the onions more, Hard boiling doesnt do any justice other than having to keep topping the base up with water and making it weaker, I wouldnt want to boil the living daylights out of my stew.

My money would be 100 % on the mix powder, All onion base mixtures are much the same but without the proper mix powder you will not get the elusive flavour in the base to begin, Ive been in few kitchens and tasted the base gravy and thats where the elusive taste already begins.

Cheers for that noble fox, I did read that someone said 1 clove was not enough so i will go for ten,

Going to have a bash at this next week, Seems as though its struck a cord with most, Was it just 1 clove of garlic for the tarka or did some of you more,
Cheers.

Cheers guys what a great forum, My girlfriend is asian and suggested joining somethink like this as she loves Restaurant food, Her names (moderated),

Most base gravies no matter what you put in them IE, Cabbage, Carrot etc doesnt make to much difference, The way Takeaways and restaurants get that elusive flavour is all down to the mix powder, Having been in a few kitchens Ive found it very difficult to try and get a recipe for the mix powder they use, When i asked them it was just a no no, If the mix powder can be cracked you will get the elusive taste thats missing,

Hello everyone, Im mike hunt from walsall west midlands, Looking forward to surfing the website,