Spices:

• Coriander seeds
• Cumin seeds (white)
• Turmeric powder
• Chilli powder

Herbs:

• Fresh coriander
• Dried fenugreek leaves

I reckon that, armed with the above, plus onions, garlic (maybe ginger), tomato paste, vegetable oil and rice, one would be able to make a reasonable BIR-like curry (including making a reasonable curry base).

I admit that I have a "compulsive disorder" (if you wish to call it that) to replicating the BIR curries that I have grown to know and love.

I also admit to having a "compulsive disorder" (if you wish to call it that) to participating in this forum in order to help reveal "the secrets" to replicating BIR curries with like-minded members.

Other than that, I am happy (with myself) if the majority of my (albeit relatively numerous) posts on this forum go some way in assisting other like-minded members in their similar pursuits (i.e. by posting relevant, on topic, value-adding posts).

I also admit that I, like several others here, all too often get distracted by the frequent personality clashes and conflicts of opinion (whether that is good for the forum, or bad, depends on your outlook on life, and on debate).

However, I would be rather unhappy with myself if the majority of my posts (if not all) were irrelevant, negative, off-topic and none value adding to other members of the forum in their pursuits.  Then I would really wonder what sort of "disorder" I possessed! 

I must say that I find some of the responses in this thread rather annoying (and often rather arrogant). 

But, I'll try and be nice  :

• To my mind, whether an individual believes that they can, or cannot, truly replicate decent BIR curries really depends on their yardstick (e.g. the era that they are relating to, their locality, the quality of their local BIR curries, their experiences, their expectations, etc)
• I strongly suspect that hardly anyone on this forum (I would hazard a guess that it's actually no one - to my personal yardstick - but I guess I will never know unless I actually try them - no offence guys) can TRULY replicate a drop dead, top of the range, BIR curry (with respect to smell, depth of flavour, texture, etc).  I certainly know I can't!
• If you accept the last point (and I'm sure many members won't), then I'm sure you must also accept that there are still some "unknowns" (call them "secrets", "magic ingredients", "magic techniques", or whatever).  The fact is, in my opinion, that they still remain "unknowns" (otherwise we would all be turning out topnotch - not just "nice" BIR curries)
  
• It may be that we know all that there is to know (regarding ingredients and techniques) but we simply cannot (and will not) reproduce them at home, due to the scale, volumes and repetition inherent in BIRs.  However, I have never believed this, and I stubbornly refuse to believe it,  unless those aspects can be clearly identified, quantified and articulated

As Donald Rumsfeld (in)famously stated "there are known knowns, known unknowns and unknown unknowns"!

Anyhow, my 2 cents worth, for what it's worth....

Quote from: Secret Santa on November 29, 2012, 02:22 PM
And steve, what do you mean by this: "my dedication is to find the truth behind BIR gravy"? I honestly think that of all things BIR the 'secret' of the base sauce is well and truly done to death on this forum, such that there is no secret any more.

And that coming from someone who readily admits that they are singularly unable to reproduce their favourite curries from yesteryear?    :

Quote from: Secret Santa on November 29, 2012, 02:22 PM
I love chips with my curry too...but that's a thing from my 'yoof' innit. Never actually had chips with curry in a restaurant though.

Just cos YOU haven't had them in a (BIR) restaurant, it doesn't mean that they're not readily available, are often eaten,  and regularly wanted (in BIRs), though  :-X

And what's any of THAT got to do with the original topic of the thread?  :

Quote from: George on November 27, 2012, 07:02 PM

That's one reason why I prefer this forum to most others. It's no longer over-controlled whereby too many posts get deleted, threads locked and all the rest of it. I 'm a moderator here and I started this thread, rather than closing it. The only posts I delete are pure spam. The only posts I edit either involve the rare case of a 4 letter word, or changes made with the author's permission.

And this is a great example of a rather meaningless, totally off-topic post (whatever the purpose of the original topic was?), that adds absolutely no value, whatsoever, to the forum (IMHO).

I have to agree, George, I also question if you have "a compulsive disorder of some kind"   

Perhaps you're just trying to increase your post count? 

I love chips with my curry.....the curry also looks pretty good to me.

Thanks for posting the results of your efforts! 

To be honest, George, I'm also battling to grasp the purpose of your thread and what it is that you are trying to say?

It sounds to me like you're possibly criticising people for posting too much?

I would have thought that the more (on topic) posts, the merrier the forum.

I would have thought that the quality of (relevant and informative) posts is more important than quantity.

A large number of high quality, relevant and informative posts is clearly desirable for the forum and its members.

Hi UF,

• "milled black peppercorns" (i.e. black peppercorn powder - fine or coarse, up to you - I would use fine)
• Any fresh chillies that are the hottest that you care to use (I would include the seeds....but it's the pith that's the hottest)