Hi Mark J,

Could it be that the duller leaves which might be methi are fresh as opposed to the dried ones.  Most of us use dried for convenince (I think) but they are available fresh in my local area but I haven't tried them.  Matbe I should try the fresh methi and report back.

Cheers Mark J,

Blondie

Oh Dear,

Mine Too,

Blondie

Hi Thomashenry,

Well done. You seem to be getting very close and wre using techniques and ingredient variations that a lot of us wouldn't have tried because we are trying too hard to stick to restaurant kitchen methods.

Keep up the good work, can't wait for your findings.

There are 1 or 2 questions that I have for you, but I will let you reach your conclusions first.

Well done again,

Blondie

Hi All,

This is something that I have been meaning to post for some time.? I am inspired to post now by the suggestions that we do not need garam masala has flicked the switch.

At a local supermarket that claims to supply restaurants and takeaways I noticed that the restaurant sized spices / pastes are:

These bags / sacks are I would guess about 5 kg each
All East End

Hot Madras Curry Powder
Methi
Paprika
Coriander
Cumin
Turmeric
Tandoori Masala Powder
Hot Chili Powder

5 ltr Tomato ketchup

Large Patak's Plastic jars (guess at size about 25 cms high and 20 cms round)

Balti Paste
Tandoori Paste
Tika Paste
Kashmiri Paste

Sacks of
Red Lentils
Ata Flour

NO GARAM MASALLA

Don't know if this is a help or not,

Cheers All,

Blondie

Hi Dylan,

I think you are right about partly taste and partly flavour but I wasn't able to decide what was what in the persuit of the tastes / flavours in the curry, as I say I hope you have more luck than I did,

Cheers,

Blondie

Hi Dylan,

I know it sounds a little crazy, but I have tried the peg on the nose trick to try and define what is and isn't present in a BIR curry, but it didn't help me.  I hope that you have more luck than I did,

cheers

Blondie

Hi Thomashenry,

Most of the curry houses in this area don't have the smokey taste, but the one that has a very definite smokey taste definitely has the taste in the sauce even without meat etc being added. So in this case I wouldn't say that the smokey taste come from only the main ingredients but comes from the sauce as well.

Just my twopenn'th,

Blondie

Hi Ian S,

What makes you think that grinding dried fenugreek leaves is what is meant?

The reason I ask is, that ground or powdered fenugreek is available and it has a very very strong flavour nothing like grinding leaves at home will give.

Cheers Ian S,

Blondie

Hi Pete,

One error in the KD book that threw me to begin with is the Fenugreek ingredient in the chicken curry (and other main ingredient basic curries).

In the ingredients it staes ground Fenugreek and in the procedure states dried fenugreek.

hope this helps a little,

Cheers Pete,

Blondie

Hi Pete,

I think there is a lot to what you say.  I think the main stream curries ie medium curry sauce, madras, vindaloo do not really have a flavour that can be put down to spices, as you say it seems to come from all the other ingredients,

What are we saying here? I'm confused,

Thanx for doin' me 'ead in,

Cheers Pete,

Blondie