WELL DONE Curry King,

I think that's as far as you can go then, all that is left is to perfect any other dishes that you like to eat and find yourself a new hobby.

I know that the recipe for the base sauce and for the Madras that you made for the chef are probably somewhere on this site, but to save us all time and to be sure we get the right ones, perhaps you could put links to them both here, thanx.

WELL DONE again Curry King,

Cheers,

Blondie

Hi all,

Thanx for the replies, very helpful, I'll give it a try,

Cheers all,

Blondie

Hi Pete,

The Pat Chapman base that had Fennel in it, could you please give me a link for it or perhaps post the recipe here,

Thanx Pete,

Blondie

Hi all,

thanks for the replies. A couple of you mention Fennel powder, has anyone seen this in the shops, or would I need to grind it myself because we have an abundance of asian shops in this area but I have never seen it, does it go by another name in powdered form.

What about Kashmiri Masala?  I have recently bought 2 different ones, Patak's and another that comes in a box made by Mangal.  The Mangal one seems to have the true flavour of the takeaway about it but the Patak's doesn't although they both added a certain smooth roundness to the dishes I used them in.  I was wondering about the use of the Kashmiri Masala in the base YES or NO ?

cheers all,

Blondie

Hi DARTHPHALL,

The aniseedy taste is in the rice for sure (Pillau) but I've tasted it many times when I've eaten the curry on it's own.  My other half has also found Fennel seeds in Rogan.

Cheers DARTHPHALL,

Blondie

Hi all,

What does everyone think about the possibility of there being Fennel seeds in the base sauce.  The reason I bring this up is that for a long time now I have had a suspicion that there is a slight aniseedy taste to my favourite takeaway's curries. I asked them if there was any Fennel seeds in the base and they said there is. Am I being spun another yarn?

Does anyone else detect this taste or is this specific to my locals,

Cheers all,

Blondie

Hi Mark,

I didn't mean to imply that Anyone on this site is being deliberately unhelpful, especially not CK, but it easy to overlook details of a set of instructions ie a recipe when you know what you are doing yourself,

Cheers All,

Blondie

Hi Curry King,

your point about actually seeing the curries cooked by the chef in the kitchen and there being a lot of judging by eye of the quantities is fully understood and accepted, but for any of you to sing the praises of a dish, you presumably have cooked it yourself at home and therefore must be able to much more quantify ingredients.

Please don't be like the chefs you have learned from and suggest that you can't explain how we can do it and laugh up your sleeve because you can.

I am not suggesting that this is what you are saying, but you get my drift (oops! sorry that's the baked beans making me drift, it's only because I can't make a restaurant standard curry YET!).

Thanks everyone for all your help, I'll get there one day.

thanx Curry King.

Cheers

Hi Merrybaker,

This is a good point that you make , and as far as I am aware we are not using common measures.? You are quite right that the recipes will never be truly replicated unless we standardise our measures.? I think also that when a recipe calls for a curry powder or a curry powder mixture (which has been investigated? here https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=239.msg1833#msg1833) the make of curry powder / garam masalla and the ratio of the mix used should be given.? It would also help, if it makes a difference to a recipe, that the make of other ingredients (eg Coconut block) are also given.
The weight of onions used instead of e.g. 4 onions or 4 large onions or 4 small onions would also help.

I have been disapointed by several recipes including some from restaurants that people have said are the bees knees, and this may be due to the above inconsistencies.

Cheers,

Blondie

To Stephen West,

I have noticed this taste from one takeaway near me and I wasn't sure if it was a flavour somehow transfered from the Tandoor or from Black or Brown Cardamoms which have a very smokey smell and taste to them.

Cheers Stephen,

Blondie