Well there you go. What do say about forests and trees?  Glad you enjoyed it as much as I did.  I didn't cool the base in a water bath to blend it either as I used a stick blender.  I think that instruction is more for safely blending if transferring to a lidded blender. 

I've defrosted an easy carve leg of lamb and 2 chickens so later today I'll be doing pre-cooks ready to cook curries for Mrs L.  I'll make sure she doesn't get to take all of it to work though as I'm very keen to try this gravy with the lamb.

An hour or less to make a top notch base gravy.  I'm also glad I found this one and it was pure chance.  I did a search for Chip Shop Curry Sauce and for some reason the second thread, started by Admin, came up so I started reading it and then followed the link to the main thread.  Just goes to show that there is really good stuff buried in this forum.

What we actually get when we buy Kashmiri chilli is very unpredictable and unregulated.  After the extensive research and growing I did 3 -4 years ago  (pre-covid) it is most likely that we are mainly being sold Byadgi chillis instead. I have purchased 3 differently branded 1 kg bags of what were supposedly kashmiri chillis and found them to be different in shape, size, colour and heat.  I am yet to see a bag of kashmiri chilli powder that exhibits the bright glowing red of some pictures I've seen. Many of them, the best ones, go to the cosmetics industry for use as colouring.

There are hundreds if not thousands of varieties across the subcontinent and the thing is, they cross polinate.  The Indian agriculture board has several important varieties listed as recognised while many others are just lal mirch or red chillies.

Robbo, unfortunately for you, the biosecurity into US, could mean that whole chillis are treated in some way to prevent the seeds from germinating.  Here in Oz I had one bag of the 3 that produced thousands of viable seeds that produced highly prolific fruiting plants. I only had one plant from another bag and zero from the third.

We are finally in for a hot summer this year and spring is here over the last week. I'll be planting seeds today. The last 3 seasons have been washouts with excessive rain and no sun due to la nina and we finally return to el nino. Hope we don't get the bushfire but we probably will because idiots light them.  I bought some seed mix yesterday and I've been weeding out my raised garden beds.  Unfortunately, I have very few plants that have survived our first cold winter in over a decade.

I see no reason why the instant pot wouldn't work robbo, and I'd imagine you could put the spices in from the beginning without too much change. It would be done in 20 minutes under pressure. A stop and start is do-able anyway if you want to add the spice at the end.  I'll try my instant pot knockoff multi cooker next time. 

The simplicity of this base really shows that all the fluffing about with 3 hour gravies and cooking till the oil seperates is totally unnecessary.  Bruce actually gives a good explanation of why oil separation is not important, or possible, with home sized base gravy. 

The comments about the inclusion or not of the radish is interesting. I've only ever seen Mooli radish used in one other (very complicated) base gravy. It's not a very Indian ingredient at all. I would never bother to include it again.

Off topic comment:  I saw an article over here about a month ago informing that the parent company of Instant Pot has gone belly up.  They also sell Pyrex and Corningware among other brands.

Haha. Yeah. Pre-seasoned chickens. Very funny.

I don't see that logic at all Phil.  I understand what you are getting at but, he actually says that the gravy, once cooled and re-heated suffers a marked change and deterioration, and yet that is what he suggests in the first place.  I believe it is usual in the BIR method to use gravy that is already hot when added to the dish pan and so if it's been cooled, it must be re-heated to use.  No matter which way I look at it, I see a contradiction.

Regardless, I have to say that when I cooked this gravy last night, I used it immediately to make the basic chicken curry. I'd pre-cooked the chicken (breast and thigh) by poaching in a weak chicken stock with a bit of mild curry powder. (Knorr Chicken Powder and Clive of India Curry Powder.) The resulting curry was superb. However, I have to agree with other earlier comments in that for some reason the heat from chilli powder appears to be amplified when using this base gravy.  As my family is not fond of hot curry, I used only a small amount (about a tsp in a double serve) of "Mild" Chilli Powder and the dish was on the edge for my wife, whereas I and my daughter found it ok.  The original recipe calls for a TBSP of Chilli Powder in a single serve for a "serious vindaloo".  I won't be going there.

I also made a very basic Masala Prawns using a splash of the gravy and it was also delicious.  I regret not trying this gravy earlier and Mrs Livo has already requested that I make a Lamb Curry using the remaining (refrigerated) gravy.  She wants to take it to work next week to share for her staff luncheon.

If you've never tried this gravy, or perhaps it's been a while, I recommend giving it a try. Oh, nearly forgot.  I only made a 1/2 quantity which is plenty for home use and will easily produce 4 or 5 double serve dishes.

It has probably been very remiss of me to have never tried this base and curry, so today I have decided to give it a go.  I found that this topic has developed into 2 threads, being this main one and then another which is follow up comments from BE, found here, https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3074.msg27201#msg27201.

Upon reading both of these threads, I noticed one very odd contradiction, as shown in the following quotes from the 2 threads.

Quote from: Yousef on July 10, 2008, 01:48 PM
As you know I have been in discussion with Bruce Edwards and he has kindly provided CR0.co.uk with an article on the restaurant Curry Sauce and Basic Curry.  So here it is.......

Bruce Edwards
.........
I always make curry sauce in late afternoon, and when I reach this point, I refrigerate it, then blend it the next morning. So you can follow exactly if you want, or fit it into your own schedule.  But I think it is probably best if you at least allow it to cool fully before blending.  When you are ready, top up the water to its' original level. Then blend until really smooth, and return to the fridge.

It is my opinion [but not proven] that curry sauce is at its' best on the third day after cooking.
......

Quote from: Yousef on October 14, 2008, 06:27 PM
Original Post Here https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=2815.0

Comments received from Bruce Edwards 14/10/2008

The method I have presented is tailored for home use. In a restaurant, it will be modified to meet local requirements. If, for instance, the production of sauce is on-going and it is being used straight away, it could be blended while still hot on top of the cooker, and used immediately. The remnants of one pot could be added to the next; after all, it has more flavour than water. I have done this myself. It gives some interesting variations of flavour. What I wouldn't do is re-heat blended sauce that has been allowed to cool, as there will be a marked change / deterioration in flavour. And of course, any excess oil floating on the base sauce can be used in the cooking of dishes.

                                        BRUCE EDWARDS.
                                        NORTH NORFOLK.
                                        7th. OCTOBER 2008.
               

So, the contradiction is quite obvious. He initially says that he always uses his base after it has been cooled overnight and blended the following day. He goes on to say that he finds it to be at its best on day 3. However, in the follow up comments he says that he wouldn't use the base once it's been cooled and re-heated.

Curiouser and curiouser.  Has anybody still hanging around from early days used this base before, and if so, did you notice any deterioration / improvement from allowing it to mellow before use.

Note: I assume the forum admin at this time was Stewy and not Yousef.

Robbo, I notice you have mixed Coriander / Cumin Powder.  I've seen it for sale at the Indian grocer but never saw the point.  Do you use it frequently and is there any benefit in having it pre-mixed?  I assume it's 50 /50.

Bit rot on this thread.  The original post (including the recipe) is gone.  Good thing I've got Rik on "chat" to find out how he originally did it.

Have you cooked this yet Robbo?  The AI approach is interesting. Could you also ask it how to achieve the allusive BIR missing 5%?

The menu looks good robbo. If the food is good, I'd be happy to sit down to a banquet with a group of friends.  Rough conversion from US$ to AUS$ puts the prices around where I'd expect for here as well.

1) Possible flavour addition from vinegar or lime juice.
2) Acidity assists in break down of starch to help individual grain separation.
3) Reduces glycemic index. (So does reheating pre-cooked and cooled rice.)
4) Safer rice as acid acts to preserve. (Sushi rice seasoning is acidic.) Cooked rice can be problematic.