I agree the takeaways today seem to pale in comparison to how I remember my first dishes back in the UK in the late 70's and 80s.  My dad introduced me to chicken madras, keema pilau rice, onion salad and popadoms at the age of 10 in 1977. (I'm 54, been eating curry more than a couple of decades).  I never was disappointed in a curry in my early years but when I visit the UK these days, I often get a vindaloo I think is just 'meh'.  It's doubly disappointing because I only visit once a year (not in the past almost 3, thank you Covid), and I really, REALLY look forward to BIR and to have it less than anticipated is a killer.
Indian dishes will always be a staple for me, but my days as Indian(a) Jones and the Lost Whatever are long gone. I just accept that I can cook a decent dish and occasionally, very occasionally I get a result that could've come from a takeaway.

I have to agree about the secret ingredient not existing. We've all seen multiple videos shot inside British Indian restaurants and that chefs use the spices we all know too. I have to think there's something in the heat of the stove but I suspect most of the 'real-deal-ness' comes from simple technique and timing. Look at all the videos of chefs just scooping spices from overhead bins with their chef spoon. Compare that with me using carefully leveled measuring spoons. I've never been inside a restaurant kitchen but, probably as with any dish, it's better when cooked by a chef, no matter how talented the amateur.

Robbo

I think maybe it's as simple as while cooking, we get overdosed with aroma and become a bit inured (inured? Is that right? Let me google it....yes, that's kind of right) to the aroma / sensory beauty of a curry. We're breathing it in constantly and then to eat it straight away, well, sometimes for me it falls flat.  But when you order takeaway, and you get that sensation when you open the foil container (here in the US, they all seem to use plastic round tubs, ugh) and inhale all the heavenly glory (to quote Bruce Lee), the experience is so much better. Even just a foil container of keema pilau has a certain something.  I think it may be a similar experience when letting a curry sit overnight. And there's definitely something to be said about a vindaloo at 10am.

Robbo

I'll give that paste a go. I'm not looking to replicate the Birmingham balti exactly, but anything that gives me a great result is worth trying. Just need to find decent cardamom seeds to eliminate the need to split so many pods, which is a right royal pain.

Lahore Bob mentioning Rusholme takes me back. My then girlfriend was at Manchester Uni, and I used to bus down to stay with her in Ashburne Hall back in the late 80's.  Some great curry houses down there.

Robbo

I did. My first run out was cooking for me and the missis and I followed the recipe exactly. Well, slightly different in that I use my pressure cooker instead of boiling for an hour, but otherwise identical.  It made a nice enough dish and the missis loved it, but I just prefer to use it as a base. Mick's right, it doesn't need salt but for me, adding those spices gets me the result I'm after.
I too will be using this as my default base, but also, after eating seconds at 10am and finding it to be probably the best BIR dish I've ever made, I'm going to make cooking the night before and eating next day my default prep too. I'm rarely ever impressed with the BIR-ness of my curries but this time, what a result!  It's the small things that please...

Robbo

I have found MDB's balti base gives me good results when used as a base. (Change your profile name to Mickdabase?)   
I cooked this yesterday.



In the cold pan are;
1/2 chopped small onion
1 chef spoon veg oil
5 Thai chillies, split lengthwise
1 TBSP ginger garlic paste

Off to the side are the base, 1/4 chopped small tomato, chicken tikka, these spices and the obligatory glass of Riesling.



The usual cook / reduce method, adding a couple chef spoons of base each time and the resulting dish was excellent.  Lovely consistency, not overly oily, thick and delicious with garlic naan.  Will no doubt be better this morning when I reheat for elevenses.


Robbo

Looks great Livo, well played.  I'm planning to make a tandoor out of two clay plant pots. I saw a how-to somewhere online and it looks fairly straightforward. Always a mistake, reading these posts over a morning cuppa.  Now hungry.

Robbo

Man, that chicken tikka looks great. Seriously considering building a tandoor now.

Robbo

I've eaten at Chai Pani. Very good street food. It was only 2.5 hours away from my home in North Carolina. They have a dish of deep fried okra that is amazing.

An interesting article...

Robbo

We always get way more fruit than I can use fresh. Freezing is a good option although the larger chillies take up a lot of room when you've got several dozen.  An alternative to dehydration is to smoke them then just keep in airtight containers or grind to powder. I call my smoked habanero chilli powder Volcano Dust. It's great in chilli con carne.  My freezer is never without a Tupperware box of Thai chillies too and this season we'll have a couple hundred to harvest.
To use up some of the fresh peppers, yesterday I made jalapeño lime beef jerky. Lovely.

Robbo