Thanks for that everyone. Sounds like I should stick to tinned toms in my base and puree to finish the dish. Learning little things from people who know and have tried makes it easier for us all on the path to a good curry.

I've noticed from different recipes that people use passata ( which I've never tried) , tomato puree and tinned tomatoes.
What if any are the great differnces of using these three ingrediants.
I've used tomato puree in my last attempt and found that to make a good flavour.

As a trainee I love learning all the time about cooking and non more so than from members on this site.
Until I joined I'd always made just plain boring boiled rice.
After reading many posts my rice now is as follows:

Basmalti rice cooked with 6 green cardamom pods, 2 bay leaves and a teaspoon of turmeric. Cooked in a pan full of water for 5-7 mins, taken out drained and put in the fridge to cool and stop cooking. Then open cardamom pods and put the seeds back in the rice and remove bay leave.

As a trainee this works for me everytime with a lovely taste but how can I improve on this in anyway?
I have ALWAYS overcooked my rice before learing to only cook it for 5-7 mins and learnt something else new.

This is a great friendly site and hope to learn loads more in the future.

As a newbie to all this I've only ever used the absorption method before and not getting it right most times and end up washing the rice in cold water, and washing the flavours away at the same time.
Also my biggest fault I've now found out after reading this thread is that I've been over cooking the rice.
So following Cory's method my rice came out spot on with flavours still in tact.

Practise makes perfect..........another bag of rice goes in the trolley !


Thanks Cory.

Since joining this site I've been on the look out for the ingredients for the recipes.
I drive to Coventry everday and have found a great shop on the Foleshill Road with a VERY helpful man that is only too willing to help and point in the right direction.
I've bought all Nacto spices @ 49 pence a bag, fresh garlic, ginger etc.
A great find of a shop and very helpful.

I'm starving now !
I tried the Naan bread from the you-tube video but didn't seem to come out like the video!
I used bread flour and yeast, but will be giving this a try after work tomorrow.
I did add the onion seeds to my previous efforts and they did make a great differnce to the taste even if they didn't rise !

Cheers Cory.                      Pat

Thanks for that YF.  So my seeds are of no use?  Or can I use them in anything else?

Roll up, Roll up  FREE Funugreek seeds to a good home !!

I like this learning but its costing me a fortune.

Cheers.    Pat

I see you use funugreek leaves.  I've just bought some funugreek seeds, can I use these instead, and if so how much and do I roast or fry them before use?

Cheers.    Pat

I have tried cooking a curry using oil and seems to come out alot better than when I tried with Ghee.  With the ghee it seemed to come out rather sweet.  Is this the ghee or some thing I'm doing wrong?

It was my first attempt after joining the site yesterday to make a 'proper' curry.
I started off with Vinda Looo's curry base, and along with Darthphall's 100% madras clone and it worked a treat.
Really easy to follow and hope it turned out OK, looked and tasted good (should of taken a photo really)
Anyway many thanks for the post that helped me on my way.

Cheers.     Pat