Hi JLC and welcome

Couple of easy but VERY important tips

First your frozen base:
After defrosting have it in a seperate saucepan simmering away whilst you are in the process of starting the curry off in a different pan, so that there is no drop in temperature in your pan when the time arrives to add it in.

First Stage

Normally most recipies call for an initial frying of any combination of Garlic/ Ginger and sometimes chopped Onion or Peppers

Adding your Spice Mix of choice - SECOND STAGE

Add this immediately after the initial Garlic / Ginger paste frying stage ( sometimes onion too etc) has turned light golden.
Add the Spice Mix and fry briefly on a low to med heat for 30 secs max, stirring continuously and then IMMEDIATELY add the Tom Puree if its in your recipe or if not required then a single ladle of base IMMEDIATELY
This will ensure you dont overcook the Spice mix by burning it, VERY important this stage.

( As you gain experience you will learn to extend the Spice Mix frying time without burning for max effect on taste, but the 30 second suggestion is a good starting position for a beginner )

AFTER That Stage

You can relax now as you will then be adding most of your other main recipe ingredients and the remaining Base Sauce, with no further worries of anything burning, timing is not now critical anymore

If you get off to a good start by following the above instructions you will have achieved getting through the most important and crucial initial stage of beginning almost ANY curry recipe.

Of course there are many added tips and methods to have in your armoury but you will gain these through experience and by reading the excellent suggestions to be found on this Forum from its many wonderful cooks

But get the start stage correct and you are IMO 75% there towards a decent curry

Hope that helps mate

Cheers

Paul

Hi Ian and welcome to cr0

Hi Chaa

Ok nice!

But you are the first unfortunately, so we need to drum up more interest in the Forum if I am to make this happen for all.

Anybody out there want to add their name?

Ray

Try this, Ive used it many times and its spot on, but then all takeaways have regional differences

Give it a shot

http://www.thingsasian.com/stories-photos/3125

You are welcome Ray

Like I said before these might be difficult to find outside Turkey

But like I also said, Ive no probs with trying to get some over to you

Heres some pics as requested

The Kofte mix is also often used in Kebabs, even though a separate kebab mix can be bought the difference between the 2 is really nothing

Hi Ray

I doubt Halal or otherwise would have had much impact on final taste IMHO

Other than a frozen chicken which has lanquished in a freezer for upwards of 6 months and is as dried up as the proverbial 

Hi Guys, Hi GuitarM

I use a 50/50 proportion of sweet / smoked parpika whenever any spice mix or full recipe calls for 'basic paprika'

I find the smoked paprika in particular has a definite beneficial effect

Also the odd time Ive seen smoked paprika on the shelves of some BIRs

Both are easily found on eBay cheaply and thats where I sourced mine from.

Hope thats of use 

welcome mate 

Hi All

Here in Turkey which is home to both the kebab and kofte, all households and the majority of restaurants use a ready made premix commercial seasoning for preparing the kofte and kebab meats before cooking off

The only fresh ingredient added is always chopped flat leaf parsley, sometimes precooked chopped onion and optional precooked garlic

The mix is very cheap here & exceptionally tasty

Indeed if enough guys on our Forum wanted it, say maybe 10, I would be prepared to post a package of 10 packs over at cost price to one nominated member for subsequent individual postage within the UK by him/her. Im Paypal ready too

Its not a thing which will turn up in Asian stores I think

Cheers

Paul