Have been down this road myself too.  I have made onion gravy without oil in it all and it is not recommended to be used by myself.  Basically it has no point value in it at all with regards to Weightwatchers pointing system, the only points would be for the chicken, 3 points for a chicken breast and about 2 points for half pound of prawns.  To go with this it would have to be boiled basmati rice using all the usual spices.  I too have lost 36 pounds using weightwatchers.  I save my treat for Saturday nights and have only a teaplate of the REAL THING instead of mounds of it and I am still losing the pounds.   See, a little of what you fancy! It's called self control.

Hi Pete,

I have just made your madras sauce that you had demonstrated to you.  It's not bad - the only thing I can find wrong with it is that it had too much tomato puree/paste, which was dominating the flavour of the curry.  Although I added another tablespoon of oil at the end, I still think it probably needs more to emulate a decent consistency.  I know you don't like using too much oil, but in some curries I think they need it.  Well done anyhow.  Will try this recipe with my own base next time.

I have to say here, that the people using this forum are from different parts of the country, as well as from different parts of the world.  English BIRs seem to cook lets say a madras in the midlands different to that here in the south.  Therefore I cannot see how we can honestly replicate our fave BIR madras when all expectancies are different to each other and using one anothers recipes.  Unless of course you live in the same area.

Pete,  At last some are taking on board that the use of extra oil when making the gravy and skimming it off when it is cooked is the way to go!   I can't believe that it has taken this long for people to take the initiative to find this out.  As soon as you start a curry with this oil then you know it is right, and, of course, if you keep reusing it the smell/aroma intensifies even more. Thankyou Angelina for taking the time to listen.

Hi Yellowfingers,  I have been taking the oil from the top of curries and putting them all into a bottle and mixing them.  The aroma and smell when you use it again when making a curry is absolutely fantastic - you would think you were actually sitting in a BIR.  This I have pointed out quite a few months ago, I think it was when ghanna was about.

Didn't get chance Pete to try the curry although I made KDs base.  Will try it out in the next couple of days.  I am glad to hear at last that some people are recognising that by using more oil in base and then taking it off and reusing it to start a curry is the way to go.  I have used this method for years.  Use a little more than needed and then skim off at the end and reuse again.  Definately makes a big, big difference.

Surely if you use olive oil in your base gravy and for cooking curries this would give a different flavour to the finished dish.? Does it?? Just wondering, only some olive oils can be quite strong in taste and aroma.

Hi Pete,  That looks good enough to eat!  Did you use any oil that had been used before or not?  I am still reusing the spiced oil from previous curries and does give a very definate flavour/aroma.  Its the way to go when making the gravy and that is to put a huge amount of oil and then take it off before blending the onions.

How do you manage to get demos so often? Oh and by the way, how is the tandoor oven coming along?

Hi,  Use gram flour and baking powder and it will give a nice light batter.  The baking powder make it light and it rises to the top of the oil when you first place it into the oil.

I was told by an Indian lady to soak the coriander seeds first in water and then plant.  Do this every week and plant seeds once a week so that you have a concession of coriander from week to week.