13 batches of Cassia in 1 bag here.

I'm not offended at all mick and I wasn't intending to have a dig at you either.  I just don't see the cassia having any significant affect when you are using that quantity, and I don't see any significant improvement in base gravy from a 24 hour rest, as you sometimes do with finished dishes.

I've made the gravy 4 times and they all turned out the same.  I don't understand how both you and Bob have made a dud batch.

Quote from: mickdabass on March 20, 2023, 03:01 PM
Also, Did you manage to figure out what went wrong with batch #10?. I think for best results the gravy needs to rest overnight.

I am a firm believer in aged curry dishes, not only but especially traditionally cooked red meat, being better than straight from the pot.  I've never experienced any such benefit from aged base gravy.  I often cook finished dishes using freshly prepared gravy and then follow up with using the rest over the following week.  I have not noticed any improvement in this, or any other gravy from fresh to aged.

Quote from: mickdabass on March 20, 2023, 03:01 PM

The quality of the cassia is key

Mick, if this is trying to imply that any supposedly "failed" attempt in producing the completed balti gravy, and subsequent balti dish, is singely down to the poor quality or age of the cassia, I for one am not buying it.  The first thing I investigated when I was unimpressed by the dish was the possibility of "old" spices, not limited to but including cassia.  I immediately went out and bought new fresh packets of cardamom, star anise, tej patta and cassia bark both locally and shortly afterwards from the busiest, highest turnover Indian grocer in the centre of "Little India" Australia, ie: Udaya in Wentworthville . It made zero discernible difference.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the gravy is great when used as you would any other, but the basic Balti Chicken just didn't do it for me.

What I have found does make a significant difference to this gravy, as it would to any, is the amount of fresh coriander used.  I don't mind a bit but if you use too much it is the dominant flavour by far.

1.4 kg

Disappointing after my previous crown roast piece. This was a whole organic bird about size 14. Steamed for 35 minutes and then rested for about 20, I only fried it for about 5 minutes each side. Dry dry dry and virtually no flavour.

Sri Lankan / Thai / Indian??  I'm not sure, but it was good.  You could do this with just fish or just prawns.  This was inspired by the Sri Lankan Seafood Curry I ate at a restaurant last week (it was a very tiny serving and was still hungry afterwards).

I started here so credit where it's due.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bt7cfod4uTU.  I had no Brindle Berry (never heard of it to be honest) so I substituted in Tamarind for sour notes.  I saw no reason why I couldn't add a bit of the MDB's base gravy I had left over in the fridge, so I did.  I've also been really enjoying my daughter's Thai yellow fish curry (usually barramundi) and I had some Thai Yellow Curry Paste so it went in as well.

Anyway, this is what I did.

I started in a 5 cm deep non-stick fry pan and then had to transfer to a cast iron enamelled casserole type dish. When I do it next time I'll go straight to the casserole.
Add to the pan:

1/2 small onion fine dice
2 green chilli chopped
1 large cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp fenugreek seed (crushed but the video uses whole)
Red Chilli powder to taste (I used 1/2 tsp Kashmiri)
1/2 tsp Turmeric
Salt to taste (I used about 1 level tsp)
1 chopped fresh tomato
1 TBSP of Tamarind puree / concentrate (could have gone 2 but the Lemon Juice to serve fixed this).
1 1/2 cups of water.

Bring all of this to a boil and then allow to simmer away, stirring occasionally for a while.

While this was going on I added about 1 cup of the base gravy. 

In a small fry pan I heated 1 TBSP vegetable oil and briefly fried 1 rounded TBSP of Thai yellow curry paste and then added it to the main pan. (This is where I realised, I need a bigger pot).

I then added 2 cups (500 ml) of thick coconut milk (made from powder and water as it was all I had).

After this had cooked for a while, probably 30 minutes, I added the fish which was about 500g of Spanish Mackerel I had in the freezer and cooked this until done, about 10 - 15 minutes.  Leave the fish in big pieces to prevent them breaking up and be gentle.  I then turned it off and allowed it to sit for about 30 minutes while I prepared Coconut Rice.
(Recipetin Eats https://www.recipetineats.com/fluffy-coconut-rice/ but it didn't take 40 minutes in the oven.  More like 20 so keep an eye on it.)

Just prior to serving I turned the heat back up and once hot again, I added the other seafood. Raw prawns, shelled NZ mussels and a few pieces of thinly sliced calamari (squid rings). I cooked this for a few minutes until the prawns were done.  The additional seafood was a Marinara mix from the shop with some additional shelled prawn meat.  The smaller pieces of fish in the marinara mix broke up but that doesn't matter.

The sauce was bit thin, so I mixed 2 TBSP of Corn Flour (starch) in 1/3 cup of cold water and added this in while stirring very gently to avoid breaking up the fish.

Served with the cocounut rice and steamed asian vegetables, this was every bit as good as the restaurant dish I was served last week (better in my opinion, and I had a much bigger serve  ).  A squeeze of fresh lemon juice just sets it right off. Delicious! It served 4 and there are leftovers.  I have some live NZ green lipped mussels, in the shell, in the fridge that I didn't use.  I'll be adding them in tonight when I re-heat it.

I just made a dish using this Base Gravy that is way outside MD's original thoughts I would imagine.  Hybrid Sri Lankan / Thai / Indian, inspired by a Sri Lankan Seafood Curry I ate while dining out last week, this was made up and adapted as I went using a Youtube video as a starting point.  I'll find a more appropriate spot to post what I did while it's fresh in my mind, (so I don't forget).

I have one of those veggie steamers but mine has a little metal post with a ring for lifting. This can be removed by undoing the screw that holds it on.  I'll be using it this evening for a properly marinated whole skinned bird this time.  The marination for the crown roast was a bit brief as I did in a hurry.

I'd never heard of Chargha until yesterday and as chance would have it, I'd just bought a few pepper and salt crown roasts. I skinned one and made up the spice marinade from scratch, steamed it, rested it and then deep fried. I'm a believer. I just followed the instruction on the recipe I used and sprinkled with chaat masala to serve after frying.

I'll be in little India in 3 weeks so I'll have a search for the Laziza pack.

I haven't ever seen that Laziza packet over here.  Is it any good?

The Wiltshire Stay Sharp knives have been around over here for decades.  I remember the first one we had in the 1970s.  They were first released in 1969 and there would have been very few household kitchens that didnt have at least one.  They do stay very sharp but due to repeated sharpening every time they are put into, and removed from the scabbard, they reduce in blade width very gradually over time. This eventually causes it to no longer make contact with the sharpening mechanism.  That set would have cost Au $56 (rrp) today but could probably get it cheaper on special.  If you keep them away from the scabbard and only use it occasionally, you'll get more than 10 years out of them. There are some of the originals still around after 50 years.

That said, the riveted on handle will be the downfall.  Prior to 2020 they always had high density moulded black plastic (nylon?) handles that never let go.