Axe,

I also use half lamb, half beef in mine too.  Recipe here, page 3  https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3755.20


Ray

mmmmmmm chicken lips

Hi Axe,

QuoteWhat is the most versatile base you have used to date?

It's got to be CA's, and his list of final dishes using the same base are testament to this in my opinion.

Ray

Hi Axe,

Had a go at these tonight.  They turned out really well far better than I thought they were gonna be

I made them tennis ball size and got 4 big ones and a little un out of the quantities that you scaled down for us,  does that sound about right?

They were cooked right through even though I'd forgotten to break them open slightly on the second cook.

I added a little too much orange food colouring and at one stage, they did look like big tangerines   but the cooking sorted that out

I think the adding of the gram flour isn't an exact science is it? I added what you suggested but felt like it was still a bit wet so I added more, about a handfull. 

These bahji's were quite 'weighty' and I wouldn't eat more than 1 as a starter

I'm gonna have a go at these again next weekend but, I will do what the IG did, and I will chop the onions the night before, and I will sprinkle with the salt to draw out the water.  As I said, I thought the mix was quite wet meaning that I had to add more gram flour, I think this is what made them so heavy.  I'ts not a problem if this doesn't work, they are still leagues ahead of anything else that I've tried.

I couldn't get Aniseed so I did use fennel seed but the thinner smaller variety

I will take photo's of next weeks efforts, step by step.

Thank's Axe

Ray

Hi Kendo,

Quotewill this base sauce do a bhuna, madras,korma? fairly new to indian cooking so dont want to be making a hundred diffrent gravys for a diffirent curry

Yes, it will do any final dish that you wish.  Thats what a proper base should do for you.  You may come across some bases that are specifically designed for a particular final dish, which is fine but you are limited to what you can do with it.

Quote from: chriswg on March 28, 2010, 09:40 AM
An Arsenal fan living in Glasgow???

An Arsenal fan at college???,  only joking ;D

Ray

Hi Gooner,

My advice on choosing a base is to choose one that's versitile, one that you can cook a very mild dish such as CTM or Korma, right up to a Vindaloo or Phall.

As a starting point, I would use Cory Ander's (forum moderator) base.  Its very easy to make, and has that BIR smell.  Click on the link and it will take you straight there.  https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3772.0

Good luck, and welcome to cr0

Ray

Absolutely Axe,

The thing with BIR cooking is, in theory, it should be simple!  They are, after all, running a business, they are not going to over complicate things.  Everything that they do in their kitchens will be simple, methodical and almost mechanical.  Im pretty sure that they don't have any michelin star standard chefs working in these places, although they will be very good at what they do.  It's more than likley that they are all related in one way or another, and learned their craft from spending a few months in the BIR kitchen.

If you cooked your favourate dish, 30 times a day, day in day out, how good do you think that would make you as a chef, probably excellent IMO.  And that, to me is where they have the advantage, that's all.  I wouldn't say that their food is any better than ours though.

Axe, I am absolutely convinced, in a month or so, understanding how dedicated you appear to be, you will reach a point where you are creating dishes that all your family and friends will love MORE than their local BIR, but YOU will be the only one thinking that there is something missing (and there probably won't be anything missing at all)

Ray

Cheers CA

Hi Peterandjen

Wagon wheels were massive back in the day and a can of pop had to be held with two hands hahahaha.

I regularly make my best mate a 'takeaway'  he gives me a fiver for it, not that I want his money, but he feels if he treats me, he can ask again

He swears, what I cook for him, is better than anything his local does, and who am I to argue :

Bt the way, toblerones used to be a metre long back in the day as well ;D

Ray

Axe,

Yes, he will mix a ladle or chefs spoon of this with the base when he makes his final dish.  Note, there was no coconut in there (powder, flour or milk powder )so this will just be another component of his final dish.

It, could also be his marinade for chicken/lamb tikka!  Thinking about it, it looks more like a marinade doesn't it?

I guess we will have to wait and see when he post's his recipe.

Ray