Quote from: Tommy Timebomb on May 25, 2012, 06:13 PM
I've looked all day for methi powder but no one has it.
I only now realise I could of bought seeds and crushed them.
Will the omitance of this ruin the outcome or wiil it still be resonable.

I am talking of the mix powder to be added.

Hi Tom,

Yes, you can buy fenugreek seeds and grind them to fenugreek powder (it's what I am currently doing). 

As Paul says, you can't substitute fenugreek seeds (or fenugreek powder) for dried fenugreek leaves.  They are different animals.

I wouldn't worry about not having added it to the spice mix used in the base; the effect of its omission will be subtle (you could grind some seeds and add a little when making your final curry e.g. madras, vindaloo, etc.....not too much though; maybe 0.25tsp a serving).

PS:  Thanks for attempting to reproduce my recipes in their entirety before embarking upon changes 

Quote from: PaulPWhat is your verdict on the CBM Little India base?

Paul asked the above question in this thread https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=8422.msg74373#msg74373 but I thought it would probably be more appropriate for me to answer it here.

So far, I have mostly made hot curries (e.g. Vindaloo) from it (plus the mild Biriani mentioned in the above thread). 

Like Haldi, I like this base.  I think it's up there with the best that I have tried on this forum.  I've enjoyed all the curries that I have so far made from it.  They have all been very tasty (and with good aroma and texture).  I like the spice mix too.

Having said that, for me, it doesn't really bridge the gap I have with producing top notch BIR curries.  The balance, savouriness and intensity of taste and flavour is still somewhat lacking by comparison.

I was a little concerned that the base, by itself, had a slight underlying bitterness to it.  But that hasn't come through in the final curries.

I am a little bemused by the (seemingly overly complicated?) preparation used to make the base.  There just seems to be too much repetition (but, I suppose, that seems to be the case with most BIR curry cooking...."layers", some call it).  For example, garlic/ginger paste and blended tinned tomatoes are added in "stage1" and then again in "stage 3" (and thereafter, invariably, in the cooking of the final curry!).  Perhaps this imparts different tastes?  But I'm not convinced.

I have also tried Akhni stock several times in the distant past (it is also something that, as far as I'm aware, Pat Chapman was the first to bring to the attention of the masses).  I always found it added an "astringent" taste to the base and abandoned using it accordingly.  Perhaps this is why so little of it is added to the Little India base?  It is interesting to see its use mentioned a little more nowadays.  Together with "aromatic salt" - another Pat Chapman "first", as far as I'm aware.

Quote from: Phil (Chaa006) on May 22, 2012, 03:27 PM
But for me, a pulao rice needs to have more colour differentiation between the grains -- the white grains (the majority) should be a clear, clean, white, whilst the coloured grains should be few in number and saturated [1].  In your rice, the grains seems to be a sort of uniform creamy yellow, which I don't personally find appealing or appetising.  But that's just me : I am sure that many will be more than happy to enthuse about its presentation.

Interesting point, Phil, and not one that I would necessarily disagree with. 

Your are totally correct that the grains in mine are "sort of uniform creamy yellow" since I deliberately made them so.  The reason for this is that the rice was left over from a large dish of Chicken Biriani I cooked for a large group of people, which included none curry eating Aussies!  And, from experience, I know that Aussies (and even many British expats!) tend to shy away from highly coloured rice (even though, like you, I personally prefer it that way).

Quote from: PaulPWhat is your verdict on the CBM Little India base?

Hi Paul.  I thought it would probably be more appropriate to reply to this in CBM's Little India Base Video thread here:  https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=8242.msg74395#msg74395

Suffice to say, here, is that I think the base (and spice mix) is up there with the very best that I have tried on the forum.

Sorry to hear that, Phil, the rice is probably what I enjoyed most!  :

What, exactly, can't you "get as enthusiastic" about?

Glad you all enjoyed it, EC, it seems to have gone down well! 

Just a photo of my Chicken Vindaloo (made using CBM's Little India base) and Peas Pilau Rice.

Very enjoyable indeed....(I'm eating it as I speak!)

Looking good, tongey, glad you enjoyed it 

Hi Tongey,

Looks about right, to me, tongey 

Right colour and, as you say, the dessicated coconut gives a more grainy texture than "coconut flour/powder" would.  Other options, to get a less grainy texture (if you prefer), are to use coconut milk, coconut cream, coconut milk powder or creamed coconut.  Or finely mill your dessicated coconut into flour/powder.

Quote from: chewytikka on May 20, 2012, 12:55 PM
I think CA's Base recipe was cR0 formulated from information at the time and
doesn't call for a second cook after blending, so obviously there's going to be no oil separation there.

Not really Cr0 formulated, Chewy; rather a culmination of my learning and experiences (from all manner of sources) at that time.

For what it's worth, the oil does generally separate before blending (whatever that might mean) but, as you correctly say, I don't use a second cook, after blending, so it gets blended back into the base and stays there until the final dish is cooked.

Quote from: Aussie Mick on May 17, 2012, 03:02 PM
But, I have never manged to get a good oil separation, only froth.

I wouldn't get fixated on getting oil separation in the base.  It depends on how much oil is in it and how long you cook it for (and probably on several other things).

To my mind, it should generally be stirred back into the (any) base (because it carries flavour).  Whether it separates, or not (and it often doesn't), does not influence the outcome (provided that it is otherwise cooked for long enough to adequately soften the onions and other vegetables).  In my opinion.

In the Taz base, it should also be stirred back into the base because it is an intrinsic part of the subsequent curry cooking process, as I understand it.