Hi Guys,

  I think the trick is a good quantity of oil in the pan.  Fry off your garlic/ginger/tomato pastes (if using all three, or any combo really!)  Once the paste is golden (only visible if not using tomato) I would suggest about 1 minute on full heat, take the pan off the heat and add the spice blend, including extra chilli or paprika if you using it.  Keep stirring vigorously with the back off the chef's spoon.  The oil should like fizz up.  Once it has stopped fizzing, put back over the heat and procede with the rest of the dish. 

This method has never failed me yet

Ray

D'oh 

Obviously, if you agree with me, then you must have tried it.  Don't worry, I'm not always this gormless ha  ;D

Ray

lol ;D Thanks for the heads up SS. I hope he understands, it wasn't meant as a critisism, just an observation.  What I would say, is that it should be a very versitile base, that's if you don't balls it up by using Deggi Mirch in place of Kashmiri Mirch  : like me.  Good for CTM I would imagine? I like the idea of using the base a bit at a time, build up the final dish to the correct volume and consistancy. 

Have you tried this SS, if so, what was your conclusion?

Thanks,
Ray

Hi SnS and BB,

Firstly, I must say what a great post, very useful.  I made this base last night and I must say how impressed I am with it.  It is quite different than my usual base (Kushi Base) in the fact that it is far simpler with less ingredients and a easier cooking method.

I found that the base tasted like a very mild tomato soup with a similar consistancy. Hope this description does not offend you, it's just what it reminded me of.  I think the point that I am trying to make is, that it tasted quite nice unlike my Kushi base, which taste kind of soapy, something that the chef say's it is supposed to taste like.

Another thing that I noticed is that it uses more than twice the amount of oil than the Kushi base. For me, that is a good thing as that is where I believe the BIR taste comes from.  What did suprise me was that there was no oil seperation whilst cooking the base.  I know that in your photo's this is demonstrated but I did still expect a little. The finished base had a beautiful, glossy appearance, obviously down to the oil!

Anyway, with the base finished and slightly I cooled, gave it a little taste, it was then I soon realised my schoolboy error.  I had only gone and used Deggi Mirch instead of Kasmir Mirch...D'Oh..  It was quite spicy for a base and I was worried that my wife would spot it straight away. 

I went on to make her a Veggie Bhuna using my usual spice blend, again courtesy of Kushi.  I made my self a Jal Frezi and my son a chicken Bhuna.  I like to make my curries a while before we sit down and eat, just to give me some time to get my starters ready really.  I tend to put them in the plastic containers that you usually get from Chinese TA food, and just let them rest after some furious cooking.

This for me is where the magic happend!  We sat down and ate some starters, Seek Kebabs whilst the curries was resting.  When it was time to slightly reheat the curries, I popped the lids and there it was!,  the curries had released their oil which I am convinced is down to the base. I was pleased to see this, as I simply tilted the containers and spooned off about a tablespoon from each.

I then stirred the curries through and give them 1 min each in the microwave, contriversal I know but there you go lol.   The end result was almost the best curry that I have ever had the pleasure of eating.

Now I say almost because the best curry that I have ever eaten was the one I made tonight using guess what?   the reclaimed oil from the night before. This just took the dish to the nest level IMO.

I really hope that CA reads this post also because I guess it kind of confirms what I believe that CA talks about in another post, whereby he is convinced that the BIR taste comes from a spiced oil!   I am possitive of this now and will continue making my curries in this way.

On my next curry night, I will take photo's and post them on here for you to let me know what you think or if you believe that the appearance is not quite right.

All in all, a great base with a great end dish which made for a very successful curry night.

Many thanks SnS and BB

Ray

Thanks guys.  Seeing as though the KD books are only cheap, I will probably buy them anyway.  I may be able to use elements of each book along with the Bruce Edwards PDF and come up with my ultimate dish  ;D

I will keep you all posted and thanks for all your help and advise.  It does seem to be quite a debating point but Im glad I raised the issue, even though I wasn't the first 

Ray

Hi Fumble,

I have this book and I think it is excellent but I have posted the question 'What is the difference between a Balti and a BIR?'  The remark that you make with regards to the small quantity of oil sits very true with me and maybe that is the real difference?  In fairness to Mr Haydor he does explain in the foreword of the book that he has reduced the quantity of oil used to suit the British palet but on his journey to discover the perfect 'Balti' he explains that he came across many cooks that used alarming amounts of oil in preparing their dish.   I personally don't mind a lot of oil and I think next time, I will up the quantity just to see what it brings to the final dish.

Thanks again Fumble, that's given me plenty to think about!

Ray

Now that CA, is what I think a Jalfrezi should look like.  Whats your slant on using chicken or lamb tikka? as that's what I usually order at my local BIR

Ray

Hi Gary,

Thanks for that.  No, you are not too late.  I was going to buy the curry secret and the New curry secret this coming Wednesday.  Maybe I will hold on to my cash and use it to stock up on ingredients ;D

Gary, can you put up a link to the Bruce Edwards thingy or direct me to it please?

Many thanks,

Ray

Wow, thanks for the reply guys and thanks for the link CA.  Im still not 100% clear but I tend to agree with Jerry as regards to the spice blends.  Most of the recipes that I have seen on here tend not to include garam masala whereby the recipes that I have do as it makes up part of what they call the 'base spice'.  Also, the 'base sauce' or curry gravy if you prefer has quite a lot of ingredients in it like, mace, cassia bark, cloves, green cardamom, star anise, bay leaf and your usual veg, carrots onions, red & green peppers.  In making this, you have to cook a tomato mixture seperatley which I believe is called a 'tarka'  Once both are cooked, you simply mix them together and wizz it up, and you have your base.

The one thing that I would say, is that every recipe that I have tride from the book looks very similar in colour which I am sure is down to the base sauce.  The consistancy is also very similar, again I belive this to be down to the base, as it is quite thick.  In my experience, most curries differ in colour slightly, I really hope that this is not down to food colouring!

I am going to be buying Kris Dhillons 'The curry secret this week which I believe is more about BIR's rather than Balti, so hopefully, I can compare the difference and somehow answer my own question.

Once again, thanks for the replys and keep up the great work with this site,

many thanks,
Ray

Hi CHris,

Yeah, I knew that BIR was the abbreviation but it was a post that I read earlier whereby somebody was talking about a balti and they got a reply of "don't mistake a balti with a BIR"?  This made me wonder was they infact different.  Take for instance, in the book that I have mentioned, there is a recipe for 'Balti Chicken Tikka Masala'.  What I am asking is, does this differ in any way to a standard 'Chicken Tikka Masala'?   Up until now I always thought that there was no difference and it was just a term of phrase but now, Im not so sure?   The one thing that I would say about the recipies that I have tried from the book, is that they appear to be slightly thicker in consistancy than most restaurants (which is to my preference)

Thanks again Chris


Ray