Me again. Have just checked a menu for the "Gulistan" which is a pretty well thought of place in Dundee and they are calling it just "curry" as is the Ashoka menu.

And another thing - what do members think this curry is called?

I for one would call this a "medium" curry.

This post seems to have generated a good deal of interest, debate and, it appears, a willingness in some members (even me maybe) to go for CA's idea of nailing a basic curry. Have you noticed though that in the main recipe section there is no space for such a curry? Could that be rectified CA?

This is a very interesting question, perhaps a seemingly simple question but one where the answers are complex, perhaps even infinitely complex. I think the notion of a benchmark is a complicated one for the following reasons:

a "benchmark" is a standard by which something can be judged and I have underlined three words in this definition which I will take in turn.

OK so we are talking about a standard, that is, something considered by an authority or by general consent as a basis of comparison; an approved model. I don't believe there is such a thing when it comes to curries and this is evident in the difference in quality amongst takeaways in the UK which can vary from the sublime to the ridiculous. For sure there are many people on this site chasing a standard but to be a little "zen" for a moment, the journey may be as important as the destination. I for one don't have a specific benchmark and this topic has made me wonder why that is the case. I don't have a favourite curry house, though there are several in my home town that I like and one in Edinburgh that I always go to. I don't have a favourite curry either. I like madras, bhuna, pathia, korma etc and I usually don't know what I'm going to order when I go into a BIR. I think I've eaten enough curries over the last 30 years to know the difference between a good one and not. A common experience for me when I go to a restaurant (BIR and other cuisine) is to be largely unimpressed when others are raving and I come away thinking, "yeah that was OK but nothing that I couldn't do at home". I don't think I'm a food snob and I'm not claiming to be Jean Christophe Novelli either. It's just that my threshold sets my standard.

The something is what CA is referring to, i.e. which particular curry should be the benchmark? He is suggesting for example that a madras is not suitable because of the chilli element. Therefore the something has so many variables which makes pinning down the standard very difficult.

Lastly there is the notion of judging. Some think a madras should have lemon juice and others think this is sacrilege.

Maybe I should think about setting a benchmark for myself, e.g. make a pathia every week for the next six months, using a different base/recipe. Do I have the appetite to do so though? I'm not sure but it's an interesting thread all the same.

I saw something on the telly about this a few months ago but not quite sure what it has to do with curry.

Quote from: Prospero on February 08, 2010, 03:53 PM
... this place appears to be the best curry resource by far on the Net ...

I agree Prospero, this place is so full of curry heads, you'll never want for advice, an opinion or a good old blether.

Razor

As far as I understand that is the case, and if you check out Bruce Edwards' article Curry House Cookery, you'll get a bit more info. Some BIR Vindaloos add in potato but that's not do do with the spicing.

I don't know what other members think but I've found that Scottish BIRs use more spicing than English ones, so for example our Madras is stronger, i.e. nearer to Vindaloo level of spicing than you might find in England.

I think, like all cookery, even BIR has regional variations and customs.

If it was invented in Glasgow then no way would they be using Heinz or Campbell's soup, that's way too expensive...
:

I suppose I shouldn't knock it till I try it!

Don't doubt that it tastes good (which I suppose should be the only factor worth considering) but can't get my head round using cream of tomato soup in the sauce!



It feels like a bit of a bit of a cheat but then who am I to say. Still trying to work out why my reaction to this is so extreme.

Maybe I am a curry snob ha ha.

;D