You've just joined the biggest BIR school on the net ;D.  Happy learning and welcome.  For once you'll enjoy your homework

Nice one Matt.  Making me hungry for sure.  And i'm blushing.  Dip's mush rice is definitely the b*****s.  Your onion bahjis look like mine.  I've been using my recipe for a while too.  Maybe we should compare notes and have a "fry off".  I've a carton of Dip's mint sauce in the fridge which i made at the weekend -  i love the stuff and is identical to all the good stuff i've had in restaurants so can't understand why yours hasn't turned out right.  One observation thought, his recipe states blended mango chutney ( i always use the sweet stuff as the normal tends to be  a bit tart).  Maybe that'll sort it out for you.  I really love the stuff.  Hope this helps

Quote from: jb on October 25, 2011, 12:44 PM
Blimey at least I'm doing something right!!!  Thanks for the endorsement Ifindforu,I do add a touch of coconut block in my base as per your original recipe.Must get myself some jaggery(never heard it called goor by the way).
I'm still puzzled as to why my base nearly hits the mark;as I've said before the base sauces(including mine) are all very similar on this site...what makes mine stand out??  Ifindforu it would be great for everyone here if you can post a revised recipe for your base sauce including any new or mystery ingredients,it would make the members very happy on here!!!  Thanks Jb

Good on you mate.  Jaggery to be had from the general store next to Spice of India in loads of different forms too .  Have you been back to Preem since last year?

Now that could be a handy book to have on the shelf :.

Quote from: 976bar on October 23, 2011, 08:51 AM
If you can refrain from doing this and leave lamb or beef for at least 3-4 hours then it will be tender and soft. I also know what you mean about restaurant meats, but a good restaurant normally is soft and tender

Thanks 976.  I will be good an resist the temptation to have a peek and a taste.  And using a timer will make sure i don't overcook it.  Think the only thing i am missing now is the lamb ;D.
Thanks to all for their input.  This may only be a minor nut that will be cracked but at least it'll lead to a little more variety while i'm chasing the rainbow 

Hi Paul.  Thanks for a lightening response.  That's another nut cracked .  Have now copy/pasted that and filed it.  Next time i am shopping i'll get some lamb and do it. Will be a nice change to have something other than chicken.  Will be a pleasant surprise for any future diners at a curry part too ;D.  It certainly promises to be better than any lamb meat i've prepared for curries to date and that isn't much because of the "guaranteed" chewy texture . 

In spite of the eloquent title of the thread  , anything that engages other members to explore, test and experiment has to be a move in the right direction.  Anything that gets member to take part, interact and share results on a specific topic (whatever that might be) again can only be positive.  Who knows what may come out of this?  The forum has been awfully quiet of late and needs a new impetus to stir things up again ;D.  Who knows what could happen.  I'd be up for it Phil.

Not BIR as you say 976 but for anybody not in search of the holy grail and who wants a damn fine tasting curry to walk into from work, they need go no further than your post  ;D.  One thing i must do is re-read posts on using the slow cooker for the cooking of lamb and beef.  Even when i've cooked boned leg of lamb for 2 or more hours, it still has a toughness and does not melt in the mouth  .  Maybe that's why i steer away from any meat curry because of this.  Even restaurant curries exhibit this, hence my preference always for chicken.

Quote from: Phil (Chaa006) on October 22, 2011, 02:42 PM
P.S. Even the new thread that you cite contains, prominent in the very first post, "The rice also has to be thoroughly washed".  This is the received wisdom that I am seeking to challenge -- after all, I have probably wasted several days of my life doing nothing but wash basmati rice, so if I can save just one member that many days I will have done my bit by way of energy conservation !

You don't have to convince me of this Phil.  I totally agree with you.  I never have and never will wash rice or soak it (other than one recipe i have said i will try just out of curiosity  ).  I get perfect results everytime without this unnecessary process.  Like they're really going to do this in a  BIR kitchen    ;D.  Madmatt was a rice washer until he tried my recipe and he too is now converted to the "no wash and dry fry" method.  Not sure everybody will agree on this though ;D. In fact i'm sure some will positively disagree :.

Quote from: Phil (Chaa006) on October 22, 2011, 01:25 PM
you will, I am sure, agree that your own message saying you do just that was /in response/ to my acknowledging that I got the technique from Undercover Curry, and therefore it was reasonable for me to continue to cite Dave Loyden as my original inspiration for using this technique (which saves me 15 minutes work, on average !).

** Phil.

I stand corrected Phil.  You are indeed right.  This was post your rice nightmare days ;D.  Maybe Ast's thread was not the best to quote but the inference is there, of the oil in the cooking process.  Maybe this one would have been better https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=396.0 and there are several others, some buried in other less obvious topics.  My point still being of how easy it is to overlook a crucial method or technique in our search to perfect our dishes which already exists on the site, not to make a personal attack on yourself.  I have now edited the post to ensure i'm not responsible for it going further off topic