Hi all,

Being a bit of a computer virgin.........well I am at the "heavy petting" stage, I don't know how to add a link to my posting nor insert those "emoticons". Can someone talk me through the process in the simplest terms.

Cheers

Ray

Quote from: pete on September 21, 2005, 08:14 AM
The first base uses very little oil
The second uses no oil, no onion but a lot of chilli
Both have methi (fenugreek leaves)
This is like the two base approach we? were talking about
I would be interested to see more

Hi Pete,
Would you scan the list of recipes I included in my original link and let me know which ones you would be interested to see first. I know you are a Vegetable Vindaloo fan so maybe you would like the Veg ones first?
There are 12 all together so typing ALL of them would be a bit long winded but if the demand is there I can start getting the job done.

Regards

Ray

Quote from: paast10 on September 21, 2005, 09:08 AM
I have her book "Real Fast Indian Food" (2002) and the recipes for the kadhai and butter and madras sauces are quite different from the ones you posted!? Too many variations
Payal

Yes Payal, It is a bit confusing isn't it!
Most of the books I seem to have are mainly on traditional Indian Cooking.
It was only through re-reading some of the books I have discovered a few references to "Restaurant Style" recipes.
In other books there are also one or two recipes that seem to border both style's of cooking such as in the "Daag" sauce I posted earlier which is "supposedly" used widely in Asian homes yet resembles the Curry Base we make on this site. The question could be asked "do more Asian families than we think use recipes close to the restaurant style in their home cooking as it is simple and convienient" ?
In this book Mridula has a whole section on the restaurant style which I never realised before.
Her recipes are for mainly the more modern (if you can call it that) "Balti" dishes and not the simpler restaurant curries ie Madras, Vindaloo, CTM we talk at length about.
I have not seen her recipe for the "Madras" sauce! Is there any chance of copying it and posting for us all to see??

Regards

Ray

Hello Folk's,

It's amazing when you look just how many versions for a base sauce there are!

I have just found this one in a book by Mridula Baljekar ( 1996 ) for a base sauce used in restaurant's.
Her acknowledgements in the book mention a few restaurants whose recipes appear in the "100 Best Balti Curries" book.

She calls this a Kadhai Gravy specifically for the restaurant style..

Makes 1.2 litres (2 Pints)

Ingredients:-

450 g ( 1 lb )Onions, rough chopped
40 g ( 1 1/2 ozs ) Garlic Cloves, peeled
40 g? ( 1 1/2 ozs ) Fresh Ginger, chopped
2 tsp Coriander Seeds
1 tsp Ground Turmeric
1 1/2 tsp Salt
425 g ( 15 ozs ) Can Tomatoes with the juice
1 TBSP Paprika
2 TBSPS Methi Leaves
1 TBSP Sunflower or Corn Oil
600 mls (1 pint ) Water

Method.

Put all ingredients in a large saucepan with the water
Bring to Boil
Reduce heat, cover pan and simmer 35-40 mins
Remove from heat and cool
Blend in a processor

There is also a Makhani Gravy which some recipes use.

Ingredients:-

4 x 2" Pieces Cassia Bark
4 Black cardamom Pods , split open
8 Cloves
2 tsp Garlic Paste
2 tsp Ginger Paste
700 gms ( 1/1/2 lbs ) Can Tomatoes including juice
225 gms ( 8ozs ) Tom Puree
2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Chillie Powder
2-4 Whole Fresh Chillies
8 ozs Butter
7 fl ozs Double Cream
2 tsp Dried Methi Leaves
600 mls ( 1 pint ) Water

Method
Put all ingredients except Butter, Cream and Methi in a saucepan with the Water
Bring to boil
Cover and simmer for 30 mins
Remove Whole Spices and Chillies
Cool and Puree in a blender
Return sauce to the saucepan on medium heat
Add Butter, Cream and Methi and simmer for 10 mins.

She also goes on to give recipes for 12 Restaurant Style dishes:-

Lamb with Spinach and Chick Peas; Lamb with Cabbage, Potatoes and Peppers; Lamb with Lentils, Marrow and Peppers; Lamb with Potato and Spinach; Minced Lamb with Potatoes and Peas; Chicken with Sweetcorn and Mushrooms; Chicken with Lentils and Peppers; Chicken with Minced Lamb and Mushrooms; Prawns with Spinach and Indian Cheese; Prawns with Aubergine and Eggs; Prawns with Mushrooms, Minced Lamb and Peas; Chicken with Potatoes and Chick Peas.

I will get some of these on the site as soon as I can if anyone is interested.

Regards

Ray

Quote from: Yellow Fingers on September 20, 2005, 05:04 PM
I just realised that the one thing missing from this forum is a restaurant review section. I would really like to see this as it would help me to know what's really going on in the Indian restaurants across the country.
Any thoughts?

Good idea Yellow Fingers. My only comment here is that most of us would never get to the particular restaurant on review to try what's reccomended.
I do think a review of the various base sauces / recipes on this site would also be of use to us.
For instance I have just made and reviewed Darth's 99.9% base and Pete has been giving "100 Best Balti" a good going over. Perhaps others might make a choice, let everyone know what they are going to make and review it after. We will then build up a general picture of what bases and recipes the site has on offer.

Ray

Hi C.K.

Actually, now I have sat down and properly read through it this is yet another interesting method. On the face of it the finished sauce looks like it will be full of many flavours with the addition of some of the more aromatic spices, black cardaomoms, cloves, cinnamon etc.

On the face of it the first "Mother Sauce" looks a bit familiar ( don't they all ) but the addition of a second sauce in differing proportions ( suggested 2/1 ) makes me more curious still.
It will be interesting to have a review from you once you have made it C.K.

Will look forward to that

Ray

Thanks C.K.

Yet another one to add to my growing archives! Very interesting. Keep em coming folks!!

Ray

Quote from: pete on September 18, 2005, 09:22 AM
Hi Ray
You have the base and have done a trial run
You have filled in the few blanks
I am really curious about this one
When will you give it another go?
I want to know your final score
Will it be 99%?

Hi Pete,
I made the Vindaloo for the second time today after spoiling the first attempt with too much spice (my fault!!).
I am leaving it overnight to develop that "day after" taste and will get back with a second review soon.
A sneaked spoonfull showed it to be a very tasty finished dish...........but more later.

Ray

Quote from: pete on September 18, 2005, 09:39 PM
It seems to give a sweeter but older flavour
It rounds off the flavour of the spices
There is no "raw powdery" spice taste

That's a great description in a very short space, thanks Pete,

Ray

Hi Pete,

I may be giving it another go tomorrow as I have half the original base left which I think is very good. Also the wife is at work so I can make as much mess without the earache. I know where my mistakes were and now I have cleared up with Darth his methods of measurement I am sure the next run will be far more successful. I will certainly post the results. I do know of one other person on with this recipe as well so will encourage him to comment too.
I wanted to know from you what differences you felt flambeeing made to the end result and how has this process altered the finished dish. The pictures looked great!

Ray