Unless you're using a sealed pressure vessel it's pretty hard to avoid evaporation (steam escape) from even a lidded pan.  My saucepan lid only has 3 little holes on the side, but I was surprised by the total loss of volume over a 1-hour boil.  I actually cooked a stock last night in my pressure cooker.  About 20 chicken thigh bones, all of the Balti whole spices but not the full amount of Cassia, some Panch Phoran and a little Shah Jeera in roughly 2 litres of water.

I'm rating the base gravy and the Balti Chicken I had for lunch yesterday was totally enjoyable.  The seafood Balti I had for dinner was better.  Most everything the same with just that 1 tsp of paste added with the garlic once the onions are done.

Rob, I understand that from a purist's perspective the Birmingham Balti is sacrosanct, but if I add 1 tsp of my home-made Balti Paste and it elevates the dish for me, then you can guess what I'll be doing.  Your correct in saying that all of the spices are already there but somehow the addition of this paste lifts the flavour profile immensely.  Why would you nor do it?  Please don't report me to Andy! 

This thread seems an appropriate place to continue the conversation. 

Santa, I don't think we're being duped by the restaurants and T/As cooking large batches of dishes the previous day, although some T/As that use warmed bain marie style presentation and service may very well do this.  It just seems that restaurants are able to obtain that fully developed flavour and aroma on the spot.  They all probably do prep either in the morning or the day before or earlier.  While we should probably try to avoid turning this into the missing 5% or secret ingredient discussion, it would appear obvious that something is going on.  I don't like to quantify it as 5%.  I don't believe there is a missing secret ingredient.

You could see the kitchen in a bain marie service T/A I used to frequent a decade ago where the front of shop staff would call out for more of a particular dish and the cooks would start to prepare it.  I suppose it's possible they were just reheating, and I can't be sure.  Most restaurants though, I'd suspect are cooking dishes on demand.  There'd be too much waste otherwise.  No doubt there are different business models.

Robbo, I do think that sensory overload (inured as you put it) is a contributing factor. I experience it but it isn't the cause.  I've cooked some really good dishes (and some shockers) and I'm still convinced that the dishes cooked and prepared in business settings are somehow extraordinarily different.  Even my good BIR style dishes are better the next day, and I often feel that they still aren't up to par in comparison.

I doubt we'll ever know. We now have people (industry insiders) giving us the picture on YouTube like we never had 10 years ago, but it hasn't really changed this common feeling that still niggles away at me.

Honestly guys, I've posted this link before.  It is one of the only recipes out there for a Balti Paste made at home.  Surprisingly, it is from Australia, but take my word for it, I've been using this for over 10 years, and I swear by it.  It is actually really easy to do and a lot of fun as well.  I love it and I've rescued some very ordinary curry, after the fact, by adding a bit of this.  It is easy to do, lasts for ages and is absolutely delicious, particularly with lamb.  Add some of this to your next Balti and you will be amazed at the difference it makes.

I use vegetable oil instead of Olive Oil and then add a good covering over the jarred paste as well.  The last 2 TBSP of my current batch has gone a bit dry.

https://www.kidspot.com.au/kitchen/recipes/balti-paste-scratch/n805h9rv

Don't be put off by the procedure.  You can do all that if you want, but, you don't have to go through the Mortar and Pestle pounding.  Just get the spices all powdered up and mix it all together or use a blender / grinder.  I've never been to Birmingham but believe me, these are the Balti Spices in a jar.

For some reason I could not get the same oil separation in the steel wok, even though I had more oil in the gravy and for starting the dish.  I was reluctant to cook it harder for fear of over-cooking the chicken.  I did shake the pan around over the gas and had some ignition and flaming though, particularly on the first addition of gravy.  It really ignited into nice orange flame which was something new to me on my cooker.  It was a huge improvement with the bump up of spice (for me anyway).  Maybe I was a bit light on with the first one.

Now, for tonight's dinner I had Balti Red Schnapper and Crystal Bay Prawns.  Wow.  Only 1 teaspoon of Balti Paste and a squirt of LJ.  The Balti Paste is not Pataks, but my own home made.  I'm glad to share because it isn't my recipe anyway.   This is the real deal.  I'm nearly out and my jar is almost empty, so I'll be doing a new batch soon.  It lasts for 2 years without issue in the fridge.

You are absolutely on the money with the aroma of this gravy.  I bet my neighbours are going crazy. Unfortunately, you become a bit olfactorily challenged in the kitchen, but when that spice mix hits the oil with the G&G it is the one.

Second batch of gravy.  The gravy in this dish turned out completely different cooked in the steel wok compared to the Ali curry pan. Overall, I found this to be an improvement. I'll add to this in the main thread.

My second attempt at MDB's Base Gravy is almost done (half quantity again). I just need to add the coriander and blend, then I'll be cooking a Balti Chicken.

How good is the aroma when you dump the spice mix into the oily fried garlic and ginger?  I added a splash of water just before doing it to prevent burning but it is 100% that Indian restaurant aroma for sure.  Regardless of how I find the Balti dish cooked to spec, I love this gravy.

Some things to note:

This time I paid close attention to really reducing the Akhni stock, not that I think that was the problem last time.
I was very generous with the spices so if it's bland this time, I have no idea.
I was also generous with the oil this time.  That seems to be the Balti thing to do.
I used a different "Curry Powder".  This time Clive of India instead of Mother's Recipe.

Taste test to follow soon.

20 minutes later:

Well even though I felt this was better, as in not bland, I'm still not a convert to this dish.  However, in saying this I think there are several enjoyable things here and I don't dislike it at all.  First off, I really do rate this Base Gravy.  I just ate lunch of Balti Chicken, and I enjoyed it.  I'll probably cook another curry or 2 for our dinner tonight.  Off to the shop to buy some prawns in a minute.

This batch of gravy benefited greatly from being "generous" with the spices. Try it again Santa but bump it all up a bit according to your own preferred spices. ^{*See Note}  I still think that it does need additional salt and even more so, additional flavour. I'll be adding my balti paste, madras paste or mild curry paste to all further dishes.  Not much.

The good things.  What I really noticed, and like, about this dish is that you can actually separate the individual ingredient flavours and also enjoy it as a whole.  You can definitely taste fresh coriander.  The tomato is there with a nice tanginess and there is sweetness and savoury from the onion and garlic.  The chicken really takes on the curry powder, and there is a general fruitiness about the sauce, which I couldn't quite pinpoint at first.

Unfortunately for me at the moment, I couldn't enjoy this dish with a soft buttery naan, so I had to suffice with a buttered slice of mixed grain gluten free toast.         I think the naan would be a huge improvement.

* Note: Don't use too much Turmeric. I think I did, and it can be tasted a little bit too much.

I knew a few members had these Pakistani steel tandoor.  Do you still have yours George?  When I used mine the other day I found it has started to rust out in the bottom and your solution might be a better option than trying to repair it because the original burners are very primitive as you know.  Did yours have the double ring burner with the outer one heating in between the walls?

I have no trouble with temperature using charcoal as I just keep the gas on as well and adjust as desired.

I don't think I paid very close attention to my evaporation rate or the intensity of colour when preparing the akhni stock on the first go.  I know I followed the directions and strained it into the onion mix pot at the appropriate time as per instructions.  Anyway, I've done it again. 
27/28g of Cassia Bark. (fresh / new)
2 large and 1 smaller Tej Pat (not fresh / new, but not old and I used the really big ones.)
1 large full and 1 half broken Star Anise (fresh / new)
5 Cloves (fresh / new)
6 Green Cardamom pods (pierced and there's 6 instead of 5 because they are smallish.  I can't buy the really fresh new big bright green pods here, so I use extra.)
285 ml (1/2 pint) of water (last time I just guessed at a cup and a bit.  Doubtful if it made any difference.)

I was hoping to do an exactly timed 1 hour boil but unfortunately, I was called away so there was a 20-minute period, right in the middle, where I just had to turn it off and allow it to sit and steep.  This will only strengthen the flavours, so I don't see a problem and I reduced the total boil time to 55 minutes to compensate.

Here are the results.  My akhni stock looks as dark in colour as Robs, with some fine grains that have passed through the strainer.  My liquid volume has actually reduced even further than his.  285 ml of water has reduced down to a measured 66 ml.  The strained whole spices have exactly doubled in mass from a combined 33 grams to 66 grams, so they have absorbed 33 grams of water.  This means that 186 ml of water has evaporated in the boiling process.

Tomorrow I will use this in making another half quantity of Balti Base Gravy, followed by another Balti Chicken.

OK. Thanks. I remember reading your post about that.  I'll go back and have another look.   I see no issue with doing the base in a pressure cooker. 

I also support the notion that for some reason, whatever this may be, our home cooked curries are better the next day.  I've always known this about traditionally cooked dishes and always wondered why it happens in home cooked BIR style curries when actual restaurants can produce that something extra off the bat so to speak.  If I buy a T/A and have leftovers the next day, they are just the same as the day before. 

Looks good mate and there's always satisfaction in using (and enjoying) something you've grown yourself.  I think we all agree that Mick's balti gravy is a great base. I'll go so far as to say it may well become my go to base, for now at least.  The question is, have you tried it yet to make the standard Balti Chicken dish he describes in the first post of the 100% Clone thread?