I have to say that I also think the KD base is a bit bland, hence the relatively heavy spicing I use in the above 'madras/vindaloo' type curry.  Had it last night actually!

Reading through what I've written above, I stated that once the spices were added to the hot oil containing the initial small addition of base, it should be fried for about a minute, probably best make it 20 seconds, it's easy to burn the spices.

I must say next time I make the KD base I may try frying the garlic/ginger as suggested somewhere on this site.

The only change I make to his base: After a roast chicken I make a stock out of the carcass, with some chopped carrot celery and onion (with their skins) by simmering the bones for a couple of hours with the veg and some star anise, bay leaf, cloves and peppercorns.  I use this stock in place of the water.  this makes it MUCH better in my opinion!

The Zari in Ifield Crawley is still good, not in the absolute top flight Curry house league, but what I would call it better than average.  If you live within half an hour well worth a visit.  I would say it is the best that Crawley has to offer!

To continue, this is how I cook my version:-

I heat 4 tbs of ground nut oil in a large frying pan 'till hot, then I add 5tbs of KD base quickly followed by 1 level tbs Bruce Edward's 'mark 2' curry powder, a whole sachet of chillie powder (the stuff by Schartz, 2 x sachets per box - about 2 lev tbs/sachet), 3/4 of a lev tps dark brown sugar, 1/2 lev tps salt, 1/4 lev tps ground dried fenugreek leaf.  I give this a good mix a cook on a high heat for aprox one minute, untill it gets that rich toffee-ish smell.  Then I add the reaminder of the KD base (total original quantity was 450 ml) some precooked main ingredient ( I use chicken cut fairly small -so it does not need pre-cooking- and just extend the total cooking time to 15 mins), cook for a few mins till it starts to thicken, add (exactly) 1/2 lev tps of Worchester sauce (I've tried using more, it becomes too obvious and detracts form the flavour) and some chopped coriander leaf.  Cook few a minute or so and serve.....

wonderfull!

The think the Worchester sauce acts as the souring agent to counterpoint the chillie heat.  BUT unlike adding tamarind (which I've also tried!), it also adds a bit of extra richness. I've also experimented with small amounts of of lime juice / lemon juice / cider vinegar, good but not AS good!

The sugar is added at a point where it may actually partially caramalise, so result is not obviously sweet.

I've using the KD base for some time with what I think are good results, although to be fair I have not tried others so I'm not really in a position to comment!

I use use his base with a recipe based loosely on several that I've read about; plus what I'ce seen done in the Kitchen of the 'Gatwick Tandoori' (now the 'Zari') in Ifield (Crawley, West Sussex).

For years I loved their Madras/Vindaloo, and when I finally got to see it made I was surprised by some of the ingredients!

The Chef had a 'stock-pot' of base on the cooker, and it looked very like KDs in colour and consistancy, This is how he did it:  First he 'swirled' a oil arround a small frying pan and put it on the hob to heat, next he added a small amount of the base (I'm guesing, it was a long time ago but 3/4 tbs-ish), next he added some 'curry powder' (looked pretty much like Bruce Edward's 'mark 2', the stuff that contains commercial basaar) plus some sugar (!!) and some chillie powder.  After that cooked for a few moments he added the remainder of the base necessary, cooked it for 5mins or som added some chopped corriander leaf and, interestingly, a few 'shakes' of Lee & Perins Worchester Sauce!

I was very interested to see that the chef only had 2 spice mixes for ALL of his dishes: the curry podwer I mentioned above, and also Chat Masalla; so it just goes to show that in inteesting variety of dishes can't just depend on spicing alone!

As for his method, I assume the initial small addition of base was to provide an enviromment for the hot oil to extract the flavour from the spice mix, without the risk of burning the spices.  The water in the base sauce will prevent the tempreture climbing above 100 C (unless all the water is boiled off!) The relatively small amount of base allows the relative excess of oil to to do its job.  I've tried adding spices later in the process but in almost all cases the result is not as good! In my humble experience the only spices that benefit from being added later are: cummin and the mix known as 'Garam Masalla' both of which burn easily and/or lose flavour if over cooked.

Hi, new here and very interested to read about all this.  I've just heard about the Bruce Edwards base ( the 'mark 2' version, in the same Curry Club magazine articles that document his updated curry powder that contains commercial curry powder as one of its ingredients), and mine to try it soon.

I have been used the 'KD' method for ages now, with just one little change: in place of some of the water I use a home made chicken stock prepared from the leftover carcass of a roast chicken simmered for a couple of hours in 2 or 3 pints of water conataining some carrot and celery, togther with bay leaves, pepper corns, some star anise and 2 or 3 cloves (that's the spice, not cloves of garlic!). I make up double quantites of his recipy and freeze it in 450ml clip0down plastic freezer containers (Tesco's etc), makes about 9 or so portions or so of just under a pint each.  Brill!

I think it got be improved by adding a couple of (uncooked) pork ribs to the chicken carcass, prior to simmering. I'll try this next time!

Interestingly, in KDs method the garlic/ginger is not pre-fried, I think the frying in the ultimate preparation of the finshed dish takes care of this!

I do agree with the comment I read here that the amount of ginger could do with halving!

Is anyone interested in hearing how I use this base to make a madras/vindaloo type dish, that I've watched being made in kitchen of what was the 'Gatwick tandoori' (now the 'Zari') in Ifield, Crawley??

Just joined, very interesting site!

I've been a fan of trying to replicate the 'BIR' curry for years.  First tried-out Pat Chapman's stuff (not a fan!), then Kris Dillon's (very good!) from his book 'The Curry Secret'.  I have also incorporated, some of Bruce Edwards' good advice.  I first discovered his stuff in P Chapman's 'Curry Club' mag back in the early '90s. I was pleased to find some updated hints from Bruce on this site, reproduced from the Curry Club mag, a year or so after I had ceased to be a member.

Like Bruce, I too had the good fortune to 'blag' my way into a 'Curry House' kitchen some years back.  I look forward to sharing info with everyone.

I now use a combination of Kris Dillon's & Bruce Edwards' techniques, combined with what I have seen done in the kichen of the 'Zari' in Ifield, Crawley; back in the days when it was called the 'Gatwick Tandoori'!  I am 45 years old, and have known the people that run that establishment since I was a boy, back in the'70s, when that ran the 'Taj Mahal' in Crawley.

It may or may not suprise everyone that chefs use some interesting ingredients, such as sugar, worchester sauce and tinned tom soup in some of their constructions!!

Adrian




Anyway, enough for now; I look forward to