Quote from: martinvic on March 15, 2012, 02:35 PM
Not sure what the difference is between Qasuri Methi and Peacock Kasoori Methi, but the ordinary one Which I always use) is only 0.45p for 50g as opposed to the ?2.15 for 100g?
Martin

Qasuri / Kasoori are just different spellings for the place in Pakistan where it's claimed some of the best fenugreek is grown (I'm reliably informed, I hope...)

Quote from: George on March 15, 2012, 02:47 PM

Quote from: Salvador Dhali on March 15, 2012, 01:40 PM
Asda occasionally stock it in some stores

In my experience it's more like Asda always stocking dried Methi leaves in many stores.

Thanks for confirming that, George. I don't shop in Asda as the nearest one is 20 miles away, but knowing that they not only stock Chalice oils and frozen garlic/ginger paste but also methi, I wish we had one a bit nearer.

Chewy's is my favourite Madras recipe. i make it a lot, and have on occasions forgotten to add the methi.

Rest assured that it still tastes superb!

Quote from: curryhell on March 06, 2012, 07:03 PM
I am not convinced about not adding mix powder though, in order to replicate my local's flavour. 

Forgot to report back on this, CH. I knocked one up using a level tsp of mix powder (and a half tsp of turmeric) and it was superb.

A definite improvement, and I shall be making it like this from now on, so many thanks for the suggestion.

I've not seen methi leaves in supermarkets, Hilly (though someone told me that Asda occasionally stock it in some stores), but it's readily available online from places such as Spices of India: http://www.spicesofindia.co.uk/acatalog/MDH-Peacock-Kasoori-Methi-Fenugreek-Leaves.html

Quote from: mikeyp on March 15, 2012, 12:01 PM
Ha ha, i'm not a lover of oily curries tbh, maybe i don't singe the spices enough but my curries still seem too taste ok, still not got that"something" that restaurants have, also i can never get the chicken just right, maybe being British we tend to err on the side of caution and always go that minute extra too ensure its really cooked lol!!!

That 'something' that restaurants have is delightfully simple, yet frustratingly difficult for us to achieve. Singeing/fusing the spices properly is a big part of it, but (IMHO) an equally big part of it is getting the cooking of the base just so. After all, it is the base that makes up 90% of the curry on your plate, so if that isn't right then you don't stand a chance. (It's a bit like using a duff stock to make a flashy sauce or 'jus'. It just isn't going to work.)

In fact, I'd say that these days the difference in my curries between 'stunning' and 'okay' is more down to whether I've got that base nailed than anything else. (Having the correct planetary alignment at the time of cooking is, of course, vital as well.  ) 

And before you ask, if I knew how I could get it nailed every time I'd tell you! But statistically, I'm pretty happy that, as Frank Zappa said, though "my dandruff is loose
An' my breath is chartreuse
I know I ain't cute
An' my voice is ka-poot...

I figure the odds be fifty-fifty... 

Quote from: mikeyp on March 15, 2012, 11:42 AM
Hi thanks for your comments, i used Chewy Tikkas 4hr base and  i didn't skim off any oil, i normally just use 1tbs oil at the start, and i forgot to add the green finger chillis !!

Thanks for that. Chewy's base is excellent, though I find myself struggling to get those spices singed and fused if I use less than a chef's spoon of oil (around 2tbsp with the spoon I have).

I may try to reduce the oil gradually though, as my clothing seems to have shrunk a little of late... 

That looks a peach!

Right, that's it. I'm going to HAVE to have a curry for lunch now.

Just two questions, mikeyp, and they are:

1. What base did you use, and

2. Did you skim the oil off before you took the picture?

Cheers

Gary

Quote from: chriswg on March 15, 2012, 07:22 AM
I'll speak to Az and see if he's up for running another one, I'm sure he will. I'll see if I can get some dates sorted but it will probably have to be either 25th March or 15th April.

I'll ask about an advanced course too for those who just want to cook main dishes.

I'm only 30 or so miles down the road from Fleet, so if there's room I'd love to come to the next one. (It's not important to me whether it's mains, sides, base or whatever - I just love being in BIR kitchens and picking up pearls of wisdom.)

Cheers

Gary

Quote from: Hilly on March 14, 2012, 09:24 AM

Quote from: loveitspicy on March 14, 2012, 01:16 AM

Quote from: Hilly on March 14, 2012, 12:34 AM
Base sauce......done!

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/19/20120313232806.jpg/

Nice pot - wish we could get quality like that

best, Rich

Had to borrow it off my dad if I'm honest! The biggest pot I had held about 4 litres. This did the job spot on.

Unlike some of the others my base sauce did have a bit of a spice 'tang' to it. Nothing major but you could certainly taste them - not the onion water that most have seemed to suggest.

One other thing - I'm planning on freezing this base for future use - what portion sizes do people recommend dividing the base into for freezing. I don't mind how many bags I end up using, but it'd be good to get a point where 1 bag = 1 portion size, therefore if I'm cooking for more, I just defrost the relevant number of bags rather than a bag and a half or something!

Around 300 - 400ml is the average portion size for most of the recipes you'll find here, Hilly. I'd go for 400ml as it gives you a bit of room for manoeuvre if, say, your gravy reduces too much when cooking the curry and you need to thin it down a little.

Personally, when I freeze my base I always do it in 500ml batches, as I use a few ladles of base for pre-cooking the lamb/chicken. (There are plenty of pre-cooked meat recipes on the site if you need any inspiration).

Same sentiments here. I signed up and gladly paid the RCR fee as I wanted to access all the info there. I was particularly excited to see that there was a section devoted to Pakistani restaurant techniques and recipes. Sadly, bar a few posts on the subject, this revealed itself to be a largely unpopulated area of the site, with only the odd bit of tumbleweed rolling through.

It has the air of a site that was started with great energy and unbridled enthusiasm, but over time, for whatever reason, whoever was the driving force has had to step back or move on.

I'm not complaining though, as there is a tremendous amount of information on RCR and a massive amount of work has gone into it. I've enjoyed many an hour going through it all over the winter months, and definitely had my money's worth.

If the site was to be rejuvenated and began to offer content that genuinely can't be accessed elsewhere I'd be more than happy to renew my sub.