Really great to see that those who try it are actually getting something from it.  Lets be honest if it is a restaurant recipe it will produce restuarant results - maybe not like your local - but BIR nevertheless.

These look delicious, well done sir!

More recipes, BB1!

Martin

Guys,

Regarding scaling down: if you scale down by a lot the need for ABSOLUTE accuracy/risk of different results becomes disproportionatley higher.  *Personally* I'm struggling to work out what spicing I'd be putting into a dish scaled down by a factor of 10 but I do appreciate the restrictions you are under, George!

It's probably not meant like this but some are suggesting lowering the quantity of onions (inferring they will keep other items the same) this would be quite wrong.  I halfed the ENTIRE posted recipe.  Even then I knew that this would probably change the outcome slightly but would give me enough to go on if I fancied taking things further (God, it sounds like some illicit affair, lol)

For measurements I hope this may help (although it'll no doubt kick off a sub-argument  ;D)

1 Chef Spoon = 3TBS.  (yes I know some are only 2 but most are 3)
3TBS = 45ml by volume.  (Yes if it is water but, as we're picking up spices, and they don't naturally level off on the spoon, I will *estimate* that I probably was picking up 60ml by volume each time).
Halfing a chef spoon would *roughly* equal 1.5 rounded/2 level TBS by volume.

Good luck reducing by x10, George as, by my rubbish maths, a Chef Spoon would become 6ml by volume - rounded TSP? - suddenly we're in the area of fluctuation, unfortunately, due to the proportionate changes small variations would cause? 

We see the restaurant chefs on You Tube/local BIR use the chef spoon for everything - they are much less worried about conversions due to the volume they are making.  Heaped/rounded/slightly rounded all become more unimportant to them and also helps to ensure 'consistency' in the results we eat.  Bigger the better, unfortunatley.  I know there is an arguement that they are more experienced, etc but when even the chefs are saying 'about a TBS of x' and 'just a tsp of y' clearly we need to appreaciate that keeping to the spirit of these measurements will get you near enough - it works for them! 

Just my opinion but we need to be less hung up on being so exact with something which is, afterall, something we consider to be an art.



For the record I will not be halfing the next batch I make as I am lucky enough to have a 24 pint stock pot and inherited a spare freezer to keep it in. 

Anyone in Shrewsbury area is welcome to PM me and try some first hand as I'll give you some to try?

Hope that helps!

Martin   

Martin

This looks very promising and your curries look great. Just wanted to check in terms of the amount of spices added to the base - 1/2 a chef spoon , coriander and cumin and one of turmeric- how much spices would you say that is in terms of tablespoons?

Steve


(sorry, don't know how to quote properly!)

Steve,

My Chefs spoon is pretty standard (arguement on it's way no doubt!) and can place 3 TBS of water onto it.  When loading on spices I would say I roughly kept it level but didn't get too anal on it.  With that in mind I halfed the recipe in total: 3 TBS = 45ml of volume so I used 2 slightly rounded DSP.  Hope that makes sense.  You need to remember that things like that are less critical when making large amounts, etc. 

Regards,

Martin

SS,

I think the use of mint is a regional thing.  I've seen in included and not included, depending on which resturant you are in.  Same goes for Patia really - lemon or jif or dressing, etc.

I'd recommend making it exactly like the recipe as you can always add a tiny amount in later on if you don't like the result? 

Martin

I've made this once and it definitely tasted 'Scottish' if you understand me.  As BB1 wants to let us know how it tastes in his TA, I'm following to the letter; that way I can work out if it is to my taste as so many curries are eaten and we only presume what goes into them.  The base for example: If I hadn't seen the ingredients I'd sworn there was carrot in there somewhere, based on the texture of the result.

Jesus H Christ here we go again....

I remember Panpot posting recipes on this forum a while back and him getting pretty upset at the questions he was getting asked.  Some fair and valid, others just nonsense.

Here we have a guy going out of his way to post the recipes he PERSONALLY uses in a TA and they are being questioned or having comments made about what they call an item on the menu.  These are FACTS that you are questioning, not something that's subjective and up for discussion.

I can understand critical comments like, "too much oil for my liking" etc (in which case don't try it but if you do you cannot comment on the recipe as you didn't follow it), but to say something is not actually what they are telling you its sold as is a little much.  How quick we are to forget about regional variation; if if can happen for taste, why not its name?

As we are all trying to communicate only by typing, we need to appreciate that we don't have the benefit of hearing tone and seeing body language when it's being said - that way we can pick up on sarcasm or when it's a joke.  Hey we can even use the smileys to help   

I would hope that miscommunications do not hack off the originator of any submission to the point that they stop bothering because it's just not worth it.  This goes for the other submissions that are dotted around the site, some of the comments/questions are pretty ridiculous, regardless of experience, come on chaps and chappettes! 

Sorry, rant over! 

Hi all,

I made the balti using BB1s takeaway base.  As with the other curries I made and reported on (Saturday night post and piccies) this one turned out really well.

In fairness I've never ordered a balti in Glasgow so had nothing to benchmark it against.  Nevertheless, this is a keeper for me, as I'm sure every dish that gets posted will be.  The base is they key here even more than it is for other methods.

No pictures I'm afraid, it was cooked and eaten while we were clearing up the carnage from Saturday nights curries and I simply forgot to take any!

Regards to all

Martin

If it helps you to know, my 1/2 portion of base sauce fitted into my 7L capacity pressure cooker - this is the pot pictured in the pictures I posted.  From them you can see that 3.5Kg of chopped onion bowled over the edge but soon sank down as they softened.

For the record the family are still talking about the curries we had last night.

Regards to all,

Martin

(from this experience I am thinking that I the volume of the pot needs to be double the weight of the onion/carrot/pepper/cabbage used in the recipe - grateful for your wider thoughts)

Right!

That's lunch sorted then, he-he!  Will make and report...

11/10.

Most of the comments are at the base recipe area and pictures are coming in.
As a Scot, I'm impressed! This is my base of choice from now on.  You just 'know' when it's the one! 

Nice one, JB, you'll not be disappointed with the results I'm sure, regardless of where you live. This is still a lovely base and for me produced curries that are familiar to me.

11/10 this one, for me at least.

Martin