Made a list of what I keep so I can take when shopping:

Brands

ajowan - TRS
all purpose seasoning - Rajah
almonds flaked - aldi
almonds ground - asda
aniseed whole - sofra
Bassar - King of Spice
bay leaf euro - East End
bay leaf Asian - AZKA
black salt - Natco
cardamom black - Heera
cardamom green - East End
casia bark - Natco
cinnamon stick - TRS
chillie powder TRS
chillie powder Kashmiri - Heera
chillies crushed red - TRS
Chillies whole red - Rajah
chillies whole long red - Heera
coconut block - tropical sun
coconut flour - Natco
coriander - KTC
cumin seed black - East End
cumin seed - any
curry powder mild madras - East End
deggi Mirch MDH
fennel seed - Natco
garlic powder - Heera
garlic flakes - tiger tiger
lemon dressing - KTC
lime leaves
lime whole black - monalisa
methi - any
mustard oil - KTC
MSG - East End
onion seed - Natco
paste balti curry - pasco
paste tikka - pasco
paste tandoori - pasco
paste Kashmiri - pasco
peppercorn black - Rajah
pimento seeds - East End
pomegranate molasses - Sofra
sauce green chilli - Mitchells
star anis - TRS
stock cube mouton - calnort
tamarind - TRS
tandoori masala - supreme (old)
tandoori masala - Rajah (new)
tandoori masala BBQ - TRS
Turmeric - TRS

Gav Iscon,

Yes. Even as adopted scoucer has taken a few years to take in EP given the closeness to Chester. You don't smell the money the same.

Littlechilli,

Many thanks - I don't know Demi glaze but will read up.

I'm on Rev3. No1 issue is how to get the copy cat base as dark as the real thing. Stuck for ideas.

The fresh methi is absolutely brill - had come close to buying in past but always questioned use in BIR given the dry stuff. The fresh is defo in.

Asked at local shop how to get meat taste without meat - came away with east end soya chunks - a bit like pork scratchings. Shame I don't know any dog owners. I now think the missing taste is brand or combo.

Still might just get those rose leaves

As for cooking method im currently on the Lenny Henry (fellow mucker) method having used the adil video method ie oil before starting on this base. Have well impressed my boss by returning with balti in 3 min cooking time (7 being BIR norm).

Of slight interest cooked 1 off CT red CTM using the base and customer loved it same as usual - the existence of what I know as "threshold" - if it (base) passes muster it will do.

A bit late.

You can leave both fresh coriander (stalk) and or ground coriander out of base. They don't need replacement. Fennel works as replacement for ground coriander. Fresh methi works in place of fresh coriander.

spectacular video - like the lid.

did i miss it but i guess the whole spice got carried over into the carton.

green cardamom was a certainty - always remember 1st time one got carried through into the dish. tomato segments the only change.

many thanks for all the thoughts they are appreciated - you never know what will lead to that break through.

alas i'm stuck. ive now made Rev2 base and starting to understand the real base and how poor mine is in comparison.

this is all hit and miss and wont put the detail into this post.

there is an overriding flavour in the real base - that i've never come across. if you asked me to say what it tastes like i'd say i don't know. if you forced me to say it would be some form of gravy browning but i'm convinced it's not.

have attached pic of the Rev2 comparison which shows the big gap. easy to pick out the real deal


summary so far:
1) not blended
2) tamarind is in
3) no turmeric
4) lots of oil (none at dish frying like i think Taz)
5) on look out for this missing taste - going to buy fresh methi and rose petal (if i can get in warrington)

on the upside - the adil recipe and chef masala developed earlier in this thread are delivering. everything has been eaten and enjoyed.

Littlechilli,

No we did not get in a kitchen (have no need). Bengalibob managed to get a portion of base which I now have and working on. May start new post for the detail depends how it goes.

Already had 1st go and got stuck. The base really seems to have nothing in it which makes it very difficult to copy cat. Commis may well of helped - my 1 st go was far too sweet and not dark enough.

Rob was right on the day suggesting the base was packed with oil. I used 120g of veg oil in 800g onion and could not get it to surface.

A long way to go though.

London littlechilli,

Many thanks for info on sieve - not paid much attention to it in past.

Tried our existing sieve but too much like hard work. Manager at restaurant said use potato masher and on look out for decent - have tried 2 types so far and both rubbish.

Will look out for sieve in the pic. Agree on the oil - one thing that always sticks out from my efforts a good while ago on reclaiming oil was how hard it was to get it to surface after blending. It could well even be just the wobbling of the car journey. Splitting the oil at spice frying i tend to avoid but this does make the oil surface more likely.

Agra fort Ellesmere Port decent. Don't know Chester.

agrafortonline.co.uk

Littlechilli,

What size of opening in the strainer or what do you use. The local restaurant strains it and I do like the look and I suppose the texture in madras / vindaloo. Have tried approx 4 mm dia collander but still too much like hard work.

Curry looks spot on except the oil. The local restaurant never has oil when sitting in but always on the TA back at home. Makes me think it surfaces during the journey. It's quite an interesting subject.

I increased the oil in the base a while ago (I think 100 ml per 800g onion to 150ml) and it has made it far easier to cook with (no black debris). I can't see the TA being sloppy cooking and why add a relative expensive if you don't need to.