Quote from: Peripatetic Phil on January 27, 2019, 09:16 PM

Quote from: pete on January 27, 2019, 08:52 PM

Quotewe really need some get together, to at least  reset the understanding of what we are achieving.  If this was arranged with 5 people, then we should each bring 5 sample cartons of our cooking to exchange with each other.  Go home, try our given samples and chat about it.  I could even get some proper curry gravy from a takeaway,  Should be able to do that

Sadly, living in Cornwall and no longer in Kent, I am unlikely to be able to take part.  But if I were to want to take part, I would feel intimidated by being asked to bring five dishes.  I could manage three with ease (one chicken curry, one lamb curry with very different spicing to the chicken, and one pulao rice.  Four I could manage but would be less keen.  Five would be just too much pressure for too little reward.

although I see that it's unlikely we can meet. that's not what I meant by 5 sample cartons.
I didn't mean 5 different curries..
I meant 5 the same.
you cook your best  curry and fill up 5 cartons
you would give one to each of the 5 people that we  were meeting
everyone would do the same
so everyone would go home with one sample of everyone's cooking

Quote
.  And I have no problem cooking a base over several days, if that will help.  But do I really need to cook bhajis in the oil, or could I just add the ingredients of a typical onion bhaji without bothering to actually make them, and then filter the gunge out at the end.  I might give it a go, as I have no base at the moment.

seriously don't bother trying to make the oil
that's the whole point
you can't make it at home, you simply don't have the volume of bhajees etc to fry in it
you need hundreds
the oil is essentially a stock

Quote from: livo on January 27, 2019, 11:43 PM
While it may theoretically be possible to simulate used commercial oil at home (CT#1 recently called it manky oil *¹), it is probably unrealistic.  If this is a critical element, I would have to agree with Pete that commercial BIR base gravy is not achievable at home or at the very least, difficult. Alternatively, we would need to go and source some commercial BIR used oil and use it to make base gravy at home. 

I did get some oil and made curries with the BIR aroma
The takeaway I got it from, had a fridge full of the oil
They kept it in opened, large tomato puree cans
But maybe there is another way to do this
I am still  open minded
That's why I thought if we could try each others curries,, you could see if someone  has really cracked the problem

Quote from: Peripatetic Phil on January 27, 2019, 09:37 AM

QuoteI have been lucky enough to be allowed to cook my own curry in the kitchens of a few takeaways.  The magic comes every time from the base as it's heated.    It is an absolutely wonderful aroma

OK, more clarification sought

Quote from: Peripatetic Phil on January 26, 2019, 12:10 PM
the only thing that can be "cooked on a very large scale" is the base.  Is this actually what you meant ?  Sorry if I seem obtuse, but I really want to understand your point.
** Phil.

Hi Phil
Yes the base must be cooked on a large scale, or it doesn;'t taste right

I have been lucky enough to be allowed to cook my own curry in the kitchens of a few takeaways
The magic comes every time from the base as it's heated
it is an absolutely wonderful aroma
it's the base that has the flavour and aroma I can't make at home
you can add tomato puree to it
spices
garlic ginger
coriander
etc
and they are important and so is the cooking technique
but it's the base which is the irreplaceable ingredient if you want it to be exactly like a BIR

I can make great curries, that people tell me are better than curries they buy
But I have never been totally satisfied
Especially if you try a bit of curry cold
it is missing a flavour and depth
I think the cold curry test is very accurate for flavour analysis

I really do respect other peoples views on this issue
and perhaps I am wrong
But I truly believe the base is the most important ingredient to create a BIR flavour and aroma

if you are making a very strong flavoured curry, the difference is not so obvious
Curries with lots of sugar, garlic, pickle or cream are a better result

I would love to arrange a get together for us, to actually taste each others curries
I would be more than delighted to be shown I am wrong
Seriously I would
because this flavour search  started as an interest,  became a hobby, and grew to an absolute obsession
and you know, at the end of the day
That's  not what I wanted

I only started posting as Haldi because the recipes I posted on this site, were shown me in confidence
I had no permission to share them
I got a bit paranoid that they might put 2 and 2 together, if they saw their recipe and my name,  side by side
Silly eh?
Sorry if I've upset anyone

Quote from: livo on January 24, 2019, 08:38 PM

Quote from: pete on January 24, 2019, 07:30 PM
and the secret is the curry base
which is like no base on this, or any other site

This is an extraordinary claim!  Are you saying that you know a "secret"? Something that is not on this site or any other source of curry information.

I'm sorry if that was misleading
No,  I meant after countless recipes, I don't believe you can make a restaurant curry base at home.
I think the result is only obtainable by using seasoned bhajee oil and cooking on a very large scale
The aroma of a sample base, when heated, is the BIR aroma
You can't get that, with a home made base

don't get me wrong, you can make amazingly good curries at home
But they are not the same

I believe, you can't make a BIR curry unless the base is correct
That is my conclusion after about 30 years of trying

Quote from: Secret Santa on December 13, 2018, 12:19 PM
The sauce is the curry and everything else is a guest at the party.

that is so correct
and the secret is the curry base
which is like no base on this, or any other site

Quote from: Secret Santa on January 12, 2019, 10:59 PM
I used to be able to source Asian bay leaves locally in small TRS style packets, they may even have been TRS, and they were very fragrant. Then I couldn't get any locally and I sourced some off eBay or Amazon, I forget which, and they were totally flavourless and were sent back. I really miss the quality ones as I consider them essential for a good garam masala.

So Pete, do you recall what brand these three-year-old leaves were that still retain their vitality as I'd like to get some?

it was the fact that it's made  by the restaurant that interested me
if anyone could get it right, a restaurant should

this is the carton
three pounds 40p

Ok Folks, who's used any  Madhuban Curry Sauces?
http://www.madhuban.co.uk/index.html
this is what they say
At Madhuban we pride ourselves on our truly authentic restaurant-style curry sauces. They don't just taste like the real thing......they are the real thing. No Pale imitations these - they come straight from the curry house kitchens. We think they're perfect. With the help of the recipes on this site, so will you.


I finally found out my local supplier, which was about 12 miles away, so I bought two sauces
Madras and Balti
I tried the madras and it does taste different
Certainly not home made, in either aroma or flavour
But there's no way it tasted anywhere near as good as a decent takeaway curry
It's got a slight twang to it
Think it might be star anise
When heating the sauce it doesn't smell "wrong"
But lacks any real attractive flavour and (dare I say it) the spices seem a little grainy, maybe raw?
I wouldn't buy again, but glad I tried it
My wife , by the way, gave it a big thumbs down
Far prefers my BIR cooking

Quote from: Peripatetic Phil on January 10, 2019, 11:08 PM
Do you use Indian or European bay, Pete ?
** Phil.

Hi Phil. I use Indian bay Leaves. All the Asian shops round here sell only them, so I figured that's what most takeaways/restaurants use too. The pack I currently use is about three years old. I've nearly finished it. The bay leaves flavour has remained very strong, despite it's age