Quote from: DARTHPHALL on May 28, 2005, 08:06 AM
My local BIr told me they sometimes put Kashmir Masala in the base sauce to add flavor, i`ve used it & it made no noticeable difference.

If Kashmiri Masala goes in at the early stages of cooking it adds flavour.
If it goes in late it adds aroma.
It seems to be the same for all the pastes.
I don't highly rate KM, but it is used.

Quote from: DARTHPHALL on May 27, 2005, 06:15 PM
I`ve sent Ghanna a message asking if she is fine etc & that we hope to hear from her. ;D ;D ;D

Her?

Large plastic jars of pataks tandoori paste and kashmiri masala.
Dried fenugreek, garlic puree, pre fied onions and peppers, peas in water, chick peas in water, deep pan fryer, bottled mint sauce, plastic cartons with prawns in water, plastic cartons with precooked veg, plastic cartons with precooked lamb,chopped fresh coriander, orange spice mix, and a browny green jelly like substance which I believed to be the "taste".
I was told it was balti paste.
It was fried with the early ingredients.
But I know balti paste and it isn't like that

Next opportunity I shall ask whether they mean tomato powder is different to paprika.
But, yes you are right, tomato powder is out there!

Quote from: Curry King on May 27, 2005, 12:43 PM
Pete you say you buy this spice mix made up, do you know whats in it or what they call it?

Cheers
cK

The man, who gave me the home cooking demo, is the uncle of the man who owns the shop.
They are keeping the business in the family (good idea too)
He mixes and supplies all the spices for the restaurant.
He just calls it "the restaurant mix"
It's kept in a large plastic drum about two foot tall.
I have tasted it as a powder and compared it to other spices I have.
I will try to duplicate it.
The bulk is definitely paprika (which keeps being called tomato powder by the chefs)
The next largest is turmeric and probably just a dash of curry powder.
It's quite unspicy compared to cummin or garam masala
I think all these chefs do things a little differently, so I wouldn't think all restaurants use this exact mix

Quote from: DARTHPHALL on May 26, 2005, 11:37 PM
fresh chilies pureed seems also to improve the taste.

Pureed chillies sounds a very good idea.
When I use chillie powder, I get the heat but also get the powdery taste!

One of the restaurant demos I had, used a spice that was mixed locally at a shop.
I bought some more the other day.
In the photo you can see it compared to paprika.
In fact I think Paprika and Turmeric are the major parts of the mix.
It's only slightly hot to taste
This spice mix is all they use at the restaurant, except for chilli (and whole spices)
In Kris Dhillons recipe she uses paprika and turmeric to make her base.
We have been saying quite a bit lately about overspicing.
I think the way forward involves less strong spices.

I definitely think chicken is in the base, but there are loads of the bits I mean.
In a teaspoon, you could count, maybe, ten
Are the ones you are talking about so common?

Quote from: DARTHPHALL on May 26, 2005, 10:15 AM
One more thing i will be cooking the 30 onion recipe next week so wish me luck people(all that peeling I'm not looking forward to !!)

If you are going to all that trouble, it might be worth waiting for the chicken stock question.
It might really change the flavour a lot
Thirty onions is not good news!

A little while ago I wondered how important ghee was, too.
I experimented with two tubs I bought (veg and butter ghee)
I only use the butter ghee for making special rice and use a few spoons of veg ghee in my curry gravy.
I think you could do without either though.