Quote from: artistpaul on February 27, 2010, 10:32 PM
Hi all again

Listen your coconut block is better than any cocnut powder, flour or milk for that matter so far as flavour is concerned.

That bag is simply mislabelled due no doubt to language/translation issues.

Stick with the block Emin-j its by far superior.

But do buy a bag of that stuff if you find it and let your daughter try a korma made with it, I bet you get the same answer from her.

Good luck with it anyway

Cheers all

artistpaul ,

I have to agree with at the moment regarding the taste but I think I need to add more Coconut Milk Powder to get somewhere near the taste , the reason I thought I would change to powder from the Creamed block i have been using is the amount of saturated fats in Creamed Coconut Block , I think I read somewhere it was 57% 

AchMal , that is the one I was looking for but they didn't have so I ended up with Coconut Milk Powder , and although this evening I made my Daughter her usual Korma using Coconut Milk Powder ( 7 teaspoons in some warm water ) she said she couldn't taste much Coconut  I usually use creamed Coconut block with excellent results but I have read the amount of saturated fats in the Creamed block is worrying 

Hi All , Just come back from the Indian Supermarket and I struggled to find any Coconut Powder , I found Coconut Flour and Dessicated Coconut but Couldn't find powder , ended up buying Coconut Milk Powder which was quite expensive  Coconut Powder is available from places like Spices Of India but is Coconut Flour the same thing 

I thought Bay leaves were Bay leaves until I opened a pack of Asian Bay leaves 
the difference in smell between Asian and European Bay leaves are miles apart , the Asian leaves being  much more sweet and fragrant compared to the privet hedge European leaves  :

Interesting question  Our second favourite Indian T/A has a British Lady working in the kitchens , I didn't know until she came out from the kitchen with our takeaway carriers in her hands  She had an apron on so could have been doing the cooking ! I don't mind that so much but would feel ' short changed ' if I was served by non Indian waiters in the restaurant.

PS . a few years ago our local T/A offered my youngest Daughter a job helping out in the kitchen but she didn't take it .

Quote from: Cory Ander on February 14, 2010, 11:10 AM
PS:  Please refresh my memory eminj; your madras you watched being made at your favourite takeaway, was it made using a curry base?

Yes CA , they used a base and a simple one at that.

Quote from: chriswg on February 13, 2010, 09:01 AM
I've just read this post all the way through and although I don't want to be counter-productive, I just don't see the point. We know there is an element missing to our curries but it is the same element regardless of whether we are cooking a medium curry or a Vindaloo, or a CTM for that matter.

I don't see the point of experimenting on a 'curry' when I don't think it is anyone's favourite dish. I am far more motivated to try and acquire the missing taste through Madras cooking than I am with something I won't enjoy eating.

I understand your initial point about not making flavours with chilli powder or coconut but I really believe once one us has the Eureka moment it will be very obvious regardless of curry type.

Spot on chriswg , it's so much down to personal taste , after watching my favourite T/A make my Madras with just the basics we all use and no fried Onions , Bunjara , Spiced Oil , or anything else exotic  : We seem to try to overcomlicate things 

Quote from: Cory Ander on February 13, 2010, 08:49 AM
I don't really know why people are having so much trouble understanding what I am trying to say?

All I am trying to say is that the truest test of how well a person can reproduce BIR curries is how well a person can cook the simplest ones (e.g. plain chicken/meat curry).

If that person can't cook the simplest curries then that person probably can't cook the more complex curries which contain additional ingredients (e.g. madras, jalfrezi, etc).

Guys, simply take whatever curry base and main dish recipe you're most comfortable with, go and make a plain meat or chicken curry and then compare it to a plain meat or chicken curry from your favourite BIR!  Then spot the difference and try and identify the reasons for that difference!

What's all the other nonsense about? 

Why didn't you say that to start with !

Quote from: Cory Ander on February 11, 2010, 12:57 AM

Quote from: emin-j on February 10, 2010, 10:33 PM
I think it a much better way to ' Master ' one dish at a time rather than " Jack of all Curries master of none " 

Quotebut you're missing the point eminj....

oh, never mind.....   :  (where is the "scream" icon!)[/b]
To my mind, making a curry is like making a house.  It's built in layers, starting with firm foundations (compare to the curry base).  Without firm foundations, the house will be crap. 

A basic curry is like a basic house, it has minimal architecture (compare with additional spicing) and is dependent on basic building skills (compare with cooking technique).  Without basic building skills the house will be crap. 

If you can build a house, you might be able to build a block of flats which has additional architecture and materials (compare to a madras).  If you can't build a house (because your foundations and building skills are crap) your block of flats will be crap.

So you need to ensure that your foundations and basic building skills are in place before you go building flats, skyscrapers, etc.

Haha, still with me!   

Now my head hurts!  Where's a wall...I want to bang my head on it!......   ;D

And the point is CA ! Without going all around the Houses  Dont try and run before you can walk .

I think it a much better way to ' Master ' one dish at a time rather than " Jack of all Curries master of none "