Been busy trying new recipes over the weekend. Most turned out very good (Saturday = first 3 photos, Sunday = last 2 photos, quality not so good for some reason).

First was a chicken nawabi from Cook4one site - very interesting recipe - includes crushed/ground cumin and fennel seeds. Give it a 8.5/10, into the favourites book.

Next up, daughters favourite korma (Georges/Ghanas recipe with a few of my own mods) - think I've got this spot on now. Daughter says better than any take away! 9/10.

Balti recipe from 100 Best Baltis Book -nice tasty curry. 8/10.

First time I've tried chewys madras - fantastic! Think I could have done with a little more base, but incredibly tasty for such few ingredients. Probably better than any take away madras I've had. 9/10. Into the favourites!

Finally Geezahs dhansak. This is the best dhansak recipe I've tried, although I did make some pre-cooked lentils to go into it, with onions/garlic/bay leaf/cinnamon/coriander which tasty really good on it's own (a pretty good dhal). 8.5/10. Into the favourites also.

Chicken Nawabi (Cook4One recipe) -


Chicken Korma (Georges/Ghana recipe) -


Sweet Potato and Mushroom Balti (100 Best Balti Recipes book) -


Chicken Madras (Chewy Tikkas) -


Potato Dhansak (Geezahs London Style Dhansak) -

Anyone else find a sprinkle of sugar quite often lifts the taste of a curry?

Love fresh green chillies chopped up and sprinkled on top of a curry - really fresh, zingy taste! Nothing like it!

So, I made my base tonight, and I fried the onions in the oil for a good amount of time until they were pretty translucent. I think the resulting base has a sweeter taste to it, a little less bitternes than usual. I suppiose frying creates a higher heat and affects the cooking of the onions in a differet way. Don't know how this will affect my curries yet.

Anyway, I got to thinking about which bases forum users make, and why, what steps they take, and whether these steps make any differencew to the end result. I thought it might be good to share our knowledge. I'll start.

1. Do you always cooks the same base, have you settled on a base that you think gives you the best results? If so, which one?

I usually use CAs base with Abdhuls modifications. Have tried others. but I feel this gives me the best result.

2. Do you fry onions before boiling?

See above! Have to wait and see what the final result is.

3. Do you filter out the fibrous bits after blitzing? If you have done both (filtering and non-filtering), do you think it makes any difference to the end result?

Yes I do, I assume a smoother gravy will give a better result, but to be truthful, never tried a base with fibrous stuff left in.

4. Do you re-boil/simmer after blitzing? Do this make any difference?

Yes, because of point 5.

5. Do you skim off the froth if you simmer? Does this make any difference?

Yes. I remember reading in a book (Kris Dhillon?) that this was an important step, so I do! Not really sure if it makes a difference, but as I am making a base I think I may as well do it because if I don't, it might be as good!

Can you do a discount for 10?

Can I suggest all who downloaded the original documents get rid of them and replace them with the new ones when I put them up. The new ones will have the same information.

Sorry about that.

Oh and George, can you delete the original docs in the first post please! Ta.

My first curries were in the late 70s, and they DEFINITELY tasted different than today's curries. I would say overall more consistently good too. I don't think its just the "pataks" effect, but maybe a different way of cooking curries.

Hmm, anyone know why I can't modify my original post?

Hi guys,

Phil does have a point. I have put this document together thinking it would be useful for others to use if they wanted, but in it are a few from one particular ebook. Most are off websites/forums that are all freely available. Some are my own recipes Phil, they are not all just copied ones.

I am not overly concerned about the forum recipes (I will credit them where I can remember), but I have contacted the writer of the ebook, and he has suggested a way forward, which I will comply with.

I have decided I will temporarily remove the documents until I can change them to keep everyone happy.

Now play nicely with each other, boys and girls!   

Phil, I just added that statement as a tongue in check comment - it wasn't supposed to be serious really, but I have now removed it.