Quote from: Derek Dansak on January 10, 2012, 03:51 PM
hi elw , no i actually scaled up the ashoka base gravy to make it last all year !!!. , I always follow everything to the letter. The coconut quantity is not clearly specified so i used quality cocnut block . i kept the amount reasonable, so it just adds tecture not too much flavour.  Dont overdo the coconut it should be noticable but subtle in the final gravy.  The cooking time is not long. I never cook any base gravy for long, it just overcomplicates things. 
   The ashoka gravy should be thick, so little water is needed.  Its a thick gravy compared to many.  Dont reduce the salt or cumin either.  hope this helps
     

Thanks DD, the 1/3 batch is my third attempt at this base. I boiled 1st day & slow cooked the blended all the next day, after reading a members post regarding this. Ikg onions & 1/3 coconut block produced a very strong flavour. The recipie specs. 1 x block coconut for 3kg onions which was described as like the  ktc size block.  1/2 batch tasted much better last time, but without the long cook. Thanks for your help. I'll keep at this one for a while
ELW

The flavour of fresh tomatoes can be lost by overcooking, tinned I've never really noticed

some bases call for blended tinned tomatoes

Quote from: PaulP on January 10, 2012, 04:46 PM
In my 50 Great Curries of India cookbook I think the author also describes a bhuna process as using the oil, spices and meat together with no extra water. In this case it is the meat itself that is limiting the oil temperature from burning the spices.

Paul

Thats whats missing from this thread PaulP, sources of the definition, I don't remember where i read it was sauteing using small amounts of liquid. Looking it up on the web would be pointless. How these processes relate to bir in 2011 is another question.
This thread could run for years

QuoteBloody hell, there's a fair few Glaswegians on the forum when you think about it? 

funny that cos eatingwell.com has none  ;D

ELW

QuoteI will be continuing to experiment with this gravy to see if it beats my favourites which are

1) ashoka

Hi Derek Dansak, I had been looking at jb's report and recipies recently, with the idea of trying a new one. Are you scaling down the Ashoka base or do you have loads left from a full batch? I've been trying to get the best I can from this base for a while  from a 1/3 scale. I'm finding the coconut overpowering on a 1/3 batch. Cooking it all day slowly turned it burnt orange very quickly and only intensified the coconut flavour in the dish. Did you add water at all to the blended gravy, in the pot after blending or when using? I think my scaling down or thinning with water may be turning this base into something it shouldn't be   

Thanks
ELW

Hi tornadof3, Glasgow here too, welcome to cr0

Regards
ELW

Quote from: Razor on January 09, 2012, 08:44 PM
Hi ELW,

Quote from: ELW on January 09, 2012, 06:57 PM
I don't know of its any better than the wooden handled ones in the C&C, but the price was more or less the same
ELW

It looks pretty much the same to me except for the added advantage of the Alu handle being that, it's less likely to suffer from wear and tear, especially if you use the dish washer to clean it.

Ray

agreed its pretty sturdy

Quote from: martinvic on January 09, 2012, 05:58 PM
Hi folks

To save cluttering the C2G thread up any further, discussing pans) If anyone is interested I just found these on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ipac-Grandi-Cuochi-Aluminium-Fry/dp/B0052WSA08/ref=sr_1_14?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1326129131&sr=1-14

26cm though, some may say to be very slightly on the big size, but cheaper (by more than 2 quid) than the 24cm which is also on offer.

Martin

I've had this pan for a couple of weeks now. saw the price of the 24cm, 26cm is the maximum for me, any bigger tips over
I don't know of its any better than the wooden handled ones in the C&C, but the price was more or less the same
ELW

QuoteI agree with everything Spicey and Cory have defined.  As for 'bagar' got to admit, I've only heard of this term over the last couple of months but it seems that it is almost the same thing?

I only heard of it when Haldi asked Ifindforu about his base recently. Some of the better bir's here use tempering in their speciality dishes, eg coriander seeds & dried chillies in oil.

ELW