Hi,

Here is a youtube link (first of a series) which is similar to how we do it in the restaurant, we take it quite a bit darker though before the ginger/garlic stage so that onion is almost a paste taking a good 2 hours or so, and the lid is kept on whilst cooking the onions which could have been done in this prep as well as we don't see the initial part of the cooking.

Curry sauce base 1

You can tell when it is time for the ginger and garlic to be added as the onions are dark, very very dark, not burnt at all though, and the oil has separated. It's usually given a stir every 15mins or so especially at the later stage to prevent sticking on the bottom of the pan.

Hope this helps some, the process even the use of the tomato paste is the same. One major difference though is that we don't blend the gravy due to using whole spices with the cooking onions, and we add some water when tomato paste is added in. Not a lot of water though, it is still a thick concentrated gravy ready for use in various dishes.

Cheers,
Mark

Hi Paul,

For the new recipe/process that I use, it is 1.5 kg of onions cut in half and sliced fine.

They go into a 26cm stock pot with a half cup oil and a couple of whole spices and cook away with the lid on for about 1.5 - 2 hours. They take up a fair volume at first but reduce right down to about an inch or so after the cooking.

For the posted/original version, I used the largest saucepan that normally comes in one of the 4 pan sets.

I'll hopefully head to the markets and grab some onions to do a batch this weekend and take pics along the way, of the cooking that is, not the trip to the markets.

Cheers,
Mark

Hi All,

Sorry for not replying earlier, I shall have to learn how to use the Notify option so that I am aware when people are posting.

976bar, onions will disintegrate into nothingness, depends upon how, and how long they are cooked though.

I have been working part time in an Indian Restaurant for the past 3 months and no gravy is ever blended, all comes down to the cooking process.

The curries are silky smooth, taste amazing and so very simple.

I have made a batch or two at home and it is completely reproducible, and the smell while cooking is incredible, so very different to the boil process which I had used before.

The process used is similar to this recipe, but it cooks for a lot longer, approx 3 hours to make a gravy using 10kg of onion, but well worth it and a better recipe as well. At home using a smaller amount of onions, surprisingly it takes only a little less in time, perhaps due to my inferior cooking medium(electric).

Chopping very fine, just do with a knife, I have also tried slicing fine as per the restaurant and that works just as well, so don't stress over it.

Now back to the original recipe and the questions.

* The ginger and garlic should be added after the onions turn golden brown, and cooked for 2 mins/until the raw smell has gone.

* Checked the spice list, there is no turmeric in the spicing

* Salt, halve the amount in the posted recipe. When it was cooked here it was 2 lvl tablespoons, but as cs found it too salty, I don't want anyone else to waste time/money, salt can always be added later

* Mix Powder - the chef used equal amounts of cumin, coriander, garam masala, turmeric, paprika, and kitchen king masala as his.

* Another thing to be careful of is the spices burning, it will turn things bitter so be careful

I can't post the recipe for the restaurant where I am working, although what I could do is use this recipe and do it the way the restaurant I am working in does it. I have no doubt that it would produce a superior result.

I'll either video it, or take timestamped photos so you can see how done if anyone is interested.

Cheers,
Mark

Hi Cs,

Glad to hear of your retry and results, one thing I have found with the pastes is that they freeze real well, and unfreeze real well and quick due to the little water content in them.

What did you do for your spice variation, would be interested to try it in the next batch that I make.

Regards,
Mark

Cs,

No worries, I'll try doing a video of it, or some step by step pictures next time so as to make it much clearer.

Cheers,
Mark

I just went and weighed some of onions downstairs that were about the same as what used and they came to just over 850gm, I thought they might have been up to a kg, but a bit short of that.

I'll also weigh the ingredients in the next batch as well to make it clearer.

Hi CurrySwede,

Sorry that this didn't turn out for you.

The tablespoons should have been level, not heaped, I just went and measured it out in terms of 5ml teaspoons, and 1 level tablespoon is 3x5ml tsp, so all up it is 30ml salt for the recipe.

Now, the other thing is the size of the onions, we didn't weigh them here, but they were very large, and I would be guessing was approx 1kg of onion.

The resultant paste when cooked down made enough for about 15 portions of curries, so 30ml divided by 15 is 2ml which is about 0.5 tsp salt per curry. As no further salt is used in any of the recipes then it should be ok, and should be further diluted with the other ingredients. In comparison to other bases and recipes that level of salt is similar.

I've used the pastes for the last 4 months and haven't had any problems with them in regards to saltiness for everything from Beef Madras, to Paneer Tikka Masala and many others.

Unfortunately it appears the visual that I know having watched it might not have come through correctly in the explanation of the recipe details.

Again, I'm sorry it didn't work out for you.
Mark

I've paid between $30-$40 per hour in home and pretty much the same in the restaurants.

It's quite high and more then I make an hour, but if I want to learn from them then I need to be prepared to pay for it, they've always been very happy with the amount and that has meant that I can continue to ask questions/clarify with them as well.

Also, I've yet to find any IR here in Brisbane that only uses one gravy to make all their dishes like we see in BIR, all use multiples from 3 through to 6 or so.

Hi InterCool,

Welcome to the forum from another Aussie here in Brisbane.

Post away the recipe for us all to have a look at. One thing you will probably notice is that there is quite a difference between AIR and BIR dishes though.

I've had a lot of luck here in Brisbane going into restaurants and having lessons, and also with having Chefs out to my place for lessons as well.

Check out sydney.gumtree.com.au and the Job sections for Chefs, you'll often find Indian Chefs looking for work, post them and ask if they are interested in earning some extra income while looking for work, that's how I did it. Also too, search for Indian Restaurants in Sydney that do Cooking Classes and contact them to see if they will teach restaurant style rather then home style.

All the best and have fun.

Cheers,
Mark

Hi hotstuff09,

For precooked veg I do the following...

1 med potato, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 med carrot, sliced
1 zuchini, cut into thin rounds
5-6 broccoli stems & florets
0.25 red capsicum, cut into strips
0.25 cup frozen peas
0.25 med onion, finely chopped
1 tsp garlic paste
2 cloves
1 green cardamom
1 inch stick cassia bark
1 indian bay leaf
1 tsp mix powder
0.5 tsp salt
0.5 cup water
2 tbsp oil

1. Heat oil in pan
2. Add whole spices and fry till aromatic and sizzling
3. Add onion and cook till light brown
4. Add garlic paste and cook 1 min or so
5. Add mix powder and cook 30 sec or so
6. Add water & salt, cover till boiling
7. Add potatoes, reduce heat to low boil, cover, cook 3 min
8. Add carrots, cover, cook 5 min
9. Add brocoli, cover cook 3 min
10. Add zuchini and peas, cover & cook 3 min
11. Add capscicum, cook 2 min
12. Remove from heat, and remove veg from pot so they don't keep cooking
13. Remove any whole spices if you wish

Optional :
1. After frying the whole spices, add 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2. Add a star anise instead of cardamom etc

This is enough for my wife and I for two meals along with a couple of other curries ie Channa Masala & Dum Aloo etc.

Hope that helps some, I adapted part of the Kushi pre-cooked veg process for what we like.

Cheers,
Mark

Hi Folks,

A couple of weekends ago I spent a Saturday morning in a IR here in Brisbane with the Chef/Owner watching him make is base gravy.

He used 12kg dried onions, which would probably equate to 24+kg fresh onions. After cooking the onions and then adding spice powders and tomato paste after 3 hours cooking, he then blended to his desired consistency, and then added whole spices, which he then left for another hour cooking.

He leaves the whole spices in the base, but removes before they go out to the customer.

Now for that amount of onions, he added only 4-5 black cardamoms, a couple of cinamon sticks and 3-4 star anise.

So I would say be wary of just multiplying out whole spices. From another chef I know very well who works at a Hare Krishna restaurant here, it just doesn't work that way.

Cheers,
Mark