I have emailed Pat and hand written as well.
If he does know anything then he's not saying anything outside his book recipes.
This was the recipe I got emailed and he seemed rather fed up at me not being satisfied with my results!


Curry Masala Gravy

Makes over 1kg curry masala gravy

120ml vegetable oil
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons ground coriander powder
6 to 8 whole garlic cloves, peeled
4 x 225g whole onions, peeled (four large)
10cm carrot, coarsely chopped
1/2 green pepper coarsely chopped
500ml water
1 - 2 teaspoons salt

1. Place everything in a saucepan minimum size 2.25 litre (4 pint).
2. Simmer for 2 hours (yes two hours).
3. During the simmer period, add more water as needed. (Keep the onions covered with water.)
4. Mulch the mixture down using a hand blender or jug blender, until you achieve a gravy-like pur?e.

So what to do with this 'gravy'?

Here's a typical recipe for

Chicken Korma Restaurant Style

Serves: 2

250g chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2-4 teaspoons curry powder
200 -250g g Curry Masala Gravy, pur?ed (see above)
150 ml single cream (optional)
1/3 block (65 g) creamed coconut
1 tablespoon fresh coriander leaves, very finely chopped
1 or more tablespoon ground almonds (to taste)
2 to 3 teaspoons garam masala (optional)
white sugar to taste
salt to taste


1. Heat the oil and stir-fry the curry powder for 30 seconds
2. Add the Curry Masala Gravy and bring to the simmer.
3. Add the chicken and simmer for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, and adding just enough water to keep a thickish texture.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and continue cooking and stirring for a final 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. This is checked by cutting one of the largest pieces in half and ensuring it is white right through.

These recipes were no closer
Interesting use of fennel seeds, though

When I have got into the restaurant kitchens or if I am buying a takeaway, I always have a discreet look at every ingredient on their shelves and tables.
I have recipes using worcester sauce, but I have never seen it in a takeaway.
Has anyone else?
As for chicken stock, I think it's an uncomftable but strong possibility.
Uncomfortable for vegetarians that is.
Perhaps it is considered too much trouble to make, to show at the demos.
It would involve boiling scraps and bones.
I tried making a stock with lamb bones one time (as suggested by Pat Chapman)
That was upsetting and didn't taste right.
But most people like chicken and adding chicken in some form, to the gravy would improve the flavour.
On the plus side, I think the gravies we have are very close now.
It just needs a touch of..................??

I'm not sure if I have done this poll correctly.
But if it works, I really would like to know what the general consensus is.

Quote from: curryqueen on March 24, 2005, 03:59 PM
? Chef said that if I need to know anything at all about the lesson to email him and he would get right back. They were all very helpful.

Could you ask the chef if they ever put chicken stock into the curry gravy?
Maybe you could also ask for the quantities of ingredients when making up a big pot.
I emailed them after my lesson and got no replies.
Thanks cq

Quote from: Keith on March 25, 2005, 02:21 PM
Pete.
Do you do the garlic and ginger browning at the end to put in your base ? I thought it went in at the beginning.

This latest recipe I was given said to do it near the end.
Just about all the others said to do it at the start.
I think doing it at the start gives a better result as it is a really dominating flavour and probably needs mellowing.

Curryqueen seems sure it's the green peppers.

Quote:-
"kitchens - low cost which is onions, carrots, pots etc and then you will smell the missing ingredient that is in there!? It is the green peppers I am almost sure.? The gravy from the other chef, used when cooking a curry was spot on too - no mistake!"

Could it be?
The base I just cooked has them in, maybe it will turn out correct.

Quote from: Mark J on March 24, 2005, 11:58 PM
1) An ingredient or specific preperaton of an ingredient
2) A taste generated by the cooking process of a BIR e.g. cooking 20 litres of sauce for 4 days on end
3) The fundamental difference between going to a BIR and having one at home
4) Technique

I went out last night and bought the two smallest containers of vegetable and butter ghee.
(the vegetable ghee container is massive, it will go off before I can use it all)
I tried adding vegetable ghee to one of the curry bases.
I thought that might be it.
It isn't.
I'll try the butter ghee next time.
I'm still boiling the base for another couple of hours, maybe it will change.
The two other ideas I have is the "making a large quantity" theory,
and the oil they salvage from the curry gravy being old and very seasoned.
I have seen the oil being taken off a cooked curry and put back into the curry gravy pot.
Maybe at a later stage in the evening they scoop out this oil again.
There would be such a combination of flavours in the oil.
Maybe some old curry gravy goes into new curry gravy.
There are no hidden ingredients, it is? something they do.
Something so obvious they don't even think to tell us at the demonstrations.

I have now addied the pureed onion sauce into the browned garlic ginger.
In this recipe it needs another 10 minutes cooking.
I hope this helps.
Although I realise that the browning flavour is not the "be all and end all" flavour, it is never the less, a very important stage to get the depth of flavour you expect.
I hope these photos are a help

This part happens very quickly so be ready for the next stage.
This is how you want it to look.

Now you can see the whole thing turning a shade darker.
Not long now.
We've been cooking for about five minutes on low with continuous stirring