I cook my curries in the oven and they are awesome ?;D

Mind you I stir fry them over incendiary heat first with pre cooked meat.

I know what you mean and it would be a let down if you bought the book thinking you could replicate 100% BIR food, however they are very old now

Just been to my friendly takeaway tonight and talked to him at length about the base sauce.

He said start with vegie oil and fry garlic and ginger

Add chilli powder, curry powder, turmeric and salt. I said I use rajah curry powder and he said that would fine in the kind of way that meant basically any curry powder would be fine.

Add onions, carrots, green peppers, celery, fresh coriander and tomato paste, add water.

Simmer for an hour, then liquidise, then cook on high for 10 minutes and low for 5 minutes, job done. He leaves it overnight and said this added to the flavor.

He was adamant that it cant be done at home and seemed to indicate it was to do with quantities, he said the amounts of spice are very important.

He also said he cooks curry for his kids at home and they say, dont cook it at home, bring some from the take away kitchen!

He said the tomato he adds is definately called paste and he buys it in big cans


Just realised I posted this in the wrong section, Stu can you move it to base sauce area, cheers

Its either Favourite Restaurant Curries or the Indian Restaurant Cookbook, cant remember which Im afraid as I own both, it is identical to one of them verbatim

I think thats a bit harsh, bear in mind he produced all of these books in the eighties apart from a few early 90's and at that time there was nothing else even close to what he was trying to achieve.

His books do try and produce restaurant style dishes and he gives recipes for base sauces (the one above isn't that far away from many on this site).

The only thing to my mind that is slightly dodgy is reprinting 2 of his earlier books in such a way as to suggest they are new works (New Curry Bible & Modern Indian Restaurant cookbook)

This book is just a reprint of one of Pats 1980's books (still a good read though)

Im with pete, a decent amount of oil is required to fry the spices right.

I have also read that one reason for lashings of oil is so there is less chance of spices sticking to the bottom of the pan and burning whilst the chef is cooking many dishes

I think when they sell sauces like this it is sold as a food additive and not a sauce for legal reasons, ie dont slap it on the chips use it to make a vat of vindaloo!

All chicken I use is pre cooked so I presume I would soak in vinegar first and then just pre cook as normal?

I agree completely, always interested in anything new but all the secrets are now on this site

The only time I have ever used it I think is in chicken tikka marinade, I would use it if I had a recipe that specifically called for it though