Anyone ever thought of trying a can of Soup as the base ? All sorts of Soups available nowadays ,checkout the ingredients in a tin of vegetable Soup I think it's got most of what we put in a base other than Spices. It would make a very convenient base if it worked  might need to run it through the blender for a minute tho first.

I made another curry last night

haldi , which Curry recipe do you use please .

Quote from: JerryM on July 24, 2009, 06:54 PM

Quote from: JerryM on July 22, 2009, 08:03 AM

for info the KD1 defines Chat masala, "ready mixed preparation of salt and spices used for "chats". Its available from Asian and Pakistani grocers in small boxes. i've not used it (and would probably say i don't see a need).

i been thinking about this a bit more and intend to buy a packet of chat masala.

i've picked up on a sort of "seasoning" difference in the dishes from my local TA.  i think it could be something like the chat masala or maybe seasoned salt (aromatic salt: 100g salt, 1 tsp all spice, 1 tsp cinnamon). given that i already use salt i'm not confident though. i also don't associate all spice with BIR.

to back up my suspicions i find that i always have to drink water during the night after a TA but not when i've eaten well more of my own cooking. i don't feel it's msg although it could be and i guess i will have to try it too.

JerryM , you gotta use the oil from your Chip Pan mate haldi has found the Holy Grail so dont worry about the Spices , I just cant stop thinking about watching the Chef at my fav T/A he only used the basic Spices except the Spice mix which he makes himself and made a delicious Curry.

Quote from: chriswg on July 23, 2009, 09:46 AM
I know it covers Onion Bhajis! I'm in negotiations with my wife to go on one of the courses soon. maybe all 3 of us should book on the same course. I imagine between us we could get answers to all the questions we need to know!

chriswg Luckily i am in Bristol and it's just down the road for me 
i have asked if i can cook a Madras rather than the usuall Chicken Tikka Massala they cook on the course.

Quote from: JerryM on July 23, 2009, 07:59 AM
emin-j,

the web site does not say much about the course other than 3 hrs on sat'd.

do u have any further details on what it covers. it sounds like the idea maybe for several visits over time.

JerryM here's a more informative link http://www.myristica.co.uk/S%20P%20E%20C%20I%20A%20L%20S
Basically you make a starter ,main course ( chicken tikka massala )but i have asked to make a Madras  ;D and a desert, after about 2.5hrs of cooking we all sit down and eat what we have cooked plus a 1/2 bottle of wine ' on the house ' price is ?50 individual and ?80 for a couple ,I have my Son and Two Daughters plus myself to book for.

Quote from: chriswg on July 23, 2009, 05:58 PM
You cook chips in Onion Bhaji oil? Do they taste spicy?

I do and they are turmeric yellow  ;D

chriswg Just about to book my cooking class at the Myristica 

I did post on a similar thread about a Chinese T/A my family used for a few years and their food was delicious ,we all tried to replicate ' the  taste ' of this Chinese food but never could ,me and the kids were talking about the different foods we had from the T/A and how they all had this certain delicious flavour , then it came to me  even the Chips had this special flavour so I believe it must have come from the oil ( oil flavoured by countless meals cooked in it ) I did try cooking a Madras using the oil from the deep fat fryer that had cooked Chips and Bhaji's for a few weeks but it didn't really improve the flavour of the Curry  well done haldi     

Quote from: JerryM on July 20, 2009, 08:22 AM

Quote from: emin-j on July 19, 2009, 07:28 PM

we need to perfect our technique. 

emin-j,

would encourage u to post here https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1283.0
i feel i've eventually got sorted but struggled too. yet i still feel further discussion would be helpful to us all.

ps will chk if my posts are upto date

JerryM , The point I was trying to make to chriswg is if your favourite T/A cant always get it right it's most likely down to the Chef rather than a 'secret ingredient '.

I believe we all use basically the same ingredients and can all produce a Curry as good as your local BIR and if your local T/A sold you one of YOUR Curry's you would probably say ' it was fantastic '. ;)When will we stop looking for the ' Holy Grail '
and get on with the cooking

I agree with mickdabass that it is down to technique.
The wife and I  had a Madras from our 2nd favourite T/A last night and it was awful  It was so bland it was no more than base plus a bit of Chili powder.
When I arrived to collect my Curry ( pre ordered )I had to wait twenty minutes as they were so busy ,it is also a restaurant and it was manic  I don't believe they used any less ingredients but rushed the cooking of my Curry which gave a poor result.

I have regularly made better tasting Curries than even my favourite T/A ( confirmed by my Curryholic family who use various T/A including my favourite and that was with the sns base and Madras recipe when I first joined the forum ,although my favourite T/A make a very nice Madras with less ingredients in their Base and Curry.

At the moment I am trying to replicate the taste of my favourite T/A using the ingredients and method they use ( I watched my Curry being made in their kitchen )at the moment I'm struggling 
But to answer your question IMO I don't think there is any ' magic 'Spice we are not using just that we need to perfect our technique.