Looks really nice Axe.

I love sweet potato too - occasionally use a tbsp of mashed sweet potato in a curry for sweetness. 

Will prob be adding some sweet potato to a CTM tonight to make the chicken go further.

Cheers Stephen, I don't doubt that some of the chicken tikka will end up in your chasni if my gf has any say in it

These photos all look fab! What a lovely looking feast!

I'm a lamb man myself - so my hunt for cooking BIR curries has never really included Tikka or Tandoori.  However all the rave reviews for this tempted me to give it a go.  The results were really good.  Made up a batch and have frozen them for my next curry cooking fun.

Cheers for the recipe - love the no-yoghurt technique too.

not as pretty as CurryHells pic - but darn tootin tasty

thanks for posting this - looks really interesting. Made up a base in the slow cooker once and have been toying with the idea of using the pressure cooker for it too.

I'm with Razor on the mulligatawny soup.  I use Pat Chapman's recipe from The Curry Bible and it is delish.  He recommends tamarind concentrate which makes it even easier to use.

Not 100% sure where to post this but here goes - apols if in the wrong place.

Like many on here I enjoy homestyle indian style cooking as well as BIR  ? and like to find cross-overs and cheats  ie using curry base instead of frying onions/garlic/ginger in a traditional recipe.

While following Manjulas recipe for Chickpea curry I was happily surprised by the texture and consistency of the sauce.  By playing around a bit you get a lovely, speedy and flexible mini-curry base for tweaking into all your favourite curries.

The original recipe and video here - http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/2007/01/28/chola-chana-masala/    She uses a lot of salt! And a bit more water than I do.

Flexi Version
Serves 1
Main ingredient of choice ? veg/meat etc
3 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds (optional)
1 tablespoon gram flour (Besan)
1 large tomato
1 teaspoon ginger paste
1 teaspoon chopped green chilies
2 tsp of spice mix of your choice
half teaspoon chilli powder
half tsp sugar
half teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chopped coriander

1.Blend the tomato, and ginger to make a puree. (or add tsp ginger puree)
2.Heat the oil in a saucepan.
3.Add  cumin seeds.
4.After the cumin seeds pop add the gram flour and stir-fry for a minute.
5.Add the tomato puree, spice mix, chilli powder and cook for about 4 minutes on medium heat.
6.The mixture will start leaving the oil and will reduce to about half in quantity.
7.Add your main ingredient of choice and a 175ml water or stock and let it cook for at least 7 to 8 minutes on medium heat
8.Cook till your main ingredient is done ? add more water or simmer to get the consistency of sauce you want .  Sprinkle on the green stuff.

There is a marked similarity to BIR cooking in that you reduce the puree and spices to a thickish paste ? before adding water to make a sauce.

Sugar is needed as the tomato can make this curry a touch sour.

I have made versions of CTMs, Achars, Pathias and Vindaloos from this base ? and while not exactly BIR, it is a really quick and flexible base-less curry for 1 in a hurry!

Pics may follow

I'm a real ale man myself - I have run 2 real ale pubs and without being more boring than your average CAMRA dullard - the new(ish) style of pale hoppy beers such as Oakham JHB, St.Austell - Proper Job, Castle Rock - Harvest Pale etc.  Go perfectly with a curry.  The problem is getting them in a restaurant. 

When I do a curry night in the pub - these pale ales go down a storm - Milton Tiki or Sparta are our house beers and they sit very well with spicy food.

You don't get much choice in a curry house though - so usually end up with the bottled lager.

Ray,

I love my chai masala - but it is made from Tea bags (Palanquin brand) sort of like an Earl Grey with a black pepper kick.  Not the same as authentic stuff stewed in a saucepan with whole spices but a lot nicer to my taste.

I have the book but never tried the daag recipe so cant help there.

I recommend the cardamon lamb recipe from the book - about 35 green cardamoms, yoghurt and 2 tsp of black pepper.  Not BIR but lovely.