Geoff,

Know Stourbridge and dilshad well. Been in north west long time but get back now and then.

You will be able to make yourself no prob. Will take a few months and probably disasters but worth in end.

Base is very personal. It does make a difference on the final curry. It's the method and characteristics for me that are more important than the ingredient. Chewytikka has a very good 3 hr base video which is the starting point. BE (Bruce Edwards) has a post that sets the basics.

My blender is Argos cheapie and works fine.

Best thing is search for specific questions or just ask members for help.

Very best wishes

It really boils down to each members preference.

For me its  big big no. I have tried it and no Likey.

I've tasted 2 off real BIR base and neither had stock of any sort.

In making pre cooks it really does sound wrong that all that goodness is thrown away. I can't work out where or how else it could be used.  Other than using the carryover liquid in some dishes works ok

I add after blending a little at a time till I can just taste the cassia.

Curryhell,

The plain chicken worked a treat - could really taste the rest of the dish.

2 nd go  much better with garlic in 1st. Thinking I might be cutting too thick - 3 slices per clove lengthways. Going to try zaal garlic on next go as I know this and like.

Used 1/3 dip of eating teaspoon tamarind and more tom pur?e (think per spec) - just right with the tamerind and pur?e sweatiness fighting each other.

Really pleased found this - simply brill. Even the scorched onion dazels.

Many thanks

Banana was yes for Kashmiri - good ladies fav.

The tikka was 1 kg of breast each cut in half longways. I then skewer and gas BBQ.

The other dishes for rest of family - chewytikka CTM, butter chicken and curryhells Elaichi. Done 2 cook nights so far (8 dish) with last 4 to go on Thursday.

A monthly bash.

thought a picture view of a day in the life of the home BIR fan might help new starters and hopefully get other members to add insight into what they do differently.

if you've not realized already the prep for BIR is quite something. once done the cooking (of many dishes) is a breeze.

took a few pics on my last journey. main emphasis for me is on doing the same each time to ensure consistency. if i change anything then it's only 1 change at a time.

day1 - marinating


day2 - make base, bunjarra

day3 - cooking day

check stock level frozen items (fresh is best but frozen stuff is pretty close)


make the fresh stuff


measure out individual recipe ingredients




ready to cook

my kind of curry this.

wow. rare for me to find a recipe that needs no improvement. loved it.

i'm not sure on the garlic slither / puree order. in adding the puree 1st i could not get the slithers browned. this gave a very nice roasted garlic slither taste which is very different to the scorched garlic slither taste. which works best in this dish is something i'll enjoy working out.

for info i used 0.5 tsp mix and 1 tsp tandoori powder as this is my norm and works for me. used a tip of eating tea spoon of the TRS tamarind and will try going up a little on next go. i also used tikka and think plain chicken will go much better.

many thanks curryhell for a real find. i like it better than the SIG south indian garlic.

pic of the 3 akhini : clockwise top left zaal, mouchak, CBM little india

base with all 3 added was very nice, probably a little delux for what's needed given that the cost would not work commercially.

Ghoulie,

Very much so and probably my biggest nightmare - I know how close you can get to something yet be so far and giving up seems the only answer yet a little more effort can yield the unexpected as you say

Made 3 of the akhini - mouchak, zaal (big fan of Az and real grateful to the fleet5), CBM little India (the gm spices being of interest - fennel/cumin)

The 3 collectively produced 2.3L of which I used 1.5L in 1600g onion base. Probably a tad too much but greed got the better.

Findings:
1) the zaal and CBM were extremely strong c/w the strength I've Been using. The zaal being aimed for example at 4kg onion
2) the CBM was really well put together "balanced" and strong down to the 300ml water
3) the ELW 30 min simmer was adopted and left to cool before use
4) all 3 were very good yet quite different - essentially making matters worse on what type will yield the best result. The zaal has simplicity and what I would expect of a "stock". The CBM I was not sure on - when is the line crossed to chef garam (addition of fennel and cumin). The mouchak having more aromatic balance ie cassia is not prominent
5) The stronger akhini was helpful in judging the balance when adding to the base.

An interesting start and intend to try out each akhini (all 6 off) in the harilor crock pot over a few weeks.

The real difficulty being how to pitch the akhini contribution in the overall spicing picture. At this stage I favour the zaal simplicity as the other flavours are major players in chef masala.  Too early though to really have a firm clue.

 

Article in local paper on a traditional Indian in Warrington caught my eye.

The food is really very good. I went chippy on way home and still paying off the credit card.

The list don't really do a lot for me but may be of help to others.

Til - sesame
Rai - brown mustard seed
Jeera - cumin
Cloves
Cinnamon 
Mace
Saffron
Hing
Imli - tamarind
Akroot - walnut
Chilli pwdr 
Coriander pwdr
Garam masala home made