I like a Big Mac also George.
Apart from Ketchup condiments, the ingredients MCD's  use are unique to the product, so its difficult to recreate.
The bun itself has a flavour of its own, which you cant buy anywhere.
Chopped fresh onion will kill it stone dead also. Needs to be dried & rehydrated onion, also of a certain type. Same applies to the gherkins/pickles.
These are by far the best I've found

http://www.hengstenberg.de/site/rh.php#!/en/products/gherkins/Burger_Gherkins_sliced

The burger is probably the easiest bit

This recipe has been around for ages & is pretty good

Big Mac Special Sauce:

2 tablespoons  KRAFT Miracle Whip
2 tablespoons cup mayonnaise
2 heaped tablespoons,  French salad dressing
2 teaspoons,  dill pickle relish (Heinz dill relish works)
1/2 tablespoon HEINZ sweet relish
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon ketchup
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried, minced onion
ELW

Hi Jerry ,

Two I've tried from CBM

Formed part of his Little India base I think:

4 Asian Bay Leaves
1x 2.5 inch Cassia Bark
2 Green Cardamon
0.5 Black Cardamon
Pinch of Fennel Seeds
Pinch of Cumin Seeds
300 ml of Water

CBM From a Place called Curry Mahal in Sidcup:

4 x bay leaves
2 x 1 inch pieces of cassia bark
5 x cardamon pods
4 x cloves
3/4 pint of water


Kushi:

3 cloves
6 x 1 inch pieces of cassia bark
3 - 4 pieces of mace
3 - 4 green cardamom pods
2 star anise
3 bay leaves, dried

Muslin net boiled with onions

Think about 30 minute simmer is good enough . All good, but personally I'd only add about 1/2 ltr to 3 kg onion

ELW

Good honest pic also London

ELW

I never offer my guests a malt either Gav Iscon

ELW

Great pic  ....just for a change

I've had a Waring like below for a few years.
Blending 5 & 7 ltrs batches of gravy or soup is a doddle with it, seeds & all. Was around the 50 quid mark though.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Waring-WSB800U-Blender-Brushed-Stainless/dp/B0052SF3XE

ELW

Hi Monkora. Ive no experience of nz curry, but  forum member Masala Mark had kitchen experience of Australian restaurant curry, which may be similar. He used to post some interesting stuff.

Butter Chicken with video:

https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,8382.0.html

List of Masala Mark's gravies posted by curryhell:

https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,12713.msg103685.html#msg103685
Different technique to bir
Hope this helps

ELW

They can't bear to see you leave the shop empty handed. I have mdh deggie mirch & lahori deggi mirch,  both different in heat,taste and colour.
Probably a blend of all sorts of peppers/chillies in those boxes James.
The shopkeeper wouldn't have a clue whats in them. You may prefer freshly ground, I'm not sure I could tell the difference though in a curry.
Get his Kashmiri mirch recipe next time your in

Regards
ELW

Marks and Spencer pittas are the best shop bought I've tasted

Elw

Laziza pastes are pretty good, but as with Pataks I find they need to be diluted.
I use less yogurt & more milk to do this & cut the bitterness out. This also stops you getting a grainy curdled texture
that the bir tandoor seems better at dealing with than a domestic oven imo.

Whether blades recipe is a tikka or tandoori marinade, cooked at home its not better than any bir I use.
Only cooking in a tandoor would test it properly