Quote from: JerryM on January 15, 2015, 09:59 PM
it goes downhill very fast on adding curry powder. I'm using rajah hot madras which on it's own I'd thought tastes pretty good.

taking the ratio cumin:curry powder to 1:10 really demonstrates how bad a curry can get.

any guidance appreciated

I think it's how you cook the spices too
I know it's controversial, but one takeaway I like, doesn't fry the spices but boils them with the curry gravy for about ten minutes
They use Pataks Balti Paste in their curries a lot, too
But they superheat every curry
If you get given a taste before it's put in a container, it burns your mouth
Really really hot
Their spice mix is all made by East End and the ratio is 1 of everything, but only 1/2 of cummin

turmeric,paprika,mild madras curry powder,coriander and cummin

Chewy Tikka sieves his recipe
I tried it once
definitely improved it

Quote from: JerryM on December 28, 2014, 12:00 AM
I've racked my brain and spice seems to be the only thing left.

I feel very sorry for you and can identify completely
That's pretty much how I feel about things
I should be able to make a curry that tastes right by now

I 've tried the chewy recipes
The takeaways round here definitely don't use worcester sauce in their madras, and worcester sauce is a very strong flavour
Just over 10 years ago I spent 50 pounds on some "genuine" curry recipes from the internet with guaranteed results
The madras/vindaloo, from those recipes, had worcester sauce in
So the idea of worcester sauce was not new to me
It fills a flavour "gap" but it's not what I find missing
I must admit that Chewy's madras tastes incredibly good, if it's left two days in the fridge

Why's that?

Is it right, but I can't tell at the time, or is is it some sort of maturing process?

If it's the latter, then that does still lead a few avenues of possibilities to explore

I know that takeaways don't always use fresh curry gravy
It's kept in the fridge, and a required quantity is taken out for the evening's use
So it's not new
Maybe even three days old

Jerry, you mention the spice mix
The spice mix is important
You can use the desired amount of chilli you want with no detrimental affect on the curry, but if you use too much spice you will ruin it completely

The same goes for too much fenugreek and tomato puree

I still reckon the base should have all the flavour, or the potential of flavour, you are chasing
I made the JB base a few months back and it had that missing flavour

I've not made it as good as that, twice
I think it's to do with how I cooked the garlic tarka
Too easy to overcook, so I consider technique really is important
I'm talking about a 5 second accuracy on this particular stage

A couple of months ago a takeaway chef was letting me watch him cook my curry
He did the "superheat" bit for about four minutes
He kept tasting the boiling curry, waiting for the flavour to change
That's pretty important information
Some sort of a change  happens to the sauce
Maybe you can also take it beyond this flavour too, and ruin it

What really bugs me is spending 10 hours preparing something that isn't perfect
Some people have clearly reached their BIR goal
It was desperation that made me go on the Adey course
I wanted to join the elite
I can't believe that even the curries, he made didn't taste "right" to me


Jerry,maybe there's something wrong with our sense of taste?
It's been going on so long, I can't see an end
Just endless experiments

Quote from: JerryM on December 26, 2014, 05:41 PM

what it will have is much more difficult to describe. so many TA are pretty good and almost there.
1) it will be Bangladeshi
2) it will have been in business since say 1970
3) it will be proud of its food
4) it wont cost an arm and leg to eat

ok
lets start completely from nothing
Can you make a madras or vindaloo that are like the above?

I have had to re assess everything, after I had my BIR cooking lesson with Adey
I mean, there I was bringing back curries which dis satisfied me, but were fine by everybody else who tasted them

I went on the course because I wasn't totally happy with my BIR cooking
and I came back not being happy with someone else's BIR cooking

I think we are actually achieving our goal but can't appreciate it
You could chase this forever but never arrive

I would guess that you have already got exactly what you want Jerry, but don't know it

I think your taste and smell are ruined for days after a few hours of exposure to spices, onions and garlic

I have watched gravy and curries cooked in takeaways so many times
We are doing it right
And there are the videos to watch again and again

I bet I would think your curries are fantastic Jerry
I would like some of us perfectionists to get together for a curry reality check
I can't see any other way forward

Quote from: ELW on December 24, 2014, 01:01 AM
its not better than any bir I use.

I don't think it's better
It's just different
BIR  tikka has a subtlety, which has it's place
Blades recipe is very similar to what I make at home, with my tandoor
My family prefer a stronger flavour
My tikka is no good for making a curry with
It's such a strong flavour, that it ruins the sauce

put rice in the fridge as soon as cool
microwave ok for up to three days later
Freeze if you want, that's ok too
put in takeaway cartons and can be reheated in them too

almond powder is used in Korma curry

what's then finished recipe, and how many times have you tried this?
I have thought many times, that the curry gravy tasted better than the curry I made with it

Quote from: livo on November 27, 2014, 05:09 AM
Type some here and maybe someone can help.

yeah
got me interested too

I made this too
I thought it was a little heavy on the soy sauce too
very tasty though, so thanks

the sauce ends up brown which feels a bit worrying
not traditional in anyway, but well worth making