My flatmate bought a ?50 Kyocera ceramic knife from TKMax Home for ?5. It was out of its box and when he asked the young guy working he said, "I think its a fiver". Obviously he practically ran to the check out with this.

I used it last night and it's so sharp it's intimidating. You slice straight though meat with no pressure straight into the chopping board. I'm actually a little scared to use it. One accidental slip and you'd be through to bone. I think I'll stick to my old blunt cheapo numbers more most tasks.

Well it looks like us super keen newer members rate it highly. I bet the old school members are probably still making there way through their freezers full of existing base.

Well geriatrics - if you're reading this, upon emptying your freezers of your current favourites, join us FAGS (possibly an inside joke here) and knock up a Saffron base ;D

Quote from: Bobby Bhuna on January 29, 2008, 01:09 PM
Yes, lots I even got the tiny scum remminants that I couldn't get with spoon with some kitchen roll before taking photo 3 :

Who'd have thought I'd be quoting myself?
Lol, what a can of worms my kitchen roll and I have opened. That said, my hardcore kitchen roll brandishing manoeuvre was just really for presentation - just look at that beautiful clear oil risen to the surface - f***** delicious! So delicious infact, that here it is again! ;D

Quote from: Cory Ander on January 30, 2008, 01:29 AM
This thread is about a SPECIFIC curry base from a SPECIFIC chef in a SPECIFIC restaurant.  The chef SPECIFICALLY says to remove the scum, so we should SURELY remove the scum IF we wish to make HIS curry base the way HE makes it.  It's really rather obvious, SS, I should think? 

CA - What a completely excellent use of upper case

Quote from: Secret Santa on January 30, 2008, 02:44 AM
There is no argument here, the scum is innocuous (ok in some limited circumstances it may not be) but in general it is an insignificant factor.

JUST SPOON OFF THE SCUM!

Quote from: smokenspices on January 29, 2008, 06:52 PM
Probably because it was only posted 3 weeks ago (6th Jan 2008) Bobby !

I'm sorry SnS, I had that in mind while I was posting but forgot to put it in. That's the reason I was asking if anyone else has tried them both - I think not many because it looks like only the two of us have voted Saffron, but I would certainly say it is better.

Due to the popularity of Darths 100% Madras clone base, I'm going to give it another shot. When I made it I was at my gf's house and strangely enough every curry I make there is nowhere near as good as I make at my own place. I have better access to good ingredients and superior cookware and am more familiar with my cooker. I'll let everyone know how I get on.

Incidentally, I note that the Saffron base isn't that popular and yet I find it just great. Has anyone else tried it as well as the Darth base and if so, what comparisons would you draw?

Quote from: ast on January 29, 2008, 03:57 PM
Bobby, was the "madras of death" also made with the original massive amounts of paprika in the base recipe?  That might've contributed some to your plight too...

No, I can't say the volume of Paprika was too high, I would have remembered. I assume from what you say a mistake was posted in the recipe that was later rectified?

Quote from: ast on January 29, 2008, 03:57 PM
Curry on, Wayne! ;D

Curry on Ast!

Quote from: Curry King on January 29, 2008, 03:48 PM
not bad for a drunken curry, I would eat it 

You really shouldn't! That's the hottest curry I've ever been near. When I was wretching it back up a few hours later it made my eyes sting. That really was a case of better out than in

Quote from: Curry King on January 29, 2008, 02:47 PM
Great looking pics again Bobby

Cheers mate ;D

Quote from: Curry King on January 29, 2008, 02:47 PM
I might have missed a post or two in the thread but have you made a curry with the base yet?

Yes, I made the Madras and it was great. I put so much chili in it I could barely eat it. I struggled but got it down, only to awake in the night and throw it back up lol. I think my stomach rejected that level of spice as toxic. Or, it could have been because I made it at 01:30 in the morning while totally p***d. Here it is - the curry from hell! (the weird dark green bits are a result of my frozen fresh coriander technique ) I didn't have any onions left because one of them I bought was bad, so in this curry the onion was omitted.



I have since made another curry (with a little less chili ) and it was fab. Just one of my own recipes but the base really accommodated it well.

Quote from: smokenspices on January 29, 2008, 01:27 PM
scum (like that thin layer of mucus you get on a cold cup of tea) should be remove as it can add bitterness to the gravy.

Ah, I see. Well I removed some froth as well but not much. I had the recipe printed off so I stirred what I could back in but the re-offending froth just had to go
Now that you mention it though, I can see that membrane forming on edges in picture 2. Oh well, we'll know for next time!

Quote from: smokenspices on January 29, 2008, 12:58 PM
I assume photo 3 is with gravy "at rest" (oil has completely risen to surface).

That's right SnS, if you look at the times on the images, you will see that it has been left for a couple of hours or so.

Quote
In Photo 2 the oil has started to separate with some froth, but is this still during the simmering stage (ie did the oil separate easily during simmering?).

Right again, this is during the simmering stage and the oil did begin to separate with ease.

Quote
Did you have to remove any "scum"?

Yes, lots I even got the tiny scum remminants that I couldn't get with spoon with some kitchen roll before taking photo 3 : Well you have to make it presentable ;D

Now that photo uploading is sorted, here my pictures of the base at the three main stages.







This is my favourite base to date.