I guess I must be like many other curry lovers who have gone through the various stages of home curry making in the quest for the perfect home curry. From curry powder, to blending my own from fresh spices.

Recently I've been suprised at how many commercial Indian curry restaurants use pre made pastes as a base from which they then adjust to give their own identity. Most people wouldn't ever know that a paste was the starting point. I've even seen them on the shelves of award winning establishments when they've been on TV.

I've been experiementing with many pastes and have been really suprised at how well the paste-based curries turn out and many of my guests have been shocked at how simply I now make what many think are my best curries. And as they all ask "how I did it", I thought I'd start a thread for those interested to share some of those ideas with others ..... you never know there might be more curry lovers out there traveling the same path .....

My current favourite curry has to be the easiest I have ever made. The presumption of anyone reading it will be that it can't be good. But it is.

One of the great advantages of the meal is that I can prepare it first thing in the morning whilst the boss is still in bed snoring and my cooking is basically complete for lunch. The curry goes into my hot pot for slow cooking and my rice is in the zoji. So all is complete before 8am.

Here is my mildish Madras.

1/2 Jar Pataks Madras paste
1 can Easy fried onion and one can of coconut milk blended to a thick fine paste
I can of cream of tomato soup
Sugar or sweetener to taste
Around 800 gms of chicken wings or thighs
(optional: frozen (or dried) kafir leaves)

I simply fry the paste in a little oil for a few minutes to remove the harshness. I gradually add the onion/coconut mix and fry the mixture for a few more minutes. I add the cream of tomato sauce and sweeten, add the chicken and put the lot into the hot pot on slow until lunch. The kaffir leaves are added before I serve to give the smell, freshness and a touch of lift. I sometimes add a touch more liquid chilli subject to who is eating it. I mop off any floating oil or fat before I serve it using kitchen roll.

The preparation takes 5 minutes and it is one of the best curries I have made.

I use a similar'ish approach with Kormas and others.

This doesn't sound like it can possibly be good but most who taste it think it is.

Any other ideas ..............?