Curry Recipes Online
Curry Chat => Lets Talk Curry => Topic started by: mike travis on May 12, 2007, 10:59 PM
-
No,not cream eggs, Balti pans (Karahi). I believe the dishes should be so hot that the curry sizzles when you put it in. I have put them in the oven for about 10Min's they seem hot but no sizzle. I have heated them on the gas ring and they ping and boing and the bottom goes black. I have boiled water in them to heat them up,but the minute I empty it out they have gone cold. They were ?2 each from ASDA so maybe you get what you pay for.. any ideas...
-
Hi Mike,
Check this thread out: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1587.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1587.0)
I've successfully used this technique with cast iron sizzling dishes (i.e. for Chicken Tikka). I've not tried it with balti serving dishes, but I'm sure it would work equally well, provided the balti dish is quite heavy (preferably cast iron) 8)
Regards,
-
You can do it with Balti bowls/karahai but they need to be nice heavy ones.
Put them on a gas ring until nearly glowing red add a teaspoon of water and a squirt of lemon, dump in your curry and serve immediately.
You have about 20 seconds max to get it to the table before it stops sizzling so timing is everthing.
As CA says best to do this with proper sizzle plates which are thick cast iron and hold the heat a lot longer.
A link if you want some sizzle plates:
http://www.spicesofindia.co.uk/acatalog/Indian-Food-Sizzle-Platter-Small.html (http://www.spicesofindia.co.uk/acatalog/Indian-Food-Sizzle-Platter-Small.html)
-
Sorry guys I have been that preoccupied with the shoutbox I forgot to read the posts :-[ I think the dishes I have got are only meant for serving the meal in. After all they were only 2pounds from Asda. Might be worth investing in some decent dishes.
Thanks again..... ;D
-
Sorry guys I have been that preoccupied with the shoutbox I forgot to read the posts :-[ I think the dishes I have got are only meant for serving the meal in. After all they were only 2pounds from Asda. Might be worth investing in some decent dishes.
Thanks again..... ;D
They sound like stainless steel dishes. (http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:px9caGh_fF3uVM:http://www.spicesofindia.co.uk/acatalog/Balti-Dish-Big.gif)
In that case they are only decorative. Stainless steel is a terrible conductor of heat and is inconsistant. That is why it was 'pinging' as it was heating unevenly and would have scortched the food had you put any in. Stainless steel should not be used as a cooking medium - a lot of pans are sold in shops in england bcos people believe the marketing. They also look shiny.
As the others said, you need an iron one.
-
Stainless steel is a terrible conductor of heat and is inconsistant. That is why it was 'pinging' as it was heating unevenly and would have scortched the food had you put any in. Stainless steel should not be used as a cooking medium - a lot of pans are sold in shops in england bcos people believe the marketing. They also look shiny.
As the others said, you need an iron one.
Spot on! Stainless steel should be avoided for saucepans, etc unless turned into a vessel useful for cooking by bonding in layers with a good heat conductor like aluminium or copper.
Regards
George
-
Stainless steel is a terrible conductor of heat and is inconsistant. That is why it was 'pinging' as it was heating unevenly and would have scortched the food had you put any in. Stainless steel should not be used as a cooking medium - a lot of pans are sold in shops in england bcos people believe the marketing. They also look shiny.
As the others said, you need an iron one.
Spot on! Stainless steel should be avoided for saucepans, etc unless turned into a vessel useful for cooking by bonding in layers with a good heat conductor like aluminium or copper.
Regards
George
You are right, the heat transfer coefficient of aluminium is about 10 times that of stainless steel.
The best cooking/frying pans are a sandwich of Stainless steel and aluminium (three ply). The aluminium core gives even distribution of heat at both high and low cooking levels. The stainless steel makes the pan durable, resistant to corrosion and scratching and relatively easy to clean.
These are typically also the most expensive type.
Regards
SnS ;D
-
I need a new curry pan but I'm not all that clued up in what to look for. I'll spend what it costs for a good one. Does anyone have any links to suggested examples? Thanks in advance guys! :D
-
The best cooking/frying pans are a sandwich of Stainless steel and aluminium (three ply). The aluminium core gives even distribution of heat at both high and low cooking levels. The stainless the steel makes the pan durable, resistant to corrosion and scratching and relatively easy to clean. These are typically also the most expensive type.
Great advice. I agree 100%.
Regards
George
-
I need a new curry pan but I'm not all that clued up in what to look for. I'll spend what it costs for a good one. Does anyone have any links to suggested examples? Thanks in advance guys! :D
Hi Bobby
Remember the one I bought in the sale before christmas?
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,1302.0.html
It is a sandwich construction of stainless steel and aluminium. I don't know if you can get it for less, but 35 squid aint bad. Mine was 33.00 but was 26 cm.
here it is http://www.secureonlineshopping.biz/uktvfood/products.asp?partno=SR17
Regards
SnS ;D
-
That really is a lovely pan! :o 8) ;D
-
That really is a lovely pan! :o 8) ;D
If the 24 cm pan had been available in the sale, I would have got that one (rather than the 26 cm one I bought).
-
Playing devils advocate here (it's a hobby of mine, forgive me :P)
Does anyone think they cannot cook a decent curry on the Indian Subcontinent without a tri-laminate top of the range 'insert telly chef's name here' pan?
Discuss?
-
Playing devils advocate here (it's a hobby of mine, forgive me :P)
Does anyone think they cannot cook a decent curry on the Indian Subcontinent without a tri-laminate top of the range 'insert telly chef's name here' pan?
Discuss?
No of course not Jethro .. but you could say that about all cooking utensils .. and more?
I dont think anyone here is suggesting that a decent curry cannot be cooked without using a quality pan ... the real question should be - what is the BEST type of pan for cooking (including things like curry)?
I'm sure the millions within the Indian Subcontinent would prefer to be able to choose (like us) from the many latest kitchen tools and utensils available (and affordable) ... but sadly that is not the case. :-\
Regards
SnS ;D
-
I hate this .....
Stellar Lamina series has been styled
especially for James Martin, the top celebrity
chef and star of Strictly Come Dancing...
is dishwasher safe, having been approved by Finish
whoop-de-do !!
Will be on sale in 2 years time
in netto's for 3 pounds! yes only 3 pounds.
-
the real question should be - what is the BEST type of pan for cooking (including things like curry)?
And presumably the answer is that if you want to make BIR style curries you should use what 99% of BIRs use, which is cheap-as-chips high sided aluminium frying pans.
-
the real question should be - what is the BEST type of pan for cooking (including things like curry)?
And presumably the answer is that if you want to make BIR style curries you should use what 99% of BIRs use, which is cheap-as-chips high sided aluminium frying pans.
Well to a certain extent yes, but the secret is how to use whatever piece of cooking equipment (in this case a common or garden pan) consistantly and get good results, which in turn comes down to the skill of the chef not the quality of the pan imho.
I can burn anything in any pan whether it cost 2 quid or 200 quid ;D
-
Well to a certain extent yes, but the secret is how to use whatever piece of cooking equipment...
Well yes I do agree with you, sort of. But have you actually watched these BIR chefs? There really is no skill involved in what they do, admittedly they need bloody good memories to be able to knock off the tens of dishes on a typical BIR menu but, the actual pan technique is easy, to the extent that there is no real technique.
-
Well to a certain extent yes, but the secret is how to use whatever piece of cooking equipment...
Well yes I do agree with you, sort of. But have you actually watched these BIR chefs? There really is no skill involved in what they do, admittedly they need bloody good memories to be able to knock off the tens of dishes on a typical BIR menu but, the actual pan technique is easy, to the extent that there is no real technique.
Well here's a challenge for you, walk into the kitchen of a BIR and tell the chef if takes no skill to do what he is doing with that pan. Please don't attempt this if he has a meat cleaver in his hand :P
-
...have you actually watched these BIR chefs? There really is no skill involved in what they do, admittedly they need bloody good memories to be able to knock off the tens of dishes on a typical BIR menu but, the actual pan technique is easy, to the extent that there is no real technique.
SS
I'm inclined to agree with you here. I say inclined, because I'm far from certain. But it looks pretty easy to me, as long as you know what to put in the pan and when. I've never seen any chef in a BIR open plan kitchen takeaway, seeming to spend any time "fusing" spices or anything beyond a quick stir with a few flames added in.
Regards
George
-
I've never seen any chef....seeming to spend any time "fusing" spices or anything beyond a quick stir with a few flames added in.
I agree that it hardly requires the comparable skill of a glass blower
But I do recall (in the early 1980s) watching one old guy (probably in his 70s at the time) sat on his 0.5 meter high stool, hunched over a very small aluminium frying pan, placed on a typical single burner camping stove, very, very carefully dribbling, what I presumed to be curry base, into his pan. He would have studied diamonds with less intensity!
On second thoughts, maybe it was him that was 0.5m tall and him that was dribbling...... :P
When he spotted me watching him, he was slightly less careful, but equally diligent, in slamming the kitchen door in my face! :P
I agree that this is not really the norm though (the former and not the latter of course!) :P
-
Well here's a challenge for you...
It's hardly a challenge. I have seen and been in a few BIR kitchens and that's why I made the comment. Apparently you haven't been in a BIR kitchen.
-
Does anyone think they cannot cook a decent curry on the Indian Subcontinent without a tri-laminate top of the range 'insert telly chef's name here' pan? Discuss?
My approach is to try and understand the fundamentals of anything I buy, like the materials used, the construction technique, build quality and - way, way down the list the brand name and, off the scale, whether it has a photo and name of some celebrity on the packaging. I don't feel that celebrity association means something is bad. It just means you'll pay more.
The celebrity pan pictured on this thread looked good to me. Tri-laminate is normally top quality. It's probably possible to purchase similar quality pans from large Tesco stores a bit cheaper, but I'm not sure they have a pan exactly like that, e.g it may come with a non-stick inside, which some people may not want.
Regards
George
-
Playing devils advocate here (it's a hobby of mine, forgive me :P)
Does anyone think they cannot cook a decent curry on the Indian Subcontinent without a tri-laminate top of the range 'insert telly chef's name here' pan?
Discuss?
The only reason we ended up with the (feckin expensive) Jamie Oliver pans you've seen in the pictures was that they were the only ones I found (and could actually touch and feel before I bought) with the build quality I wanted. I don't want any pan without a riveted handle because I tend to end up with handle-less pans otherwise, and they were heavy enough to allow even heating without any hot spots. Having used them for a while, I have to say that I think they have the best balance and shaped sides of any pan I've ever used. Sauteeing and turning things without using anything but the pan is a breeze!
That said, I'm not happy with the way the non-stick surface has lasted compared to some much cheaper Calphalon pans of similar build quality that I bought at Target in the US 8 years ago. The new ones that we use all the time have barely lasted a year, and the non-stick is in really bad shape. I haven't cooked that many curries in them, so I don't think it's down to that.
I've always known that non-stick cookware was a disposable item, but I really thought these would've held up better than they have. I cook a lot and a lot of different types of stuff, but I'm cooking pretty-much the same sort of stuff in them as I always have. When these go, I'm going to gradually replace them with as high-end SS as I can afford (even if I need to ship them from the US), and buy a cheaper non-stick pan for a few things so I don't immediately need to re-learn how to cook everything.
Like Jethro said earlier, I too can burn anything in a 2 quid or a 200 quid pan, but I think the better the equipment, the easier it is to cook with. Of course, you can get used to anything and eventually produce brilliant results with it, so it comes down to if you're really going to get your money out of it or not.
I know which I'd pick! ;D
-
whenever i have been to BIR's, the karahi have normally been brought out on trollies
that are like mobile gas cookers, therefore all is sizzling constantly.
:)
-
I had a Vindaloo some years ago, and it was brought out to the table on such a trolley. It was spitting and glowing red hot, and that was before he lit the gas!!! :o
-
I've been in BIR kitchens load of times and what always amazes me, is the leisurely way (almost slow) that the dishes are prepared
At one place, a few years back, the chef got the curry going and then went and sat down, and chatted to a few colleagues
Nothing ever burnt at these places (except naans) so I guess that is cooking skill
I ,on the other hand , have burnt loads of curries
All the pans I ever saw, were aluminium, but there were plenty of woks around too
They're stainless steel aren't they?
-
...but there were plenty of woks around too...They're stainless steel aren't they?
I think you'll find that most will be mild carbon steel and will be "seasoned" Haldi
-
It was spitting and glowing red hot, and that was before he lit the gas!!! :o
That's not a vindaloo. That's lava that is! :)
-
At one place, a few years back, the chef got the curry going and then went and sat down, and chatted to a few colleagues
I remember you saying that before haldi. I think the only way you can get away with doing that is if you use aluminium pans like the BIRs do and as you suggested. It's the only pan (other than a pure copper one) that will distribute the heat quickly and evenly enough to avoid burnt hot spots. They're definitely the pans I would use, but I don't want to get Alzheimer's disease!