Curry Recipes Online
Curry Chat => Lets Talk Curry => Topic started by: fishy on September 10, 2010, 10:50 PM
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Hi all
can anybody tell where to get the aluminium frying pans from, (same as the TA's use), been lookin everyhwere with no result.
also gettin 5kw propane stove burner on ebay, ?24, i use electric stove at mo with good results but not BIR results, as i can gather from from your website quick and high heat is essentail so gas needed+ ali pan.
atb Rich
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fishy,
u really need to find an asian store - u will get best price and decent quality.
i use a black cast steel pan which i bought online (via parker21 post) which i can probably find if u the link if u don't get anywhere with the ali. i must admit an ali pan is something i always have in mind trying out as my local TA use.
on the stove the 5kw will not be enough - u need 7kw. u don't want a bunsen burner flame either - it needs to be lazy and wrap around the rim.
link for pan http://www.buycatering.com/cookware/pots-pans-c147.html (http://www.buycatering.com/cookware/pots-pans-c147.html)
relevant posts
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=2604.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=2604.0)
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Hi
Here are some other links too incase it helps.
Pans: http://www.catering-suppliers.com/cgi-bin/2008productView.cgi?prodID=97 (http://www.catering-suppliers.com/cgi-bin/2008productView.cgi?prodID=97)
Stove: http://www.caravanning-online.co.uk/acatalog/foker-veryhigh-boiling-ring.htm (http://www.caravanning-online.co.uk/acatalog/foker-veryhigh-boiling-ring.htm)
Please note that you can get the stove cheaper elsewhere, however this is a good picture of it. I have this one - and it is a monster ;)
cheers
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Spot on guys, thats my pan sorted, 7kw burner shouldnt be hard to find.
i will let you know how i get on with gas and pan
thanks
fishy
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hi heat is a bit of a myth fishy - heat yes but it doesn't have to be incendiary - all those flames going up the side are pretty much for show
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Hi fishy if you can get to a Makro (you need a card though) store they sell a wide range of aluminium pans and spoons etc..Also Asda have a good range as well including big pots.
I paid
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Hi Fishy,
I have to agree with Stephen with regards to massive amounts of heat. I do think gas is essential though but I find the largest ring on my hob does the job perfectly.
As for the pan, I have the ali one in the link and it's great, it really does get very hot, very quickly. My only gripe would be that the sides arn't high enough for me. I make a right mess on curry night, and the hob looks devastated after I've finished, lol.
Ali pan, defo
Gas, defo
Super High heat, not essential
IMO of course,
Ray :)
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I'm not sure if this is big enough for you:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Meyer-Commercialware-Aluminium-French-Skillet/dp/B001L1RGM2/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&s=kitchen&qid=1284219671&sr=8-16 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Meyer-Commercialware-Aluminium-French-Skillet/dp/B001L1RGM2/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&s=kitchen&qid=1284219671&sr=8-16)
I bought the 36 cm version but I think it might be a bit too big.
Lovely solid construction though, and where the sides meet the base is smooth and curved.
Paul.
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Thanks guys, Solarspaces link looks the right pan as the TA's.
ive noticed around my TA's that some gently fry and some flame fry, to be honest the TA that flame fry taste better IMHO, im not sure if its for show or not as this TA that im referring too is not an open kitchen (i sneak a glimps throught the door and everything is on fire and smoking good),
anyway i will continue to experiment and take all advice on this great site
Thanks for all the links
ATB
Fishy
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fishy (et all),
Stephen & Razor generally know their stuff. believe me on this one - it really depends on what u're aiming for - the "heat" does makes a real difference (it's actually the heat and the flames around the rim).
believe me also u could not cook though in the kitchen - u would need a commercial extract. if u can cook in the kitchen then u are not at the right heat. i cook in the garage.
i found it difficult to get a burner and started at i think 2.5kw. i moded the jet to get the extra heat (can find the post if u need). my burner is at 8.8 kw but i don't need all the heat hence the 7.0kw recommendation.
i have a 4kw gas hob in my kitchen and it's well short of what u need.
the real way to check out what u need is to just look at what they use and how they use it at u're local TA. the difference in the cooking in the kitchen and in the garage is very stark.
just one word of warning - u can't just immediately cook at the higher heat it needs quite a bit of practise and very simple knowhow. the good news is that all u need is already posted.
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hey fishy
I agree with all that's been said so far. I'm with Razor regarding gas - I have a wok burner in the middle of my cooker and it does the job for me though I do look upon Jerry's customised approach with fascination. If you want high heat go for it. My main point is to avoid believing that it's vital. I would say cooking technique is more important and with high heat the margin for error time wise is tighter - burning spices becomes much easier.
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thanks Stephen, so would you recommend a smaller burner say 5kw, as Jerry pionted out my kitchen may not cope with the 7kw and i can see his point, i suppose i can get the 7kw and just experiment until i burn my house down, but as you said its down to technique aswell.
we live and learn
atb
fishy
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Hi Fishy,
I've been reflecting on my comments with regards to high heat and in fairness, I've never cooked on anything anywhere near 7kw, so for me to totally dismiss it was wrong.
However, just cooking on my humble domestic gas hob gives me fantastic result so I've never really felt the need to go higher.
I cooked a madras tonight for my supper, and with this thread in mind, I carefully observed the activity going on in the pan. There was a furious amount of bubbling happening, easily as much as I'd seen previously on you tube links or the East web cam. So, I'm quite satisfied with the output from my hob but I know Jerry feels that his 7kw burner gives him better results. Jerry without doubt, puts a hell of a lot of effort into his cooking and his experiments are of so much value to the forum. I would think it very prudent to take his advise, it's just that I've never be fortunate enough to make the comparison between domestic output levels to professional output levels.
Ray
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Fishy,
very good advice from Stephen and Razor. "not vital" sums it up. the high heat is not vital to produce a decent curry. to use the high heat ~7kw u really won't be able to cook in your kitchen - u will need to be outside or in a garage (there is too much smoke).
it really depends on u're passion. this post will hopefully sort of decide if for u.
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1851.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1851.0)
for my wife curry is not a passion and what i produced in the kitchen was v.good. the 1st time i succeeded in the garage she immediately understood without the need for words.
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Hi
I know I've raised this before on other posts. Very early BIR's were no more than a front room of a house and the food cooked on a domestic stove. So catering equipment really came into it when formal business were established, a domestic cooker would struggle to take the knocks of a buys kitchen. Yet was fine when only a few needed to be done.
Regards
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Hi Ray,
Can you tell me what size of aluminium pan you've got for cooking curries?
I ordered the 36 cm from the amazon link I posted but this is deffo too big.
Now I've ordered the 30 cm version (only 12 quid, no postage) and hope this is the right size. They do a 26 cm version as well.
I've been using a carbon steel wok but after watching loads of BIR video footage I reckon aluminium is the way to go. A thin steel wok just has too many hot spots.
Cheers,
Paul
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I've got a 24mm aluminium pan which cost only GBP3.99 from Lidl a few weeks ago. It seems good quality, with a 3mm base, so heat spread and everything should be perfect - much better than steel.
Like most modern pans, it came with a non-stick coating. Rather than have it come off in use - especially if I want to use a metal spoon for theatrics - I decided to remove the non stick coating. It took me about 30 mins of scraping and sanding - I would have spent longer than that looking for a shop which sold catering versions (at a higher price).
Here are images, before and after:
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/tx55j67a/pan_before.jpg)
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/tx55j67a/pan_after.jpg)
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Hi Paul,
If this helps,
The standard size that I have seen in kitchens is 24 cm or 26 cm,
Mick
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Thanks Mick and George, lol, there I go ordering the wrong size twice!
Oh well the 26 cm one is only a tenner. They are really solid pans with nice thick aluminium.
Cheers,
Paul
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I reckon aluminium is the way to go. A thin steel wok just has too many hot spots.
Paul I bought that same pan. Damn, it's built like a tank...well, an aluminium tank. ;D
It is far too good for BIR use though. What you need is thin and light, not heavy gauge aluminium.
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the chef at my local uses a large pan quite often (cooks more than 1 off portion in it CTM's and such like). i'd say it's 30cm.
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I decided to remove the non stick coating. It took me about 30 mins of scraping and sanding
George that pan looks beautiful. I have done the same myself, although not intentionally.
I had a non stick pan like yours that lost some of its coating, so I heated it up as hot as I could get it and then plunged it into cold water. I repeated this several times, which took off most of the coating, and then sanded it like your good self.
If you want a really cheap pan by this method Ikea sell a coated frying pan for ?1(one pound)!
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the chef at my local uses a large pan quite often (cooks more than 1 off portion in it CTM's and such like). i'd say it's 30cm.
Which reminds me, in relation to another thread, I often saw Maliks cook up two curries in one pan at busy times, and not just CTM and kormas. Another reason why, perhaps, curries sometimes vary in taste?
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I reckon aluminium is the way to go. A thin steel wok just has too many hot spots.
Paul I bought that same pan. Damn, it's built like a tank...well, an aluminium tank. ;D
It is far too good for BIR use though. What you need is thin and light, not heavy gauge aluminium.
Thanks SS - I really should avoid the Amazon 1-Click option as I now have the 26 cm version on the way. The missus will kill me!
The previous link SolarSpace (I think) put up was showing a 6 mm thick aluminium pan.
I hope the Meyer pans will be usable for cooking curries - I've now spent 40 quid on 3 different sized pans.
Cheers,
Paul.
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hi all, really interesting thread.
so do those of you who cook on burners get the kind of flames that you see on the you tube vids?
i.e. 3 foot high incinerate your eyebrows flames. is that a bit of showmanship or does it add anything?
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Fishy,
very good advice from Stephen and Razor. "not vital" sums it up. the high heat is not vital to produce a decent curry. to use the high heat ~7kw u really won't be able to cook in your kitchen - u will need to be outside or in a garage (there is too much smoke).
it really depends on u're passion. this post will hopefully sort of decide if for u.
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1851.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1851.0)
for my wife curry is not a passion and what i produced in the kitchen was v.good. the 1st time i succeeded in the garage she immediately understood without the need for words.
thanks for that link Jerry very interesting, all i need to know there.
thats a really nice burner CA is useing i quess i'll be using that outside, if i go for something like that i'll set my mobile speed dial for 999
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so do those of you who cook on burners get the kind of flames that you see on the you tube vids?
i.e. 3 foot high incinerate your eyebrows flames. is that a bit of showmanship or does it add anything?
martin1000,
interesting thought. to my knowledge i think there are very few who have gone the extra distance on burners. my guess would be CA, Haldi, parker21, tyenoodle and possibly Achmal (given the pic of his shed).
in terms of the flames or flaming the pan - it does nothing - it really is showmanship. for me it's actually an v.important part of the technique to infact avoid the pan flaming as u don't want to loose the oil in that manner.
it is very easy to set fire to the pan though - in the early days i nearly burnt the ceiling rose in the garage - in fact i've had to move my cooking location slightly as a precaution (i need the light to cook as i close the door).