This headline caught my eye

Asda to develop truly British curry

Asda plans to make curry using home-grown ingredients.
The chicken tikka masala may be a British favourite, but supermarket giant Asda is now attempting to truly capture the curry by attempting to produce all the ingredients on British soil.

In the ongoing battle of the supermarkets to 'out-green' one another, Asda is testing new techniques in the hope of being able to grow all the herbs, spices and vegetables necessary for a curry in British greenhouses.

It is hoped that, if successful, the move will significantly reduce food imports and consequently transportation costs and carbon emissions.

Greenhouses in Lancashire and Lincolnshire are attempting to grow doodhi, mooli, baby aubergines, karela, okra and mustard leaf, all foods accustomed to being grown in sunnier climes.

Chris Wibberley, Asda's fresh produce technologist, says: "Developing home grown ingredients makes perfect economic sense."

He added: "It would finally give us true ownership of our favourite food."

 
This news story was first published on 29th March 2007.
? 2007 Adfero Ltd.

I wouldn't say that ASDA have any ownership to our favourite food, true or otherwise.

Particularly bemused by this portion of the article (how big are these green houses anyway?):

Greenhouses in Lancashire and Lincolnshire are attempting to grow doodhi, mooli, baby aubergines, karela, okra and mustard leaf, all foods accustomed to being grown in sunnier climes.

With the exception of Okra I don't use any of these ingredients (and none of them in a curry)

Can you tell that I suffer from a serious addiction

Well for me it started as an innocent schoolboy dare (back in the sixties) - "how many Victory Vs can you fit in your gob at one time?" The full packet as it turned out (and crunched until swallowed as part of the dare).

I tried to fight this strange desire to eat food that caused pain but when the local chippy  changed from "greasy Mary's" to Chang's Takeaway I found the transition from lumpy gravy to this yellowish sauce that became known to me as Curry quite easy to bear.

Compared to gravy that you could slice this new sauce was quite hot but not enough to quench my "burning" desire.
As all addicts do I experimented, mixing victory Vs in with the Chinese curry sauce but that just made me throw up. I still suffer from random brain-freeze attacks as a result of sucking ice cubes prior to eating a takeaway.
Then came the rumours....... I heard tell of a place that served foods never before seen in these 'ere parts (served up on shiny plates an' all).
I ventured forth into the night in search of this mythical "Bombay Palace". Pretty soon I happened upon an aroma that introduced itself to my olfactory senses with such a whallop that my nose started to bleed, and so with great trepidation, hankey to nostrils (and key down back just in case) I entered this mysterious flock-walled grotto. Not knowing what to do I stood there waiting for some guidance, it came with four short words - "table for one, sir?"

Two popadoms, One chicken madras, and a pint of lager later I was struggling to breathe. My face was red enough to stop traffic (had I been able to walk out into the street) and my mouth was on fire....."

"was everything to your satisfaction, sir?"

I had found my dealer

As I mentioned, I have a hunch that successful chefs know by instinct which spices should be added when. Surely there are people in this august group who have such an instinct - and know which spices can take a lot of heat and which can't?

Well as we all instinctively know, the essential oil of ground spices oxydates in the presence of atmospheric oxygen, specifically at high temperatures. Turmeric and ginger, for instance, are an integral part of Indian cooking. These spices are common food adjuncts that impart color, flavor and aroma. The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin and that in ginger are gingerol and hexahydrocurcumin1-3. Both these compounds prevent oxidation of oils and fats.

.........isn't google wonderful - who would have thought making a curry could be so educational.

Why not use essential oils instead of ground spices?

Col

I have been trying (and failing) to cook curries restaurant style since my first addiction in London in 1960.

Hello Spotty (hope I'm not being too familiar)
I inserted your quote because I have been trying for many years too.

I would guess that you are a bit older than me (unless you started cooking at the age of 3 that is) but I, like yourself, have been trying for many years to produce a decent curry, as has my brother and most of my mates.
_{Until I came upon the KD book that is. (have to whisper cos some people get annoyed if you say that to loudly)}
I am not trying to dig up old ground here but just agreeing with what you said - I have had one of two very good results and have not had to stray too far off the page to do it.

RE YOUR POST: I found it very informative - I can vouch for the "hot oil point as I have now created a lovely speckled effect all over my kitchen which isn't going down to well with the good lady wife (well she bought me the book so it's her fault). I also have 3rd degree burns to my arms (in a matching speckled effect).
My neighbours have stopped complaining about my loud TV but bang on the wall when I get my frying pan out ("turn that blasted garlic down" they shout).

If Van Gogh lived next door to me his nose would start fretting.

Col

Hi
Not wishing to upset anybody who has posted recipes that have included "curry powder" but ......... isn't it a bit like saying, "now add a sprinkle of fairy dust and say the magic words".
Unless you mix your own you have got no idea what the ratio of the spices is - each supplier will have their own formula. You could have a favourite brand but surely this must be specified in a recipe (if posting for other to replicate).

If the curry powder is made up of the spices we are using anyway why not just list them with the rest of the ingredients.

I suppose Garam Massala is similar.

Col