Quote from: ifindforu on February 20, 2012, 10:45 PM

Quote from: CardiffCurrylad on February 20, 2012, 06:41 PM
Many thanks guys for your input on this, will try M&S as well as lidls . Interesting one with passata will give it a go. 
The taste I get is after I have watered it down with a ratio of 1 paste to 2 parts water so think it's time to try another brand 
Global, not to far from me ifindforu 

Cheers,
Rob

I go there regular they got everything,been to Chillies tonight on Whitchurch road ?9.95 eat as much as you like

Never tried Chillies although often drive past there, any good? I have been going to "blue garlic" a bit further up on the opposite side. Also "the saffron" TA on Makintosh Place is really good 

Quote from: ifindforu on February 20, 2012, 10:45 PM

Quote from: CardiffCurrylad on February 20, 2012, 06:41 PM
Many thanks guys for your input on this, will try M&S as well as lidls . Interesting one with passata will give it a go. 
The taste I get is after I have watered it down with a ratio of 1 paste to 2 parts water so think it's time to try another brand 
Global, not to far from me ifindforu 

Cheers,
Rob

I go there regular they got everything,been to Chillies tonight on Whitchurch road ?9.95 eat as much as you like

Quote from: ELW on February 20, 2012, 07:00 PM

QuotePS I think 1 to 4 with water may be a little to thin/weak IMHO

I was using 1/4 Salkim tomato paste for testing on Saturday, to concentrate more on the spices in the hot pan.
using the paste to quench the spices, then gravy, got me the best results. A 2 or 3 in 1 would produce a better flavour imo, if the cooking is right.
I caught a whiff of a local bir aroma the other night (not the fenugreek/methi smell) & it's unmistakable once the hooter's trained. 

pan 'roasted' g&g /  hot fused spices & tomato paste  = "the taste"

ELW

Hi ELW, If the "whiff is good I guess the taste is just as good " can you confirm if you used a quarter of the tub/tin? Apologies in advance if this sounds a stupid question I just want to try and eliminate the over powering taste of puree

Hi again Rob

I'm pretty sure ELW's response, to me, was meaning he was using a 1 paste to 4 water mix for testing the spice singeing.

Not a quarter of a tub/tin/tube.

What madras are you making, and how much tom mix does it ask for in the recipe?

Martin

I would interpret a 1/4 to mean a one in four ie one part paste to 3 parts water.  It could be read as a ratio 1:4 in which case one part paste to four parts water.  ELW, can you confirm.  Tricky thing this tomato dilution ;D

Yep you could be right CH, but it definitely doesn't mean a quarter of a tub/tin/tube.

Quote from: martinvic on February 21, 2012, 01:17 AM
Hi again Rob

I'm pretty sure ELW's response, to me, was meaning he was using a 1 paste to 4 water mix for testing the spice singeing.

Not a quarter of a tub/tin/tube.

What madras are you making, and how much tom mix does it ask for in the recipe?

Martin

Hi Martin,
The Madras I tend to make is CT's which I must admit is really good. I use what is suggested on the recipe which is 3 tablespoon's of diluted paste i.e 1 paste 3 water. As it happens I bought a tin of white tower which I am itching to try ;D I really think its down to the type I am using but the proof is in the pudding as they say. I will let you know if it eliminates my problem

Hi Rob
Well that sounds about right to me, I mean that works out to less than 1 tablespoon of actual paste, so honestly can't see why you would be having problems with it.

The only other things I can suggest is that you nay not be cooking it out long enough with the spices, before adding the first bit of base.
Or you could try not adding so much.

Anyway good luck with the white tower, hope that sorts you.

Martin

Sorry I should have made that more clear. Yes I used 1TBLs salkim tomato paste to 4TBLs water. I was trying to find out what was causing the bitter taste.

At first I thought it was the paste(not puree), causing bitternes.

Now I think it's from undercooked spices. A spot of raw mix powder on the tongue, catches the palate & tells me it's the mix powder causing it. It's still there in the badly cooked curries.

Az's tom paste in the vindaloo video, looks much thicker than 1:4. The pan in that vid looks also much 'wetter' regarding the oil, than mine, which is 26cm ali & can suffer from a few dry spots? A slightly smaller pan would definately be easier to do this.

I would suggest for testing purposes to use a fair amount of oil, more than you'd be comfortable with & try both hot singe & long fry...thats where I'm going next

Regards
ELW

Quote from: ELW on February 21, 2012, 07:05 PM
Sorry I should have made that more clear. Yes I used 1TBLs salkim tomato paste to 4TBLs water. I was trying to find out what was causing the bitter taste.

At first I thought it was the paste(not puree), causing bitternes.

Now I think it's from undercooked spices. A spot of raw mix powder on the tongue, catches the palate & tells me it's the mix powder causing it. It's still there in the badly cooked curries.

Az's tom paste in the vindaloo video, looks much thicker than 1:4. The pan in that vid looks also much 'wetter' regarding the oil, than mine, which is 26cm ali & can suffer from a few dry spots? A slightly smaller pan would definately be easier to do this.

I would suggest for testing purposes to use a fair amount of oil, more than you'd be comfortable with & try both hot singe & long fry...thats where I'm going next

Regards
ELW

Agree with you on the mix powder taste ELW.  Az told me his paste is mixed 1 part to 2 parts water.  I intend to try the vindaloo soon.  I think getting this right will be even more challeging than the phall.  Just spices and hot oil, kill it with puree, fuse it again then kill it with gravy .  That will be critical timing and a real test of how far one's technique is developing ;D

Quote from: ELW on February 21, 2012, 07:05 PM
Sorry I should have made that more clear. Yes I used 1TBLs salkim tomato paste to 4TBLs water. I was trying to find out what was causing the bitter taste.

At first I thought it was the paste(not puree), causing bitternes.

Now I think it's from undercooked spices. A spot of raw mix powder on the tongue, catches the palate & tells me it's the mix powder causing it. It's still there in the badly cooked curries.

Az's tom paste in the vindaloo video, looks much thicker than 1:4. The pan in that vid looks also much 'wetter' regarding the oil, than mine, which is 26cm ali & can suffer from a few dry spots? A slightly smaller pan would definately be easier to do this.

I would suggest for testing purposes to use a fair amount of oil, more than you'd be comfortable with & try both hot singe & long fry...thats where I'm going next

Regards
ELW

Umm, nice thought ELW ref not cooking spices out long enough. I guess this is the singing? I will go down the route of adding more oil than normal, I suppose you can always spoon it off if it is ott