Watching the videos and the chefs cook their curries it does amaze me how long they leave the pan on such a high heat with out stiring on occasions.
Is this a deliberate technique  so to get a bit of caramelising
or am I barking up the wrong curry tree 

I'm sure it amazes a few others as well Michael.  This leaving of the dish without stiring has been commented on before in a couple of threads i think.  But i don't recall much discussion or conclusion.  Maybe those who get behind the scenes regularly can shed some light on this habit?

My understanding of this is that it's done to create a 'roasting' effect (not quite caramelisation, but more of a rapid reduction without burning, which ensures that the spices get thoroughly cooked and that flavours are intensified).

Word on the street is that you need an aluminium or black iron pan (as used in BIR kitchens) to get the best results.

The Curry Pan

When to stir is down to plenty of practice, getting to know your cooker/equipment well, and getting the consistency of the base gravy right each time (not too thick or too thin. More like milk than soup.)

I find it's more these little things that make the difference. First time I cooked in someone else's kitchen on a different cooker I had a nightmare...

i call this stage 3 "after the base has gone in". stage 1 being initial fry ie g/g past and stage 2 being the spices.

it's something that's struck me too and i consciously try to observe the practice when cooking myself. i fail most of the time. i feel that i get the best result by stirring often. my pan is sort of cold in the centre and hot around the rim particularly at the base of the rim.

the stirring does 2 things for me. it keeps the rim "clean" or free from build up of black debris which must be burnt base. it also moves the center more liquid base to the outer rim where it reduces very quickly.

my pan is black steel. in fact the post is quite timely. i was having a little play last night with curry recipes and decided to use my steel omelet pan (the zaal garlic pan for which it's perfect). i was making 1/2 portions and did not want hassle of cleaning my black steel pan.

in short the omelet pan was really rubbish at cooking curry. the black debris built up and even with constant stirring would not budge. a real eye opener. the curry was not better than if cooked on my domestic hob.

I do feel I rush my curries so last time I made a conscious effort to make it last for about 10 min
( Chewys mentioned this in a thread about the length of time a curry should take )
and with limited stirring  I thought I had a more rounded flavour than the first curry ( I cooked two Bhunas)
Which was a bit quicker and a lot of stirring
Just to add Ive only tried this the once so it could be bollocks  ;D but it did get me thinking

I recently made a curry in my local t/a but the Chef made my Mrs Chicken Madras first and following the completion of her Curry he placed the pan on a second gas ring on high simmer and this was left for about 2 - 3 mins without stirring.

michael.t,

the length of time cooking after the base has gone in does make a difference and 10min total cooking for a hob sounds right.

my time is ~5 min which is not the be all - it's the split : something like 15-30s g/g, 30-60s spice, 3.5 min after base.

ie in % time : 5% g/g, 10% spice, 85% base reduction

JerryM

my time is about  five minuets  per curry - if all the ingredients are precooked and chopped etc

best, Rich

Thank you fellows for your input
So would we say a chef leaving his curry for a few Min's with out stirring is

1   Reduction
2   for Roasting  effect
3   or busy doing other things 

michael.t,

you're summary is a good question. i'm pretty sure it's not 3. i've watched several chefs albeit from the counter - they are very methodical and don't do anything that's not needed but at the same time they don't cut corners.

i can only think it's 1 & 2. for me no 2 is the key factor. No 1 is a byproduct of No 2.

i find that i stir more often as i get more No2. it's essentially one of the very fine differences between very good and best.

it's in the same category as plain v spiced "seasoned" oil. a very fine tuning and something you would not differentiate unless everything else is right.