For the past few weeks I have had a combination of kids plus boyfriends descending on us for curry. Whilst I take this as a compliment I am getting a bit fed up with doing 2, sometimes 3 batches using my Ali pan and doing 2 portions at once. Last Saturday I thought s*d it and using up the last of my last base I tried doing 4 portions in one go.

For want of a better pan and the only alternative being a large saucepan, I used a large Ali wok. Doing a C2G madras I only doubled the quantities of spices rather than x 4 and I must say that I was not disappointed with the result. Only found it to be slightly bitter which was easily resolved wi a touch of mango chutney.

Conclusions here and reason for posting are that I do not think that ere are any significant disadvantages in making larger quantities like this, although I did try and singe a bit longer than usual and move e sauce high around the edges of the wok. I also think that there is a valuable lesson in not merely x the quantities according to how many portions are required. Not sure of the stats but I believe now that quantities of mix etc need to be scaled down as the quantity increases.

Hope that makes sense.

Can't remember what thread (s) this has been discussed in before but the discussions got more heated than the curry  :  Two schools of though on this.  Up to the individual to make their own mind up.  I'm saying nothing  ;D

Your on the right track RubyDoo ;D
The other School is over there, down the garden path.

Curry On
Chewytikka

It makes perfect sense

best, Rich

Main point I was trying to pick up on was the need to avoid simply multiplying the quantities of everything. 

Hi Rubydoo, yes i've botched plenty food upscaling the chilli powder. Once a certain amount hits the palate, it seems to make no more difference, just hot! ...& ruined 

976bar has been cooking in large quantity commercial recently, he may have posted or i may have missed it.

Regards

ELW

Couldn't agree more. I often make double or triple portions in one go, and have found that a gradual diminishing of quantities when upscaling is the way forward.

For a double Madras, for instance, I'll use 1.5tbsp of chilli powder instead of 1tbsp, and for a triple I'll use just under 2tbsp instead of 3. (Same sort of ratio applies to other ingredients, too.)

I will admit to finding it a little baffling. After all, if you cook two or three Madras curries separately then mix them together in one bowl at the end, all is fine.

I'm not sure how the 'science' of it works, but it just works!

Quote from: Salvador Dhali on January 06, 2013, 05:23 PM
I'm not sure how the 'science' of it works, but it just works!

For chilli at least, I completely agree.  But be warned : there are others who don't, and who can be quite forceful in stating their points of view . . .

** Phil.

Quote from: Phil [Chaa006] on January 06, 2013, 07:49 PM

Quote from: Salvador Dhali on January 06, 2013, 05:23 PM
I'm not sure how the 'science' of it works, but it just works!

For chilli at least, I completely agree.  But be warned : there are others who don't, and who can be quite forceful in stating their points of view . . .

** Phil.

Let the 'force' be with them then. 

.....and for what it is worth, my own experience on more than one occasion is that simply doubling the ingredients does not work and quadrupling even less so. I have however made two single dishes and combined the two and it has been fine.