Topic: Best way to spice up a curry at the end?

[hezzie]

....still coughing....damn you goncalo...cough.

  ;D We've all been there!  best to wrap a damp teatowel around your face like a cowboy next time. 

Lmao I've got a half face respirator in the car, I'll use that in the future. 

[hezzie]

Hi hezzie!

I just take some dried red chilis (if you got more than one variety, feel free to mix them - I throw in some additional hot cayenne peppers), deseed them a bit (I feel the commercial products contain very often too much seeds, as filler - but if you want that, just don't deseed them at all) and process them in the electric coffee grinder I use for my other spices and mixes. (for less time, just a few seconds really) You can use a rolling pin, too! I also like to use these flakes instead of ground chili powder in a few dishes (:

For more spice, or flavour, but not necessarily heat per se, and not regarding curries in general, but salads, kebabs or starters/appetizers, I really like Chaat Masala, and just recently, Sumac (getting into persian and afghan cuisine lately ;P)

Read somewhere that you won't see shakers very often in real indian restaurants, no salt and pepper, because the cook assumes he spices everything perfectly, and it's seen as some sort of insult if you add salt or pepper afterwards. Don't know if this is true.

I'll have a crack at that over the weekend, cheers chonk.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Read somewhere that you won't see shakers very often in real indian restaurants, no salt and pepper, because the cook assumes he spices everything perfectly, and it's seen as some sort of insult if you add salt or pepper afterwards.

That's happening in so many would-be upmarket establishments these days I have taken to carrying a sealable salt pot with me.  There are even times I have considered taking my own chilli oil (to Chinese restaurants) and lime pickle (to Indian), so difficult can it sometimes be to get these vital accompaniments.

** Phil.

[chonk]

I have to admit, that I couldn't tell if there were any salt, pepper or other spice shakers in the last few restaurants I visited. I can't recall to ever used something extra. Visited a lebanese restaurant a week ago, and the thought of additional spicing never crossed my mind - it was that good. But I wouldn't mind to give costumers the option to individualize the heat level and additional spicing. It's a much bigger compliment if there's the possibility, but nobody takes it (:

Phil, did you ever try some flavoured salt by any chance? (like selfmade garlic salt, or, I believe there is something like chili salt?)

[Peripatetic Phil]

Phil, did you ever try some flavoured salt by any chance? (like selfmade garlic salt, or, I believe there is something like chili salt?)

I used to use (Schwartz) garlic salt a great deal when I was young, and I am fairly sure I have both garlic salt and onion salt in my spice cupboard, bought in a Gurkha shop in Ashford because they were called for by some recipe(s) I was planning to make, but in general these days I use just plain sea salt and that's it. Oh, and black salt, when it's called for by a recipe.

** Phil.

[chonk]

Usually, garlic salt is ground garlic mixed with a larger amount of salt, right? Have this recipe here, where they just call for a few cloves of garlic, sealed in a jar, together with salt. That's it. After a few days, you use the salt like you normally would. Wonder how this will turn out, and if it really adds such a flavour. Always wanted to try out pyramid salt, or finger salt (salt flakes?), I believe it's called, too! The stuff that just gets on top of your food at the end, and not really in it ;D

[Peripatetic Phil]

Always wanted to try out pyramid salt, or finger salt (salt flakes?), I believe it's called, too! The stuff that just gets on top of your food at the end, and not really in it ;D

That's the one I use (at the table, that is, not for cooking).  It is called "Maldon Sea Salt" over here, and as my family originates from Maldon, I feel a natural urge to use its salt

** Phil.

[chonk]

Oops, didn't know it's the same thing (: Thanks Phil!

[goncalo]

How about this chilli infused oil recipe?

http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,11913.0.html

Oh....My....God 

We've just used the bottle of oil entitled "Fiery hot oil"......

Note to everyone: do not, I repeat do not, put fiery hot oil into a sizzling wok, it vaporises and makes you cough, sneeze, snot all over the place, cry and hurt in places that aren't supposed to hurt.

Thanks for that goncalo, what did I ever do to you.

Although I might try it again in a curry! 

....still coughing....damn you goncalo...cough.

Oh blimey! I'm sorry to hear that and hope you are well now Hessie! ;'-)

I never tried it on vegetable oil. My grandmother used this method since I was a kid but using olive oil and she would add a few drops at the end or half-way into the cooking (and more often than not, on oven made food, which wouldn't really cause the same issues you experienced!

Let us know how you get on with that "fiery hot oil" in your curry ;-)

[hezzie]

How about this chilli infused oil recipe?

http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,11913.0.html

Oh....My....God 

We've just used the bottle of oil entitled "Fiery hot oil"......

Note to everyone: do not, I repeat do not, put fiery hot oil into a sizzling wok, it vaporises and makes you cough, sneeze, snot all over the place, cry and hurt in places that aren't supposed to hurt.

Thanks for that goncalo, what did I ever do to you.

Although I might try it again in a curry! 

....still coughing....damn you goncalo...cough.

Oh blimey! I'm sorry to hear that and hope you are well now Hessie! ;'-)

I never tried it on vegetable oil. My grandmother used this method since I was a kid but using olive oil and she would add a few drops at the end or half-way into the cooking (and more often than not, on oven made food, which wouldn't really cause the same issues you experienced!

Let us know how you get on with that "fiery hot oil" in your curry ;-)

Well it was great for the chilli, no additional heat needed, perfect, I take it back what I said about you, cheers for the tip.