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

[hezzie]

Thanks for the replies folks, for me personally I like the kick a hot curry gives you, apparently hot chilli's make your body release endorphins, that's why  people need a weekly fix. Nothing to do with Bravado, I eat them hot even when I'm on my own.

After eating bland food like pie and chips, scampi, chicken in a basket etc for my first 20 odd years a chicken madras was a revelation and I've been hooked ever since. If I have a kebab I have to put my own chilli sauce on because the shops stuff is not hot enough if I have a pizza I have to put tabasco (not my favourite, I don't like vinegar based sauces) or dried chilli flakes on the top.

I have had hot curry's with plenty of flavour but not from near where I live hence me being on here trying to learn how to make a decent curry.

Because I like it hot and many people don't like it as hot as me, I like to jazz it up a bit at the end, in the past I've chucked chilli powder in at the end but I can taste the graininess in it but now it seems that's because there wasn't much oil in my curry.

I've tried plenty of traditional curry recipes and they've always said to fry the spices either first or with the onion right at the beginning, so it seems totally alien to me to add it into the gravy, which is why I'm asking so many questions about it all.

I do like green chillis added at the end of cooking spiceyokooko but find them too raw, maybe I'm adding them too near the end and ought to cook them longer, or maybe you like the rawness.

I've not thought of putting dried chilli flakes on the table Chonk, well not for a curry anyway, I'll try that myself, how do you make homemade chilli flakes?

Thanks for taking the time to reply everyone. 

[goncalo]

How about this chilli infused oil recipe?

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

[Kashmiri Bob]

Reminds me I have a packet of yucatan habanero chillies in the cupboard.  Think I'll try them in a curry tonight.  Should be fine if cooked properly; I hope!

Rob 

[hezzie]

How about this chilli infused oil recipe?

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

20 seconds in...."I only make half a bottle at a time...there's a possibility of botulism"...err, you don't like newbies then Goncalo, well at least it was subtle.

Actually I've got a few bottles of hot oil in the pantry Ive never used, I think I'll try that tonight in the chilli...ok I take it back, chilli oil is a good idea. 

Cheers.

[hezzie]

Where do you lot keep buying these fancy chillies you keep talking about, the only ones I can get near me are scotch bonnets, bullet chillies and the little green ones from the local asian supermarket, I know I'm lucky having that nearby but the other chillies I've read about in peoples posts sound interesting and I'd like to try them.

[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.

[Kashmiri Bob]

Where do you lot keep buying these fancy chillies you keep talking about, the only ones I can get near me are scotch bonnets, bullet chillies and the little green ones from the local asian supermarket, I know I'm lucky having that nearby but the other chillies I've read about in peoples posts sound interesting and I'd like to try them.

I got the Habaneros from Amazon.  Chilli Pepper Pete if I remember correctly.

Rob 

[DalPuri]

....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. 

[chonk]

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.

[hezzie]

Where do you lot keep buying these fancy chillies you keep talking about, the only ones I can get near me are scotch bonnets, bullet chillies and the little green ones from the local asian supermarket, I know I'm lucky having that nearby but the other chillies I've read about in peoples posts sound interesting and I'd like to try them.

I got the Habaneros from Amazon.  Chilli Pepper Pete if I remember correctly.

Rob 

Found him, thanks Bob.