Chef Sam's Live Interview

[Garp]

In defence of Sam, I've never known asafoetida to be called hing. I don't know if Chris explained it to him (or indeed if Chris knew) it was the same thing.

If he had never heard of asafoetida, I'd doubt his credentials, but hing, na.

[Secret Santa]

In defence of Sam, I've never known asafoetida to be called hing. I don't know if Chris explained it to him (or indeed if Chris knew) it was the same thing.

If he had never heard of asafoetida, I'd doubt his credentials, but hing, na.

This was my point Garp but it clearly flew over the heads of most respondents. Sam had never heard of it before as hing or asafoetida. He was talking about cowpats in his native Bangladesh at one point so perhaps if he'd been asked if he knew what devil's dung was he'd then have recognised it!

How much would you trust your car mechanic to fix your car if he'd never heard of a torque wrench?

And the notion that BIRs don't use asafoetida is laughable. They may not all use it but many do.

[Aussie Mick]

They may not all use it but many do.

And the VAST majority DON'T.

So why get so bothered about it? The guy runs a succesful takeaway and he's never heard of something that he doesn't use, and will never have no use for  : : : : : : :

Honestly.....some people.  : : : : : :

[Secret Santa]

And the VAST majority DON'T.

I take it your vast experience of the Australian Indian-Restaurant market leads you to that conclusion Mick?

[Garp]

Is Sam's TA successful? Is it any good? - any better than TA's who have heard of asafoetida?

Earlier in the live 'broadcast' he stated that he preferred traditional Indian cookery to BIR. Surely he would have encountered asafoetida in that!!!

I still think Chris 'moderates' him

[Secret Santa]

Is Sam's TA successful? Is it any good? - any better than TA's who have heard of asafoetida?

Apparently it's very good according to the two people who have tried it. Oh, and Chris and Sam of course!  ;D

[Secret Santa]

The thing I don't get with this ebook is why, when you've seen all the videos and have seen that the techniques, ingredients etc. are bog-standard, are people foaming at the mouth to buy it? I can understand a beginner lapping it up but anyone whose been on this forum for a month or two shouldn't need or want it.

It baffles me.

[Les]

Think your right SS, Can't see there being anything new to what's already on this forum

Les

[jb]

In defence of Sam, I've never known asafoetida to be called hing. I don't know if Chris explained it to him (or indeed if Chris knew) it was the same thing.

If he had never heard of asafoetida, I'd doubt his credentials, but hing, na.

This was my point Garp but it clearly flew over the heads of most respondents. Sam had never heard of it before as hing or asafoetida. He was talking about cowpats in his native Bangladesh at one point so perhaps if he'd been asked if he knew what devil's dung was he'd then have recognised it!

How much would you trust your car mechanic to fix your car if he'd never heard of a torque wrench?

And the notion that BIRs don't use asafoetida is laughable. They may not all use it but many do.

Secret Santa,I'm intrigued as to how you know many BIR chefs definitely use asafoetida as an ingredient.Have you been told this or have you seen it in a BIR kitchen?I brought some a couple of years ago after seeing it in my local Indian Supermarket assuming that it's widely used,but I'm still not convinced.Sam says he doesn't use it,Chef Az also said this on our group cooking lesson as did the Chef from the Preem take-away where I had a lesson a couple of years ago.Abdul,with whom I had ten hour's worth of lessons in my kitchen had also never heard of it.The only two people I have ever seen mention it is Julian and Dave Loyden from the Undercover Curry Book.I'd love to be proved wrong but I really think it's a red herring as far as BIR is concerned.

[Secret Santa]

jb, it's clearly a regional thing but you've mentioned Dave Loyden's book which was from an actual BIR and so that is direct evidence that it is used. I'm not claiming that it is used widely, just that it is used.

I happen to love the stuff and am quite atuned to its flavour so can detect it in some of the BIR curries I've had, in particular Vindaloo.

But this is to get away from the point I was trying to make, which is that any competent craftsman knows the tools of his trade even if he only uses a subset of them and I have little faith in anyone who does not show this wider knowledge.

I just wish this establishment was closer to me. I could then visit and hopefully be pleasantly surprised.