Topic: My experience of (BIR)

[MartinsCurry]

Hi all. This is my first post so excuse a lenghty, mumbled post.
I have read nearly all posts on this forum over the months and had to join today to air a couple views from my curry TA's and some posts on this forum.
Firstly, I would like to say that I have only ever found two TA's that match the taste I so desire in a curry. One was in Tooting sw London and the other in Wallington near Sutton. I used these for years until the chefs left and were replaced with others. There went my custom too.
Months later a little TA opened on the corner right by my house, the smell was amazing. One evening on my way to get some beers, the guy that delivers the curry came out and WALLAH, the same delivery driver from the Tooting TA. He told me the chef was there too. I immediately ordered my curry and was in heaven for the first time in ages. Unfortunately, a pub then opened as an indian bar/restaurant and the little TA closed. The pub is Sri Lankan style and the food is authentic indian which I don't like. So, my search for MY desired taste is back on.

This leads me to my first question. What is the BIR you all talk about? Every curry TA I know has a different taste, some way too salty, some burn your taste buds instantly (That was only a Madras), some are just spiced so much there is confusion in the dish and most make there base sause differently. I know what you mean by the BIR but every restaurant/TA is different.
Nepalese, Tandoori, Indian, Balti etc etc. Oops, all Indian.. :

The only way I can explain it is the smell and then the taste become ONE. Luverly...

That brings me to a completely different question. When I see all these videos, the chefs use the same spoon for all ingredients, cooking and even use the spoon after stirring liquid straight into dried spices!!
Is this hygenic? Does the wet spoon not leave lumpy spices in the holder? Even from the base sause to the G/G paste. Surely this contaminates all spices and ingredients to a degree?
Just my pennies worth as a NOOB. Look forward to your replies. Martin.

[goncalo]

That brings me to a completely different question. When I see all these videos, the chefs use the same spoon for all ingredients, cooking and even use the spoon after stirring liquid straight into dried spices!!
Is this hygenic? Does the wet spoon not leave lumpy spices in the holder? Even from the base sause to the G/G paste. Surely this contaminates all spices and ingredients to a degree?
Just my pennies worth as a NOOB. Look forward to your replies. Martin.

It's interesting as I had exactly these same questions when I joined this forum (well, shortly after starting to watch a few videos around here). I didn't get a good response from my recollection, but these days I don't think it's a huge deal, particularly as the spices being used have a very short turnaround. At the end of the day, curry is a mix powder, so if you dip the spoon in the turmeric and then in the curry, chances are the contamination is negligible and that the foreign spices would mix in the box and not be noticeable due to the amounts (this particular case, turmeric is one of the spices in most curry powders) Also, bear in mind some chefs are more careful than others.

[MartinsCurry]

Yes, I never thought of the spices quick turn around etc. Good point. Thanks for that. Martin.