Topic: Jalfrezi vs vindaloo ... Disappointed with heat?!

[coffeetime]

Hi ladies and gents,

My "go to" curry for quite some time has been a jalfrezi, I've been addicted to the heat as well as the veg you get in the bowl (rather than it just being a 'soup') with it.

As I've become accustomed to the heat of the jalfrazi, and having gradually increased the heat of my daily evening meals with various chilli and spices to bring out complex flavours, I decided to take the plunge to a hotter curry. So for the last two restaurant meals I've ordered a vindaloo. I say twice, as I've tried two different restaurants (one of which does a fantastic jalfrezi) but I have been utterly Disappointed with the depth of flavour and the heat. The jalfrezi is by far the hotter curry, with whole chillis in the bowl.

Is this normal? Is my local Indian doing it wrong? What should I order next time if I love heat? Happy to have no veg and just dunk a naan in there, but I want my mouth to be on fire!

Advice appreciated!

Tommy.

[Secret Santa]

The jalfrezi is by far the hotter curry, with whole chillis in the bowl.

That's certainly the way I've always had it; lots of fresh whole green chillies and a good helping of green chilli paste and chilli powder in the sauce too and it is always hotter than the vindaloo.

If you want to step up a gear try a Phal (for a start!).

[curryhell]

If you want to step up a gear try a Phal (for a start!).

SS, if they can't get the vindaloo right, they sure as hell will have no idea about getting flavour as well as heat into a phall.  As you well know for a phall eater, albeit a while ago, a phall isn't simply about heat.  It's about the skill of preparing a damn fine tasting curry that has loads of flavour AND copious amounts of heat.
My suggestion would be to ask them to do you a vindaloo with fresh green chillis.  That may bridge the gap.  If they can't manage to get flavour into a hot vindaloo, it's time to move on and fine somewhere where the chef knows what he's doing  :

[coffeetime]

Thank you both.

I thought as much (that the local was doing it wrong) but wanted to make sure on here. I won't give up on vindaloo per se then,  I'll just give up on vindaloo until I can venture to a more renowned restaurant in a city (rural life = limited options!).

Last question then (or should I make a new topic?) are there any good vindaloo recipes on here? My main point in ordering a BIR vindaloo was so that I could experience the BIR taste so I knew what I was aiming for in my kitchen attempts!! Any recommendations of good recipes that others have been able to compare that are provided on here would be greatly appreciated!

Tommy.

[curryhell]

Will be interesting to hear what others say but i believe the more "simple" dishes, by which i mean those with fewer ingredients and not simple to cook  ie madras and vindaloo, do have a less complex flavour than the likes of bhuna, jalfrezi, dopiaza, chefs specials etc. The additional ingredients provide more layers of flavour as well as different textures.  IMHO i don't think you're going to find a vindaloo that will match the complex flavours of  your preferred jalfrezi. 
I have been a phall / vindaloo eater for over 30 years and can appreciate a hot flavoursome dish as well as being able to detect a crap one.  But when their flavours are compared to something like those in my favourite dish of North Indian Special, they are found to be lacking.  It's a bit like trying to compare apples and pears, both nice but two totally different things.  Maybe you should up your chilli powder content, or try adding a naga chilli or two or some dried red chillis.  Another option would be to fry a handful of dried red chillis in the oil you are going to use for your jalfrezi.  Once they have turned dark brown, simply remove them, or leave them in or add some or all at the end of the dish cooking.  This bagaar will certainly add a lovely additional heat to the dish.  If you make a good jalfrezi that you're happy with flavour wise, you simply have to work on the heat aspect  ;D 

[coffeetime]

I think this is maybe the most sensible option. I do have some chilli pepper Petes "Satan's Shit", which is 13 million scoville...added 1/8th a teaspoon to some noodles and it blew my head off...loved it! So maybe I'll add 1/16th - 1/8th teaspoon to my next jalfrezi.

I'd recommend Satan's Shit to anyone looking for a hot hot hot chilli paste that doesn't really affect flavours.

Interested to know if anyone else has tried this sort of additive to their curries and the results?