Topic: Secret ingredient what and/or why

[Madrasandy]

I have to agree with SS, I used to add sugar to my Madras, now I don't, why, because I now find my base is cooked correctly, releasing all the natural sweetness 

[JerryM]

Madrasandy

Im in the same boat and was a disbelieved. 

Try a side by side then decide.

Think about the quality of my base. Do I disagree with SS - certainly not.

Do I have to force my blinkers off sometimes - yes

[976bar]

Hi Jerry,

The four elements to seasoning food in any dish are as follows.
Sweet
Sour
Salt
Spice
Staple (being your main ingredient)

The above should ALL be considered when cooking a dish even if you choose to omit any...

Hope this helps

Rgds,

Bob

[Peripatetic Phil]

The four elements to seasoning food in any dish are as follows.
Sweet
Sour
Salt
Spice
Staple (being your main ingredient)

Would you not also include "umami", Bob ?
** Phil.

[976bar]

Umami has always been debatable....

A quote from Wikipedia...

"Scientists have debated whether umami was a basic taste since Kikunae Ikeda first proposed its existence in 1908.[7] In 1985, the term umami was recognized as the scientific term to describe the taste of glutamates and nucleotides at the first Umami International Symposium in Hawaii.[8] Umami represents the taste of the amino acid L-glutamate and 5

[Peripatetic Phil]

Umami aside ("just because you don't believe in Father Christmas doesn't mean that he doesn't exist !"). one thing that I regularly notice about commercial food (Fray Bentos steak-and-kidney pies, Waitrose beef-and-pearl-barley, ...) is that it contains detectable (some might say "excessive") levels of sweetness/sugar content, whereas the home-made equivalent rarely if ever does.  Would this also be your experience, Bob ?

** Phil.

[JerryM]

976bar,

Sir 6 th sense for sure.

Not for this topic but for vindaloo which I'm racking my brains on at the moment.

Had sort of come to the conclusion that trial and error was not going to deliver on this dish and I needed to step back and apply some logic.

Many thanks will have a go at fitting ingredients to the seasoning model

[parker21]

hi jerry try this recipe http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,8159.msg71935.html#msg71935 forgot to say add half tsp of salt in the original recipe with the mix powder and chilli powder
regards
gary

[JerryM]

Parker21,

I'm convinced I need to use some form of chilli sauce "green" chilli based.

I'm after what's not made anymore. Old style I guess most would call. I call it not just a hot madras.

I'm plodding along on it going on these thoughts:

1) the chef at the time gave us some very small green chilli saying that was how he made the dish. I now know these as birds eye. Secret Santa has got me to change this to finger chilli. 
2) I use scotch bonnet for the lip burn
3) am using sultana for sugar as this seems to give closest result

The trouble is I just can't put my finger on what's missing. It may even be as simple as you can't reproduce with a modern base.

I feel i should in time be able to get closer just by gradually tweaking qty's.

The one thing I've yet to try is adding in some Bhuna onion. I think someone suggested it in the no 3 vindaloo post

Best wishes

[MrCurryLover]

My Balti always get's a little white sugar (1 level tsp for 3 or 4 curries)and it makes a big difference.
Dried fenugreek leaves in small amounts are another ingredient that gives an authentic BIR taste/smell