Topic: Is CRO as a forum finished.

[harley]

Thought I would touch base as it were. Been about 4 years since I logged in.

Still making lots of curries a week all year round using the chewytikka base. I'm a curryholic and never get bored of making/eating curry.

I guess not much has happened on the forum since, people are still on this mythical missing 5% still and nothing new has come about. Not sure what's going on elsewhere but I would've thought if any eureka moment had occurred it would've been posted at some point.

I'm happy with mine and would like to thank the forum, chewy and everyone else again in case the site closes, thank you. 

[haldi]

I had a bit of an old takeaway curry and a bit of a leftover curry of mine, tonight
Both theoretically vindaloos
The takeaway curry just had this wonderful aroma and subtle taste
My curry was good but (really hate to admit it) not as good and missing that aroma
So, as far as I'm concerned, never going to get that 5%
No matter how I try
On a strong flavoured curry, you may not notice it
But on something like a madras or vindaloo, it's downright upsetting

[Peripatetic Phil]

My curry was good but (really hate to admit it) not as good and missing that aroma

What use (if any) do you make of fenugreek ("methi"), Haldi, either in its powder or leaf form ?  I ask because to my mind, fenugreek is the aroma that I associate with BIR cuisine, and I think it is not only me on whom it has that effect.  When my wife came in this evening, she immediately said "the kitchen smells of Indian food".  Now the only Indian-related activity that had taken place in the kitchen that day was transferring some kasoori methi from a screw-top jar to one with a better seal, and a few fenugreek leaves were still lying on the working surface.  So if I were looking for the missing aroma and not using fenugreek/methi, that is probably the first thing I would consider.

** Phil.

[George]

I would've thought if any eureka moment had occurred it would've been posted at some point.

Not necessarily! I guess I've had possible eureka moments with a couple of dishes which I experimented with until I';m satisfied they taste at least as good as anything at a BIR - even the best BIRs. Don't give up! I use techniques, approaches and even ingredients which I've never read about here or anywhere, and which are highly unlikely to be used by any BIR, but which work for me.

[livo]

I think we can pretty safely put the "Mythical 5%" mystery away after over a decade of "Secrets" revealed in books, on this site, others and YouTube.  There obviously is no secret ingredient or technique. The whole issue comes down to a cook being happy with the dish they prepare. 

For mine, this is mostly the case. However, I can still with all honesty say that there are often times when I do rarely purchase a curry, that I just feel they are somehow better than mine. Not just different, but actually better.  More depth of flavour, and better development.  Is it just the fact that they are cooked in a commercial kitchen? Or perhaps the turnover of fresh spice? (Maybe mine are a bit stale).  Is it the "Ali Pan" and high heat?  Is it the experience of eating someone else's food instead of your own?  Is it Fenugreek and "that smell"?

Mind you, nobody complains too much about eating my curries, (other than the frequency and cream content at the moment). In my house it is mainly only me who thinks that my dishes could be improved.  In saying this though, there is way too much anecdotal evidence that many others feel the same way for it to be simply disregarded as nonsense, but there is probably no clear solution.  No Eureka moment to discover a single thing that has been missing.

Curry on regardless I say.

[littlechilie]

Thought I would touch base as it were. Been about 4 years since I logged in.

Still making lots of curries a week all year round using the chewytikka base. I'm a curryholic and never get bored of making/eating curry.

I guess not much has happened on the forum since, people are still on this mythical missing 5% still and nothing new has come about. Not sure what's going on elsewhere but I would've thought if any eureka moment had occurred it would've been posted at some point.

I'm happy with mine and would like to thank the forum, chewy and everyone else again in case the site closes, thank you. 

Hi Harley, I would suggest trying new things as your clearly not achieving your goals. (I would've thought if any eureka moment had occurred it would've been posted at some point)

It could be your method or base sauce or any number of problems for you, I use Jb

[haldi]

My curry was good but (really hate to admit it) not as good and missing that aroma

What use (if any) do you make of fenugreek ("methi"), Haldi, either in its powder or leaf form ?  I ask because to my mind, fenugreek is the aroma that I associate with BIR cuisine, and I think it is not only me on whom it has that effect.  When my wife came in this evening, she immediately said "the kitchen smells of Indian food".  Now the only Indian-related activity that had taken place in the kitchen that day was transferring some kasoori methi from a screw-top jar to one with a better seal, and a few fenugreek leaves were still lying on the working surface.  So if I were looking for the missing aroma and not using fenugreek/methi, that is probably the first thing I would consider.

** Phil.

It's in the curry, as dried leaves
I've not used it as a ground spice as part of the spice mixture

I must admit that fenugreek as a ground spice, is not something I've used much.
I haven't seen it as part of the spice line up, in any takeaway
You know how they have those metal tubs full of all sorts of spices

Maybe I should just put some in the base gravy?

[Peripatetic Phil]

Maybe I should just put some in the base gravy?

I add it as a part of my "three basic spices" that go into almost every dish -- ground chillies, ground cumin, ground fenugreek.   The proportions vary, and of course for some dishes other spices get added, but I rarely if ever cook a curry without using these three (plus salt, of course, tho' that isn't a spice per se).

** Phil.

[haldi]

Maybe I should just put some in the base gravy?

I add it as a part of my "three basic spices" that go into almost every dish -- ground chillies, ground cumin, ground fenugreek.   The proportions vary, and of course for some dishes other spices get added, but I rarely if ever cook a curry without using these three (plus salt, of course, tho' that isn't a spice per se).

** Phil.

that's something to try, next time
whatever the missing something is, it's very distinctive
In fact I've had it in a few curries where it was almost too strong a flavour
Thanks

[Peripatetic Phil]

In fact I've had it in a few curries where it was almost too strong a flavour

In that case, it might be cumin -- that can be quite over-powering if too much finds its way into the final dish ...