Topic: Curry Powder or Fairy Dust

[Spottymaldoon]

Cory Ander

I don't have such a list but most of the common spices used in Indian cooking seem to be temperature survivors. In contrast, from my attempts at Thai cooking, I know that basil is not - you have to put it in late or you don't get the heavenly aroma.  Garlic, too seems to suffer from heat, but the residue, while tasting different, is still lovely. Some Chinese cooks are expert at retaining 'garlicy' taste.

As I mentioned, I have a hunch that successful chefs know by instinct which spices should be added when. Surely there are people in this august group who have such an instinct - and know which spices can take a lot of heat and which can't?

While on this topic, I should like to ask about your namesake, coriander: about the seeds, which just about everybody adds to curry (Malaysians too, who seldom use jeera). If you taste the seeds they do have a mild aroma (but nothing like the intensity of, say, jeera or cardamom) - it has always puzzled me what coriander seeds actually DO - on the face of it they seem too mild-tasting to impart much flavour. Could somebody please straighten me out here?

[coolinshot]

As I mentioned, I have a hunch that successful chefs know by instinct which spices should be added when. Surely there are people in this august group who have such an instinct - and know which spices can take a lot of heat and which can't?

Well as we all instinctively know, the essential oil of ground spices oxydates in the presence of atmospheric oxygen, specifically at high temperatures. Turmeric and ginger, for instance, are an integral part of Indian cooking. These spices are common food adjuncts that impart color, flavor and aroma. The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin and that in ginger are gingerol and hexahydrocurcumin1-3. Both these compounds prevent oxidation of oils and fats.

.........isn't google wonderful - who would have thought making a curry could be so educational.

Why not use essential oils instead of ground spices?

Col

[Spottymaldoon]

The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin and that in ginger are gingerol and hexahydrocurcumin1-3.

Good Lord, this is impressive allright! Now tumeric turns brown if you heat it too strongly; whether that changes the flavour I don't know. But what flavour does tumeric impart anyway - earthy? Or paprika for that matter - gulashy? Don't the other spices swamp them? Certainly the two work together to give a most appetising (and safe) colour.