Topic: Why we cannot produce that missing taste ?

[John]

Hi ,All
Pete  posted a curry gravy that uses canned tomato soup before .
He said it was published in one of the magazines.
For a chicken tikka masala or korma or pasanda or dhansak  it is more than fine .
But not for vindaloo,madras,phall,...........etc.
This is my experience after trying it.
Thanks
ghanna

I'm not sure the red sauce was tomato soup! but all i was saying was thats how the takeaway made a madras that i watched them cook!
I would expect them to use some kind of tomato in a madras though as i've also seen some takeaways use a squirt of Tomato ketchup before.

[ghanna]

HI, John
I saw them with my own eyes before.
No one told me .
They are using tomato ketchup in the curries  to make it a little sweet ,Specially if they did add any spices to the curry .
The spices make the curry taste a little bit bitter, you know why because the spices are  cooked only for a very very short time..
Just to proof my point     ......try to taste the spice mixture that they use , it is bitter.
Thanks
ghanna

[Blondie]

Hi Ghanna,

I asked the question on another thread, does anyone know why wherever there are catering size bags of spices for sale in asian stores, there is almost always a supply of 5 litre size tomatoe ketchup bottles near by? At the time I didn't recieve an answer, but are you saying that it is definitely used in takeaways and what is it used for and used in.

thanks for any help,

Blondie

[ghanna]

Hi, Blondie
Sorry i had  not notice that comment .
Yes they are using tomato ketchup in the curries.
The answer that i got from them when i asked why ? Spices are a little bit bitter.
They never use it in the Korma.
I noticed that a chef was using it in the Chicken tikka masala ,please see my thread titled by that name.
Thanks
Ghanna

[Blondie]

Thanx Ghanna,

cheers,

Blondie

[ghanna]

Hi, Blondie
It is O.K  any time.
Cheers
ghanna

[joe2]

>> always a supply of 5 litre size tomatoe ketchup>>
All BIR's also sell Engilsh food - eg. chicken and chips, omeltette  etc.etc. Some people accompany curry addicts to the restaurant and don' like curry.
When they serve non-Indian food, they bring out the usual salt pepper and tomato ketchup. This is what these big containers of it are for.

In my opinion, tomato ketchup will spoil your curry as it contains a lot of vinegar. Ive tried it.
Campbells tomato soup has also been suggested. Tried it and spoiled my curry.

This is just my opinion. Many may disagree.

[Mark J]

I must confess the recipe I sell on ebay (CTM) contains both tomato ketchup and tomato soup and judging by the feedback I get people are stunned by the results they get with it.

Ketchup contains a number of things that could improve a curry: salt, sugar, tomatos and probably MSG  ;D

[John]

I must confess the recipe I sell on ebay (CTM) contains both tomato ketchup and tomato soup and judging by the feedback I get people are stunned by the results they get with it.

Ketchup contains a number of things that could improve a curry: salt, sugar, tomatos and probably MSG  ;D

I agree with you mark J, i've seen it used in very good takeaways and also tried it myself during cooking, it does not take from the dish, it adds to it! and since you only add a very small amount it wont ruin anything, i suggest that the next time anybody makes a curry that they give a squirt of ketchup to the dish, were not talking keeping it squeezed till the bottle gives up it's guts, all thats needed is just a little squirt (prob about 1tsp). I wouldn't add it to a korma or a standard curry or vindaloo though, but to richer dishes like madras and rogan josh and passada and the like.

[Blondie]

Hi Joe2,

Earlier in this thread in reply to my question about large containers of tomato ketchup you said that it is for non curry eating people in the restaurant.  If that was the reason it was there where is the BROWN sauce.  And also there are usually very large plastic containers of English Mustard,  I asked at my local supplier and he told me the restaurants use it in the curries.

In addition you comment about tomato ketchup containing vinegar and that would spoil a curry, this is completely incorrect - Tomato Ketchup is used quite widely in BIRs I was trying to find out how much other members know about it's use.  Furthermore, far from vinegar spoilling a curry, you try telling that to anyone who likes a good Vindaloo that, It is an essential ingredient, in my humble opinion.

You may be trying to help Joe2, and if that was your intention I am sorry if my reply offends in any way,

cheers Joe2,

Blondie