Topic: What if...........

[london_lhr]

Hello good people,

Have been cooking traditional style curries now for the past 12 years.
Last week discovered this excellent site. I have read through almost
every single post and every topic. Until now I have never really tried
to emulate restaurant style curries. It does however seem that this
site may have now infected me as well. (drat!) I have been thinking.....
What if.................
1. The curry gravy/base onion sauce is maybe too concentrated. Maybe it
? ? should be diluted with water or yoghurt or something and because it is
? ? too concentrated, it is "masking" "THAT TASTE"
2. Your onion base is correct but that the secret lies in the sauce that the
? ? meat/chicken is cooked in. When the onion base and meat are combined
? ? to make a madras or any other dish, maybe some of this sauce from the
? ? meat is added into the equation?
3. In one of the posts mention is made of two white powders etc. Could one
? ? possibly be corn flour used as a thickening agent?
4. There are various types of Garam Masala, what I call "general garam masala"
? ? with a few variations in recipes but there is also "kashmiri garam masala" The
? ? recipe for this garam masala differs to that of general garam masala. Maybe,
? ? just maybe ??
5. The chemical in onions that "burns" your eyes, with heat, is changed to sugar
? ? hence the sweetness in dishes containing onions. Therefore really strong onions
? ? should therefore produce more sugar. By using more or less onions, the
? ? sweetness is varied and this theory also goes along with my possible dilution
? ? theory.
Now for the curry gurus out there, please be gentle with me. These are just my
thoughts. Remember I do not have the Restaurant style cooking experience that you
have. From making the more traditional curry I have learned that you do not want
an overpowering taste but a very gentle blend of spices.
If my comments have been addressed elsewhere on the forum, please ignore my ramblings
as I may have missed it.
Respectfully,
Barry.

[DARTHPHALL]

Right on mate , question everything . today i thought as i made a curry " i wonder if i didn't use that f*****g onion in the base" because it smells bloody awful & very overpowering with that chemical smell when its being boiled.

[Curry King]

When the onion base and meat are combined
 ? ?to make a madras or any other dish, maybe some of this sauce from the
 ? ?meat is added into the equation?

I think this is right, ive made a number of currys with chicken and a few with prawn, the prawn currys although nice do lack the extra flavour of the chicken. ?I cook the prawns in water and turmeric and thats about it but the chicken I use this method http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=158.0

This came from a restaurant chef and to me is bang on, a bit of the sauce goes in due it just running of the plate and I think improves the taste.

[Curry King]

because it smells bloody awful & very overpowering with that chemical smell when its being boiled.

I'm not sure what base you make but mine smells fantastic while cooking especially after adding the spice!  I even taste my base now as I'm cooking it, tastes nice on its own.

[DARTHPHALL]

Right at the beginning when you boil all the onions ect & it turns green ish. only thing is when its done its the best base of all.

[Curry King]

Maybe my nose has got used to it, making it week in week out it probably would   

[DARTHPHALL]

This base (sorry) 900g onions, 50g ginger, 50g garlic you boil this up &  , but then we add all those spices ect.. & mmmmmmmmmmmm

[ghanna]

Dear Barry
Very nice post.
Thank you
ghanna

[pete]

Right at the beginning when you boil all the onions ect & it turns green ish. only thing is when its done its the best base of all.

I used to get this problem.
It was to do with the garlic puree.
I contacted the makers of my blender and they said to add a little salt to the puree.
It worked.
No more green colours when I boiled it