Topic: Why can't I Reproduce that Curry with the Brilliant "Taste?!"

[Cory Ander]

I've often see this statement (or similar) on this forum.  And it's often by our more experienced members.  Clearly, if you can do it once, you can do it again?....and again?...and again right?  Of course you can!

However, I've also noticed that there appears to be a general approach that accompanies such statements.   It therefore suggests a potential solution, I dare to suggest.

Most people (perhaps not all) who make this statement appear to be very "laissez faire" in their cooking approach.  They appear to "add a chef's spoon of this", a "dollop of that", "a glug of this", "a handful of another", "a ladle of that", etc, etc.  They also don't appear to document their approach.  I'm guilty too of course. 

Now that's all very fine and dandy, if you want to retain some "innovative flare" and want a different result each time.  Or if you are a professional chef, doing it day-in, day-out, of course - in which case, who needs to measure things right?

However, as is the case with ANY process, you need to control the inputs (process variables) to reproduce the end result.  It's obvious isn't it?.  It's commonly called "Quality Control" of course.   That certainly means trying to be precise with quantities - by measuring them with a reasonable degree of accuracy. 

Unfortunately, this precludes the "laissez faire" approach, for most of us, if we want to achieve anything like reproducible results each time.

My advice is to measure every key variable (quantities, times, temperatures, etc) that can reasonably be measured, to a reasonable and practical degree of accuracy, and to document what you do (the process). 

We might then stand half a chance of reproducing that brilliant tasting curry when we finally achieve it! 

[adriandavidb]

I quite agree with Cory!

At the risk of seeming a bit 'anal'' I always try to use exact, reproducible quantities of ingredients  (e.g. a lev 15ml tbs of this, or lev 5tps of that).  Spices have strong flavours and using slighty different amounts each time can give a huge variation in result. BIR chefs don't need to as they do it every day and have have stacks of experience, THEY can get away with that approach, they know exactly what they are doing.  I have to be more carefull!

I also make a note of exactly what changes I make to a dish, untill I get the result I want.  If I'm feeding others I never 'wing-it' or make spur-of-the-moment changes because it can often backfire!

I'm just such a fuss-pot I know!!

[adriandavidb]

Apart from quantities of ingredients, I believe that BIR style food is VERY technique critical, in terms of temp/time, and ratin of oils to aqueous (watery) componant.

Several contributers, including me, have mentioned a 'two stage' addition of base sauce in the final preparation of a dish, I really think it works.

[Bobby Bhuna]

I completely agree with the gradual addition of base into the main curry. Frying off that first chefs spoonful in the oil releases such much flavour!  ;D

I would suggest even more than a two stage addition. This along with the use of spiced oil (thankyou curry queen), have been my two favourite break throughs. 

[nice 'n easy]

Personally I think that elusive 'perfect curry' is partly in the mind, how hungry you were when you made it, what you really fancied eating that day etc - my wife quite regularly says that a certain curry was the best I've ever made! 

Of course some curries are better than others, I see the thinking behind documenting what you've been doing. But personally I prefer the more laissez faire approach as you put it. I've always preferred the Jamie Oliver approach to cooking rather than weighing everything out first into little measuring bowls like Delia Smith  :

But then I'm not that bothered about 100% emulating a BIR curry and more on making my variation of a particular type of curry to tast how I want it to on the day. e.g. a hotter more richly flavoured chicken tikka masala with mushrooms and okra which is what I had today. The final proof is on whether it tastes nice or not imho!

[xPatx]

Talking about being in the mind.
Don't you always find food tastes better when someone else has made it, or if you taste someone else's it's always better than yours?

[Curry King]

Talking about being in the mind.
Don't you always find food tastes better when someone else has made it, or if you taste someone else's it's always better than yours?

Yes!  I think that is along the same lines as if you have been cooking all day your sense become numb.