Topic: New Base Gravy from visit to Saffron

[Peripatetic Phil]

They (sweet paprika & deggi mirch : PT) are to all intents and purposes the same thing. Certainly the Capiscums and Chilli Pepper varieties they use are different, but do they impart an essentially different flavour or are they there predominantly for colouring?

"To all intents and purposes the same thing" ?  Come, Sir, you jest.  Deggi mirch is a moderately hot chilli, powdered; sweet paprika is a mild paprika, powdered.  They are as different as chalk and cheese (dry-taste each as a powder and compare).

 

I've used both and I struggle to taste the difference between them when used in a base sauce

25ml of paprika or mirch compared to the volume of the other ingredients will not affect the flavour significantly, but I would expect the heat of the deggi mirch to come through (if used).

** Phil (who has just scratched his left eye with a thumbnail that was in contact with sliced chilli less than five minutes ago, and who is now seriously regretting those two interrelated facts ...).

[DalPuri]

Thanks for clarifying spicy. In that case, I'd be more keen on using deggi mirch, but I'd be a tiny bit afraid that the spiciness it may add to the base may taint the milder/sweeter dishes like kormas, CTMs and passandas, which is pretty much what my girlfriend eats

I wouldn't add deggi to a base again myself for those same reasons.
Deggi being a blend seems pretty hit or miss when it comes to heat levels. I made a base using MDH deggi mirch, and although i didnt really notice the heat myself, it was too hot for me old man and his farmers. 

I must add that i cooked a lamb and spinach curry and used some mixed powder which also contained deggi mirch which would've made the dish hotter. But still, some people just cant take any heat so I wont add chilli to a base again.
The old guitar player in the band would have sweat pouring off him just eating a Korma!  ;D Funny.

[JerryM]

1. In the ingredients list, it is mentioned "2 medium tomatoes" but in the method, it is suggested "Half a tin (200 g) of chopped plum tomatoes (Italian Napolina)" do we need both the 2 tomatos and the chopped plum tomatoes?

2. The deghi mirch is the powdered form correct? If so my understanding is that it is a bit hotter than the kashmiri mirch (correct me if wrong) -- is this a spicy/hot base?

3. What do you mean by "Removing any scum"? I only heard of scum in the context of scumbags, sorry

goncalo,

i made this for quite a while - it's top notch. i recently switched to the revised ifindforu base (the 1 without all purpose seasoning in) which is very similar to the curry2go. i just felt it was a tad better but it's a close call. SnS posted a revised recipe that i've not tried (2008: http://cr0.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,2757.0.html).

1) i add both the fresh and the tin toms
2) i just use normal chilli powder
3) the scum is open area of discussion with some members removing it and others not. after blending and addition of water the base is reheated for a period upto 1 hr which changes the characteristics of the base from a sort of soup into an almost curry. in the 1st 20 mins a "froth or scum" surfaces. taste it and then decide. i personally take it off with my chef spoon. after 20 mins is best to leave well alone as the oil starts to rise and it's difficult to just get the scum.

[spiceyokooko]

Come, Sir, you jest.  Deggi mirch is a moderately hot chilli, powdered; sweet paprika is a mild paprika, powdered.  They are as different as chalk and cheese (dry-taste each as a powder and compare).

Not in my opinion they're not.

I also don't know how you can describe Deggi Mirch as being moderately hot? Deggi Mirch is a blend of Kashmiri Chilli peppers and capiscums. Kashmiri Chilli peppers are mild, so are Capiscums, they're used predominantly for colouring, not heat.

I think you're getting confused between a particular brand of Deggi Mirch (which to you is moderately hot) and the generic name Deggi Mirch which is mild to be honest.

[Peripatetic Phil]

I think you're getting confused between a particular brand of Deggi Mirch (which to you is moderately hot) and the generic name Deggi Mirch which is mild to be honest.

I'm not "getting confused"; I have experienced only one brand of Deggi Mirch (MDH) and that is definitely hotter than the same brand's Kashmiri Mirch.  If generic Deggi Mirch exists, then I do not think it would be safe to pronounce on its heat, since by definition any two samples may significantly differ in their heat level.  Where have you seen generic Deggi Mirch on sale ?

** Phil (who bought generic Kashmiri Mirch in Abu Dhabi but who saw no corresponding generic Deggi Mirch in the same supermarket, which had more spices on display than I have ever seen in my life).

[spiceyokooko]

I'm not "getting confused"; I have experienced only one brand of Deggi Mirch (MDH) and that is definitely hotter than the same brand's Kashmiri Mirch.  If generic Deggi Mirch exists, then I do not think it would be safe to pronounce on its heat, since by definition any two samples may significantly differ in their heat level.  Where have you seen generic Deggi Mirch on sale ?

You are getting confused.

As far as you're concerned Deggi Mirch only comes from one supplier box - MDH, which incidentally describes the contents as a blend of Indian Red Chillies, no mention of Kashmiri Chillies, no mention of Capiscums, no mention of anything except Red Chillies. No surprise then that it's hotter than it should be!

For everyone else, Deggi Mirch is a generic name referring to the Indian equivalent of Paprika, which is a blend of Kashmiri Chillies, Capiscums and other mild Red Chillies, not all of which have to come from Kashmir.

Whilst the following article is in no way definitive or authoritative on the subject and I'm not posting it as such, but it's interesting that the article conclusion agrees with my definition and not yours:

http://nomoremicrowaves.wordpress.com/2010/03/15/wtf-is-kashmiri-chili-powder/

[Peripatetic Phil]

I'm not "getting confused"; I have experienced only one brand of Deggi Mirch (MDH) and that is definitely hotter than the same brand's Kashmiri Mirch.  If generic Deggi Mirch exists, then I do not think it would be safe to pronounce on its heat, since by definition any two samples may significantly differ in their heat level.  Where have you seen generic Deggi Mirch on sale ?

You are getting confused.

No, quite the contrary, but it is possible that you are, since you are asserting that I have said (or written) things that I most definitely have not.

As far as you're concerned Deggi Mirch only comes from one supplier box - MDH

False.  Deggi Mirch may well come from many suppliers : as I stated above, I personally have tried only one brand, and based my comments on my personal experience.

For everyone else, Deggi Mirch is a generic name referring to the Indian equivalent of Paprika, which is a blend of Kashmiri Chillies, Capiscums and other mild Red Chillies, not all of which have to come from Kashmir.

Perhaps for you; perhaps for some; certainly not "for everyone else". 

I repeat my question : Where have you seen generic Deggi Mirch on sale ?  And I add a new one.  "And did you buy some, and if so, can you describe its properties in terms of flavour, heat, etc. ?".  I am talking about real Deggi Mirch that I have bought, tasted and use regularly, and that others can easily obtain :  you appear to me to be talking about a hypothetical Deggi Mirch that /may/ exist, and about which you have read, but of which you have no first-hand experience.

** Phil.

[spiceyokooko]

No, quite the contrary, but it is possible that you are, since you are asserting that I have said (or written) things that I most definitely have not.

I'm not getting into yet another pissing contest with you Phil, because it's tiresome for me, and tiresome for people who have to read it.

Neither am I going to write out and repeat everything I've already written which contains the answers to your questions.

I shall leave you to your one-eyed view of Deggi Mirch that comes out of a MDH packet. You of course are right again Phil, as always, as usual, you're never wrong!  :

I'll leave everyone else to read what I've written, read the link I've provided and come to their own conclusions as to what Deggi Mirch is. If they've got any sense they'll google it and see what everyone else says about it too.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Watch my lips, Spicey :  have you, personally, ever used "generic Deggi Mirch", and if so, from where did you get it and how would you assess it in terms of heat, flavour, etc ?  Because from everything you have written so far on the subject, it would seem that you have no experience of it whatsoever, and are simply spouting "facts" that you have found somewhere on the Internet.

** Phil.

[DalPuri]

This was interesting. Found this after reading a few things about reshampatti chillies being used in deggi.
They sell two different kashmiri powders.
One called Kashmiri Mast, which i assume means best quality?

http://kusumspices.zepo.in/product/Chilly-Reshampatti-Powder-id-111774.html