Topic: How hot do i have to get my spices?

[SnS]

A domestic hob (medium gas burner ring) is about 1.8kW and should be ample to heat and maintain oil at 180C when a little spice paste is added. A large gas ring is about 3kW

Then clearly you have not measured it.  Most people add onions, garlic, ginger and then the powdered spices/spice paste and tomato puree.  By which time the pan will be about 85C (ive measured it).  Question is, is this hot enough?

Seems to me that some people think that anything will do because its personal preferance but, from what I can tell, noone here can actually fully replicate a the taste and smell of a bir curry.  Is it any wonder i ask myself?  :

Despite having onion, garlic, ginger and tomato paste in the pan, if most of the liquid (from the onion) has evaporated ...

and you're now actually frying the contents
and you havn't overloaded the pan
and your pan is wide enough
and you've got a reasonable size burner

.. then, an oil temperature of 180C should be easily attainable. Now add the spices.

The only reason water is added to the spice mix is to help prevent burning the spices .... if the oil is too hot.

Once you have gained a little more experience, you will find that you can judge when the oil is at the correct temperature and you will then be able to add the ground spices without water.

Hope this helps Rai.

SnS  ;D

ps: Only one green cardamom is used to test temperature, but again, with experience this is method is not needed (waste of a good cardamom eh?)

[Domi]

Noooooooo domi!  This question is about the minimum temperatures required to release the flavours of spices!  Its not about bl**dy "personal preference"  

Then why, when most advice is to roast at low temperatures, are you arguing that more heat is the answer? Wouldn't the general advice then be to roast at a higher temperature even if it meant reducing the cooking time? Since this is not the case one would have to conclude that lower temps and longer times are better. :

And to answer your last post, I certainly get the taste and smell of BIR. You won't get the exact same BIR aroma around the house as the smell of a takeaway or restaurant comes from a myriad of dishes, however I get the same smell from a curry as I do when I open a takeaway delivered to the house, which is the most important thing.

[Rai]

Despite having onion, garlic, ginger and tomato paste in the pan, if most of the liquid (from the onion) has evaporated ...

and you're now actually frying the contents
and you havn't overloaded the pan
and your pan is wide enough
and you've got a reasonable size burner

.. then, an oil temperature of 180C should be easily attainable

As I said, you havent measured it.  Go and do that and come back and tell me what you found from a position of fact (and REAL experience) and not supposition sns  ;

[SnS]

Rai

Please tell me how you manage to fry onion in oil at 85C.

Are you sure your infra red thingy is accurate?


SnS ;D

[Rai]

Then why....are you arguing that more heat is the answer?

It seems that youre not comprehending what i am trying to say domi?  Im not saying that more heat is the answer (but it may be?).  Where have I said that?  Try reading my question again.  

Im simply asking at what temperatures spices need to ne heated to for them to best release their flavours (when cooking bir curries obviously).  You havent answered that question.  No one has yet  :

however I get the same smell from a curry as I do when I open a takeaway delivered to the house, which is the most important thing.

My goodness, Im really surprised domi, I really am.  Most of us have been trying for years and years to emulate that and still havent got there.  

[Rai]

Please tell me how you manage to fry onion in oil at 85C.

Excellent question sns!  ;D

And please tell me how you are also supposed to fry spices at 85C too! 

Yes its accurate.

[SnS]

Please tell me how you manage to fry onion in oil at 85C.

Excellent question sns!  ;D

And please tell me how you are also supposed to fry spices at 85C too! 

Yes its accurate.

The simple answer Rai, is you can't (onions or spices).

[Rai]

The simple answer Rai, is you can't (onions or spices).

Exactly sns, hence my question 

[SnS]

The simple answer Rai, is you can't (onions or spices).

Exactly sns, hence my question 

"Get youself a bigger hob" is the answer you're looking for perhaps 

[Rai]

"Get youself a bigger hob" is the answer you're looking for perhaps 

No thats not the answer im looking for.  I REALLY want to know the approximate temperatures that the spices have to get to (when cooking a bir curry) to maximise their release of flavours. 

If its 100C or below I (and most of us) dont need bigger hobs.

If its much more than 100C, we might do.  And we need to add the spices first (probably not as a paste)