Topic: Getting The Heat!

[parker21]

hi guys
you could ring them @ eurocatering, they have a shop in london so probably do less of an order, like i say i got my pan via Rajver and it was 8.99gbp bargain, my pan does not have the straight sides but rounded so you can get the spoon into the corners.....oh sorry there are no corners ;D, i think this is the link
http://www.eurocatering.co.uk/ebstore/ec/product_list.asp?p_subcategory+CB%2Dec101

regards
gary

link corrected by SnS

[SnS]

SNS,

thanks, have a pan on the way (20? inc vat & del)

Let us all know how you get on with your new pan Jerry! Did you order the 10 inch one?
SnS  ;D

[JerryM]

SNS

will keep u all posted on the new pan. i did order the 10".

[Davy]

I am starting to think more ingredients and technique rather than raw heat if you know what I mean 

Hi All,
I have read both articles regarding heat. Perhaps I didn't explain myself well in my last post.  :-X I know how important heat is as regards cooking but there is JerryM for instance that can get an exeptable result on an electric hob. What I am getting at is that I don't think we necessarily need to aim for as high a heat as the Chinese or BIR's as I don't think this is all the story. With a decent home gas burner I feel that you can achieve enough heat to get the job done. I feel the compromise is to use smaller portions to allow quicker pan recovery and a longer initial warm up time for the pan to gain and hold more heat. I feel this is what Jerry is possibly doing. Conversly if the ingredients aren't right more heat isn't going to make it taste any better. I struggled along with a burner of about 3kw and my wok has a lovely sheen gained while cooking many a chinese meal. Having cooked commercially myself I can say the main advantage of the equipment I used was getting large amounts hot,quick! A perfect example of the "technique" I am talking about is naan's. You can use UB's new naan recipe but stick them in the oven and you've got scones. Use UB's techniqe and hey presto! Again achievable without a tandoor and in the home. I don't doubt that the way Cory cooked his curry in the article he shared with us would have added to the flavour of his dish but without his experience with the bases and spices and cooking time he might have ended up with little more than burnt onions! Equally I would bet that he could turn up a stunning curry on a regular stove.       

[JerryM]

I feel the compromise is to use smaller portions to allow quicker pan recovery and a longer initial warm up time for the pan to gain and hold more heat

it is what i'm doing. i started with my small 9" frying pan that has non stick coating (but not much mass). when i put the hob up to max ie setting 6 out of 6 i found i could use my wok. the trouble is the wok does not sit exactly flat on the hob - hence my new pan purchase.

i've added the link to the technique i use:

http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,2444.msg22679.html#msg22679

i'm using the smoke paprika (thanks to Domi) to get the BIR smokey flavour and its pretty close. i do think my best curries are produced when i leave the pan on the hob longer than normal and therefore still think the amount of heat might be the last step.

[JerryM]

pan was delivered very pronto. it really looks and feels the business.

have seasoned as per the wok hey video albeit with home-grown chives.

itching to give it a go at frying a curry. ;D

[Bobby Bhuna]

I've seasoned up my Wok recently. I would suggest that you might consider smearing some sunflower oil or similar onto the entire inside surface (just enough to bring a shine to the metal) and burn it off then cool the wok - then repeat this process about 3 times.

I doubt the once round with the chives will build up much of a non stick coating, I think it's more to get rid of the metalic taste.

[Chris303]

I love my curry pans. I get them out a place in glasgow that sells them to most of the restaurants.

[JerryM]

thanks Bobby/Chris303,

i read up the other posts and pretty much did as u say (heat/cool cycles x2) particularly the outside. i like the pan pics - just like mine now  ;D

Pan Performance Update.

i used the pan last night.

overall i would not say it has changed the taste although the wok hey has not had time to build.

it did however transfer the heat much quicker and more evenly (so the temp lowering as i added ingredients was hardly noticeable). the none stick performance is also much much better.

i feel the heat aspect to be important as i feel my best curries are cooked at higher heat (usually when i've forgotten the pan was on when heating up at the start). as a result i feel the consistency is much better. all 4 curry portions cooked last night were up to spec.

Overall very satisfied and would definitely say worth buying.

[Davy]

Chris, where do you get your pans from in the Toon?? I'm up here too so id love a trip to the source, Cheers Davy