Topic: Pataks

[JerryM]

Tamala,

thanks for thoughts - i would like to understand a little better if poss - i thought yogurt is added to make it sort of creamy - have i missed something - what does the yoghurt do that makes it key.

if i make the paste from scratch then i use yogurt and maybe this had something to do with the chicken being tougher.

[Tamala]

Yoghurt is the stuff that marinates (tenderises) the meat by breaking down the proteins in the meat (like other acidic substances such as lemon juice, other fruit juices, vinegar, wine, etc).  Evaporated milk wont be doing that.

Being acidic, yoghurt generally adds tartiness (not really creaminess) to dishes.  Evaporated milk, being sweet and creamy, will add sweetness and creaminess to a dish.

[Bobby Bhuna]

I would have thought that commercial curry paste would be used very sparingly in BIRs. Although they could probably get it in trade sized jars, I'm sure it would cost much more than buying the trade sized bags of spices and mixing your own.

I don't see it saving that much time either. What would it stop you having to add? Your spice mix and tomato paste perhaps? That's no major short cut.

That said, I have been to a really really crap BI take away and did think that the food screamed out Pataks Madras paste but I just assumed that the chef wasn't actually a real chef.

All that said, I really want to try using a paste instead of spice mix to see where it gets me. I doubt I'll ever get around to it though. Has anyone else used the standard base gravy curry method substituting spice mix for Pataks paste?

[JerryM]

Bobby,

Has anyone else used the standard base gravy curry method substituting spice mix for Pataks paste?

Don't go there it's just not up to it. it's fine for a quick fix for chicken tikka and the balti paste may add that little bit extra to a balti dish but that it's limitations.

[JerryM]

Tamala,

thanks for info on the yoghurt - had not realise its acid