Topic: BIR Myth's

[Curry King]

Finally regarding the secret ingredient last year or slightly longer ago we had here a post that caused a big hastle and resulted in many members leaving to join another site run by the guy who posted his belief that the ingredient was an onion paste.

Really?

Someone suggested they knew the secret ingredient was onion paste, and a bunch of members left with that person to create another site?

 

Hi Josh,

It wasn't quite like that the guy came here with the intention of making money, that we are sure of now.  The onion paste was just one of the things that people questioned and this was the excuse to leave and setup another site.  The onion paste was actually a recipe this guy had copied from the Natco site, it didn't do anything for me.  If you try a search the orignal Natco recipes are still on here and I would be interested to know PanPots thoughts on it.

[Secret Santa]

It seems to me that BIRs use large cookers (i.e. high heat output..."lazy" flames or otherwise) to cook small portions (i.e. single portions) in a relatively small pan.  I would be suprised if they didn't do this for a very good reason.

Funny thing, I was going to come in on this one earlier and say, "oh, well CA used to be a real advocate of the high heat theory and always claimed it was an essential 'technique' to achieveing the real BIR taste", but you beat me to it CA.   ;D

Anyway, to answer your statement above, yes, of course there is a very good reason why they use high heat. It's the same reason any restaurant (in general) be it English, French, etc. use high heat. It's so that they can get the meal to the table in double quick time. The fact that the pan in the BIR occasionally flames is purely incidental. I wouldn't say that the Malik BIR is absolutely typical, but watch it for a while, you'll see that the flaming pan scenario is actually quite rare. In fact it seems to scare the BeJesus out of them when it happens most times!  ;D  And I've seen enough other examples of BIR curries being cooked (on TV) to know that the flaming pan is a by product, and not a necessity.

So is this myth proved or disproved?

[Curry King]

Here is the Natco one:

http://www.natco-online.com/acatalog/Holy_Grail.html

Pretty much a word for word copy was posted here by this Andy guy, I see Jerry has posted the link. I personally didn't think it made a positive difference to equal the time and hassle it takes to make.

This seems to be taking the thread of topic so many a new one on this paste is a good idea.

[Secret Santa]

Other points, I have repeatedly posted that we can never really taste nor smell our own efforts in real terms due to our nostrils and taste buds adjusting as we cook.

Myth alert...Myth alert!!! ( why haven't we got a siren emoticon  ;D )

Sorry, but this just doesn't hold up to scrutiny. Now, there is no doubt that your sense of smell takes a beating when cooking spices, but I did an experiment quite a while back now which proves this to be a myth.

Cooked a couple of curries and made sure to inhale as much lovely spicey essence as possible. Meanwhile, had ordered a curry from the local BIR. Long story short, just finish making the curries, BIR delivery arrives, and the minute I opened the door there was the BIR smell, no mistake.

I declare this a myth. Any takers?

[JerryM]

Secret Santa,

the peg effect is a definate myth (100% sure).

this is why i know.

i try to align my TA night's to when i've got base. i make my std madras and tootle off in the car for the real stuff. the starter is then naan bead and madras curry sauce side by side (real and i would have to say imitation - yes very close but still a gap).

i feel in the time going for the curry the smell has well left the kitchen and my nose (i must admit i've not driven with the windows open or my head stuck out but u get the drift).

the peg i'm afraid has no effect.

[JerryM]

the

BeJesus flaming pan

scares u for sure i've only done it once. i used my gas BBQ which is not an ideal burner configuration and ended up tilting the pan too much and the oil vapour pretty much exploded.

i feel i need to get one of those ali pans. i'm currently putting water into the tom puree which allows me to keep the stove on full blast with no burning. if i switch back to toffee smell cooking i'm prone to burning.

i too think "keeping the heat sufficiently high to fry rather than braise the ingredients" is important. with the added water i'm sure i go off fry for a while. the ali pan may just be what i'm missing (to allow less water to be added to the tom puree - mine is very watery c/w maliks).

it's just that high heat should give that hint of smokey. the fact i can't get it still niggles me either way - enough as i said to get a bigger jet for my stove. i can't see any other way to get the hint naturally otherwise.

of further interest to me is the fact that my LB spice mix has just failed to work it's magic for the 1st time and i believe i've got to remove the "smoked paprika" sticking plaster.

[joshallen2k]

the peg effect is a definate myth (100% sure).

Need to chime in on this one. Don't think this is so much about the BIR smell, as it is about our perception of how good our own work is.

Try it. Make a curry with the peg on. Remove just before eating. I've tried it a few times and I firmly felt the curry was "better" - although not 100% BIR.

So, does the "Peg Effect" explain the missing 5% - no. That's a myth. Does it go part way explaining our objectivity in evaluating our own work? I believe so.

-- Josh

[Cory Ander]

Yes I made an exact replica with their base
I made it on my big cooker, but on a medium heat

So you haven't actually made an exact replica on a domestic cooker then Haldi?

[Cory Ander]

Anyway, to answer your statement above, yes, of course there is a very good reason why they use high heat. It's the same reason any restaurant (in general) be it English, French, etc. use high heat. It's so that they can get the meal to the table in double quick time

Flaming aside, isn't that in itself telling you something?  The rate of cooking is FAST (due to the high heat output)...for better or for worse!

The fact that the pan in the BIR occasionally flames is purely incidental

Have you actually tried this to determine it's effect SS?  I think people (I'm not having a go at you here SS) need to try it before commenting upon or dismissing it's effect. 

[haldi]

So you haven't actually made an exact replica on a domestic cooker then Haldi?

No, I haven't but I can see no reason for it not to work.
I didn't use a high heat
I've also had success cooking with a microwave
I think if the base is correct, then nearly all the hard work is done.
I believe the base has a "hidden" magic
That magic happens when it is heated

Cooked a couple of curries and made sure to inhale as much lovely spicey essence as possible. Meanwhile, had ordered a curry from the local BIR. Long story short, just finish making the curries, BIR delivery arrives, and the minute I opened the door there was the BIR smell, no mistake.

I declare this a myth. Any takers?

I don't know about this one.
I stood next to a chef as he cooked me a curry
Before it was cooked chef asked me to taste it.
I thought it was very average and no better than what I make.
When I had brought it home, I tried it again.
This time it had the something extra
Maybe that's exposure to the spices or perhaps it's because it had a little time to mature.
At any rate my perception was faulty