Secrets of the Indian Restaurant Curry

[Blondie]

Hi all,

I am still not clear if it is the base that holds the taste.

We all seem to have got the perfect result at some time.

None of us are sure we know how.

Have we sometimes got the right result with and not got the right result with THE SAME BASE.

I haven't kept strict enough notes on what I do, just on the ingredients and quantities and brand names.

I'm getting so confused now that I have had to back and try all the things I was doing 10 years ago to include them or count them out - WHERE ARE WE ?

PLEASE TELL ME WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN'T,

Cheers,

DEFEATED

[pete]

We have loads of witnessed curries being cooked.
This part is really simple
We seem to agree the base is about right
What we are missing is this strong smell that gets into the curry
I have been re reading the Bruce Edwards Curry House Cookery
His description of the "smokey barbeque flavour"from the Tandoor is what we want, isn't it?
That's why Mark J was told by his chef, cooking at home isn't the same result.
No tandoor.........No aroma
What do you think?
Or do people still think there is a missing ingredient or tecnique.
If Kris Dhillons base had the smell to it, we'd be there, wouldn't we?
Some of us have been plugging away for a very long time.
I don't believe we couldn't have had a happy accident by now.

[Blondie]

Hi all,

There is no smokey taste in my favourite local's curry, there are some in this area that do have the smokeieness.


HAVE YOU NOTICED THAT KRIS HAS JUST BECOME A MEMBER.... KRIS..... I KNOW THAT NAME FROM SOMEWHERE.

I still am not sure if the taste is in the base or the final dish and if you look at the posts all over this site no one has made the diffinitive statement.

cheers all,

FED up (literally)

[Curry King]

Try going back to basics, I make a very basic gravy and a basic curry no chicken bones or boiled moths or whatever in it and as far as im concerned when I sit down later in the evening with my pilau, naan and various dips and chutneys I couldn't tell a difference between what I make and the restaurant.   Some might say that thats not the point its still not exactly the same as if youve just tipped it out of the silver carton, well its never going to be I don't have an indian restaurant in my house!!

I think some people are so obssesed with finding some hidden or missing ingredient its blinding the obvious facts that everything is already there in front of you.  How many more gravys will we get from chefs which are almost identical except maybe 1 or 2 things, that rules out the gravy and the final dish is we all know is cooked quickly and simply.  More practice and and maybe finding out some more techniques are whats needed.   Im just waiting for someone to find out that if you stand a paticular way in front of the cooker on one leg squeezing your ear makes all the difference

[DARTHPHALL]

No Smokey flavor in my local either !!
I believe it is just an ingredient with my local BIR that is missing as CK says, its so close & 99% of the info is here, I agree , some seem to be starting over again, Technique ? Yep same curry different results for me only because I'm still experimenting techniques etc..
I will be asking( as forcefully as i can for cooking lessons end of the summer season.)
CK i agree also my curries are 99% non failures now (our experience in cooking is helping ??).
Don`t give in Blondie i`ve got loads of recipes just ask they are much better than ever before now the base is right. ;D

One very notable thing ive noticed is not to cook the spices too high as they go bitter !!
You heat some oil & put a powder spice in it will stink !!

[merrybaker]

?Im just waiting for someone to find out that if you stand a paticular way in front of the cooker on one leg squeezing your ear makes all the difference

Nope, I tried that already.

[Mark J]

Just come back from my local BIR, they pump out the very thick strong smell into the street and it is gorgeous, I sat in there tonight trying to analyse the smell and the only thing I could come up with is onions.

I mentioned this idea a while ago and I think it has some merrit: http://www.madgeandgeoffrey.co.uk/plain_sauce.htm checkout the chefs tip at the bottom.

[DARTHPHALL]

Its very much like KD`S restaraunt secret recipe ain't it !
It does a good job in getting close to my local BIR (but lacking in "the taste " thats missing & we love it sooooo!!!).

[blade1212]

is reminds me of something........I made a Tarka Dal a few months ago and played around with the last bit where you add fried spices. I basically decided to use loads of fresh garlic, some onion and a couple of spices (small quantity) and my old favorite - ketchup. It had the taste. I'll dig out the recipe if anyone's interested.

The point is maybe the fried onion/garlic is a major factor. It kinda links to other posts about adding precooked onions. I've never bothered to try for curries before but this is starting to sound promising.

One other point when I made this recipe was when the ketchup hit the fried mixture, the 'smell/taste' hit my nostrils immediately. It was one of those 'FFS stunned moments'. The same feeling I got the first time I played Super Mario on an N64 and realised the 3D intro was the same as the game - you know the feeling - big smile, jaw drop moment

Anyway, please don't underestimate the ketchup - I got this tip from a Glasgow Restaurant owner a few years ago. I did try to pin him down on exact quantities and  procedure but he was very scant on detail. He also said they used a good 'vegetable curry powder' - never figured out what that was, but he did say you could use any kind. That seems consistent with other reports on here.

[blade1212]

Here is the Tarka Dal recipe I mentioned above.

https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=320.0