To prove my point !!

[DARTHPHALL]

To prove the point that the taste is an ingredient, today i bought several dishes from my local BIR/Take-away.
& I'm glad i did because i now have proof  ;D ;D ;D
I was also very pleasantly surprised at how different every dish was i thought there would be a large similarity

Lasan Chicken ( Garlic Chicken ) quit dark dish , nice dish = no "taste".
Chicken Madras, OK dish = no "taste".
Bombay Allo ( Bombay Potato ) , very nice dish = no " taste". Cant remember which one i made but a recipe on this site for this dish is an exact copy ( weldone whoever it was !! ;D).
Chicken Vindalloo, my favorite dish = HAD THE TASTE !!!!
I believe i can copy all but the Vindalloo & Tindalloo because it is an ingredient or ingredients that is missing, or is someone going to tell me its a technique on those two dishes only !!
I can copy the Phall by using the recipe in P Chapmans book & adding more Chilies & a few other spices to give variation on the same theme.
One more thing the round Black seeds used in a lot of the Curries are Poppy seeds, took one out & tried it against several Black round seed types that i have in my Spice Cupboard.So another step forward.
For me personally only the Vindalloo & Tindallo are worth the effort, but everyone to their own .
In a week or so i will purchase several other dishes to carry on my experiments etc etc...muhahahahahah !!

DARTH mad scientist PHALL !!!!  ;D ;D ;D ;D

[Yellow Fingers]

Chicken Vindalloo, my favorite dish = HAD THE TASTE !!!!

Looking at the menus of some of the restaurants on their web sites, vindaloo is said to have more garlic, ginger and black pepper. Maybe it's not a missing ingredient in this particular case, just more of it,whichever it is? I'd go for lot's of extra garlic browned at the start as being the most likely source of the 'taste' in this case.

Also, of the non-creamy type curries the madras and vindaloo have to be the easiest to reproduce because they have very little extra added to the base sauce to make the curry. This is why I think a lot of people try really hard to copy the madras or vindaloo first, because they figure if they can't get that right they haven't much hope of copying the more spiced curries.

[pete]

One of the curries I always buy is vegetable vindaloo.
That has never failed to have the "taste"
I think the "taste" is chicken orientated and therefore part of the curry base
That's why you get the closest to a restaurant curry when making a chicken curry
and why you get frequently disappointed with veg curries

[DARTHPHALL]

The Madras tastes very much like the Phall down here , obviously not so hot but very savory flat like taste with some Fennel, Star Anise or Cassia Bark( don't know which one ).
Tried extra Garlic & its not that, its more of a very distinct smell thats really missing rather than taste.
Something else....Those little Chicken bits aren't in all of the Curries i bought..mainly the Vindalloo.
In fact i will say this i cant see why anyone cant copy any of the dishes apart from the V...
Now that Ive bought them & tasted them I can say Ive copied them one way or another.
But will also say that anything i cook is much better & i don't want to copy their dishes.
Now I'm even more sure you should try my DARTH-MASALA it leaves all but the Vin.../ Tin... miles behind.
Another good thing has come from it is the fact that my cooking has come to a point were i will one day stop going to my local because mines better in less than a year of being a member on this site I will buy their Nan Bread though !! mmm!!!
..Try my DARTH-MASALA ill say it again as i don't think anyone has yet, you are missing a good dish !!
I think the Vin is the most difficult to copy for me, but I'm close.
& i have to also say that the books Ive got are dam close.
Perhaps we are trying too hard.

[DARTHPHALL]

Forgot to ad ..Tandoori Chicken is in some of the dishes as well.

[Curry King]

Lasan Chicken ( Garlic Chicken ) quit dark dish , nice dish = no "taste".
Chicken Madras, OK dish = no "taste".
Bombay Allo ( Bombay Potato ) , very nice dish = no " taste". Cant remember which one i made but a recipe on this site for this dish is an exact copy ( weldone whoever it was !! ;D).
Chicken Vindalloo, my favorite dish = HAD THE TASTE !!!!

I think the only thing that proves is that your local takeaway isnt very good 

Ive gone through over half the menu at my local and every single curry has the taste.

[DARTHPHALL]

It depends on you personal perception of what the taste is i suppose.
I am looking for a specific taste & smell only found in the Vindalloo/Tindalloo, i agree the other dishes may not be up to much but my two faves are really nice, so for me that`ll do.
& i can copy the others spot on, but don't care much for them.
I do think I'm wasting my time here & i`m really trying to be an active positive member.

Here is a list of facts on how to get the taste

I think some of you would rather hear " I think it`s the smell of the Tandoor giving the taste"...

keep searching for the magical & mystical facts that go into Curry making & the Earth is flat !!!!

" you must wear Chef Whites to get the taste" that why you don`t get it at home, of course. ;D ;D ;D ;D

Sod logic " Blind faith & guess work for us eh " ? thats how you get the taste hehehehehe ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

All the best DARTH Heretic who follows logic PHALL  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[Curry King]

The forum of late seems to be covering the same old things regards "the taste".

Every other post is about the taste and the ones that arn't end up being about it, with just speculation and maybe's suggested.? As you say everyones perception of "the taste" is slightly different which is why I think were going round in circles.?

I think I can produce a restaurant tasting vindaloo, now if you've tried my method and didn't im either lying, your not making it right or my local takeaways produce crap vindaloo's so that to me mines better.? Ive never had a vindaloo with spring onion, tomato or fresh chilli(unless asked for) in for a start, you see what im saying.? To me a vinaldoo is prefried onion(one place i go to has this so optional), garlic & tom puree, base, chicken & potato, restaurant masala and chili powder with corriander thats it.? Theres no secret ingredient apart from a good base and spice mix.

I think the only way forward is to get more recipes from chefs, the more further afield the better, to get a bigger picture rather than guessing at some fabled secret method that NO ONE IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY SEEMS TO KNOW? ;D

Just to add, of the four places I order vindaloo 2 of them are better than mine without a doubt, one of them I would say about the same, it varies and the last place I prefer mine.? To me thats not bad going given that your average restaurant chef probably cooks more currys in a week than I have in the last 2 years!!

[bobby1]

darthphall i`m agree with you mate i like phall and hotter curries to but i would like to share recipes with you and keep contact awaell,what i don`t like is when people eat mild ones and they think they know it all.i`ve tried most of your recipes and i think there great keep up the good work mate. bobb1

[Curry King]

what i don`t like is when people eat mild ones and they think they know it all.

I bet it keeps you up at night with worry  :

Look jokes aside iv'e got nothing against really hot currys each to there own, I was in fact agreeing with Darth in that we each perceive "the taste" in a different way,? as in a recipe that works for one person may not work for someone else.? I was just making the point that the forum seems to be going round in circles with this whole quest for "the taste" rather than hunting down new recipes from geniune sources.?