Topic: Hello from a newbie

[JayR]

Hi all,
Just stumbled upon this forum by chance and must say it looks really active and full of useful info .
I have been cooking curries since I was a kid and can safely say I'm addicted
I do have one question as there seems to be so many different suggestions in books and websites etc etc about how to add spices during the cooking stage.... should you add different spices at different stages?  Apparently some spices can burn before others. Just wondering what people's thoughts on this were as most advice seems to say throw in all your spices together?
My preference is to infuse asafoetida and whole spices like clove and cinnamon in the hot ghee or oil right at the  beginning, then your puree, then spices like chilli and coriander for a short while, with aromatic spices like turmeric and cumin going in last, then your gravy/yoghurt etc etc.
cheers
Jay

[Unclebuck]

Hi JayR welcome aboard

[JerryM]

Just wondering what people's thoughts on this were as most advice seems to say throw in all your spices together?

it may be worth a new post - no existing post that i know of would answer.

i've not used asafoetida but thinking of buying some. i only "infuse with whole spices" when making a base. i use reclaimed oil so don't need extra flavour and go straight for garlic/ginger paste into the oil at the beginning of cooking. i then put all the spices in at the same time along with the puree.

i think methi is prone to burning and is best put in just before the base (SnS suggestion). i've not come across anything else which needs special treatment. i always water the tom puree and this is pretty much fool proof in preventing burning.

[SnS]

Hi Jay

Welcome to the forum.

Just a few points about frying spices.

Many spice powders and seeds need frying to remove the 'rawness' and release flavour. Seeds generally need a lot longer cooking than the powdered form.

Some spices really shouldn't be fried at all - or only for a very short period (eg: chilli powder, garam masala).

Some whole spices should not 'generally' be fried - particularly 'sweet spices' (eg: cloves, nutmeg, mace, etc). Frying changes the taste - often to a bitter one. These are best added after the frying process (added to liquid).

SnS 

[JayR]

Thanks for the welcome & replies on spice frying

I've just remembered one of my sources for adding different spices at different stages in the cooking process... this is the Camellia Panjabi book of 50 great curries.  I know this is authentic curry cooking, but all the same there is more detail in there about how to cook different spices than any other book I've come across. 

As you say, perhaps I should start another thread elsewhere to see what people think

thanks
Jay