Topic: Spiced oil Madras.

[JerryM]

Secret Santa,

exactly it for me too. that difference in spicing is something i continually ponder.  i think it will be harder to crack even than madras. i'm no longer certain on the vinegar/lemon front though.

the only part i don't like of a vindaloo is the use of potato - we always asked for it to be left out.

very different amounts of tom puree unless masked out by the other ingredients in the vindaloo.

[Derek Dansak]

temporary patches like sugar or honey or golden syrup dont stand the test of time, from my experience. they are essentially only patches. the bir chef i know sees sweetness coming from ingredients like fennel, tomato, onions, not sugar. for me its a big step back adding sugar to e.g madras. try getting the sweetness from other ingredients , its alot better flavour.

[Razor]

Hi Derek,

I cant ever imagine a BIR chef using honey as a matter of course, just the expense alone would rule it out.  I just experimented with it and it give me a marked improvement from where I was at.  I agree, the natural sugars from onion and tomato is definately the way forward I just wonder how the bir's do this as it would prolonge the cooking time!  I assume then, that it must be a pre-cooked thing such as Panpot's Bunjara?, another thing that I haven't mastered lol.

Oh well, the quest continues

Ray

[Derek Dansak]

hi razor, yes banjurra paste is great stuff. i made some last week. i also let the onions in the base pre cook for a long time in some oil to bring out the sweetness, before adding the rest of the base ingredients.

[Razor]

Hi Derek,

That's interesting as I just usually boil the onions with the rest of the ingredients.  So how long would you suggest frying the onions for and in how much oil before adding everything else?

I am currently using the Kushi base which requires 1kg of onions.  It's quite a versatile base which can be used for most curries except Korma but I wouldn't say that it is "sweet" to the taste.  Maybe your suggestion of frying the onions first will give it that sweetness in the background?

Ray

[Secret Santa]

the only part i don't like of a vindaloo is the use of potato - we always asked for it to be left out.

Oh, that's definitely down to personal taste then because, even though we know it shouldn't really be in there, I love the potato in a vindaloo.

[Curry Barking Mad]

I was told by my local chef why there are a couple of chunks of potato in a Vindaloo,
Its so the waiters can tell the difference between a Vindaloo and a Madras when the dishes leave the kitchen,
Just a thought.....

[Razor]

Ach mal,

That actually made me laugh out loud ;D No disrespect meant.  That would be so funny if that was true lol

Ray

[JerryM]

Razor/DD,

the onion frying is something i've never really felt worth the effort http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3366.0, http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=2672.msg23698#msg23698. i have used it Ivan Gough's AIR and have done a few trials. i use a lot more oil in the base (to reclaim) and feel it does the same trick providing the simmer is long enough (2 hrs). i also feel the bunjarra adds that little touch of caramelised onion too.

i guess DD must sort of make "hot dog" onions and then start the base for real. it would be interesting to know more about why DD makes time for the extra effort.

ps which is the kushi base - can't recall it yet i use the mix powder quite a lot (it's 1 of 3 i keep stocked LB & aka being the other 2).

[Derek Dansak]

i just fry the onions in 3rd of a cup of oil for 15 mins then commence the rest (spanish onions) . i dont cook the other ingredients that long after. the whole base is done in an hour. with a handblender for speed. it just brings out the natural sugars in onion. i dont use sugar or any similar stuff for curry. i want a truly authentic bir curry. not some anglosised version with sugar and worcester sauce.