Topic: Which benchmark should we use to measure our curry cooking success?

[Cory Ander]

Apart from the obvious (i.e. that we like it, which is fair enough!), how do we otherwise best determine/benchmark how our BIR curry cooking exploits are going?

Assuming that we'd like to reproduce the taste, texture and smell of our favourite British Indian Restaurant curries (which might not apply to everyone), which of their curries should we attempt to replicate and compare ours to?

Is it their madras (or vindaloo, phal, or other hot curries)?  I don't think so.  The taste is influenced by the addition of chilli, etc.  This rules madras (or similar curries) out as a suitable benchmark.

Is it their korma (or passanda or other mild curries)?  I don't think so; the taste is influenced by the addition of cream, nuts, etc.  This rules korma (or similar curries) out as a benchmark.

My view is that we should compare it to the simplest. least adulterated curry that they make.  To my mind this is their basic "meat/chicken curry".  The taste, texture and smell of this is simply a combination of their curry base, minimal additional spicing and cooking technique.  They add very few other ingredients that mask the taste, texture and smell.

So, in my opinion, when we are appraising our BIR curry cooking capabilities, we should be comparing it to their basic meat/chicken curry (or, at least, some other simple and unadulterated BIR curry).

What do other members think (I often see their madras proposed which, I think, is largely inappropriate)?

[JerryM]

CA,

interesting idea. how to benchmark for me would need to offer some benefit. i'd love to establish a BIR map or jigsaw and identify how big the evelope is across the members. not easy to do though - effectively a condensed version of the site.

i guess starting with one dish as u say is at least a starting point. i'd even say leave the meat out.

[George]

Is it their korma (or passanda or other mild curries)?  I don't think so; the taste is influenced by the addition of cream, nuts, etc.  This rules korma (or similar curries) out as a benchmark.

How can that be right? My BIR benchmarks are the best dishes I've tasted in BIRs.  I've tasted BIR kormas which are better than any kormas I've ever made. It's mainly the overall flavour which impressed me. That's what I'm trying to emulate.

Similarly with each of the other dishes including pilau rice, samosas,  naan bread and chicken dhansak. My benchmark in each case is the best I've ever tasted, generally from different restaurants. It helps, of course, where the restaurants are local and still serve the dishes. My memory of the taste of a superb meat samosa I enjoyed in India over 10 years ago, is a bit more hazy and it's almost impossible to buy a serving to compare with what I try and produce at home these days.

 

[Gezh]

But who ever orders a "chicken curry"? In all the years I've been going out to eat or ordering a take away, I can't remember anyone ordering that, even though it's always on the menu.

Some people know they like heat and go for the obvious ones. Some are new to curry, and go for creamy, mild, fruity ones, or house specials which always appeal to first timers. I would imagine a plain chicken curry to be rather bland (especially if it's just base sauce with minimal additions).

I think your benchmark should be what your favourite dish is... and if that happens to be the standard chicken curry, then fine!

[Stephen Lindsay]

This is a very interesting question, perhaps a seemingly simple question but one where the answers are complex, perhaps even infinitely complex. I think the notion of a benchmark is a complicated one for the following reasons:

a "benchmark" is a standard by which something can be judged and I have underlined three words in this definition which I will take in turn.

OK so we are talking about a standard, that is, something considered by an authority or by general consent as a basis of comparison; an approved model. I don't believe there is such a thing when it comes to curries and this is evident in the difference in quality amongst takeaways in the UK which can vary from the sublime to the ridiculous. For sure there are many people on this site chasing a standard but to be a little "zen" for a moment, the journey may be as important as the destination. I for one don't have a specific benchmark and this topic has made me wonder why that is the case. I don't have a favourite curry house, though there are several in my home town that I like and one in Edinburgh that I always go to. I don't have a favourite curry either. I like madras, bhuna, pathia, korma etc and I usually don't know what I'm going to order when I go into a BIR. I think I've eaten enough curries over the last 30 years to know the difference between a good one and not. A common experience for me when I go to a restaurant (BIR and other cuisine) is to be largely unimpressed when others are raving and I come away thinking, "yeah that was OK but nothing that I couldn't do at home". I don't think I'm a food snob and I'm not claiming to be Jean Christophe Novelli either. It's just that my threshold sets my standard.

The something is what CA is referring to, i.e. which particular curry should be the benchmark? He is suggesting for example that a madras is not suitable because of the chilli element. Therefore the something has so many variables which makes pinning down the standard very difficult.

Lastly there is the notion of judging. Some think a madras should have lemon juice and others think this is sacrilege.

Maybe I should think about setting a benchmark for myself, e.g. make a pathia every week for the next six months, using a different base/recipe. Do I have the appetite to do so though? I'm not sure but it's an interesting thread all the same.

[Cory Ander]

interesting idea. how to benchmark for me would need to offer some benefit

The clear benefit is that you can simply determine how good the combination of your curry base and cooking technique is. 

If you can't cook a replica basic BIR meat/chicken curry, then you're missing something, in my opinion.  It's about the most unadulterated BIR curry that you can get.

[Cory Ander]

How can that be right? My BIR benchmarks are the best dishes I've tasted in BIRs.

I think you're missing my point George. 

Of course we wish to reproduce our favourite curries but those curries often have so many other ingredients in them that they can conceal the basic constituents of a BIR curry - namely the curry base and the cooking technique.  Without them being right the subsequent curries are unlikely to be right.  Hence the REAL test of whether we can faithfully reproduce decent BIR curries is whether or not we can reproduce the simplest ones.

I take your point about the other types of dishes (e.g. rice), of course, where the curry base plays no part.

[Cory Ander]

But who ever orders a "chicken curry"?

I think you're also missing my point Gezh.  This is about testing whether or not we have the basics in place (i.e. curry base and cooking technique) for making BIR curries.

[Cory Ander]

a "benchmark" is a standard by which something can be judged and I have underlined three words in this definition which I will take in turn.

Nice post Stephen, your definition is a good one thanks 

But I really don't think it's complex.  I'm simply saying the best test of whether or not we can truly emulate BIR curries is whether or not we can cook their simplest (most unadulterated) curries.

This distills the comparison down to the absolute basics (i.e. curry base, minimal spicing and cooking technique).

I'm surprised that people are having a problem with the concept 

[Cory Ander]

OK so we are talking about a standard, that is, something considered by an authority or by general consent as a basis of comparison; an approved model. I don't believe there is such a thing when it comes to curries and this is evident in the difference in quality amongst takeaways in the UK which can vary from the sublime to the ridiculous.

I'm not talking about any universal standard here Stephen.  It's something you set yourself based on the BIRs that you're trying to emulate (in your case, the sublime BIR rather than the ridiculous BIR, of course).

The something is what CA is referring to, i.e. which particular curry should be the benchmark? He is suggesting for example that a madras is not suitable because of the chilli element. Therefore the something has so many variables which makes pinning down the standard very difficult

Precisely!