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

[peterandjen]

Ive got to admit, the first Indian takeaway i can remember was a bog-standard chicken curry, complete with a couple of bay leaves floating on the top ;D . I do like them and it would make a change from grinding up half a dozen spice mixes and caramelising onions, to just make a simple curry.
I just have a question or two.
Would it be better for everyone to stick to the same base and go from there?
Or
Do we make it a personal choice thing, where we all do our own thing and go from there?
If its the latter then i agree we will all profit from our own efforts, but for posting results we'll not get anywhere, we all have different ideas/tastes and it will turn into just another ongoing rant by all as to who has the best recipe rofl.
Its a shame there's not a universal taste translator we could download lol

[Stephen Lindsay]

This post seems to have generated a good deal of interest, debate and, it appears, a willingness in some members (even me maybe) to go for CA's idea of nailing a basic curry. Have you noticed though that in the main recipe section there is no space for such a curry? Could that be rectified CA?

[Stephen Lindsay]

And another thing - what do members think this curry is called?

I for one would call this a "medium" curry.

[Stephen Lindsay]

Me again. Have just checked a menu for the "Gulistan" which is a pretty well thought of place in Dundee and they are calling it just "curry" as is the Ashoka menu.

[Stephen Lindsay]

OK I've just checked Bruce Edwards' Curry House Cookery update and this is his recipe for a "standard" or "medium" curry.

Ingredients

1 Cook's spoon (about 4 tbsp) oil
a little finely sliced red or green pepper (or both)
1 tsp. spice mixture
1/4 tsp. chilli
1/4 tsp dried fenugreek leaves
2 pinches salt
1 portion (7 oz.) curry gravy (see BE recipe in base section)
cooked meat or chicken
coriander leaves

Method


- heat the oil in a frying pan and add the sliced pepper
- when this starts to sizzle, add the spice mixture, chilli, fenugreek leaves and salt
- add them all at once or in quick succession otherwise the first in the pan may start to burn
- stir the contents of the pan for a few seconds, then add the curry gravy and mix well
- next some meat and a little of the sauce it was cooked in and stir well
- simmer for two or three minutes, a lot of oil will rise to the surface
- this can be spooned off before you add the coriander leaves and serve

Spice Mixture (by volume)

8 parts ground coriander
7 parts ground turmeric
5 parts ground cumin
4 parts curry powder
4 parts paprika (optional for colour only)

[Stephen Lindsay]

Phew!

I went to the trouble of typing the previous post when I should just have done this:

http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=2815.0

[George]

Ive got to admit, the first Indian takeaway i can remember was a bog-standard chicken curry...Would it be better for everyone to stick to the same base and go from there?
Or
Do we make it a personal choice thing, where we all do our own thing and go from there?
Its a shame there's not a universal taste translator we could download lol

Me too - my first curries were cut price lunch time dishes and very tasty, too.

I don't see how we can work as a team, somehow comparing results, unless we get together, and hardly anyone expresses any interest in that, so we remain on a hiding to nothing, all in our own little worlds. Pictures aren't even 5% helpful. It's taste and smell which count and you can't get that from photos posted here.

[emin-j]

I think it a much better way to ' Master ' one dish at a time rather than " Jack of all Curries master of none " 

[Cory Ander]

And another thing - what do members think this curry is called?

I for one would call this a "medium" curry.

I think it is generally in the BIR menu section called "medium curries" (rather than "very mild", "mild", "fairly hot", "very hot", etc) and otherwise simply called "meat curry", "chicken curry", "prawn curry", "vegetable curry", "meat and mushroom curry", etc.

I'm sure Admin could add a "curry" section to the main recipes.

[Cory Ander]

I think it a much better way to ' Master ' one dish at a time rather than " Jack of all Curries master of none " 

but you're missing the point eminj....oh, never mind.....   :  (where is the "scream" icon!)

To my mind, making a curry is like making a house.  It's built in layers, starting with firm foundations (compare to the curry base).  Without firm foundations, the house will be crap. 

A basic curry is like a basic house, it has minimal architecture (compare with additional spicing) and is dependent on basic building skills (compare with cooking technique).  Without basic building skills the house will be crap. 

If you can build a house, you might be able to build a block of flats which has additional architecture and materials (compare to a madras).  If you can't build a house (because your foundations and building skills are crap) your block of flats will be crap.

So you need to ensure that your foundations and basic building skills are in place before you go building flats, skyscrapers, etc.

Haha, still with me!   

Now my head hurts!  Where's a wall...I want to bang my head on it!......   ;D