Topic: How do you stop your curries all tasting too similar?

[peshwarinaan]

Recently I've been getting a bit bored of my own curries - not because they're bad, but because they all taste quite similar.

Obviously I don't mean my korma tastes the same as my madras, however I do find that my curries tend to fall within two or three groups, flavour-wise:

* Creamy (korma, some chasni, CTM, makhani etc)
* Tomatoey/rich (rogan josh, madras, bhuna, dopiaza, jalfrezi, jaipuri, karahi, balti)
* Sharp/tangy (achari, some chasni)

Even when I try to vary the flavours by adding more of a certain element (e.g. peppers) the underlying curry itself still tastes pretty similar.

To my palate, a bhuna can taste almost identical to a karahi, which can be only slightly different from a jaipuri/jalfrezi, which can be almost identical to a balti, and a madras is like a hotter rogan josh.

Does anyone have any techniques they use to really make each curry stand out?

How do the restaurants do it?

[livo]

They probably use a very bland base gravy (or several different ones) and rely heavily on variation of the spices and other ingredients that go into the pan at first stage.  I have experienced your problem myself with the BIR method, even though it makes excellent curry.  If I make a particular base gravy and mixed powder as specified by a grouped list of recipes, and use them for 10 different dishes, they will all have the same undertone of flavour.  This is unavoidable really.  I specifically like to make "weak" base gravy, when I'm making mild curries.   If you don't, they will taste the same.  I make mixed powder, but I'm finding that I use less and less of it, when it gets down to making the variation of dishes I want.

I currently have 3 different Mixed Powders in my spice cupboard, 4 or 5 different curry powders from a packet and 4 or 5 different types of chilli powder.  I have just found the delight of Deghi Mirch, although I've known about it for years and had the unopened pack in my reserve box for quite a while.  If you want things to taste different, you have to mix it up.

Hotel style uses up to 7 different gravies, alone and in combination, but that isn't the BIR method.  Base gravy, mixed powder, a few different spices and pre-cooked chicken (or lamb).  Chilli heat is the major variation that occurs in some lines and then you have the 3 types you've outlined.

The thing is that the local T/A is counting on not too many people coming back too regularly and, if they only go back every second week and have a favourite dish, they're going to be happy every time.  This is especially applicable to people who have never tried to cook for themselves.

[Peripatetic Phil]

I don't know, PWN, because I have experienced the same phenomenon myself, but once again it is good to see questions last asked a decade ago being asked again today — such questions, more than anything else, will help to keep this forum alive and vibrant.  One thing you might like to try, however, is to use Bassar curry masala where a recipe calls for hot chilli powder — that should clearly differentiate your new version from your old.
--
** Phil.

[peshwarinaan]

They probably use a very bland base gravy

You're right. I've asked for a portion of base gravy from my local and it tasted really very bland, just like a basic vegetable soup. Hardly a trace of spice or anything else. It was also very light yellow in colour which I imagine means it goes into all curries including the mildest.

I make mixed powder, but I'm finding that I use less and less of it

Interestingly I've always found mixed powder a bit of a questionable ingredient. I'm in Scotland and I believe there's a theory that Scottish BIR doesn't use any mixed powder at all - or at least uses it sparingly. From my personal experience recreating dishes I would say that's true. Scottish BIR more heavily on richness from fat and condiments (and food colouring).

I have just found the delight of Deghi Mirch

I thought it was just like a mixture of paprika and regular chilli powder, no? Does it taste noticeably different?

Hotel style uses up to 7 different gravies

I've seen many videos of hotel style cooking but have yet to try any because of the amount of prep. The yellow gravy does look very close to a regular BIR base gravy . The makhani gravy and chop masala I could see being used in BIR places, but again maybe not Scottish ones?

The YouTube channel "Travels in India, London & the UK" has plenty of videos of London restaurants using Indian-style gravies, though.

One thing you might like to try, however, is to use Bassar curry masala where a recipe calls for hot chilli powder

I remember trying it years ago and finding it too overpowering, but maybe I used too much. I could definitely see how it would provide a different, poignant taste though.

[peshwarinaan]

A few other thoughts: I had a "real" (takeaway) bhuna tonight for the first time in a while and I was pretty shocked at the difference between it and my recent home-made curries.

The takeaway bhuna was thinner and wetter than I make my own. Not too much floating oil, but the container was stained plenty well which probably means there was lots of oil mixed in with the base.

The taste was the real interesting part. Compared to my own version it was much less rich in flavour. Instead there was a pronounced kind of sourness and a kind of sharp, tangy feeling to it. Not quite like lemon juice, but almost. My own curries definitely don't have this sourness. I'm thinking the key difference was maybe tomatoes. I tend to use tomatoes straight from the tin. Maybe I should be blending them with plenty of water and perhaps try adding methi and garlic like I've seen Latif's Inspired (YouTube) do.

The smell of the curry was also less rich than my own - dare I say mine might even smell better than this one did - however there's definitely still something missing from my own which I still can't identify. You know when you get poppadoms and the bag is all oily? There's a smell to the bag (or that oil) which I think I can also detect in the curry. Maybe they're using reclaimed fryer oil which they've previously used to fry the poppadoms. We all know that onion bhaji and pakora oil is used in a lot of curries but this smelled different. I would love to know what takeaways do with the "regular" fryer oil (chips etc.) - I can't believe they all just chuck it out.

[livo]

My understanding of Deggi Mirch is a that it is indeed a blended product, using selected and controlled varieties of chilli to produce a very consistent and reproducible powder for market under the MDH brand.  I just found the dishes I made using it the other night didn't just have chilli heat, but a very pleasant and enjoyable flavour associated directly to the chilli. To me it really stood out as a noticeable difference when compared to just using say KRCP or Mild CP.