Topic: Hi from another newbie

[scrufts]

Hi,
just joined - what a site!
I've recently been experimenting with "The Curry Secret" book and am hungry for more!
The only problem I have is that when cooking basic sauce it stinks the house out for ages!
Any suggestions rather than cans of air freshner?
regards
Scrufts

[Curry King]

Hi, welcome aboard,

I think a few people on here tried using a pressure cooker but personaly I love the smell of a big vat of base sauce bubbling away on the cooker, lovely 

[raygraham]

Hi Scrufts,

Welcome to the site and hope you gain loads and keep us informed of your cooking exploits.

My advice is to either cook it all at a friends house or if you have a partner get the divorce papers in FIRST!!!!!

Other than that the smell is just a by-product of the wonderful food you are creating (use this excuse when in trouble) and otherwise can't really be avoided.

Regards and good cooking.

Ray G.

[blade1212]

If you fry the onions first, the smell is less brutal than the boiled onion bases. There area few recipes on here that work ok.

[scrufts]

Thanks for the advice - personally I don't mind the smell - it's she who must be obeyed. To save further aggro, I have my own cupboard in the kitchen for storing my spices etc. also got a Tesco value non stick wok for a fiver which is ideal for the final "cook off".If all else fails I'll retreat to the caravan!

[Yellow Fingers]

If all else fails I'll retreat to the caravan!

A caravan! Luxury. In my day it was the shed or nothing.? ?

[raygraham]

The only problem I have is that when cooking basic sauce it stinks the house out for ages!
Any suggestions rather than cans of air freshner?
Scrufts

To be more positive with a suggestion what about making up a larger volume all at once. Darthphalls base is well worth a try and makes enough to feed the 5000!
You will instantly cut out the grief from the missus by 75% at least. Bliss!!
I also found "100 Best Balti" base (in the recipe sections) less pungeant as the onions are fried and smell less "raw" when cooking. In fact any recipe which uses fried onions at the start is somehow less smelly.

Ray

[Angelina]

I cant understand all this, are you saying that blokes cook??

Wow if I came home to find a cooking smell coming from my house i'd be over the moon!!

Anyway I love the smell of good food, too many people just 'warm things up' these days.  If you are going to go to all this trouble, then let the neighbours smell it and be jealous!  ;D

[raygraham]

I cant understand all this, are you saying that blokes cook??

Hi Angelina,

Yes, sorry to burst your bubble but blokes do whip their wok out more than you think, particularly on this site!!. I do nearly all the cooking in our house but don't mind cos I love love it. I guess you have a fella who doesn't! Never mind, give him a few of the curries from this site and he will soon get the bug like the rest of us!

Ray

[scrufts]

Hello Angelina,

Strange but true - blokes can cook!
I enjoy cooking and it gives my dear wife a break. My crowning glory to date was cooking a christmas turkey for her by 08.00 in the morning (she was on an early shift).
Much as she likes a curry its the smell that lingers for days afterwards that bothers her. I love it - if I got the chance I'd have a ruby every other day (!)
She's keen on me learning the ropes - after all why pay out ?25 quid for a take out when you can do it yourself?
The only thing I have to work on is not to make the kitchen look like a bombsite afterwards