Topic: Curryheads "Madras 2011"

[Stephen Lindsay]

Not an a-b comparison by any manner of means but I bought a Chicken Madras this evening from a newly opened local takeaway. I had a starter of Mixed Pakora which was 10 out of 10 thus my hopes for the Madras were high. Not so! The Taz Madras that I have now cooked 3 times beat their Madras hands down!

[emin-j]

For all those who don't believe that the spices cook with the reduction method I'll tell you something I observed:

When I last made a batch of spiced oil and onion/pepper paste I used an oil thermometer throughout the process. We are talking here of 2 litres of oil containing loads of onions, some peppers, whole garlic cloves and 6 tablespoons of spice mix.

During 2 hours of cooking for which the spices were in for the last hour, the oil temperature never exceeded 105 degrees C.  Were the spices cooked? They had virtually disappeared leaving only about a tablespoon of red grit at the bottom of the pan. Nothing was burned either, the red grit remaining tasted pretty yummy.

I've searched high and low on the internet for a definition of what temperature is required to cook spices but come up with nothing. It seems that nobody has published the science of this subject.

Paul

PaulP, As I see it you were still cooking the Spices in Oil not Curry Base as the reduction method calls for.

[PaulP]

True emin-j - I don't have the answer to this one. Like I say very little seems to be published in English about cooking spices. At least in a detailed scientific way.

Paul

[mickdabass]

@ 976bar,

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm a bit disappointed my 200 quid blender couldn't do any better than my cheap Braun stick blender. In fact although it is very powerful the blade is not as sharp as my Braun. It would be fine without those coriander seeds!

another ?75 and you could have bought a tandoor  ;D

[PaulP]

Well I gave it a reblend the following morning using full power and it did the job in a few minutes. I was worried about using it on full power the first time in case I spilt 6 litres of boiling hot base onto myself.

I then made a madras this time using 1 tablespoon of Deggi Mirch chilli powder and this time it was about as hot as I would expect a madras to taste.

Little bit of ring sting this morning though. 

[gazman1976]

haha thats when u know you have had a good madras paul lol

[PaulP]

haha thats when u know you have had a good madras paul lol

It won't stop me eating the rest of it when I get home from work, hopefully in about 2 hours time.

 

[PaulP]

Last night I had another go at a basic madras.

I got quite an improvement by ditching the deggi mirch. I used some extra hot chilli powder (TRS I think) and it tasted much better. IMO the deggi mirch takes me away from the BIR taste I'm looking for.

Ingredients:

Salt
2.5 tsp Taz mix powder
2 tsp Hot chilli powder
1 tsp methi leaves
2 large garlic cloves finely chopped
1 tbs tom puree
4-5 drops jif lemon juice

Also, having no pre-cooked chicken I put the raw chicken into the wok after the first reduction stage and sealed the chicken with the reduced ingredients before adding the second lot of base. This seems to give the chicken a good flavour.

A very enjoyable curry.

Cheers,

Paul

[Ramirez]

Also, having no pre-cooked chicken I put the raw chicken into the wok after the first reduction stage and sealed the chicken with the reduced ingredients before adding the second lot of base. This seems to give the chicken a good flavour.

Interesting you should mention that, because having used both raw and pre-cooked Ashoka chicken with this recipe, I thought that the raw chicken gave a much more desirable taste.

[Willyeckerslike]

Last night I had another go at a basic madras.

I got quite an improvement by ditching the deggi mirch. I used some extra hot chilli powder (TRS I think) and it tasted much better. IMO the deggi mirch takes me away from the BIR taste I'm looking for.

I have just been to Sheffield to get some deggi mirch to see if it improves it!! I previously used extra hot chilli powder ;D

I guess I will find out tomorrow 

Will