Topic: my currys always look red

[boschwayne]

Hi everyone i would like to ask, how are Indian restaurant Curry's always a browny color, i have done a few of the base sauces and made a good lot of the curries on this site, turned out fantastic this site is brilliant. but my curries always seem to be a red or orange color, what do you add to make them the dark browny color like in the Indian restaurants etc  thanks boschwayne .   

[Whandsy]

Hi boschwayne
In my experience pal you should have a gravy that starts out somewhere between yellow and orange. When this is added to the curry pan it should mix in with the tomato puree (if you're adding it) and as this cooks down, it naturally darkens to brown.

It doesn't really matter as long as it tastes good though 

Wayne

[martinvic]

Just thought it funny how this is the exact opposite of Emin-J's problem here
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=7502.msg65346#msg65346

Maybe you could compare notes.

Martin

[976bar]

Hi Boschwayne,

Firstly, where are you from? I find in the south east a lot of the curries are a red/orange/yellow colour. The only time I find a brownish colour in a curry is when meat is used rather than chicken or prawn. (i.e. meat bhuna, lamb madras etc).

Food colouring plays a big role in Indian restaurant cooking depending on the region and customers expectations.

Personally, I wouldn't worry about colouring at this stage if you are just starting off. The key is to get the flavour right to suit you're palate by experimenting with all that's available to you on this forum in terms of taste, texture and the right consistency for each dish that you would buy from a restaurant. When you have exactly what you love, then start exploring further with colour. Don't be put off with the colour of what you are producing right now.

Enjoy you're exploration and have fun with this