Topic: Cooking Lessons with Az

[curryhell]

Well, here goes guys.  I hope some of it helps

A week today five of us set off for Zaal

[Whandsy]

Heh Heh

Cracking post that CH, can't wait to get going again. Which dish are you gonna try and replicate next??

W

[Ian S.]

Another good read, CH, and especially useful, I would think, for other members of the forum who use electric hobs and who haven't tried this technique yet. I especially like the part where you explain and describe your own criteria for recognising the 'singeing window'.

And didn't Winnie also say: "We shall curry on to the end, we shall singe in Essex, we shall singe on the gas and the electric hobs, we shall singe with growing confidence and growing vapours in the air"? ;D

Are there any more videos from the Zaal session we can look forward to, guys?

Cheers

Ian
--

[curryhell]

Heh Heh

Cracking post that CH, can't wait to get going again. Which dish are you gonna try and replicate next??

W

Whandsy, i'm all curried out now.  I've seen and eaten enough phall this week to last me for at least a month ;D Well, mabe until Friday anyway :.  I can't wait to tuck in to boring roast pork.  No stress involved in that.
As i've said,  I will  persevere with Az phall as it is my favourite dish after the North Indian Special and when you get it rights, it's superb.  For me now,it's all about getting it right consistently and i think that will require a little practice   Good luck with your efforts and hope you get the experience very soon

[curryhell]

Thanks Ian.

Another good read, CH, and especially useful, I would think, for other members of the forum who use electric hobs and who haven't tried this technique yet. I especially like the part where you explain and describe your own criteria for recognising the 'singeing window'.

Believe me I only wish there was such a tool as a singeing gauge .  Life would be so much easier .  But until there is I'll just have to rely on developing my "eye and feel".  But if anybody has any suggestions how else i can achieve this with less risk, please post them up.  Any suggestion will be considered :

And didn't Winnie also say: "We shall curry on to the end, we shall singe in Essex, we shall singe on the gas and the electric hobs, we shall singe with growing confidence and growing vapours in the air"? ;D

Classic ;D  I hadn't thought of adapting that one

Are there any more videos from the Zaal session we can look forward to, guys?

I think Solarspace has yet to post JB's bhuna exploits and i really don't know what other footage there might be.  Maybe Russ will let us know.  I was hoping to see footage of the spices being singed before we added them to the gravy pot   If there is any???

[Peripatetic Phil]

Good analytical thinking, CH, and many congratulations on your success.  Just one query, if I may ?  When you write of cooking on electric (as I do : halogen & induction), what exactly do you mean by "On went the hob set at mark 5" ?  "Gas Mark 5" I am familiar with, but what is "Mark 5" on an electric hob ?

** Phil.

[curryhell]

Good analytical thinking, CH, and many congratulations on your success.  Just one query, if I may ?  When you write of cooking on electric (as I do : halogen & induction), what exactly do you mean by "On went the hob set at mark 5" ?  "Gas Mark 5" I am familiar with, but what is "Mark 5" on an electric hob ?

** Phil.

Cheers Phil.  I obviously didn't explain that bit too well, did i.  My cooker has plates rather than the old conventional ring elements. Nothing like your modern day halogen induction all signing and dancing kit.  The hot plate dials have settings on them, 1 - 9, so i chose just over midway for  a more gentle crawl to the temperature before that singe occurred rather than a viscious one, if you know what i mean ;D

[Peripatetic Phil]

OK, now fully understood.  Three of my four zones are calibrated
from 1 to 9, but the fourth is calibrated from 1 to 5, so as I couldn't
be sure what the upper limit of yours was, I thought it best to ask !

** Phil.

[emin-j]

CH well done for finally reaching your Holy Grail  ;D
A couple of questions mate,do you think using veg ghee had anything to do with achieving 'the taste' and do you think you could repeat this again using veg oil 

[curryhell]

CH well done for finally reaching your Holy Grail  ;D
A couple of questions mate,do you think using veg ghee had anything to do with achieving 'the taste' and do you think you could repeat this again using veg oil 

Hi emin-j.  I don't think the veg ghee has anything to do with "the taste".  It's just  a medium for frying the spices.  Obviously it will have an affect on the overall flavour of the dish but to what degree i cannot say at this point.  I believe the same result could have been achieved and is regularly by using ordinary cooking oil.