Burning Helps

[snowdog]

I bet they'd say, to a man, that that's the way they were taught

If you watch normal British-food chefs on TV, sometimes the explanations for techniques they use are completely wrong (and different each time one of them tries to explain it). They often resort to folklore-ish explanations.

Meat is a prime example. Some say sealing prevents loss of the juices, whilst others state that this is complete rubbish. Tests show that it IS complete rubbish, but most still do it citing that explanation.

And seasoning meat is another one. Some say season before cooking, and others say do it after because it will cause juices to be lost. Personally, I've found seasoning before cooking gives a better flavour (British dishes, here) and doesn't cause it to suddenly turn into powder but if I forget it hardly matters.

I can't see Indian chefs being any different really

[Yousef]

I have seen the chefs using a big bowl of what i think is lemon juice next to pan which they flick onto the dish whilst it is cooking, this goes up in the 2 foot flames you see when watching them cook.

stew

[Ian S.]

If I've interpreted a comment made on Saturday Kitchen correctly, it's liquid added to hot oil which causes the ignition.  So a runny curry base hitting very hot oil may do it.  Or, as Stew suggests, a squirt of lemon juice at the right time.

The only time a pan's gone up in flames when I've cooked before - and this was by accident - was when I was frying some mushrooms in a saucepan for a fry-up.  I like to fry them whole but without the stalks, open side up so that the juice collects inside.  But I left them too long, tipped the pan and the juice spilled out of the mushrooms and hit the hot oil - woof!  Up it went.

I really want to flame my curry pan, 'cos I need to know if it makes a difference. But when I try I just end up with curry sauce all over the hob.  My pan is too big and deep I think, but I'm getting a new one shortly.

[merrybaker]

The only time a pan's gone up in flames when I've cooked before - and this was by accident - was when I was frying some mushrooms in a saucepan for a fry-up.

I had a horrifying experience a few weeks ago.  I was deep-frying sliced ladyfingers/okra, and when I put them into the hot oil, the oil instantly bubbled up like a cauldron from hell!  Only the fact that I was using a very deep pot kept the oil from overflowing and instantly catching fire.  I was paralyzed with fear, and even as I type this I shudder to think how bad it might have been.

I don't recall if the final dish had that smoky taste or not. 

-Mary

[Ashes]

15 yrs ago when I arrived in Sweden my wife and I lived in a really small flat, we had virtually no cooking equipment except a 2 ring hob and a portable grill.. I remember grilling some bacon and didnt bother to clean the grill pan. The next time I put the grill onthe pan got really hot and smokey.. realising my mistake I immediately put the grill pan under the tap and almost recieved 3 degree burns on my face..It happened so quickly.. almost like a firework exploding, a large sheet of flame around my head. Now we have "real" cooker with an extraction fan.. which means I have to be even more careful not to get those 2 foot flames. Id love to test it out though