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Author Topic: Consensus - Best Practise  (read 10,660 times)

AI Summary
The discussion revolves around the community's varying experiences and techniques in achieving the ideal British Indian Restaurant (BIR) curry. Members express differing opinions on what constitutes a successful curry, with some reminiscing about flavors from the past and others sharing specific cooking techniques they believe enhance the final dish. While there is no definitive consensus on a single method or recipe, participants agree that traditional cooking methods and the ability to replicate flavors from earlier decades are key to improving their curry-making skills.

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Offline JerryM

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Consensus - Best Practise
« on: November 19, 2008, 06:12 PM »
a few recent post's have rattle me a bit - not personally but in terms of the members at large. the post's suggest we are all a million miles away from each other in what we do.

given we are all aiming for BIR and this is fairly consistent across (i do lie a little here but it help makes the case) the country then we should all be doing the same sort of things and getting the same results.

examples being using fresh oil to fry, and me not using methi when others swear by it (again i do lie a little as i mainly cook madras and methi for me has no part to play).

what really got me thinking is that secret santa feels he is only 80% there.

i think Bobby got the idea a while ago wanting to ask all the experienced members to put down their key requirements to success ie what they do from start to finish in making near perfect BIR.

it is hoped that this post may tease out these key requirements. i'll start with a few examples to kick off the little grey cells:

Frying technique:
1. Large spread of flame that covers the whole pan
2. Aluminium pan (or any pan that has very good heat conductivity)
3. Never letting the sauce burn or catch on the sides of the pan (hence the circular motion with the chef's spoon around the sides of the pan)
4. Reduction of the curry to a finished consistency by 3, 4 or 5 minutes of high heat.

i guess in short i'm asking for what members feel they are particularly good at and feels makes a big difference to their result.
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Offline Secret Santa

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Re: Consensus - Best Practise
« Reply #1 on: November 19, 2008, 08:09 PM »
Quote from: JerryM on November 19, 2008, 06:12 PM
what really got me thinking is that secret santa feels he is only 80% there.

The only reason for that Jerry is that I'm trying to recreate the curries I remember from before the early nineties and which have now, as far as I can tell, disappeared. The curries I now get in BIRs are uniformly third rate in comparison.

I know some people on here feel they are at about 95% BIR or better but they are trying to copy these more modern style curries. I got really frustrated at people's comments about how close they were getting to BIR style with the curries on this forum until I realised this fact. Up until that realisation I was examining every aspect of my curry making to determine what I was doing wrong when everyone else was apparently getting it right!

I really have no hope now of ever reproducing the taste I want, not least of all because I can no longer find any to remind me exactly what they used to be like. The one thing I do know however, is that I will instantly recognise the missing depth of flavour, savouriness and overpoweringly lovely aroma that accompanied them, if I ever do manage to find one.
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Offline matt3333

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Re: Consensus - Best Practise
« Reply #2 on: November 19, 2008, 08:54 PM »
How the hell can you remember the taste of curries eaten in the early 90s some 18years ago, I also enjoyed curries then but I struggle to recall the taste must be my age ;)
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Offline Bobby Bhuna

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Re: Consensus - Best Practise
« Reply #3 on: November 19, 2008, 10:28 PM »
Quote from: matt3333 on November 19, 2008, 08:54 PM
How the hell can you remember the taste of curries eaten in the early 90s some 18years ago, I also enjoyed curries then but I struggle to recall the taste must be my age ;)

Every psychologist knows that olfactory senses are by far the most reminiscent. I learned that in Psychology 101! I can't explain why you don't remember however. Had a hard hit on the head by a giant cardamom pod perhaps  ;D
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Offline joshallen2k

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Re: Consensus - Best Practise
« Reply #4 on: November 19, 2008, 11:21 PM »
I had a really good bacon sandwich, sometime in the early spring, 1986. White bread, a little crispy.

Haven't had had as good since.
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Offline JerryM

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Re: Consensus - Best Practise
« Reply #5 on: November 20, 2008, 07:40 AM »
Secret Santa's post clarifies his position and i don't feel there is much help collectively we can offer. i do know what he means having started on curry in 78. i'm lucky in that the restarants i frequented are still there (and very good) and an occasional one with the same management. here u can step back in time - well almost the wallpapers gone. the trick these days is in being able to find them as even when the same management exists the curries may have changed (there's a real good example where i live - real flashy place now, high prices, very poor food)

as for the rest of us it may be worth continuing.

i'll add my top 4 to add to the 4 above from Secret Santa.

1) adopt a stage 1 & stage 2 cooking for the base with the blending in between the stages. the crucial bit is stage 2 when water is added and the base fast simmered for a further 1 hr at least adding water as needed to maintain the original volume.
2) adopt the emulsification frying technique -make sure there is free water at the frying stage (don't cook the spices in oil alone as it's prone to burning)
3) add whole spices to the base in a cloth bag and remove before blending
4) use reclaimed oil for frying ie take some off before blending

i can probably find the existing relevant posts if needed.

the idea of the post is that if (and we have to assume so) we have all the jigsaw pieces on the site some members are bound to have a better handle on the pieces they've perfected. by sharing this perfection we can all collectively step up the ladder.
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Offline Unclebuck

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Re: Consensus - Best Practise
« Reply #6 on: November 20, 2008, 08:34 AM »
Quote from: joshallen2k on November 19, 2008, 11:21 PM
I had a really good bacon sandwich, sometime in the early spring, 1986. White bread, a little crispy.

Haven't had had as good since.

LOL
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Offline matt3333

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Re: Consensus - Best Practise
« Reply #7 on: November 20, 2008, 08:42 AM »
Quote from: Bobby Bhuna on November 19, 2008, 10:28 PM
Quote from: matt3333 on November 19, 2008, 08:54 PM
How the hell can you remember the taste of curries eaten in the early 90s some 18years ago, I also enjoyed curries then but I struggle to recall the taste must be my age ;)

Every psychologist knows that olfactory senses are by far the most reminiscent. I learned that in Psychology 101! I can't explain why you don't remember however. Had a hard hit on the head by a giant cardamom pod perhaps  ;D

Quite possible about the cardamon although I can't remember, look on the bright side at least I can enjoy my curries without worrying that they do not match up to something I ate 18yrs ago. ;D
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Offline Derek Dansak

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Re: Consensus - Best Practise
« Reply #8 on: November 20, 2008, 01:02 PM »
i totally agree secret santa. if i ever stumbled across that missing flavor, i would recognise it instantly. the acid test for me is this: taste the curry the next day cold. a real bir curry tastes amazing the next day cold. mine taste very very nice, but not quite the same. some of my curries have that essence of taste in the oily bits the next day. i am trying to work out how to increase this element. i must be getting very near. but still a little work to do yet. when i find how to get that taste i will shout eureka! sorry if this is off topic! 
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Online Yousef

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Re: Consensus - Best Practise
« Reply #9 on: November 20, 2008, 01:03 PM »
I think we could all learn something from the traditional cooking methods.
I am experimenting with traditional indian cooking at the moment and last night cooked a dish that contained no other spice but chilli powder and turmeric.

Yet when i had finished cooking the dish it was almost as good as any BIR curry that i am turning out with a base sauce...strange eh?

There is definatly something in adding water then reducing back to the consistancy you want, during this reduction process the magic happens.

Stew
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