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Author Topic: How do I make my curries VERY hot without them being bitter?  (read 13,204 times)

AI Summary
To achieve a very hot curry without bitterness, several participants suggest using techniques such as frying whole dried red chilies or making chili oil to infuse heat without the raw taste of chili powder. Some believe that BIRs (British Indian Restaurants) may use a combination of pre-fried chili powder and fresh chilies, while others recommend adding commercial hot sauces or chili pastes, although these can introduce unwanted flavors. The consensus leans towards experimenting with different methods, particularly the use of chili oil and pre-frying techniques, to balance heat and flavor effectively.

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Offline Cory Ander

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How do I make my curries VERY hot without them being bitter?
« on: October 17, 2009, 01:41 PM »
Hi all,

I have a bit of a problem. 

I love very hot curries (e.g phals).  But that's not my problem!  My problem is how to get the heat (i.e. piquancy) without getting the bitterness, "powderiness" or rawness associated with adding loads of chili powder (even extra hot) or fresh chilies (even habeneros) to a curry?

Do BIRs only add chili powder to get the heat/piquancy?  Or do they add some form of pre-fried paste?  Or do they add some type of commercial chili paste or sauce (I have seen BIRs use a chili paste.....which they gave to me to demonstrate how hot their phal might be)?

So how do they get lots of chili (i.e. heat/piquancy) into their curry without it being bitter, powdery or raw tasting?  Chili powder easily burns I find (and hence becomes bitter)

Do BIRs fry the chili powder (in oil, for example) beforehand? 

Do they use a blend of fresh chilies in oil/vinegar (maybe also precooked?)?

In short, how do BIRs make a phal?

Any advice and suggestions most welcome!
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Offline Mikka1

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Re: How do I make my curries VERY hot without them being bitter?
« Reply #1 on: October 17, 2009, 01:51 PM »
If I had just one dollar for every time I've asked myself that question. They always ask me how hot I want it here which is confusing so I tried something a bit different. I used commercial 'Hot Sauce'.

I'm not saying they do this but it was very close and simple to do on the fly. I added way too much and the vinegar from the sauce overpowered it just a little. But........ I had no lamb in the sauce cooking. Hopefully CA when I've made some of that spice oil posted here I'll finally get top/middle/bottom as regards taste at last.

Its always the middle taste that was missing from my cooking (most times) anyway.
I often thought............
If I could only make my curry smell and taste as good as my Bahjis, I'd be happy.

Becoming a bit of a limp wrist these days as regards heat myself. They tone it down a load unless I stipulate.

I'm sure its liquid based heat. Are they any chillies in that spice oil? I'll go look. Good post as usual CA.

Regards.





Quote from: Cory Ander on October 17, 2009, 01:41 PM
Hi all,

I have a bit of a problem. 

I love very hot curries (e.g phals).  But that's not my problem!  My problem is how to get the heat (i.e. piquancy) without getting the bitterness, "powderiness" or rawness associated with adding loads of chili powder (even extra hot) or fresh chilies (even habeneros) to a curry?

Do BIRs only add chili powder to get the heat/piquancy?  Or do they add some form of pre-fried paste?  Or do they add some type of commercial chili paste or sauce (I have seen BIRs use a chili paste.....which they gave to me to demonstrate how hot their phal might be)?

So how do they get lots of chili (i.e. heat/piquancy) into their curry without it being bitter, powdery or raw tasting?  Chili powder easily burns I find (and hence becomes bitter)

Do BIRs fry the chili powder (in oil, for example) beforehand? 

Do they use a blend of fresh chilies in oil/vinegar (maybe also precooked?)?

In short, how do BIRs make a phal?

Any advice and suggestions most welcome!
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Offline Secret Santa

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Re: How do I make my curries VERY hot without them being bitter?
« Reply #2 on: October 17, 2009, 07:26 PM »
Quote from: Cory Ander on October 17, 2009, 01:41 PM
So how do they get lots of chili (i.e. heat/piquancy) into their curry without it being bitter, powdery or raw tasting?  Chili powder easily burns I find (and hence becomes bitter)

I don't know how they do it, but I would use one the uber scoville rating sauces, which are sort of essence of chilli on steroids, because you don't get the thickening/powdery effect with these. There are some good ones on this page and you may be able to get 'em in Oz.

http://www.chilliworld.com/search/chilliworld_best_sellers/index.asp
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Offline parker21

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Re: How do I make my curries VERY hot without them being bitter?
« Reply #3 on: October 17, 2009, 08:02 PM »
hi CA have you tried my rajver phall sauce? the chef said if i wanted to make it hotter :o then fry some whole dried red chillies until they release their fumes remove them and put them on a paper towel to dry then they will crumble on top of the phall.

to make the phall sauce add 4-6 tbsp spoons of veg oil or curry oil, add  the garlic if you add the tom puree then the spices /chilli powder mix well return to the heat then add the curry gravy mix well then add a good squirt of lemon juice/dressing and a good sprinkle of coriander mix in leave to thicken and remove any excess oil that rises 1 min before the end add 3/4 tsp of butter ghee mix well and remove from the heat finish with another sprinkle of coriander cover and leave to rest for 5 minutes with a lid on  ;D

hope this helps CA!
regards
gary
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Offline Cory Ander

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Re: How do I make my curries VERY hot without them being bitter?
« Reply #4 on: October 18, 2009, 04:42 AM »
Thanks for the suggestions.

I've dabbled with extra hot chili sauces but, to my mind, they are similar to commercial curry pastes in that they also add a particular (unwanted) additional flavour (i.e. preservatives, acidity regulators, etc) which I have never detected in a BIR phal.

I've also added various fresh chilies (including habeneros) and find they also add a flavour which I have never detected in a BIR phal.

I've also played with dried chili flakes and dried chilies (similar, I suppose, to your suggestion about crumbling fried, dried, chilies Gary), but I've never seen parts of chilies in a BIR phal either.

My best guess is that they pre-fry extra hot chili powder to get the rawness (and perhaps some of the powderiness) out of it.....I think I need to play a bit more.... :P

Any other suggestions (preferably based on actual BIR observations) would be most welcome 8)
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Offline parker21

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Re: How do I make my curries VERY hot without them being bitter?
« Reply #5 on: October 18, 2009, 09:25 AM »
hi CA the post above is from my visit to rajver and they let me cook it so just try it mate! we are all just a bit too methodical about breaking down what they do and in essence they will just bung the lot in mix it well and leave it to cook itself. if you add any chilli sauce do it at the beginning so the heat will evaporate the vinegar. or you could just add a whole naga and remove it before serving

regards
gary
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Offline Cory Ander

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Re: How do I make my curries VERY hot without them being bitter?
« Reply #6 on: October 18, 2009, 09:45 AM »
I hear what you're saying Gary, but that IS generally what I do!  And that's where I end up with either a raw bitter taste (cos the chili powder hasn't been cooked sufficiently, I presume) or a burnt bitter taste (cos the chili powder has been burnt!). 

Either way, I find adding lots of chili powder (extra hot, or otherwise) results in a bitter, powdery tasting curry...quite unlike a BIR phal.

This is why I think that it is perhaps best to pre-fry the chili powder into a well cooked (not raw and not burnt) paste beforehand....
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Offline emin-j

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Re: How do I make my curries VERY hot without them being bitter?
« Reply #7 on: October 18, 2009, 02:02 PM »
Quote from: Cory Ander on October 18, 2009, 09:45 AM
I hear what you're saying Gary, but that IS generally what I do!  And that's where I end up with either a raw bitter taste (cos the chili powder hasn't been cooked sufficiently, I presume) or a burnt bitter taste (cos the chili powder has been burnt!). 

Either way, I find adding lots of chili powder (extra hot, or otherwise) results in a bitter, powdery tasting curry...quite unlike a BIR phal.

This is why I think that it is perhaps best to pre-fry the chili powder into a well cooked (not raw and not burnt) paste beforehand....

I dont know the answer to your question Cory Ander but I don't think a BIR would take the time to pre fry Chilli for any meals  :-X IMHO.
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Offline parker21

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Re: How do I make my curries VERY hot without them being bitter?
« Reply #8 on: October 18, 2009, 06:32 PM »
hi CA what method are you using to cook your phal? the high heat from the start? or lower heat only increasing after the base is added? and how much chilli are you using? just chopped garlic or garlic paste/puree ( water mixed or oil mixed)  have been favouring blended with oil as mouchak do. could it be the garlic? you could add the lemon earlier with the spices and chilli ( heard somewhere that it is normally added to "crack" the spices and enchance the flavour release)

regards
gary
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Offline Cory Ander

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Re: How do I make my curries VERY hot without them being bitter?
« Reply #9 on: October 19, 2009, 05:47 AM »
Hi Gary,

I use the same method I use for most curries (where I don't have the same problem regarding bitterness).

I generally add more (extra hot) chili powder (maybe three teaspoons per serving) to get the heat up, but I never really achieve the heat and flavour of a decent BIR phal, irrespective of how much chili powder I add.  More chili powder just seems to create more bitterness and powderiness...hence my question.....

Yes, I never quite understood what this "cracking" was supposed to be all about?  Perhaps it's supposed to be analogous to the "cracking" of alkanes in the petroleum industry?  Dunno..... :-\
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