Pages1 2 3

Author Topic: Whole spices  (read 9,812 times)

AI Summary
Whole spices such as cloves, green cardamom, and cinnamon sticks do not break down during cooking and need to be removed before serving, according to several contributors. Some suggest using a spice ball or muslin cloth to contain the spices, while others advocate for blending them into the base for flavor, though this may lead to an overpowering taste. The consensus leans towards keeping whole spices separate to maintain a balanced flavor profile in the dish.

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic

Offline chriswg

  • Curry Spice Master
  • ******
  • Posts: 829
  • Location: Fleet, Hampshire
Whole spices
« on: November 27, 2009, 12:05 PM »
I'm going to cook a variation of the F-word monkfish curry, using chicken instead today but the first part of the recipe includes whole cloves, green cardamons  and a whole cinnamon stick. While Im sure these impart a huge amount of flavour to the curry I dont fancy biting into any of those when it comes to eating it. Do they break down throughout the cooking so you don't notice them or do they need to be fished out at the final stage?

Any help much appreciated.
Logged

Offline currymonster

  • Head Chef
  • ***
  • Posts: 108
  • Location: Denmark
Re: Whole spices
« Reply #1 on: November 27, 2009, 12:08 PM »
They won't break down so you're going to have fish them out at the end of cooking.
Logged

Offline JerryM

  • Genius Curry Master
  • **********
  • Posts: 4,585
  • Location: warrington
Re: Whole spices
« Reply #2 on: November 27, 2009, 05:50 PM »
i used a spice ball off amazon for quite a while - worked a treat.

(currently roasting & grinding as per tgad2007. on next go i'm going to try out just grinding them)
Logged

Offline chriswg

  • Curry Spice Master
  • ******
  • Posts: 829
  • Location: Fleet, Hampshire
Re: Whole spices
« Reply #3 on: November 28, 2009, 08:10 AM »
The cinnamon stick kind of broke down so I couldnt fish it out, but the curry was left with quite a few big bits if cinnamon in it. I'm not sure if there is anything that could be done apart from grinding it up or leaving it out. The curry tasted pretty good though, I'll post what I did later.
Logged

Offline Cory Ander

  • Genius Curry Master
  • **********
  • Posts: 3,656
Re: Whole spices
« Reply #4 on: November 28, 2009, 08:58 AM »
Quote from: chriswg on November 28, 2009, 08:10 AM
I'm not sure if there is anything that could be done apart from grinding it up or leaving it out.

As Jerry suggested, Chris, you could put whole spices inside a spice ball or, simpler still, tie them inside a small piece of muslin cloth....unless you intend frying them, of course?
Logged

Offline Secret Santa

  • Genius Curry Master
  • **********
  • Posts: 3,606
Re: Whole spices
« Reply #5 on: November 28, 2009, 06:06 PM »
Don't ponce around with muslin or spice balls, do what the BIRs do, blend the damn things in with the base! Yes, they do do this, because there ain't a chance in hell they're going to try to fish a few cardamoms, bay leaves, and cinnamon sticks out of those bloody great pots they use!

Or, alternatively, boil up the whole spices in a separate pot and add this 'spiced water' to your base.
Logged

Offline Stephen Lindsay

  • Jedi Curry Master
  • *********
  • Posts: 2,648
  • Location: Dundee, Scotland
Re: Whole spices
« Reply #6 on: November 28, 2009, 11:44 PM »
Quote from: Secret Santa on November 28, 2009, 06:06 PM
Don't ponce around with muslin or spice balls, do what the BIRs do, blend the damn things in with the base!

I would not recommend blitzing these spices as the final dish will be over the top with cinnamon and cardamom flavours. Keeping them whole ensures the dish is fragranced correctly.
Logged

Offline Secret Santa

  • Genius Curry Master
  • **********
  • Posts: 3,606
Re: Whole spices
« Reply #7 on: November 29, 2009, 03:26 PM »
Stephen I think you missed the point there. The BIRs are doing it so why shouldn't we?

Or do you actually think that they really do go ferreting through those big pots of base so that they can remove the comparatively small amount of whole spices. :o ???   I have enough difficulty trying to find whole spices in a 1.5 litre batch of base!
Logged

Offline JerryM

  • Genius Curry Master
  • **********
  • Posts: 4,585
  • Location: warrington
Re: Whole spices
« Reply #8 on: November 29, 2009, 05:54 PM »
Secret Santa/Stephen,

keeping the balance right "fragranced correctly" is critical for me for sure.

i've been taken back how roasting & grinding produces the same result as infusion (i felt it shouldn't have done). yes getting the ratio's right in the roasting method is much more tricky than just eyeing up each whole spice or counting them but then u gain when using the roasted powder as u just measure out in tsp's.

the idea of blending them in would sit very comfortably with me. the only downside would be that i'd have to buy a proper blender as i don't feel my hand blender would handle the anis and cinnamon (the bay & cardamon soften enough during the base cooking to be not an issue).

Logged

Offline joshallen2k

  • Elite Curry Master
  • *******
  • Posts: 1,184
  • Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Re: Whole spices
« Reply #9 on: November 29, 2009, 10:00 PM »
SS - do you think BIRs use whole spices in the base anyway?

That's not something most of the recipes here call for. Also I do agree that grinding up a whole cinnamon stick, close, anise, cardamon etc would have dramatic effect on the base taste.

I'm guessing you're right, they would not ponce about fishing out whole spices... but probably because they don't use them in the base.

Anyone seen evidence to the contrary?
Logged
Pages1 2 3