Whilst understanding the science behind what we do with regards to cooking, is a very desirable piece of knowledge to have, at this/my level of cooking, it is less important than having the technique correct. Obviously, if I have the technique correct, then logically I have the science part right too(I think 
)
I remember the days when the trusty wok was my weapon of choice, my curries were ok but there were elements of the BIR flavour/aroma missing. By changing my pan to an Ali BIR style pan, my results improved a great deal. I must say though, I didn't change my pan because I thought that I'd get better results, I changed it because I'd seen the Ali pan being used in the BIR's, TA's and videos, as CA points out "Monkey sees, Monkey does"
The first noticeable difference for me was how quickly I could reduce the first ladle of base. In my wok, it seemed to take twice as long to reduce as it does in my Ali pan. My understanding of this is because the wok is, by design, a bowl whereas the pan has a much flatter cooking area, therefor, the reducing sauce in the pan is much shallower and reduces quicker. Once that first lot of base reduces, I am left with a layer of oil covering the base of the pan with the spices cooking/caramelising just below the layer of oil. This is where I really start to scrape the spices back into the oil, leaving them long enough to "singe" but not too long that they burn or stick to the base of the pan. Then in goes the rest of the base, and I reduce to my preferred consistency.
Now, I don't try to claim that this technique is "the BIR way" but I do know that it works for me and produces my very best efforts of which I'm very very happy with.
I never managed the level of success that I have now with my trusty old wok but, a wok and a Karahi are pretty much the same thing (IMO) so how do they (the pro's) still manage to get all the elements correct when cooking a balti or karahi dish? My only guess is heat?
There are so many variables to BIR cooking that we are never going to get a "1 size fit's all" solutions. Here are some of the conflicting viewpoints that Spicey eludes to;
Never fry garlic, v Always fry garlic
Cook hard and fast v Cook slowboat style
Lemon juice/dressing in a madras v never use lemon juice/dressing in a madras
Never burn the spices v burn the spices to get a smokey note
always keep the pan as hot as you can v heat, quench, heat, quench
Garam masala goes in only at the end v Garam masala can be used at the beginning
The list goes on.
Understanding the science is without doubt, good knowledge to be in possession of but for me, and this is only my opinion, technique is key and if the technique has been developed through scientific means, then great but I don't really need to know that, I'll leave that to Heston ;D
Ray
)I remember the days when the trusty wok was my weapon of choice, my curries were ok but there were elements of the BIR flavour/aroma missing. By changing my pan to an Ali BIR style pan, my results improved a great deal. I must say though, I didn't change my pan because I thought that I'd get better results, I changed it because I'd seen the Ali pan being used in the BIR's, TA's and videos, as CA points out "Monkey sees, Monkey does"
The first noticeable difference for me was how quickly I could reduce the first ladle of base. In my wok, it seemed to take twice as long to reduce as it does in my Ali pan. My understanding of this is because the wok is, by design, a bowl whereas the pan has a much flatter cooking area, therefor, the reducing sauce in the pan is much shallower and reduces quicker. Once that first lot of base reduces, I am left with a layer of oil covering the base of the pan with the spices cooking/caramelising just below the layer of oil. This is where I really start to scrape the spices back into the oil, leaving them long enough to "singe" but not too long that they burn or stick to the base of the pan. Then in goes the rest of the base, and I reduce to my preferred consistency.
Now, I don't try to claim that this technique is "the BIR way" but I do know that it works for me and produces my very best efforts of which I'm very very happy with.
I never managed the level of success that I have now with my trusty old wok but, a wok and a Karahi are pretty much the same thing (IMO) so how do they (the pro's) still manage to get all the elements correct when cooking a balti or karahi dish? My only guess is heat?
There are so many variables to BIR cooking that we are never going to get a "1 size fit's all" solutions. Here are some of the conflicting viewpoints that Spicey eludes to;
Never fry garlic, v Always fry garlic
Cook hard and fast v Cook slowboat style
Lemon juice/dressing in a madras v never use lemon juice/dressing in a madras
Never burn the spices v burn the spices to get a smokey note
always keep the pan as hot as you can v heat, quench, heat, quench
Garam masala goes in only at the end v Garam masala can be used at the beginning
The list goes on.
Understanding the science is without doubt, good knowledge to be in possession of but for me, and this is only my opinion, technique is key and if the technique has been developed through scientific means, then great but I don't really need to know that, I'll leave that to Heston ;D
Ray
