This is probably the or one of the very best posts I have ever read on Indian cooking and the problems we all have with it from time to time. Excellent post PP.  ;D

Quote from: Panpot on November 06, 2009, 11:52 AM
Guys I do live again in the UK and travel extensively with my business and as I have pointed out I make it my duty to enjoy Indian food wherever I go. I have to say there are regional variations from the spelling of dishes to how they even look and taste. I suspect our own tastebuds were massively shocked into a new dimension of reality when we first indulged way back when the typical British food served up to families would have been fairly bland and the only spice salt and pepper. The impact I believe would have been an intense explosion of experience and as such will have been recorded in our brains with a depth that later acclimatisation and regular consumption may well cause to distort our taste bud feedback to our brains. I am probably talking crap here (enhanced greatly from the effects of eating too much curry) but maybe too as we age our sensory experience of taste diminishes. I suppose I still love curry and my love of cooking it will never leave me but I do believe there was something different back then.

Hmmmm
Ok I was bought a takeaway today and decided to drop into the Ethnic store for some Mango chutney. The meal is for tonight but of course I just had to taste a little.  ;D

At the same time I opened the bottle of Mango Chutney and took deep smells of both my dinner and that. It could be what I was missing, I don't want to get too excited about this either because its been gnawing at me for years.   

Chinois mentioned Mango Chutney in another thread (Thanks Chinois) but here's the clincher. It's smothered in a fine Red oil that coats just about anything including the spoon, and just like my curry.

I won't be able to try this for a few days and frankly don't know how to use it? Should I blend it and add it or just add it? How much is too much?

Smells wicked though..  ;D

To be completely honest I'm having good luck with just blended tomatoes. I know that sounds non BIR but its true frankly.

Because this is the case perhaps a watered down tom paste would help. In fact if you look at various videos you don't see them having to scoop the tom paste at all, or pull it off the spoon either. I'm for watering it down in some cases perhaps?

Hahahaha Jerry.  ;D
Yeah I've tried that.

I've tried just about everything but a couple of suggestions here. Yes sir Chilli oil. I had one brand that was fantastic in the curry but sadly cannot remember what brand it was? The difference is instant like I said on another thread and adds to the oil in the dish too.

Even if restaurants don't use this and I cannot see why not? They must make or have some as a by product of their own frankly. Interested in Chinois idea about Mango Chutney too.... Like I said. Tried everything and coming oh sooooo close but not yet there.

Thanks Jerry.

Quote from: JerryM on November 05, 2009, 06:31 PM

Mikka,

i've never tried brown sauce and i can't for the life of me see me trying it in the hunt towards BIR. Lea & Perrins Worcester sauce does work though although i hardly use it now - only to add a bit of a variation now and then.

i guess when u say "hot sauce" u mean chilli sauce. i'm going to get some for sure on my next shop. i can't remember the name of what i used to use but i'll recognise the bottle for sure. i've also been on the look out for sometime for an SnS recommendation (Frank's Hot Sauce) which i'd like to try for none curry cooking.

Hi SnS thanks for this I had no idea, I'll probably dump my veg ghee. I used to use good old Butter ghee but then stupidly bought this massive tin of veg stuff.

Thanks for the info.

Quote from: SnS on November 05, 2009, 05:13 PM
There is a lot of controversy on whether real ghee is actually bad for you. You will need to read more on this subject - there is plenty of info available on the web.

Apparantly vegetable ghee is actually a lot worse for your health than butter ghee.

I use real ghee all the time, especially to add that extra special taste to rice.

Brown sauce adds a kick too.  ;D Both are sweet, one has the vinegar. I find hot sauce a better addition though not too much.

Quote from: emin-j on November 05, 2009, 12:23 PM
Never thought of adding Ketchup to Tomato Puree , that might be worth a go 

I know that major food companies were tested sometime back for just this purpose. Quality and taste. The result was that there was no significant change in frozen food as regards either.

However....

I do agree that fresh is best of course and you simply cannot expect people to make a whole bunch of stuff to throw 90% of it away owing to a Chef's nose. Frozen ginger does work but again you'll have water in there when it is thawed.

I don't freeze tatties. I know some who say they have but its never worked for me. The water build up destroys them when thawed or perhaps I did something wrong when storing them? In any case I don't do that, I cook fresh if needed?

You can be sure that I'm not a rich person at all and anything that I can save will be saved for another day. Again I've not noticed any change in food quality or taste excepting potatoes when taken from the freezer.

Cooking on the fly is rewarding and tastes better but does it REALLY taste better, how would you know compared to another person? ;D

I freeze my restaurant food too. If there were a noticeable change I'm sure I'd find it there but I haven't so far in many years.

I think CA said it better than me. It's about economics and the fact at least in my case. I don't own a restaurant and it would be folly of me to treat my house like one too.

Best regards.

That's interesting. Since the flavour I am looking for is quite distinct, it does not alter only in levels of intensity I would think that it has to be something jar bought perhaps if all else doesn't nail it.

Quote from: chinois on November 04, 2009, 06:30 PM
Since trying mango chutney in my pathias and dansaks i am convinced a lot of places use it, and not necessarily just in those two curries. Of the two best takeaways near me i know they both use it because i can taste it. The dishes with chutney in taste better and are the ones my friends agree 'are the real deal'. It's not necessarily a secret as i have seen it listed as an ingredient on menu items.
I use TRS sweet mango chutney which contains mango, sugar, salt and acetic acid as it is the type used by BIRs. ?4 for 3kg.

Tomato paste has a fridge life too doesn't it? I freeze my paste I've not noticed any difference frankly except for added moisture.

Thanks for the link again Jerry.
I don't know about fennel for me really. I like a hint of it but nothing much more than that. I think both are very strong aren't they? When I added Ajwain to a marinade it really did the trick.

Do you think in all honesty its just about timing the spice in cooking? No matter what the heat, no matter what the spice so long as you know its properties? Cumin can be quite sweet for instance...

Quote from: JerryM on November 03, 2009, 07:15 AM
Mikka,

the ifindforu base introduced me to ajwain. it's quite a nice little touch - not for everyone. i then came across fennel and now use that in place of ajwain.

on the caramelised onions i find the fact that there is oil in the base then boiling does the same trick. i also reduce the water initially to increase the proportion of oil (limit water to 20% of initial onion volume ie 300ml in 800g base). i then add extra water to make the base right after blending. i know not strictly BIR practice and it "caramelized" don't make a huge difference but i've stuck to it.

to convince yourself u would need to do a side by side.

https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3366.0