Menu

Show posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.

Show posts Menu

Messages - ELW

#631
QuoteThe term 'bhoona' as being used here refers to a process, that process being the frying of spices in hot oil. The dish Bhuna is derived from the same word but refers to a particular dish rather than the process. In much the same way that Masala, which means 'spices' in Hindi or simply 'spice mix' is used in the dish 'Chicken Tikka Masala'.


I see bhoona, buna, bhuna, sometimes on the same menu, which is the process & which is the dish?  ???
Korma, I was told is traditionally a cooking method of braising  :-\

ELW
#632
Quote from: spiceyokooko on January 09, 2012, 12:08 PM
Cory, I agree with your definition.

The term 'Bhoona' there are various ways of spelling the word loosely translates from Hindi as 'frying spices or spice paste in hot oil'. It should therefore be considered a 'process'.

What is it?
A process of frying spices in either powdered or paste form in hot oil.

Why is it used?
To extract natural oils and flavours and to cook out any rawness from the spices themselves.

When is it used?
Usually at the start of the cooking process and before any other ingredients are added.

How is it used?
Usually in one of two ways -

1/ By adding the spices or spice paste to hot oil and frying till the spices become fragrant and lose their rawness but without burning. This is one of the reasons spice masalas or spice mixes are mixed with water into a paste before being added to hot oil - to stop the spices burning.

2/ By adding the spices or spice paste to an onion/garlic/ginger puree that has already been prefried in hot oil and frying in the same way to release the spice flavours.

Both 'bhoona' techniques can be used, the main differences between them is the margin of error between burning the spices is less with the second method than the first.

The second method is therefore easier for new cooks to start with until experience tells them when the spices are cooked correctly through texture, feel and smell when they can graduate on to the more difficult first method.

That's my definition of the term Bhoona process.

The lack of the proper use of techniques such as this, in lower quality bir's, may go some way to explaining the dishes all tasting very similar. Bhoona/bhuna dishes all seem to be 'wet'  nowadays, the dry intense flavoured ones seem to have almost disappeared.
#633
QuoteAhhh,
Reminds me of a dish i saw Keith Floyd cooking once in Africa.
Goat Penis stew with Marijuana 



I'd like to serve that or phall on Masterchef  :)
#635
I think its stir fry or saute, not necessarily using spices. Could be peppers/ onion / tomato / garlic .before the meat is added

elw
#636
QuoteTo my mind, it's a term generally applied to the technique whereby some whole spices are fried in oil (or ghee) with garlic, onions, etc, which is then added to a main dish, towards the end of cooking, as a garnish/flavouring (e.g. "tarka dhal").



Good questions CA, I don't understand this properly either.I thought the above description sounds more like the traditional cooking technique of tempering, which is also called baghar?????

ELW
#637
QuoteThe misinformation that you refer to, is a product of 6 or 7 years, work in progress.  Many of the ideas and theories from say 2005/6/7 have been superseeded by more reliable information, clearer accounts from actual BIR's/TA's and members practicing and striving to achieve their personal goal.  You may not always see the logic in these accounts but that doesn't mean that the results aren't good, albeit it that they may not be what you're looking for.  As for the forum being cliquey, maybe you feel that way because your combative approach brings a similar reaction from most of the active members?

Ray


Hi Razor, I picked up on this before I posted anything on cr0. I noticed members still looking for answers to questions 4 years on. But when a new name appears & asks a few questions, the same members appear to be able to answer them with cetainty , certainty  :D on matters which most people on here are clearly still unsure of. There is a cliquey side to this forum & it would have far more active members  if it didn't.
I was jumped on for my "rudeness" , for sussing abduls business model, & asking him to clarify, (which he felt the need to do) along with George, who went full out & said he felt duped(fair comment, I got his point), then the cliqueyness ??? waded in, in support of abdul, fair enough, after all he has taken the time to contribute, "not you George" some "other" forum members, was the cry!(there only were two of us who commented on this) talk of low moderation etc...moderate what exactly??? If abdul doesnt post any more, we know where he can be found.
Ifindforu, was labelled some kind of fraud by members, now he has something they like, he's flavour of the month...Julian c2g recieved some some real negativity also from members who late went on to tell  Abdul to ignore negativity, when I queried one of his posts
Anyone selling anything should be open to questions

It would be a more welcoming place for new members if this kind of stuff was dropped.

ELW
#638
QuoteI joined in the hope I'd finally be able to solve a 20 odd year mystery 'smoky/sweet' flavour that's always been missing from my curry's. I've got closer to achieving that, but I'm still not there yet. The forum is useful, but it's a shame it's so cliquey and there's as much misinformation and fluff as there is useful information.Report to moderator    Logged


same for me Spicey, & probably a few  of those names at the bottom of the page who never post anything for the reasons stated. I'm only trying to produce flavour present in every curry i've ever bought, but not my own efforts. Once I've solved the fundamental problem, I may well keep on trying to improve. There are a few good testers & members on here who frequently post information which pre empts my questions.  I've never been in a bir kitchen, Im not claiming anything as fact, Im certainly not selling anything on here. Its a free forum right? Im also not afraid of asking relevant questions, especially of people who are in the business & thus may or may not have motives, which is fine. The cliquey nature of the site must be holding back lots of new information, but it wont stop me doing what im doing. The other curry forum is just as bad, but with even less posters. You re clearly an outsider in here ;D

on topic, I like to know what im doing also, then I can reproduce it & rule out flukes. But I think i may be looking at this one-pot cuisine a little too closely. I use a serving spoon(2.5 tbls water) size to scrape the pan only, measuring spoon to set everything out beforehand. Imbalances in bir cooking can be tolerated, which is what madras/vindaloo/ garlic-chilli-chicken etc are & they work. Im looking forward to c2go's ebook hopefully later this month, as Iv spotted a couple of things in Julians techniques which may fill a few blanks for me personally.

ELW
#639
Quote from: mr.mojorisin on January 07, 2012, 01:31 PM
i got a chefs spoon too...whoopedoo :)
....doesn't make me a chef
same as I got a pair of Adidas trainers
....doesn't mean i can run a marathon

....swiss army knife?
#640
Hi karenc, looking forward to hearing how you get on starting from scratch

Regards
ELW