Changing the subject a little.
I made me some poppadoms.
They were lovely

Quote from: George on April 15, 2005, 12:20 AM

Quote from: ghanna on April 14, 2005, 10:03 PM
Hi, George - What does it smell like ? I want your opinion please.

Pacman would know.
He worked at a restaurant
He might have even said it on this site already

Quote from: Mark J on April 14, 2005, 09:35 PM
Pataks balti paste is a ruddy orangey brown, not at all like other pastes and quite smooth, sure it wasnt this?

I bought the Pataks paste and it is nothing like it
I searched my local Asian Supermarkets and I can't find anything that looks like the restaurant had

Quote from: ghanna on April 14, 2005, 09:01 PM
Are you sure that the balti paste was in fact? chicken jelly.
I am only saying that because balti paste colour is red.
Thanks
ghanna

The stuff they used was not red.
It was a dull colour.
It did have a jelly like appearance, but I was a bit in awe of everything else I was being shown.
I didn't pay close enough attention to that detail.
Maybe they make their stock without turmeric.
The cooked potatoes they used were a dull colour too.

Quote from: ghanna on April 14, 2005, 08:08 PM
Hi, all
I have heard that they use some thing called ........Kachri powder in the curry gravy .They told me it is a flavoring agent and it is THAT MISSING TASTE
Never before i heard about this Kachri
Any one know any thing about it ?
Thanks
ghanna

I searched the stocks at East End foods.
They haven't got Kachri powder there
That alone must mean it is an uncommon ingredient.
I fear someone is winding you up.
Who told you it?

Do you ever have it where something that happened a while ago suddenly becomes clear?
I did? a post from a demo.
I was shown how to make a veg madras
I was told that one of the ingredients was "balti paste"
Well I thought it looked pretty funny stuff.
Not at all like any of the pastes I know.
Sort of organic?
I realise what it was now.
It was the chicken jelly.
I am sure.
Here is the recipe again.

Substitute chicken jelly for balti paste.

I was shown how to cook a Vegetable Madras
I am not joking, it was absolutely delicious.

Ingredients: -

A couple of large spoons of oil taken from the top of curry gravy
2 teaspoons of chopped onion and green pepper
(I think it was fresh, although it could have been pre fried)
1 teaspoon of salt, dried fenugreek and balti paste
1 teaspoon chilli powder
3 teaspoon of the spice mix
2 large ladles of curry gravy
2 very large spoons of pre-cooked veg which included carrots, cabbage, brocolli and peas
A couple of chopped bits of pre cooked potatoes (almost a grey colour, not yellow)
Chopped fresh coriander

The gas ring was on maximum
Heat the oil from the curry gravy and add the onion and pepper.
Fry for a minute
Add the salt, dried fenugreek, balti paste and stir a little, mixing in (thirty seconds)
Add the chilli powder and spice mix and stir this in as well for about a minute.
Then add a quarter of the curry gravy.
As the pan dries, add the same amount again.
Then add the pre-cooked vegetables and stir
After a minute add the potatoes and the rest of the curry gravy.
Bring the whole lot to a rapid boil.
The oil is on top of the curry and bubbles like mad.
Stir occasionally and after about four minutes add the fresh coriander mixing in.
Turn off the gas and leave a minute

 

Quote

You may be right, but I'd be amazed. I asssumed it was spices but I could be wrong. Perhaps the smell comes from spices in with the meat and chicken? Could everyone else please enter this debate. What do you think causes 'that smell' from curry houses on the high street? On another forum, at least one person suggested fenugreek. Do you ever get 'that smell' from your own kitchen?
The reason I'm interested in the smell, is hopefully to help lead us to the taste.

Quote

After your questions I asked a few to a chef.
This one said that they boil all the meat or chicken in water, turmeric and salt.
So that shoots down my idea.
That leaves the tandoori cooking and poppadom frying.
Poppadoms smell lovely.
I have wondered recently if their cooking oil is used in the curry gravy or in the main meal.
One demo I went to used oil from the deep pan fryer.
I had just seen that used for frying peppers and onions, but I am sure it must be used for the poppadoms and chips too.
The tandoori cooking.
We've all had a go at tandoori chicken and that doesn't give the smell you mean.
But how about the lamb?
I've not tried that.
It's definitely not fenugreek.
I use that every time I cook and that is not that smell.
What I find puzzling, is that sometimes I get the smell on my clothes and hands.
So I must be working with whatever is giving the aroma.
Mustn't I?

Quote from: DARTHPHALL on April 13, 2005, 10:26 PM
.Friday is looming .

I get nervous about asking questions in restaurants.
But what's the worse thing that could happen?
They could say "no answers, secrets!"
That is actually less stressfull than being taken behind the scenes and shown.
So the worse thing is actually better than the good thing.
If all else fails, just use your light sabre

Quote from: Curry King on April 12, 2005, 05:47 PM
I cooked the spices all together on a medium heat for about 3 mins, they had just started to spit about.? I then pound them to a fairly fine powder, smelt fantastic!!

Hi CK
Did you think roasting the spices changed their flavour?
Worth doing again?

I thought that the curry gravy pot, on the cooker, was what it was made in.
It's not.
The pot it is made in, is about the size of half a dustbin.
Apparently it takes two people to lift, when it is full.
It needs one and a half sacks of onions to make the gravy.
That's the really big bags which come up to above your knee!
I have never seen this pot yet but was told of it today.
The pot you see on the stove is filled from the big one.
I suppose it makes sense, those pots on the stove, would never last a busy evening.