Quote from: George on January 08, 2008, 11:36 AM

Quote from: chinois on January 08, 2008, 11:02 AM
Stainless steel is a terrible conductor of heat and is inconsistant. That is why it was 'pinging' as it was heating unevenly and would have scortched the food had you put any in. Stainless steel should not be used as a cooking medium - a lot of pans are sold in shops in england bcos people believe the marketing. They also look shiny.
As the others said, you need an iron one.

Spot on! Stainless steel should be avoided for saucepans, etc unless turned into a vessel useful for cooking by bonding in layers with a good heat conductor like aluminium or copper.

Regards
George

You are right, the heat transfer coefficient of aluminium is about 10 times that of stainless steel.

The best cooking/frying pans are a sandwich of Stainless steel and aluminium (three ply). The aluminium core gives even distribution of heat at both high and low cooking levels. The stainless steel makes the pan durable, resistant to corrosion and scratching and relatively easy to clean.

These are typically also the most expensive type.

Regards

SnS ;D

Quote from: haldi on January 08, 2008, 07:52 AM

Quote from: smokenspices on January 06, 2008, 05:03 PM
I whipped up a quick prawn madras using 2 ladles (200 ml) of sauce and I've got tell you ... it was really great.
SnS ;D

Hi SnS
      Thanks for the post
I can't remember if you said, but is the madras recipe from this restaurant too?

Yes it was Haldi. Like SS pointed out, this is the standard Madras curry.

Just found this article which may help answer some questions about taste and smell deterioration.

http://www.supermarketguru.com/page.cfm/299

There are plenty of sites (just use "taste age" as search on google)

Regards

SnS (over 50 and can't taste a thing)

Quote from: Secret Santa on January 07, 2008, 09:38 PM
Smokenspices, a great report on a absolutely standard base recipe and follow up prawn madras.

I don't need to make this to know it will not produce what I need from a BIR curry. So where the heck am I going wrong?

I have a theory. Ain't gonna help you much though SS.

When I first tasted curry I was a mere nipper (1971). I'll never forget that first taste. All those new spices. My taste buds had never experienced anything even close to that before. In those days, a Madras to me was like Lucifer himself dancing on my tongue .. far too hot .. but it must of hit the spot ... cos I went back for more. I loved it.

Likewise, I'll never forget the taste of my first Chinese takeaway - a "Yung Chow" fried rice, a plastic spoon and straight out of the foil carton. Absolutely wonderful.

I know I will not experience those first tastes again .. because it's won't be new. Over the years my taste buds have changed and so has the "pattern coding" that's transmitted to the brain. These tastes are already in memory and therefore they wont ever have the same affect.

I can always remember my first taste of bitter (Whitbread Trophy - yuk), my first crafty sip of whiskey from the old mans special bottle of malt (bigger yuk) ... etc, etc. I quite like both of these tastes now. My first cigarette - absolute torture, but yeah I still smoke .. but without the torture part. Over time my taste buds have changed. They have become accustomed to different tastes (even immune to some).

These were all new taste experiences, and over time our taste does become dulled. I can now nibble on fresh red habeneros and I often complain that a restaurant vindaloo is too mild. I've never again found that special taste of my favourite "yung chow" fried rice either. It probably has all the same ingredients but I just cant taste it anymore! I drink bitter now without cringing .. and malt whiskey ... well only on special occasions.

What's is the longest period you have ever gone without eating a curry? My guess is that if you refrained long enough you may get to the point where you (your tastebuds/brain) can rediscover that special taste you once remembered and now desire.

But of course this is just my theory. What else can it possibly be??
Surely ALL the restaurants cant be crap.

Regards

SnS ;D

Quote from: Curry King on January 07, 2008, 06:47 PM
shall we lock this thread

I think that may a wise move ... before it gets completely out of hand.

Thanks CK

Best regards

SnS ;D

Hey Guys

Please can we drop this subject. I for one am getting sick of seeing "Curry Book" postings appearing almost hourly only to find everyone having a go at each other which really is not helpful.

Can we pleeeeease draw a line under this one today .......... thanks

SnS ;D

Quote from: ast on January 07, 2008, 05:48 PM
Actually SnS, that raises an interesting point.  Can you and/or Bobby give an approximate indication of

a) the size of pot you need to cook the base from start to finish, and
b) approximately how much base this makes?

Thanks in advance,

ast

Hi Ast

Makes about 4 litres of gravy. The rate at which you simmer/boil the ingredients will have some bearing on how much you end up with of course.

My pot is 7.5 litres and it fits very comfortably in this - see photo on original post.

Regards

SnS ;D

Quote from: Bobby Bhuna on January 07, 2008, 12:59 PM
I should have mentioned that I scaled down 50% last night when I made this base. I have never found a problem scaling down bases, I'm just more careful about measurements.

Hi Bobby

Did you half everything exactly??

I may try this myself next time as the recipe acually makes quite a lot and my freezer is getting a bit overcrowded.

Regards

SnS ;D

Results of my visit to Saffron with recipe for base gravy ... here

https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,2271.10.html

SnS ;D

Quote from: mike travis on January 06, 2008, 09:37 PM
Hi sns,   It is down on my "to do list" {which gets bigger every day}. If we don't try it, all you work will have been for nothing. If Raj can visit you and cook a curry in your home with your kitchen equipment then I would say you have cracked it my friend......mike

Hi Mike

The gravy recipe was what I was really after and I'm more than happy with that. The rest is now just experimenting with various recipes. Any further input from Raj is a welcome bonus.

Regards

SnS ;D