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Curry Chat => Lets Talk Curry => Topic started by: RubyDoo on December 31, 2012, 10:31 AM

Title: 4 x Madras in one pot
Post by: RubyDoo on December 31, 2012, 10:31 AM
For the past few weeks I have had a combination of kids plus boyfriends descending on us for curry. Whilst I take this as a compliment I am getting a bit fed up with doing 2, sometimes 3 batches using my Ali pan and doing 2 portions at once. Last Saturday I thought s*d it and using up the last of my last base I tried doing 4 portions in one go.

For want of a better pan and the only alternative being a large saucepan, I used a large Ali wok. Doing a C2G madras I only doubled the quantities of spices rather than x 4 and I must say that I was not disappointed with the result. Only found it to be slightly bitter which was easily resolved wi a touch of mango chutney.

Conclusions here and reason for posting are that I do not think that ere are any significant disadvantages in making larger quantities like this, although I did try and singe a bit longer than usual and move e sauce high around the edges of the wok. I also think that there is a valuable lesson in not merely x the quantities according to how many portions are required. Not sure of the stats but I believe now that quantities of mix etc need to be scaled down as the quantity increases.

Hope that makes sense.
Title: Re: 4 x Madras in one pot
Post by: curryhell on December 31, 2012, 11:26 AM
Can't remember what thread (s) this has been discussed in before but the discussions got more heated than the curry  ::)  Two schools of though on this.  Up to the individual to make their own mind up.  I'm saying nothing  ;D
Title: Re: 4 x Madras in one pot
Post by: chewytikka on December 31, 2012, 12:00 PM
Your on the right track RubyDoo ;D
The other School is over there, down the garden path.

Curry On ;)
Chewytikka
Title: Re: 4 x Madras in one pot
Post by: loveitspicy on December 31, 2012, 01:01 PM
It makes perfect sense

best, Rich
Title: Re: 4 x Madras in one pot
Post by: RubyDoo on December 31, 2012, 02:21 PM
Main point I was trying to pick up on was the need to avoid simply multiplying the quantities of everything.  ;)
Title: Re: 4 x Madras in one pot
Post by: ELW on December 31, 2012, 02:30 PM
Hi Rubydoo, yes i've botched plenty food upscaling the chilli powder. Once a certain amount hits the palate, it seems to make no more difference, just hot! ...& ruined  :)

976bar has been cooking in large quantity commercial recently, he may have posted or i may have missed it.

Regards

ELW
Title: Re: 4 x Madras in one pot
Post by: Salvador Dhali on January 06, 2013, 05:23 PM
Couldn't agree more. I often make double or triple portions in one go, and have found that a gradual diminishing of quantities when upscaling is the way forward.

For a double Madras, for instance, I'll use 1.5tbsp of chilli powder instead of 1tbsp, and for a triple I'll use just under 2tbsp instead of 3. (Same sort of ratio applies to other ingredients, too.)

I will admit to finding it a little baffling. After all, if you cook two or three Madras curries separately then mix them together in one bowl at the end, all is fine.

I'm not sure how the 'science' of it works, but it just works!
Title: Re: 4 x Madras in one pot
Post by: Peripatetic Phil on January 06, 2013, 07:49 PM
I'm not sure how the 'science' of it works, but it just works!
For chilli at least, I completely agree.  But be warned : there are others who don't, and who can be quite forceful in stating their points of view (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,8517.msg75447.html#msg75447) . . .

** Phil.
Title: Re: 4 x Madras in one pot
Post by: RubyDoo on January 06, 2013, 07:56 PM
I'm not sure how the 'science' of it works, but it just works!
For chilli at least, I completely agree.  But be warned : there are others who don't, and who can be quite forceful in stating their points of view . . .

** Phil.

Let the 'force' be with them then.  ;)
Title: Re: 4 x Madras in one pot
Post by: RubyDoo on January 06, 2013, 08:06 PM
.....and for what it is worth, my own experience on more than one occasion is that simply doubling the ingredients does not work and quadrupling even less so. I have however made two single dishes and combined the two and it has been fine.

 ???
Title: Re: 4 x Madras in one pot
Post by: Peripatetic Phil on January 06, 2013, 08:14 PM
.....and for what it is worth, my own experience on more than one occasion is that simply doubling the ingredients does not work and quadrupling even less so. I have however made two single dishes and combined the two and it has been fine.
Absolutely : I can think of no reason at all why combining two separately cooked single portions to make a double portion could be anything other than a complete success; but the alchemy that underlies the scaling of the ingredients as the portion size is increased remains a mystery, to me at least . . .

** Phil.
Title: Re: 4 x Madras in one pot
Post by: RubyDoo on January 06, 2013, 08:28 PM
Ok.  I think this is probably now best left to the content of the other thread which you kindly provided a link to and which i have now read in full.  ;)
Title: Re: 4 x Madras in one pot
Post by: Secret Santa on January 06, 2013, 08:30 PM
No mystery. As I've explained before, if you double or treble the ingredients and you get a different result it's because you've cooked it differently, it's that simple.

Were that not the case, again as said before (and undoubtedly will have to be said again), by the time your up to ten times the quantity or higher, you wouldn't need any spices at all! Reductio ad absurdum wins the day once again.  :P
Title: Re: 4 x Madras in one pot
Post by: RubyDoo on January 06, 2013, 08:36 PM
Not even going to nose that bait  ;). Its all been said  ;D