Curry Recipes Online

Beginners Guide => Hints, Tips, Methods and so on.. => Cooking Equipment => Topic started by: BRISTOL86 on December 04, 2015, 11:39 AM

Title: Pan recommendation please!
Post by: BRISTOL86 on December 04, 2015, 11:39 AM
Hi All

Newbie curry chef wannabe here!

Can someone please recommend me a decent pan to be cooking my curries in? Something big enough to cook a two person portion in would be perfect.

There's just so much choice and variety of materials and information out there that I'm a bit overwhelmed in all honesty and can't see the wood from the trees!

Thanks :-)
Title: Re: Pan recommendation please!
Post by: curryhell on December 04, 2015, 12:01 PM
Read this thread:

http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,7799.0.html

Try using the search facility. Type in pans and i'm sure it'll give you loads to read on the subject  ;D
Title: Re: Pan recommendation please!
Post by: BRISTOL86 on December 04, 2015, 12:26 PM
Thanks CH - I read every thread about pans and came out more confused than when I went in :-)

I meant to add that I have an (as yet unseasoned) carbon steel wok that I got from an Asian supermarket - this is what I was planning on using for now (once seasoned of course...)
Title: Re: Pan recommendation please!
Post by: curryhell on December 04, 2015, 01:54 PM
Great for Chinese but not ideal for BIR style cooking.  But it'll do until you decide what pan you want to purchase
Title: Re: Pan recommendation please!
Post by: BRISTOL86 on December 04, 2015, 02:02 PM
Thanks CH - would appreciate your steer on pan choice! What do you use for your main dishes, the aluminium pans?
Title: Re: Pan recommendation please!
Post by: BRISTOL86 on December 04, 2015, 02:06 PM
Just seen on that other tread you're using black iron pans! That Dadibhais ebsite doesn't seem to work, can you recommend a supplier?
Title: Re: Pan recommendation please!
Post by: chewytikka on December 04, 2015, 04:07 PM
Are you cooking on gas?

(Black iron pans are hardly used in BIR these days)

Your ideal curry pan

(http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/imagehost/pics/504ba74f13137c399f701dbc08262988.jpg) (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/imagehost/#504ba74f13137c399f701dbc08262988.jpg)

1. Does a 4ltr base (Garabi) in less than 1hr
2. Cooks any meat (tender) in a fraction, 30mins max.
3. cooks a 2up curry and multiples, the same as a 24mm Ali

cheers Chewy
You can get one of these right now at Wilcos for only
Title: Re: Pan recommendation please!
Post by: curryhell on December 04, 2015, 05:09 PM
(Black iron pans are hardly used in BIR these days)

Must be an "old school" practice then CT  :D.  You can certainly hear that distinctive ringing in curry house kitchens round here rather than the dull thud of chef's spoon against an ali pan  ;D  When i first started getting into restaurant kitchens, they were all using black iron rather than ali.  T


Quite right about the Dadibhais web site not being fully functional at the moment.  Try this site instead.
https://www.popatstores.co.uk/P/C/catering-products/cookware--bakeware/omlette-pan

Ideally, find a local Asian wholesalers, the pans are  a lot cheaper.  Ideal size would be  a 24 cm to allow for a double cook.  Alternatively, the pressure cooker that CT suggests.  Great tool, good price but i really don't see me cooking BIR dishes in it.  It just wouldn't seem right  ???  Would cut down on the spice spatter though  ;D
Title: Re: Pan recommendation please!
Post by: Garp on December 04, 2015, 05:15 PM
As you can see, Bristol, opinions are divided  :)

Nothing wrong with a good ol' wok imo.
Title: Re: Pan recommendation please!
Post by: Naga on December 04, 2015, 05:46 PM
As you can see, Bristol, opinions are divided  :)

Nothing wrong with a good ol' wok imo.

Can't disagree with Garp on this one. I've been using a Prestige "This Morning" 26cm  non-stick aluminium flat-bottomed wok ever since I started this currying lark and its still going strong.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Morning-Prestige-Non-Stick-Aluminium-Stirfry/dp/B0041IZGME

The pan in the link is the one I use, but I don't think that model is available any more. It will do a 2 or 3 portion curry no bother.

It still splatters, though! :)
Title: Re: Pan recommendation please!
Post by: BRISTOL86 on December 04, 2015, 06:00 PM
Thanks guys for all the advice! Lots to think about!
Title: Re: Pan recommendation please!
Post by: Onions on December 04, 2015, 06:08 PM
Get one of each Bristol: it's the only way to be sure!
Title: Re: Pan recommendation please!
Post by: curryhell on December 04, 2015, 06:20 PM
Bottom line, the most important thing is how you do it rather than which pan you do it in, which i think we'd all agree on  ;D.  The pan you use could simply be a matter of personal choice.  I'll stick with my black iron and my ali ones until someone convinces me different  ;)
Title: Re: Pan recommendation please!
Post by: BRISTOL86 on December 04, 2015, 07:37 PM
Get one of each Bristol: it's the only way to be sure!

It's the only way to be safe!  ;D

I found a supplier of the black iron pans near me, will grab one tomorrow and test it out when cooking my Bhuna! Having seen curryhell's dishes, if I can get anything looking half as appetising I'll be delighted!
Title: Re: Pan recommendation please!
Post by: BRISTOL86 on December 04, 2015, 07:37 PM
Bottom line, the most important thing is how you do it rather than which pan you do it in, which i think we'd all agree on  ;D.  The pan you use could simply be a matter of personal choice.  I'll stick with my black iron and my ali ones until someone convinces me different  ;)

Yep, no doubt!
Title: Re: Pan recommendation please!
Post by: Unclefrank on December 04, 2015, 08:53 PM
This is Dadibhais new site
 
http://www.cooksmill.co.uk/
Title: Re: Pan recommendation please!
Post by: ELW on December 04, 2015, 09:17 PM
Hi bristol86, I also use a wok, but I've also got ali pans, the best being a kitchen king which I picked up about 3 years ago for about 6 quid in an Asian cash and carry

http://www.kitchenkingcookware.co.uk/Product-Kitchen-King--Chef-Fry-Pan-Wood-handle-Heavy-Duty-26cm/78 (http://www.kitchenkingcookware.co.uk/Product-Kitchen-King--Chef-Fry-Pan-Wood-handle-Heavy-Duty-26cm/78)

The deeper the pan the better imo, and if your using the mix powder method of cooking curries, I'd go for a smaller diameter pan so the oil covers most of the surface. To prevent the powders catching and burning. Wok for me now though as I don't use that method

Regards

ELW
Title: Re: Pan recommendation please!
Post by: joadt on January 30, 2016, 07:26 PM
Quote
2. Cooks any meat (tender) in a fraction, 30mins max.

Any tips Chewy for getting tender chicken for curries using the pressure cooker? I use it for making a garabi but never used it for meat.