Topic: Back to my roots

[Peripatetic Phil]

Phil, it is said our taste buds change every seven years, maybe you have reached a seven year mark 

No, I still hate bananas, pears, nuts, and 98% of all vegetables.  It can't be that
** Phil.

[Kashmiri Bob]

I've watched two chefs fairly recently. The one fries the spices within an inch of their lives before adding any base.  The other adds base (a small amount to start with) almost immediately after the spices (mix/chilli powder) are added.  Based solely on results, quality curry, the first chef is in a totally different league.  Perhaps herein lies the issue?  It is not as easy as we might think to fry spices correctly.  We think the fry will burn them, so we ease off.  I don't.  I blast them, every time.  Especially ex-hot chilli powder. So my view is that cooking the spices, in oil, is a must to produce a quality BIR curry.  I don't believe you can cook spices properly in an essentially aqueous medium, in 10 mins or so.  You would need hours of boiling, in a handi, for example.

Rob     

[Garabi Army]

Phil, interesting question, although we can't get away from the fact that all the decent, and not so decent, BIR restaurants first fry off the spices in oil to get maximum flavour extraction, I think that moving away from this method is somewhat like re-inventing the wheel.
After watching the excellent 'Rick Stein's India' series it became apparent that the common theme was to fry the spices in oil, this has been the way for hundreds of years (maybe thousands) I'm sure other methods would have been tried (?)

Cheers,
Ken

[Kashmiri Bob]

I can also add that from what I've seen even slow handi cooking (in BIR TAs/restaurants) commences with one almighty bagar.  No bagar, no taste. End of story.

Rob 

[Peripatetic Phil]

I am very willing to believe that the vast majority of good chefs, of Indian housewives, and of members of this forum, all fry their spices and achieve first-class results.  What interests me is that (a) Kris Dhillon did not advocate frying the spices in KD1, and (b) I have achieved better results using her "don't fry the spices" methodology than I have ever achieved when I have tried frying them.  My only reasons for reporting this are (a) to stimulate discussion ("let's think outside the box") and (b) to see if between us we can identify why Kris's no-fry approach works so well, yet the majority prefer to use a more complex method.

** Phil.

[h4ppy-chris]

Timing is the key!

[mr.mojorisin]

Timing is the key!

lol Chris...timing is the key...we've waited ??hours ??minutes ??seconds for the infamous ebook...perfect timing my friend...only fooling btw

[h4ppy-chris]

Timing is the key!

lol Chris...timing is the key...we've waited ??hours ??minutes ??seconds for the infamous ebook...perfect timing my friend...only fooling btw

It will be worth it 

[George]

What interests me is that (a) Kris Dhillon did not advocate frying the spices in KD1, and (b) I have achieved better results using her "don't fry the spices" methodology than I have ever achieved when I have tried frying them. 

I've come up with similar findings. I agree with you. Perhaps the frying of spices, as an essential step, should be added to Jerry's list of myths.

[Garp]

Just to add my tuppenceworth in....

My understanding of the frying of spices process is to release the flavour, particularly, the oils in whole seeds. In traditional Indian cuisine, whole spices are often fried, if the seeds are to be left whole in the dish, or fried then removed (cardamom, cloves etc. Another method used is to dry roast whole spices then grind them before adding to the dish (as in the process for making garam masala).

I don't know how commercially sold ground spices are made, but I would assume, with seed-based spice powders, there will be some heating/cooking process invloved before the spices are ground? If that is the case, then the only flavour remaining is in the powder. I'm not sure if frying the powder is going to achieve anything other than, perhaps, flavouring the oil and giving a more even distribution of spice throughout the dish. Or maybe the powder begins to burn and produce a different taste? I don't know.

Hey, I haven't actually answered anything............oh well.......nurse!!!!!!