Author Topic: UCB Update Please read (Read 25452 times)

Mark J · « **Reply #20 on:** November 03, 2006, 04:54 PM »

Yes it does

The natco base has a crazy amount of garlic in it, around 1.5 whole heads for about 1.4 litres of sauce and I rate it as the best

DARTHPHALL · « **Reply #21 on:** November 03, 2006, 05:12 PM »

Ah done an experiment on this!!!
After having a Take-away Curry my wife cannot smell much Garlic on me at all, but when i make my own Phall which has one whole globe of Garlic for a 4 portions dish, she says the Garlic is overpowering.
I have done this several times because i felt that Garlic was "The One" a long time ago, now im not so sure.
This is never ending, our quest.

Ashes · « **Reply #22 on:** November 03, 2006, 05:49 PM »

Darth it could be the way the garlic is added to the base, i know the French take about the core of the garlic as its usually bitter and it harder to digest., also garlic is strange, when boiled it can retain a kind of flavour that you wont get when it is fried. hard to explain $:-\$
but mark says his local has the taste, so this could very well be the beginnings of a new search into the world of garlic? Garlic does fit a lot of criteria for the taste and its one of those Spices/vegetables/fruit?/herbs that gives a fuller a flavour. It also helps stink out the car/boat/tent/igloo or wherever you live. Also Mark wrote "add garlic and then when it is brown they add the tomato paste with a little water (no spice this time), he said its important to get it bubbling otherwise it wont keep for long.". Doesnt "the taste" keep for "too long"? i.e., it diminishes after a while?

I hope this is part of the taste, really do, then we are half way there! ;D
regards Ashes

DARTHPHALL · « **Reply #23 on:** November 03, 2006, 06:11 PM »

I am intrigued now especially when you say about it diminishing.
CP was commenting about certain Bir/ Take-Away methods that incorporate this theory, he explained in depth & i must agree i will be further experimenting in the old Kitchen soon.

I think Mark J started a thread on this somewere about getting very close & having the Bir smell in his Kitchen the following day.
Was it you Mark?
This is a big site.

DARTHPHALL · « **Reply #24 on:** November 03, 2006, 07:18 PM »

Yes Ashes by us/the members going over the same ground from time to time we may inadvertently come across a real clue or definite step further forward on our quest IE, this Garlic point, has anyone tried powdered Garlic instead & what was the outcome? Hmmmmmm.
The Quest continues people

Ashes · « **Reply #25 on:** November 03, 2006, 07:51 PM »

Yes Darth I have tried powdered garlic in Pat Chapmans curry powder recipe. Powdered garlic might be a fill out flavour in the taste.. but the taste is so much more than one ingredient. I suspect (as said) its garlic + technique? Garlic, other spices + technique.. ah the pot thickens

Ashes

DARTHPHALL · « **Reply #26 on:** November 03, 2006, 08:05 PM »

Yes & as i wonder down the trail to the Curry secret i also believe that technique & a simple blend of Spices is key here, Ive made dam good Curries but as i grow in confidence & experience i have made my Curries over complex.
I'm going back to my roots as it were after speaking in length to Chilli Prawn about his techniques & recipe uses (relevant to this post ya see in the end).

Things to consider.
1. When using a base such as mine (complex & numerous in ingredients) perhaps the best end result would be to take a simple & quick cooking approach in the actual Curry (Second Stage).
2. To have success with a simple Base (Kris Dhillon style) you may want to make the second stage with a more complex Spice blend & experiment with various cooking techniques.

I attain much more success with number 1 as i think the complex base gives room for mistakes (I'm no Chef

), were as the KD style in my humble opinion is very unforgiving if you don't get the second stage right.
Ashes do you find that powdered Garlic gives for a very different taste as opposed fresh ?

Ashes · « **Reply #27 on:** November 03, 2006, 08:21 PM »

I can only comment on how i have used powdered garlic, but i once thought it was a major part of the secret (because of others comments) but i haven't had that much success with it.

But as i said before, that doesn't mean that members shouldn't experiment. If i was to say, "absolutely NO" then there would be some who wouldn't even use it, not because "Ashes said it" but because we tend to accept what other members say without trying ourselves. After saying this, it makes plenty of sense that BIRs would use flavour enhancers and flavour fillers and if something works well i would imagine they would try and add it to the flavour.

So the jury is open on this one

Ashes

DARTHPHALL · « **Reply #28 on:** November 03, 2006, 08:34 PM »

I once came home with a Take-away, opened the container to find white powder on top of the curry, it was Garlic powder, which may also indicate the very quick style of cooking which is something that Chilli Prawn has gone over with me.
The secret to getting "the Taste/Smell".

I have his address, it looks like i will have to go & drag him onto the forum as i can see some interesting dialogue forthcoming on this subject (cue Chilli Prawn). ;D

Ashes · « **Reply #29 on:** November 03, 2006, 09:07 PM »

There are few reasons why i suspect you are right about the garlic powder, i have also read that the day after eating a curry some people get very dehydrated (might be the amount of lager that accompanies the curry?

) some have said the amount of garlic powder they put in their curries.. But i suspect darth that garlic powder is added to some BIR but it isnt the secret, what ive seen, it seems to be a flavour filler, that's to say, something that adds to the over taste but not "the taste" or directly to "the taste" in itself, the fried garlic could very well be apart ( how big a part i dont know) of "the taste".

But as i said, try it out, experiment and post results. There are many members here, if only a few post their results we will have a better idea. But as i said; people must clarify how much of the taste they think it contributes. IE: non, some, quite a lot or all of "the taste"

Regards Ashes