Topic: A couple of changes to Kris Dhillon's madras

[spiceyokooko]

Garam masala is exactly that, Garam meaning 'hot', masala meaning 'mix'  If a recipe calls for Garam Masala, then that's what it should mean.  It shouldn't mean 'curry masala' as that is a completely different beast.

Based on who's viewpoint, yours, chewytikka's or hers? The problem and confusion here I think is that Khris Dillon can call her 'Spice Mix', 'Mix Powder' 'Curry Masala' (note how there's already three and plenty more names for the same thing) whatever she want's to, it's her recipe book after all! Add in the fact that Khris Dhillons book 'The Curry Secret' was first written in 1989 - 23 years ago, long before 'Spice Mix', 'Mix Powder', 'Curry Masala' or even Garam Masala came into general use and acceptance.

By general use and acceptance, I mean by modern day standards and when Khris wrote that book, the closest convenient term for her to use for a general purpose 'Spice Mix' was probably 'Garam Masala' and that's probably the reason she used it.

Kris Dhillion is a well established author and restaurateur of 30+ years, I don't believe that she has made such a fundamental error in a required ingredient.

I don't think she has for the reasons I've already given. In my opinion the errors people have made are in the interpretation of her recipe ingredients and instructions for using them. It's not as if she's asked you to use a pre-made commercial Garam Masala mix - she's given the exact ingredients and quantities included in the Garam Masala she's asking you to use in her recipes.

Kris asks us to use garam masala because that's exactly what she wants us to use.

Yes, but she wants you to use HER Garam Masala as detailed in the ingredients section of her book. At no point does she ever state 'Go grab any old bag of Garam Masala and shove that in my recipes'.

She doesn't ask us to use garam Masala, hoping that we know that she really means 'curry masala'  AKA, mixed powder, spice mix, spice blend, base spice, and even curry powder.!

She doesn't have to! She's already detailed the precise ingredients and quantities in her Garam Masala she wants you to use. Your misinterpretation is in thinking that her Garam Masala is interchangeable with what you've become accustomed to understand as 'Garam Masala'.

If I was publishing a recipe which called for chilli powder in it but I really meant paprika, I wouldn't assume that everyone would know this before hand, it doesn't make sense.

What doesn't make sense, is you thinking Khris's Garam Masala is interchangeable with what you've grown accustomed to understand it to be - something you add at the end of the cooking process. You clearly demonstrate this thinking in your second post in this thread -

Personally, I would move away from using Garam Masala in such quantities.  It is very pungent and has a tendency to over power dishes.  If I do use it, I use only a little pinch at the very end of the cooking, and stir it through.

And again here -

I realise that Khris doesn't really use a "spice mix" as such, aka; Spice blend, curry masala, mix powder but maybe you could replace the Garam masala, and ground cumin with 2 tsp of spice mix.

Khris does use a 'Spice Mix' it's called 'Garam Masala, the contents of which is detailed in her ingredients section! And yet above, you're still trying to argue not only that Khris doesn't use a 'Spice Mix' as such, she has no right to call it Garam Masala', because it doesn't fit in with what YOU want and think it should be!

In recent posts you said this -

I have made KD's GM recipe to spec and used it as specified in her recipes.

And this -

No, I'm aware of how Kris intends us to use GM in her recipes, and like I said, I think it pretty unusual.

Yet earlier in the thread you stated virtually the opposite!

Confused? Yes I am, but I'm sure you've got a rational explanation, you seem to have plenty of those 

Cheers and Good Karma!

[PaulP]

I don't know what point anybody is trying make now. It doesn't matter whether Kris calls it garam masala or not. The point is it is a spice mix that won't get you a BIR taste. Why? Because it contains: Green cardamoms, cloves, black pepper, cinnamon, bay leaves, nutmeg and brown cardamoms in significant quantities.

Cheers,

Paul

[spiceyokooko]

It doesn't matter whether Kris calls it garam masala or not. The point is it is a spice mix that won't get you a BIR taste. Why? Because it contains: Green cardamoms, cloves, black pepper, cinnamon, bay leaves, nutmeg and brown cardamoms in significant quantities.

An interesting and somewhat curious point from someone who by their own admission has never actually cooked anything from Khris Dhillon's book and yet somehow appears to know with concrete certainty, what the majority of BIR's use and don't use within their spice mixes.

I honestly thought this site was about the sharing of knowledge and experiences which hopefully lead to a greater knowledge and understanding of what everyone is trying to achieve in their various goals.

What it appears to me to be, is an entrenching leading to a defence when challenged of individual peoples opinions and views, which as a relative newcomer here is extremely disappointing to see.



Cheers and good Karma!

[Curry Barking Mad]

It's 1735 hours and it's dark outside in Cambridgeshire..........

Anybody want to argue that it's light, just for the sake of it?

[PaulP]

Spicey,

I have all the aforementioned spices in my spice cupboard - I know what they taste of and I do use them sometimes but not in a BIR madras.

It seems you have proved to your own satisfaction and pre-conceptions that we are an inferior species in our quest to cook BIR style food. I suspected when you first turned up that you would end up ridiculing us.
Point made now, maybe time to move on or just end up trolling the forum.

Paul

[haldi]

I have enjoyed cooking Kris's recipes, many times
They aren't what I would call, a copy of any Indian Takeaway's curry, I have known
But they still are enjoyable
In fact, I have bought versions 1,2 & 3 of the Curry Secret
I kept re buying in the hope that there would be that "extra something"
In the end, I thought the first book, was the best

[Peripatetic Phil]

Oh come on you guys -- we get a new member who isn't afraid to speak his mind and who is willing to challenge our preconceptions : isn't that just what we need, if we are to avoid the "we know it all, there is nothing more to be learned" trap ?  I for one am willing to admit that there is always something more to be learned, and if that involves re-thinking some of my own ideas, then so much the better.  We /need/ new members, if we are to avoid dying of stagnation -- even if Spicey is outspoken, surely that is not a reason to suggest that he "moves on", is it ?

** Phil.

[PaulP]

You're right Phil, I've said too much already. If I were so closed minded I wouldn't have done yesterday's cooking which involved cooking a curry with a completely alien (to me) spice mixture comprising of just turmeric, cumin and curry leaves and a little GM. Took me all day and I'm a bag of nerves on these Champix anti-smoking tablets which, although effective take it out of you. I hope your arm recovers soon.

Maybe I'll make up the KD spice mix out of curiousity and give it a whirl.

Anyways, enough from me, I'll get me coat!

Cheers,

Paul

[curryhell]

Oh come on you guys -- we get a new member who isn't afraid to speak his mind and who is willing to challenge our preconceptions : isn't that just what we need, if we are to avoid the "we know it all, there is nothing more to be learned" trap ?  I for one am willing to admit that there is always something more to be learned, and if that involves re-thinking some of my own ideas, then so much the better.  We /need/ new members, if we are to avoid dying of stagnation -- even if Spicey is outspoken, surely that is not a reason to suggest that he "moves on", is it ?

** Phil.

I certainly haven't got anything against anybody being outspoken Phil.  And we should welcome challenges to our preconceptions.  There is still a lot to be learned otherwise we'd have gone off all being able to cook as good a dish as the best BIR.  However, this topic as a few members have already suggested has now been  flogged to death.  What have i got from the thread - nothing other than the principle of following a recipe exactly to spec, and that does mean exactly.  Five pages and 47 replies later has not added to my knowledge, made me rethink any of my ideas and i am no nearer cooking better dishes for it.  I think it's time we moved on, or at least i will.  Feel free to pm me if anything earth shattering does eventually come out of this thread.  Apologies but my yin and yang are now well unbalanced by it.

[Les]

Yeah fellas, Let's call it a day, It don't matter how you do it, as long as the finished result is to your liking,
But i do think it's better to try a recipe first before criticizing, Although i must say i was enjoying this debate.

HS