Curry

[Roland Deschain]

OMFSM. How did I miss this thread? Curry is a gift from His Noodliness; it goes with so many different meals. I was talking to an Indian guy online (random chat site¹) and I happened to tell him that I love Indian food. He then started going through all these different types of curry, such as Bhuna, Dopiaza, etc., and asking if i'd tried them. I was just saying "Yes, i've had that one", and even supplied a few more. He then asked me if there was one i'd not tried. If there is, then this needs to be remedied immediately.


As for curried noodles, nothing that has curry in could possibly kill you. Singapore-style fried rice vermicilli noodles are lush. I've even had spaghetti with curry, and can thoroughly recommend that to you, DB. Maybe a scientific expedition could be sent to India to sample these dishes as they are traditionally cooked and then report back about it. I would be more than willing to give months of my time to do this. For a small grant, of course.


¹ No, not that type of site.

[Ham Nox]

Hmm. Perhaps I need to increase my horizons a bit more. I order the same thing--chicken tandori and buttered naan--every time I go to an Indian restaurant.

I'm hesitant to try curry. I don't have a very high tolerance for spicy...

[DavidH]

There are loads of tasty, non-spicy curries, Ham. I don't know if the Indian restaurants do the same types as ours, but if you can find lamb Pasanda give it a go. Sweet and smooth with coconut. Korma is also good.

[daftbeaker]

Hmm. Perhaps I need to increase my horizons a bit more. I order the same thing--chicken tandori and buttered naan--every time I go to an Indian restaurant.

I'm hesitant to try curry. I don't have a very high tolerance for spicy...

I promise not to cook you a curry

Last time I made a curry for my family, I deliberately toned it down and they still complained it was too hot

Other nice mild dishes are tikka massala and korma, both fairly mild but still plenty of flavour.

[DavidH]

What Roy said about yoghurt. Mrs H and I put a dollop on our plates.

And you could try Dopiaza, which is savoury with lots of onions, but not hot.

[Roland Deschain]

I love that cooling pot of sauce you get with a curry from a proper Curry House. You could also try a Bhuna. That's not hot either. There are a surprising number of very mild to weak (in the spiciness scale) curries. Your best bet is to ask the waiter what would suit your specific tastes, and he/she (or she/he) will be able to advise you on what to try to broaden your horizons.

DB, you should not wimp out and lessen the burn of your curries, just because your family are not too fond of them hot. This is in fact a challenge to increase it!

[bacon]

I just ate some curry. Are you proud of me, DB?

[DavidH]

I think you did OK! What type of curry was it?

[bacon]

Oh David, I'm sorry I missed your post. And I don't remember what type of curry I had, but I'm sure it was delish.

I did make a curry last night though, and it had bacon in it. Very yummy! Thought of DB the entire time I was cooking it!

[Cardinal Fang]

If you want to cook a seriously good curry, do it in a slow cooker. I put it in before I go to work and it's done when I come home. Cooking it long and slow means the spices mellow and mature.

Cook the meat or onions first or just bodge all the ingredients in together and let them get on with it?

My dad has a slow cooker, I may commandeer it over the summer

A lot of recipes reckon you should brown first, but I don't see the need. Bung everything in together and give it a stir! Let's face it if you're cooking it slow for 8 hours, the difference is minimal anyway! Plus if you chuck it all in together, you can do your prep the night before, cover the inner cook pot in clingfilm then in the morning just put it in the cooker and press go - then you don't have to get up earlier!!! I do recommend taking the time to make your own spice mix, but if you're going to use a paste, I recommend Patak's. If you want a treat, I can also recommend mail order spice mixes from Rafi's Spicebox in York (http://www.spicebox.co.uk/).

CF

[AUSloth]

I and my partner in all things are both curry fiends and there is no problem involving his noodlyness in curry dishes. As far as I know curry is not strictly Indian anyway, it's all through Asia, Japan, the Orient even the middle east (or the middle west as we like to call it from AUS) with your massamans etc and recipes regularly call for the higher forms of grain/legume presentation (ie made into noodles).

Slow cooking in an "all in one hit" is definitely a good method if you want to save labour but try cooking the day before (or the weekend) storing overnight then gently bringing up to temp and serve. It makes for a huge difference in flavour.

The other point about searing or browning things may not be so important for meats ( although there is a flavour difference) but its really important with the spices. We often make the paste's from scratch and preping the spices in small pan then grinding can leave me a drooling mess on the floor just from the aromas. picture Homer Simpson dreaming about donuts and you'll be close.

[Arkaeon]

Great, now after reading this, I not only have to do a curry-like dish today, but I also have to watch a couple reruns of Red Dwarf!

[black bart]

Another great thread...well done chaps. You may have observed my Fish Head Stew from my pirate party a year or so ago was actually Bengal Fish Stew.

Hounslow is not far away and neither is Southall...need I say more.

[spaghettijim]

Spaghetti Jim says
Par boil some cut up carrots and cauliflower. Mix in some good curry powder, not too much, and let sit.
Meanwhile cut up a piece of Queso fresco (the stuff that doesn't melt) into little pieces.
Saute the veggies and toss with the cheese
Boil up some noodles. I use Spaghetti Jim's Taglearini.
Mix noodles with the curried veggies.
Arrgh there ya go matie
And remember the pirates warning: "You havent been around the world until you have been around the world on a Greek pirate ship."

[black bart]

spaghettijim wrote:

"You havent been around the world until you have been around the world on a Greek pirate ship."

Don't tell me they make you eat curried Moussaka?