/ck/ - Food & Cooking

Make a tandoor. Make your own spice paste. Marinade meat in yogurt and spice overnight.

any curry, any stew, is all about building flavors from the ground up

brown your meats in the same pot you're making the curry in, that fond is priceless

if you're using spices, toast them in a dry pan before you add them to the mix, if you're using a premade paste, be sure to cook it into your meats/veg for a few minutes before you add your coconut milk/stock

be careful with your garlic/ginger, add them right before you add your coconut milk/stock, let it chill for a minute or two max, burnt garlic ruins a dish instantly.

it would help to know what kind of curry you're making and what ingredients you plan on using

>>9539755
boss post.

>>9539755
Good post but that's not always right. Especially toasting spices gives them deeper earthier flavors, it's good for rich meat curry but it overpowers more fragrant dishes. You shouldn't brown meat either for many thai curry.

>>9539719
Fresh spices. Preferably whole. Grind them in a mortar & pestle, spice grinder, or coffee grinder.
Sugar. Almost all restaurant curries will have little bit of sugar (or quite a lot). Taste and balance the salt too (or fish sauce for thai curry).
Get a kaffir lime tree.
Fresh tumeric is really nice if you can get it.
Coconut cream makes really nice gravy.
Don't be afraid to riff on stuff and experiment, but also try recipes and make sure to eat at good indian restaurants to learn.

>>9539788
for sure, will take that criticism in stride, I myself am new to making curries, i'm far from hitting any level of authenticity

what are your favorite Thai curry recipes? I've been rocking that walmart paste and I'm ready to hit up an asian grocery store and make my own.

>>9539788
>Almost all restaurant curries will have little bit of sugar (or quite a lot)

If you have the chance, use palm/coconut sugar in your curries - especially if you're using coconut milk instead of yogurt. It's better than processed white sugar and it gives it a more authentic taste.

No one else here likes the tandoor? There's a bbq flavour to a lot of currys

>>9539801
yeah but >>9539754
"make a tandoor" is way harder

than making a good curry

>>9539801
>>9539804
I thought tandoor was an oven?

>>9539796
http://www.thaitable.com/thai/recipe/green-curry-paste
http://www.thaitable.com/thai/recipe/green-curry-with-chicken

Good starting point. The galangal and lemongrass will keep in the freezer. Kaffir lime trees don't need much love and they're great to have for zest and leaves. You could use ginger instead of galangal if you can't find it but taste is different.

9/10 i'll just riff on stuff and experiment when i make a curry, it's pretty fun.

>>9539797
yeah i'm there senpai

>>9539801
>tfw no tandoor gf

>>9539810
Yeah, a 500°c oven
Indians and Italians both up to the same shit

>>9539796
Khao soi is my favorite thai dish, I make kind of a bastardized version since I can't find yellow curry paste anywhere but it still tastes brety gud

>boneless chicken thighs cut into chunks
>1 cup chicken stock
>fish sauce and either kafir lime leaves or fresh lime juice
>1/4 cup red curry paste, 1 tbs each ginger/minced garlic/minced lemongrass, 1 tbs turmeric, 1/2 tsp cayenne, garam masala to taste
>egg noodles, can of coconut milk, thin sliced shallots, bean sprouts, green onions (whatever you usually want to top a curry with)
>brown the chicken in veg oil and set aside, get curry paste in same pan with the heat turned down to medium, cook for about 5 mins then add aromatics and spices except for garam masala, cook for another minute or so
>add stock, coconut milk, fish sauce to taste, lime juice, and chicken. Simmer for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked, then add garam masala to taste
>boil egg noodles, reserving a few to fry so you can top the soup with them
>top the soup with the veggies, fried egg noodles, cilantro

>>9539804
Next thing you'll say it's hard to build a camp fire

>>9539801
Yeah love the tandoor, but can't be arsed doin that shit at home.

>>9539825
next thing you'll say is sorry for the bait

>>9539822
Fresh tumeric anon. Find some. It is amazing.

>>9539825
Yeah go on then cunt, tell us how ya make a fucken tanodoor oven at home.

So what do you guys do with the meat? Do you marinate it in yogurt and spices or isn't really necessary?

>>9539835
lol, you can actually diy a tandoori oven with terracotta flower pots

>>9539830
Nah, I'm just sorry I didn't make video of my own but its this easy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfXXamj8lV4&ytbChannel=SimpleNick%20-%20Nick%20Collins

>>9539836
Marinating will always help with getting a richer flavor but it isn't actually necessary, if you're strapped for time

Excellent cookbook.

>>9539840
Nah mayte, I dont have the space for that, nice idea but when I feel like tanodoori I think ill just go buy it. Home made curry, yah good stuff, but home made tandoori? Nope, can't be arsed.

>>9539842
shoe on tandoor or it didn't happen

>>9539865
Do you want a doc martin or a high heel

>>9539891
either is acceptable

>>9539896
Behold an afternoons work

>>9539719
Use fresh spices, if your spices are old increase the amount you're using because they will have lost their potency.

Don't just make a 'currry' with rice, have side dishes like naan bread, chapati, roti etc. I like to make a kachumber salad to go with my curries, finely sliced red onions, diced tomatoes, chopped cucumber, finely diced green chillies tossed in cumin powder, salt, black pepper and lime juice.

Buy your rice from the indian/ethnic store. I buy mine from there it is the same price as from the supermarket but has been aged for 2 years. When i cook it i simply put it in boilin water stir it to stop it sticking and leave for 10-12 mins. No need to cover and it never comes out sticky, always fluffy.

Your garam masala and chat masala can be used to spice the curry during cooking or can be sprinkled over the finished dish to provide a depth of flavour.

Chicken thighs not breasts if you struggle with dry meat.

Other than that time and practice.

get 4 chicken thighs
remove the skin, debone,and cut into chunks
fry the skin in a pan until crispy
immediately season salt and pepper and have it as a snack while you prepare the rest of your meal
save all that leftover chicken fat too for later use in whatever

brown your chicken chunks
throw the bones in there too while youre at it
pour in 1 can of condensed tomato soup
two heaping spoonfuls of curry paste. I like the extra hot
mix it all together
simmer on low heat for 20 minutes stirring occasionally
remove from heat and stir in a scoop or three of plain greek yogurt
serve immediately over some fancy expensive rice

I've had curry in many restaurants all over, and this simple method is the best one I've had

>>9539901
Oh fuck. Anon delivers
So does this actually work? Do you use it?

>>9539901
Hah, oh wow dude. It doesn't look that used but good stuff. Next thing you post will be pictures of you in India or some shit.

>>9539920
It's good for anything skewered. Marinated meat for curry or by itself as tandoor chicken, minced meat with spices for kebabs. You can put a grill basket in there to cook looser meat like fish. The fat drips into the coals and smokes it a little plus it reaches a very high heat in there. Heat from the sides as well as direct from the coals.

I think if I use half the coals and some wood and water tray I can do some slow cooking bbq in there but I haven't tried it yet

>>9539922
I use it a couple times a week. A good tip I got was to soak the pottery first for a night, it is supposed to prevent cracking and I haven't had any

dont use fresh chicken

>>9539719
follow a good recipe

>>9539907
Add some chaat masala to that kachumber, the black salt is great.

>>9539719
DO NOT
CURRY MAKE YOU SMELL LIKE CURRY
PLS NO

This has been my experiment with curry (first time and first time homemade naan) - what do u think anons? It was edible btw.

>>9541256
That naan looks great, but that's a blurry curry slurry.

take a shit and call it curry

>>9541256
Fuck me. That looks great. Especially the naan

>>9541294
thank you. As I said, I tried it for the first time also the pic is kinda blurry - sorry about that.

>>9541307
It's the only way we learn, anon. Would eat/10

>>9539719
>How do I make a good curry?
1. Toast spices in a dry pan before you even begin
2. Use ghee and season it with your spices the way the Indians do before adding anything else.
3. I like to brown my protein first and set it aside to add later in order to create a fond in the pan for everything else to cook in. Most Indians I see don't do this though, and add the protein without ever browning it.
4. I usually make onion and tomato based curries, and you get more flavor if you let your onions brown completely before adding your tomato. IMO, those brown onions really contribute to the flavor more than just the sweated onions would.
5. Don't be afraid of using your spices, and rub it on your protein. My typical spice amount: 1 TBS cayenne, coriander, cumin, 1/2 tbs chili powder, 2 tsp black and white pepper, 1 tsp cinamon, cardomon, about 5 whole cloves and 3 bay leaves, plus salt to taste at the end. Add about half your spices when your onions are brown, then add most of the rest for the simmer leaving a little bit to add for the end just before serving.
6. Use fresh garlic, ginger, and chili of of your choice.
7. Use stock to add for the simmer and not water.
8. Last, let it simmer on low heat for at least 45 mins, but preferably an hour.

Pic related: smoked chicken curry with bell pepper

That should help you out.

>>9541190
Thanks i'll give it a try, i love the pungentness of black salt powder its unlike anything you'll find in western food.

>>9539719
3 most common spices for curry are tumeric, chili powder, and garam masala

go wild

>>9542072
>garam masala
possibly the worst smell in the world

>>9542112
>garam masala
>worst smell in the world
Volunteer for a fire department for awhile and suck up the smell of burning or rotting bodies a few times, then get back to us miss sheltered snowflake.

>>9542138
0ok mr edgymcfudgey

>>9542138
Except people don't use rotting bodies to make food.

Unless you're making indian food, that is.

>>9542142
>it's the edgy meme
Played out, anon.

>>9542112
Which particular spice offends you?

>>9541238
cheese makes you smell inescapably like bad cheese. try it sometime, a couple weeks in east asia and your nose will lead you to vacationing americans of any color like they're chester fucking cheetah.
and let's not even get into garlic or pineapple juice, you can taste those in bodily fluids.

compared to that, i'll take curry. it may be noticeable but at least it doesn't smell rotten.

>>9542112
what? how does it smell bad? it's kinda cinnamony.

>>9542192
This is the dumbest post I will read on /ck/ today, if not this week.

>>9542204
That dumb ass doesn't even know what garam masala is....

>>9542192
>tfw vegan so everyone around me smells nasty 24/7 and their excessive showering only makes it worse thanks to their overactive sebaceous glands and disrupted epidermal ecosystem

>>9542218
I stand corrected. THIS is the dumbest post I will read on /ck/ today, if not this week.

>>9542232
guess again sweaty

>>9542210
>t. flyover
try it sometime. you can even do it as a NEET, just hide from other people and eat no dairy. takes around ten days in un-ACed summer with 5-10km of walking a day to reacclimate/sweat it all out of yourself and then you'll have a perfect American detector.

just like curry, it's more than worth it for the flavor, though.

Turn heat on. Place oil on pan. Toast cumin, coriander, cinnamon, star anise/cardamom, and dried chili peppers. Grind the toasted spices. Sautée chopped onions, minced ginger and garlic. Throw in tomatoes or tamarind paste. Add meat or vegetables in, as well as water. Add coconut milk/cream if desired. Add salt to taste. Season with fresh coriander leaves.

>>9542182
i really have no idea
i also hate ground cardamon, wow, seed pods only and then remove the fuck out of them because omg i bit into one on accident once and i think i saw satan

>>9542251
cont.
its notable to note that i really suck at making curry and i fucking love chicken vindaloo and chicken tikka masala

but i cannot get the flavors right with the spices, i spent like 40$ on just spices for indian food and i can't get that velvetty texture nor can i really get the over-flavored feel of it

so individually some of the spices are a little much imo, and the garam masala i got was just so strong

>>9542244
>dirty nasty Ameriboo thinks the smell of SOAP that white westerners use to bathe every day is cheese

>>9542283
White americans don't use soap. They just torture their scalps and pretend that causes everything else to wash itself.

>>9542302
They're the only ones that can afford it, Ameriboo.

>>9542310
No, black people here use soap and washcloths. White people don't use washcloths and get offended if anyone brings up that fact.

>>9542314
>all this butthurt
What shitty nation are you from that your so bitter, Ameriboo?

>>9539974
But anon, the terracotta pots are coated with uranium hexafluoride because reasons.

>>9539907
Aged rice is the real secret to good Indian style rice with each grain perfect and not sticky.

>>9544160
According to which nutcase conspiracy theorist?

>>9542314
Wait, you're telling me there are people that don't use washcloths? Even chinks use washcloths ffs

>>9541256
looks great, you can reduce the gravy in the curry a bit more imo. also a good way to make naan is on the hob over an open fire.

>>9541378
>Use ghee and season it with your spices the way the Indians do before adding anything else
Not necessarily, fat is flavored with onions, garlic and ginger and _whole_ spices, if using powdered add it later as they can burn if added too soon
>Most Indians I see don't do this though, and add the protein without ever browning it.
they do in restaurants.

agree with the other points though stock isn't a big concern if you're cooking for a long time. also not all curries benefit from a long cooking time. kadhai dishes are best finished in 15 or so minutes over high heat and minimal (but strong) spices (usually only cumin, coriander seeds, peppercorns, anise and red chilli)

>>9539822
Mein neger.
Ate it everyday in chiang mai.

>>9544237
just apply the soap with your hand

see how easy

>>9542247
PAN
NICE AND HOT
OIL, IN

Make your own roux

>>9539754
>make your own wood-fired clay oven
seriously?

>>9539719
im a total curry noob, i bought some paste but i have no idea what to do with it
i was thinking of caramelising some onions, adding the paste and then a can of coconut milk and letting it boil until its reduced to a sauce, would that work?

>>9539719
Be Indian

>>9547512
Thai curry paste already has shallots and garlic in it, so no need to add any onions.

>>9547628
It's not Thai curry paste though.
It's madras.

>>9539754
>Make your own spice paste.

Indian here, just buy the prepackaged shit desu

>>9547641
Are you actually in India?
If so which part?

>>9547644

No I live in America, sorry to disappoint. My mom immigrated here though. she just cooks with the boxed powders

here's a nice video if you want insight into what modern americanized indian life/cooking is like

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHJGjrdw8hA

>>9547628
but then all i have left to do is boil the coconut milk and add the paste?

>>9547512
>no idea what to do with it
Here's a simple approach:

Brown protein and remove.
Add veggies and sweat.
Add paste, stock to thin it out and deglaze the pan, and your protein, simmer till done and serve.

You probably aren't cooking your onions long enough

>>9539719
By getting one of these. Also, some of the spices should be roasted in the oil first. And use different stuff like cloves and cinnamon, western curry mix is standardized crap.

>>9547653
yea. the shan mixes are the best. no matter how hard ive tried over teh years ive never been able to make a better curry chicken than the shan mix so i just gave up on it. and i mean honestly, you still need to cook the onions and add in ginger/garlic paste and yogurt, all youre doing is adding in someone elses spice mix instead of your own.

i make korma, rogan josh, nihari, rajma masala & chana masala from scratch though.

>>9549633
also tikka masala and tandoori chicken from scratch too but almost never because of the marination times for the chicken.

unless its a special event where i know im going to be cooking it i almost never make it. in 24 hours i might not even want to eat that.