why can i never cook a curry?

Question

the way its done in take aways or restaurants, any tips on how would be most appreciated

thanx, i do follow recipes...im not a densoid like u lot who have answered with that...derrrrrrrrrrrr

Answer 1

I think that the facts they are trained chefs is the reason that the food is like it is

Answer 2

Cooking curry is not easy... it can take a while for anyon to learn it, Indians an Pakistanies can tell if a curry is made by a novice, sometimes on sight alone (believe me... haha)

It depends on the exact problem you are having.

The spices don't taste right?
Many spices that curry power is made from won't gain the correct flavor until the powder itself is toasted, however, don't do it dry with just the curry powder, it's like a smoke bomb (choking and tears)... instead, make a paste of the curry powder by adding water, 1 tablespoon at a time to make a curry paste, then toast that very well, well browned, near black.

THe texture isn't what you hope for?
If you know a particular recipe's result is too thin, try it again with more curry powder then a spoonful or two of non flavored yogurt... it'll thicken the curry, but it will lightthen it significantly, so compensate accordingly

If the results are too thin, add stock, but compensate for the salt

Answer 3

Some possible reasons:

1. Are you using the correct ratio of spices and how they were prepared (raw or roasted) and not generic brands of curry powder.

2. Many restaurants char the food to give it a smoky flavor. Have you tried liquid smoke?

3. Restaurants use way more fat than most recipes call for

Can you specify WHAT curry this is? Veggie, beans or meat?

Answer 4

The secret is: Monosodium Glutamate.
Put 1 teaspoon inside your curry, and cook it for minimum half an hour.
It doesn't matter if you use 'ready-to-use curry pasta' or you use fresh ingredients, but most of the curry recipes always use monosodium glutamate.
And if you wanna have better taste, let it stay over night, and eat it the next day. The curry sauce will absorb the taste of the meat and veggies that you put inside, the meat and the veggies will absorb the taste of the curry sauce.
You just need to warm it before you eat.
Just let me know if you have another question.
Good luck and happy cooking! ^o^

Answer 5

If you follow the recipe but still cannot....
you have to put an effort to the spice you use...
If you live in Singapore or Malaysia,you can find some special India shop which sell variety kind of spices needed for cook curry....
if you don't know how to choose,ask the shopkeeper to help you....
Tell them what kind of meat you wants to use,, they will match and grill the spices for you....
Everything will be ok....

Answer 6

Indian curry?
There is a basic recipe that goes in most curries

Heat some oil
put some cumin
add chopped onions (i use alot of that. red onions give curry a darker colour, white ones give it a lighter colour). Add tomatoes that have been blended (more tomatoes means more red curry). add crushed ginger, chillies, and garlic. (extra garlic always does the trick). add turmeric powder. sometimes ppl add tomato puree just to add colour.
i add alot of a ready spice that contains cumin and corriander seeds. oh yeah, dont forget to add salt to taste.

experiment with these to get the measurements that you like there is no right or wrong!

Answer 7

This is the way I make Curried Chicken:

3tbsp. butter
1/4 cup minced onion
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
3 tbsp. flour
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp ground ginger (optional)
1 cup chicken broth or 1 chicken bouillon cube dissolved
1 cup milk
2 cups cooked chicken diced
1/2 tsp lemon juice

melt butter over low heat in medium to large saucepan
saute` onion and curry in the butter
blend in flour and seasonings
cook over low heat until the mixture is smooth and bubbly
remove from heat and stir in milk and broth.
place back on heat and let this come to a boil now while stirring constantly
add chicken and lemon juice

Serve this over cooked white rice.

If you try this recipe let me know how it turns out. My email is [e-mail]

Answer 8

Make two base gravies.
1) Boil two large onions with 4/5 garlic flakes and half inch ginger in two cups of water and reduce it to one cup. Grind to paste and use in all the recipes that call for cashew nuts, cream, poppy seeds, green chilies, melon seeds etc.(Mainly white to green curries)
2) Boil same as above with four tomatoes and make paste to be used in all other kind of curries. Mostly recipes calling for red chilli powder (Brown to red curries)
Top all curries with chopped coriander and you are home.

Answer 9

first i need to know what kind of curry you have in mind. indian? pakistan? malaysian? japanese? they are all different in some way, although all of them are called curry.
one the secrets of making curry is fresh ingredients, which is not easy (and also expensive) in the western world. use more than mentioned in recipe, especially if your cookbook is published for America/Canada/European countries. use thick coconut milk. cook in low heat for a loooong time. and as someone has mentioned earlier, eat it the next day.
oh, and I think MSG can be substituted with ground shallots. it's also taste enhancer.

Answer 10

Hi, I read all the others and have heart, cooking is easy if you follow simple instructions, I have a husband and 2 sons, I am used to SIMPLE. OK. Prawn curry
frozen prawns, thaw them out
tin tesco chopped tomatoes
onion chopped
turmeric
chilli powder
garlic
coriander
cumin
salt
water
oil
put some oil in pan, fry chopped onions, add chopped garlic, add 2 teaspoons of turmeric, coriander, cumin.
add 1 teaspoon of salt and red chilli powder, stir until coated, add tin chopped tomatoes, stir, add defrosted prawns, stir, add salt to taste, stir. If you need more sauce, add more water. cook for 10 mins and serve with rice. Do you need to know how to cook the rice?
good recipe, good luck!!

Answer 11

I have just the same problem as you.
I'm quite a good cook, but I can never reproduce the "true taste of the takeaway"
They obviously have some secrets that the recipes just don't give away.
I'll watch for answers to this one.