Spicy Food???

[Attica!]

Yh you find with real Indian food it's like 80% meat, coated with curry. In Britain, its like 20% meat (usually 6-8 pieces) drowned in sauce. And if you leave it a while, you get all the oil sitting on the top.

I have my own personal taxi driver from Bangladesh, really nice guy who does me deals, and he says there's a Curry Strip in Manchester that apparantly is home to some very very good Asian restaraunts.

[gwEm]

i went to Nandos last night and recalled this thread.

i went for the 'very hot' flavouring and decided it wasn't that bad.. so i added some extra 'extra very hot' sauce to it and it still wasn't that hot... this result was more what i call 'medium-hot' and my preference.

the hottest curry i had (which wasn't fun, and not what i like) had me visibly sweating.. so i guess Nando's heat is a bit optimistic/pessimistic depending on your point of view.

still don't plan on chowing down on a Scorpion Bonnet++ or whatever they are called ;)

[gwEm]

The majority of curry places in the UK (since the vast majority are pretty cheap takeaways where most people will eat that kind of food from) when they do hot curries sell what would be, without heat, intensely bland food.

I've never been to a really "good" Indian restaurant - Chinese, Thai, Japanese, yes, but not Indian.  I don't mean the ones I've been to were bad, but they're all very much of a muchness.  The "British version" of Indian food.

I'm sure they exist - there must be some in London.  It would be nice to try a more authentic/upmarket menu.

i tend to agree. there is a sort of British reinterpretation.. but nevertheless, its far far better here than the curry you get in other countries in EU and the USA!

best curry i had was in india, 2nd best in the UK and it was pretty close. i put it down to the freshness of the ingredients at the time.

[Attica!]

i went to Nandos last night and recalled this thread.

i went for the 'very hot' flavouring and decided it wasn't that bad.. so i added some extra 'extra very hot' sauce to it and it still wasn't that hot... this result was more what i call 'medium-hot' and my preference.

the hottest curry i had (which wasn't fun, and not what i like) had me visibly sweating.. so i guess Nando's heat is a bit optimistic/pessimistic depending on your point of view.

still don't plan on chowing down on a Scorpion Bonnet++ or whatever they are called ;)

Yh me & my gf bought the extra extra hot sauce in a bottle, and it really wasn't mega hot. That was straight from the bottle. Cooking just makes it milder. Personally I'm not keen on Nandos Sauces, they taste too peppery. It's all about TGI Fridays for me :), nothing like their Jack Daniels Sauce. The Rockstar's Fast Food for the Gigging Player haha :P

[gwEm]

the Nando's chilli jam was delicious, and i think would be good for pepping up a sausage sandwich or something

[WezV]

i love my spicy food

Infact i just made a chilli - non-traditional of course, but i have spent  few years developing a recipe that seems to be loved by all who try it. a

Rather than go for mega spicy sweaty death ingredients i tend to layer up a lot of milder spices to get a fuller flavour with plenty of warmth

So in the one i just made we have a bit of chorizo, medium hot smoked paprika, medium Chilli Powder, Hot Dried Chillies, Hot Fresh chillies and about 5 minutes before its done it will get  1/8 - 1/4 bottle of Tabasco added to taste.

So 6 different chilli tastes.  some for heat, some for body, some for sweetness, some to hit you on the first mouthful, some to linger with you.

Most important ingredient is a ruck load of ground cumin to add much needed earthiness. 

[MDV]

Rather than go for mega spicy sweaty death ingredients i tend to layer up a lot of milder spices to get a fuller flavour with plenty of warmth

Pro tip - you need to build heat up on a foundation of black pepper for a deep, strong heat rather than just facemelting. It can make it seem hotter than it 'really' is. Also, the pepper and garlic sort of 'release' each other. Get peppercorns and the garlic and smash them together in a mortar and pestle, then add them to the pan.

[WezV]

everything i cook has plenty of garlic and black pepper :P

[MDV]

everything i cook has plenty of garlic and black pepper :P

Smash them up together before mixing them in, thats the important part!

[Attica!]

everything i cook has plenty of garlic and black pepper :P

Smash them up together before mixing them in, thats the important part!

I do that (most of the time with other herbs/spices). But I find best way is to crush your garlic rather than chop. I sprinkile a bit of salt on the chopping board to absorb the juices, then add the pepper, then Hey Presto!

[Attica!]

I should change the name of this group the "Spicy Food and Cooking Tips" lol