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Presentation

post #1 of 8
10/10/09 at 5:57am
Thread Starter 
Hi Peoples,

I am an amateur when it comes to food presentation, I can get the flavors right and even conjure up recipes on the fly but as for making it look right. Hopeless.
I have two Questions
1. How do I make my Curries Brown (they always look somewhat grey)?
2. Does anyone know of any good online resources about food presentation?
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post #2 of 8
10/12/09 at 10:35am
Curries are an interesting ingredient.
Do you use curry leaves or curry powder ? Let me go on the assumption that it is curry powder.


When cooking, do you put your oil (or ghee) in the pan and then heat your spices ?
Do you at any time add lemon juice to your dish ? And at what time do you add it ?

I use lemon juice (jus de citron) in alot of my dishes, your dishes are fine. Most time when cooking with spices and adding flavoring, it will change the acidity in a food and therefore change the color.
We all know that curry is a combined mix of many spices: the common thread is tumeric then coriander, ginger,garlic,chilies,peper,cinnamin,cloves,nutmeg ,cardamon,cumin and tamarind.

If you really want to BRIGHTEN UP your dishes, then simply towards the end of cooking add a good couple of shakes of turmeric which will give you the added color.

Hope this helps you Madame/Monsieur

a votre service

Petals
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post #3 of 8
10/12/09 at 12:10pm
Using tomatoes, tinned or fresh, will make a brown sauce. They also thicken nicely so no need for thickeners. You dont get a tomato flavoured sauce as you might think. Just a brown, thick very tasy curry. I havnt named it, the following is our bog standard recipe that's used over and over. Almost a korma, but no almonds.

Initially, brown your onions till quite caramelised. Add whole cumin seeds and continue on a high heat till you can really smell them. Add garlic,ginger and a whole de-seeded chilli pepper, diced chuck steak or chicken. Or as I prefer, a whole chicken portioned,

add ground spices. More cumin 2 tsp, 2tsp coriander, 2tsp garam masala, I like to add some medium madras curry powder too, 2 tsp, but it doesnt need it. 1 tsp turmeric. A pinch each of ground cloves and cardomom.

Add 2 tins chopped tomatoes and a tin of coconut cream and something sweet. 3 tsp mango chutney, or plum sauce. Sugar will work ok too.

S&lots of P

Stick a lid on and leave it till the meats done

Add chopped peppers, mushrooms and chopped cilantro and turn the heat off.Lid on.

Serve with naan, roti, plain yogurt or raita and lime,or mango pickle.
"If we're not supposed to eat animals, why are they made of meat?" Jo Brand
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post #4 of 8
10/12/09 at 1:36pm
Bughut Ciao,

This sounds like a great recipe....

To take the grey color out of the "look" and to bring it back to a nicer color do you suggest another spice ?

There are so many variants, foods, spices, etc...

ps. Anyone with a good , tried and tested Biryani ? And a good Masoor ki Daal ?

Petals
Réalisé avec un soupçon d'amour.

Baby Cake
(4 photos)
Fruitcake - decorated
(5 photos)
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post #5 of 8
10/12/09 at 1:39pm
Although curry leaves are a component of some Madras curry powders, I wouldnt consider using them instead of. Curry powder being a mix of many spices. They are usually used in southern Indian dishes for tempering ( frying with other spices just before serving) The spices and oil/ghee are poured into the dish at the last minute.

My one-time assistant Tiny was from Sri lanka and taught me a few dishes, all using curry leaves for tempering.

On the curry taste theme, Fenugreek spice smells just like curry powder and if you plant the seed you then grow Methi. I grow it myself and for my Indian friend. It complements coriander very well for use in many Indian dishes. Especially pakoras and Bhajis.

I agree with you about lemon juice Petals. It can really lift a dish. Recipes that ask for mango powder can be replaced with lemon,btw. I've a great spicy chickpea (garbanzo)
Recipe that relies heavily on lemon juice to make it sing.
"If we're not supposed to eat animals, why are they made of meat?" Jo Brand
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post #6 of 8
10/12/09 at 2:00pm
>Using tomatoes, tinned or fresh, will make a brown sauce.<

>To take the grey color out of the "look" and to bring it back to a nicer color do you suggest another spice ?<



I dont know of a single spice that would do that for you. I stand to be corrected of course. The depth of colour, Taste and fragrance are acheived by the cooking process. ie. the caramelising of the onions will colour the sauce. (caramelised onion sugars).

Indian spices are all about colour, scent, taste, sweet, sour and spicy. I dont know enough about them to turn grey to brown. Just how to follow the guidance of those who know better than me. That way you never get grey in the fist place...(unless thats what you're looking for of course) Suman made me a pot of black Daal goo one day. Looked like something the cat coughed up. Closed my eyes and it was fab.
"If we're not supposed to eat animals, why are they made of meat?" Jo Brand
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post #7 of 8
10/12/09 at 3:47pm
Bughut,


Yes, I so enjoy your input on indian flavors and cuisine. So many flavors , what to do ? What to do ?

I thank you for the ideas and look forward to more recipes.

Petals
Réalisé avec un soupçon d'amour.

Baby Cake
(4 photos)
Fruitcake - decorated
(5 photos)
Victorian cupcakes
(10 photos)
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post #8 of 8
10/12/09 at 7:57pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for your input, the particular type of curry is the one that I have problems with is Gulai Cincang (a lamb curry) I believe the grey color comes from the lamb. as its coconut based adding tomatoes is not the solution, though it is an excellent way of getting great colors in other curries. Spices I do dry fry first, though they do not contribute much to color. Turmeric being the obvious exception, that in this case turns the curry a mild green color. Really looking for the deep brown.

Thanks
Mick
The Curry Pot
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