Study on what makes Indian food taste so good

[JimW]

i can't stomach it.
japanese food tho', 7 days a week if i could.

I think you can, a lot of Japanese people do.

 

[petee]

I think you can, a lot of Japanese people do.

well they have an advantage i don't.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

Vindablumenthal

 

[UnderOpenSky]

If "traditional" curry houses are closing down it is because their food is generally objectively bad.

Swimming in oil, made with cheap, nasty meat, badly made in general - the ones who obviously have 1 basic sauce that they add things to for the different dishes which then aren't really different at all.

As a nation we have become a lot more sophisticated in our food knowledge and what we cook at home. I rarely eat in Indian restaurants or get Indian takeaway these days as I can cook far better food myself than what's on offer at most places. Certainly better than any standard takeaway place.

They need to up their game as the article says.

Nah BIR made with a base can be a thing of beauty. All about the onions.

I make some pretty good trad curries, but it's a faff to replicate so I do enjoy an example of this done well. Done well there should be plenty going on after they add the base.

 

[Mrs Miggins]

Nah BIR made with a base can be a thing of beauty. All about the onions.

I make some pretty good trad curries, but it's a faff to replicate so I do enjoy an example of this done well. Done well there should be plenty going on after they add the base.

You've just proved my point by saying you can make great curries yourself!

 

[two sheds]

Don’t order the hottest ones. Get a rogan josh. Or a balti. They’re fab.

Or korma (of course), bhuna, dansak, butter chicken ... plus the side dishes and riata and poppadoms and nans ....

 

[Epona]

Or korma (of course), bhuna, dansak, butter chicken ... plus the side dishes and riata and poppadoms and nans ....

Or just all the veggie sides - tarka daal, aloo gobi, sag aloo, chana masala, onion bhajee.

 

[Epona]

Mushroom biriyani with veg curry

I should stay out of this thread until I am next having a curry

 

[Elpenor]

Is it ten pints of lager as an aperitif?

 

[Steel Icarus]

Saag aloo is just about the nicest thing to eat. It's not spicy but by eck I could eat pounds of it.

 

[danny la rouge]

Or korma (of course),

I like a good korma, but it’s not a dish I’d choose in a restaurant I don’t know. For some reason it’s one that is most often messed up. It can be far too sweet (my daughter had one in Staffordshire that tasted like they’d added tons of sugar to it); there’s been a fashion for using cream instead of yoghurt (which is not even korma in my book); and I don’t even like the ones where they use coconut milk. It should be yoghurt and spices. So yeah, it’s not actually one I’d trust due to the variability of quality.

 

[Elpenor]

I love an achari, not mega spicy but lovely curry featuring lime pickle with a depth of flavour. Personally not a massive fan of rice, give me a chapati instead. Or controversially? - chips!

 

[danny la rouge]

give me a chapati instead. Or controversially? - chips!

Yes I like both options. I do like a naan, but I don’t bother because people always want garlic naan, which is wrong. What’s the matter with you? You don’t like the spices and seasoning already in the curry? So they’re like “want to share a naan?”. I’m like “no”, because I know what’s coming: it’ll be garlic naan. The fools.

 

[Epona]

I do love rice, but in terms of bread choice my favourite is paratha

 

[mx wcfc]

I do love rice, but in terms of bread choice my favourite is paratha

I don’t particularly like rice. I eat but I’d rather have Indian bread and prefer a simple chapati.

You can get frozen ones in Sainsbury but they’re not very good.

 

[two sheds]

Or just all the veggie sides - tarka daal, aloo gobi, sag aloo, chana masala, onion bhajee.

^^ this ^^

I've always gone for all the side dishes I can fit in

I've not had problems with korma being too sweet danny la rouge but normally go for bhuna or dansak now.

 

[Epona]

I get through loads of rice myself - particularly love a simple fragrant pilau, or mushroom fried rice are my favourites to have with BIR type curries.

 

[two sheds]

Garlic nan yum

 

[Epona]

Oooh a passanda can make a nice change if you want something really flavourful but not hot.

 

[two sheds]

lamb passanda yes also yum

 

[WouldBe]

Garlic nan yum

I used to make a garlic and coriander naan when i made a curry.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Garlic nan yum

I don't have naans with curry often but a garlic and coriander naan is great for dunking in soup

 

[mx wcfc]

Whilst I'm enjoying this discussion, it's about time someone said talking about "Indian food" is a bit like talking about "European food".

I lived with a Punjabi Sikh woman for three years, and am now married to a woman from a Delhi area Hindu background. Their cookery is completely different - even the way they make rice.

 

[two sheds]

Had a balti when I was in Birmingham on the curry mile ooo 30 years ago and that was stunning.

There was a superb Indian restaurant in Eindhoven when I lived there. One time the food was particularly nice so I asked the owner when he came over what he'd changed for that evening - that the food was always good but that night was special. He said somewhat self consciously "Ah yes tonight the chef was off so I cooked".

He liked me after that

 

[farmerbarleymow]

I always liked the curry house just by Hyde Park in Leeds when I was a student - and there was a brewery type shop almost next door that sold ale in gallon plastic containers. A perfect combination.

 

[two sheds]

Yes my favourite bar was just across the road from the restaurant in Eindhoven

 

[mx wcfc]

We tend to go to/get takeaways from a Nepalese these days. No idea how authentic their "authentic Nepalese" food is, but it is a very popular restaurant. Better than the best "traditional English curry house" in town.

 

[kittyP]

I think it depends what you have and whence.

Your turn of phrase there made me really smile

 

[kittyP]

I do love rice, but in terms of bread choice my favourite is paratha

Yes!! Paratha is the bomb!
And a stuffed one * chefs kiss *
I want to have a go at making them

 

[skyscraper101]

I love love Indian food. Specifically the British style. I‘m even quite fond of the raj nostalgia restaurants with the velvety flock wallpaper mentioned in the Guardian article as being deeply unfashionable now - especially if it has some old vintage Bollywood soundtrack playing in the background. It’s like going back in time to the eighties

I just love ordering my favourite byriani, an onion bhaji, some peshwari naan, and some sag aloo, with a beer. It would be my last meal request, without a doubt.

I also have a thing about trying Indian restaurants in other countries when I have the chance. I’ve had Indian food in France, Brazil, USA, Spain, Thailand. More out of curiosity than anything. Brazil was the most interesting as there is such a relatively low Indian diaspora there. The US ones in LA were really hit and miss, and took me ages to find one that was remotely comparable with anything in the UK. We should make the most of our Indian restaurants here. Times are changing. Tastes are changing. Immigration is always changing.