ISO Curry and Paprika Info

[blissful]

I have already searched on here but cannot find more information on these two.
My curry, is something I bought out east, a couple cups of it. I've never eaten a curry at a restaurant. I don't know that anything I made curried was really made right. What does a 'good curry', taste like?
I have a large container labeled Paprika. It does not say hot, mild, smoked or Hungarian. It does not have a hot taste, nor a smoked taste. What can I use it in or how do I cook with it? I've only used it to sprinkle on deviled eggs. Any pointers? TIA ~Bliss

 

[Andy M.]

It tastes like the curry smells. I'm not sure how else to explain it.

Paprika is ground chile pepper. You can use it to flavor many dishes. It's the primary flavor component of real Hungarian goulash and chicken paprikash.

Paprika, like parsley, gets no respect as a flavoring. It is most commonly regarded as only a garnish.

 

[blissful]

Thanks Andy.

 

[Bilby]

I love using paprika! Anything that has cheese to be melted on it, I sprinkle paprika. Always add it to my soups, esp on top of potato and leek soup! Yummy!! Great on potatoes. Adds a lovely bit of colour to a baked dish. Try sprinkling it on some chicken before you roast it. I sometimes use it instead of pepper as it adds the kick without that strong ground pepper flavour. Also try sprinkling it on sliced eggplant before roasting.

When you want to serve something with a dip, try cutting up pita bread that you have sprinkled with paprika and then baked in the oven til they are crisp.

Oh and of course, omelettes, scrambled eggs and quiches!

 

[blissful]

Thank you Bilby, I'll try it more.
I'm an absolute failure at curry, maybe paprika will be easier to deal with.

Last night I put a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a pan and 2 heaping tablespoons of curry, and burned it! Threw it out, washed the pan.
I started over, and put a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a pan and 3 tablespoons of curry, a teaspoon of tumeric (my curry is so brown and not so yellow), then onions, some garlic, some white wine, a little cornstarch, watched it carefully stirring and then added shrimp and some salt, heated it and served it over rice.
It had some heat to it, it was grainy like it had sand in it (it wasn't the shrimp), and it was brown like mud and NO it wasn't burned. I am at a loss for why anyone would like this, or maybe it's an acquired taste I haven't acquired yet. It was a distinctive flavor but the texture throws me off and I wouldn't serve this MUD to a guest.
Does anyone have a tutorial or picture show that can help me with this?

 

[GrantsKat]

Hey bliss, I dont know if this will help you as I dont ever measure how much spice I cook with!! Im thinking that 3 tablespoons of curry may be too much......this is what I did the last time I made curry chicken-- I add a little olive oil to the pan, add diced chicken & veggies(I used onion,zucchini & a can of diced tomatoes) I dont use any thickening agents or wine or stock. I add my curry(I have the McCormick brand) and saute for a few minutes, then lower the heat cover and let simmer till chicken is cooked through. My hubby LOVED it! It wasnt muddy or grainy at all. It wasnt spicy either, but it did have wonderful flavor!
Maybe someone can help with a more "scientific" procedure
HTH a little

 

[blissful]

Hey bliss, I dont know if this will help you as I dont ever measure how much spice I cook with!! Im thinking that 3 tablespoons of curry may be too much......this is what I did the last time I made curry chicken-- I add a little olive oil to the pan, add diced chicken & veggies(I used onion,zucchini & a can of diced tomatoes) I dont use any thickening agents or wine or stock. I add my curry(I have the McCormick brand) and saute for a few minutes, then lower the heat cover and let simmer till chicken is cooked through. My hubby LOVED it! It wasnt muddy or grainy at all. It wasnt spicy either, but it did have wonderful flavor!
Maybe someone can help with a more "scientific" procedure
HTH a little

Thanks GrantsKat, I have been reading recipes that cook the curry to bring out the flavor, prior to adding meats or veggies....which is why I made it in the order I made it in. I'll try it your way the next time.

Oh, and I'm sorry you had so much damage from the tornado, I hope your insurance company steps up to the plate. And I'm thankful no one in your family was hurt.

 

[GotGarlic]

Thank you Bilby, I'll try it more.
I'm an absolute failure at curry, maybe paprika will be easier to deal with.

Last night I put a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a pan and 2 heaping tablespoons of curry, and burned it! Threw it out, washed the pan.
I started over, and put a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a pan and 3 tablespoons of curry, a teaspoon of tumeric (my curry is so brown and not so yellow), then onions, some garlic, some white wine, a little cornstarch, watched it carefully stirring and then added shrimp and some salt, heated it and served it over rice.
It had some heat to it, it was grainy like it had sand in it (it wasn't the shrimp), and it was brown like mud and NO it wasn't burned. I am at a loss for why anyone would like this, or maybe it's an acquired taste I haven't acquired yet. It was a distinctive flavor but the texture throws me off and I wouldn't serve this MUD to a guest.
Does anyone have a tutorial or picture show that can help me with this?

I'm not sure paprika is a traditional curry ingredient, but Cook's Illustrated magazine has an article about using paprika in Hungarian beef stew and said that their stew got really gritty when they added paprika. The way they got around it was by making a paprika cream: In a food processor, process 1/3 cup paprika, 1 12-oz. jar roasted red peppers, 2 tbsp. tomato paste and 2 tsp. vinegar together and use this as the paprika ingredient.

This was for making beef stew with 3.5 lbs. of beef, so you could probably experiment and use less for a curry recipe with 1 lb. or so of shrimp or whatever protein you want to use.

For step by step curry recipes, try this page: Chef Jeenas food recipes: Curry Recipes

Lots to choose from HTH.

 

[blissful]

I'm not sure paprika is a traditional curry ingredient, but Cook's Illustrated magazine has an article about using paprika in Hungarian beef stew and said that their stew got really gritty when they added paprika. The way they got around it was by making a paprika cream: In a food processor, process 1/3 cup paprika, 1 12-oz. jar roasted red peppers, 2 tbsp. tomato paste and 2 tsp. vinegar together and use this as the paprika ingredient.

This was for making beef stew with 3.5 lbs. of beef, so you could probably experiment and use less for a curry recipe with 1 lb. or so of shrimp or whatever protein you want to use.

For step by step curry recipes, try this page: Chef Jeenas food recipes: Curry Recipes

Lots to choose from HTH.

I'm not mixing my paprika problems with my curry problems. I'm just having difficulty figuring out how to use each set successfully. Thanks for the link!

 

[GrantsKat]

Thanks GrantsKat, I have been reading recipes that cook the curry to bring out the flavor, prior to adding meats or veggies....which is why I made it in the order I made it in. I'll try it your way the next time.

Oh, and I'm sorry you had so much damage from the tornado, I hope your insurance company steps up to the plate. And I'm thankful no one in your family was hurt.

Thanks blissful!! I have already begun the insurance company "headache" LOL
I know how I make curry chicken is now where near traditional, but we like it & it works
I have also heard of cooking the spices first to bring out the flavor, but never have done it. I prefer to not have to fuss too much when cooking, since my time is limited
As I said maybe one of the more experienced cooks here will come along and give you better answers

 

[GotGarlic]

I'm not mixing my paprika problems with my curry problems. I'm just having difficulty figuring out how to use each set successfully. Thanks for the link!

Oops, sorry I misunderstood that.

I was just looking at a couple of the curry recipes and they do have long lists of spices If you don't want to invest that much, you could just get some garam masala - it's a blend with a bunch of spices already in it. Whole spices that are freshly toasted and ground will have more flavor, but this might be a good way to start. btw, I have a second coffee grinder that I use just for spices, in case you want to go that route. That way, my coffee doesn't flavor my spices, or the other way around HTH.

 

[blissful]

Oops, sorry I misunderstood that.

I was just looking at a couple of the curry recipes and they do have long lists of spices If you don't want to invest that much, you could just get some garam masala - it's a blend with a bunch of spices already in it. Whole spices that are freshly toasted and ground will have more flavor, but this might be a good way to start. btw, I have a second coffee grinder that I use just for spices, in case you want to go that route. That way, my coffee doesn't flavor my spices, or the other way around HTH.

Not a problem thanks gotgarlic.
That second coffee grinder/spice grinder is a great idea, mine makes my coffee interesting

 

[blissful]

Thanks blissful!! I have already begun the insurance company "headache" LOL
I know how I make curry chicken is now where near traditional, but we like it & it works
I have also heard of cooking the spices first to bring out the flavor, but never have done it. I prefer to not have to fuss too much when cooking, since my time is limited
As I said maybe one of the more experienced cooks here will come along and give you better answers

GrantsKat I feel your pain. We (neighbors) had a terrible flood this year and I've been working with the insurance company. I JUST replaced the furnace on last Tuesday and I have to shop now to replace a bunch of furniture. This all started in June and I'm still working on it.

 

[Bilby]

If you are using a store bought curry powder such as Keen's, try sauteing the onions with the curry powder and start with only a tablespoon. Add the other veges and meat and when you have them all browned, taste for depth of curry flavour and add more powder if necessary - but go gently! - then when you have that right, add some water to the dish and let simmer for a while. The heating of the spice mix before adding ingredients is more important when you are making your own spice blend from scratch. When using one of the normal powders, heat it a little but not like you would a made-to-measure one.

And Indian curry isn't for everyone. The flavours are quite distinctive when made fresh and cumin, cardamon, etc doesn't always appeal. I know I have a bottle of ground cumin in my cupboard and each time I open the door, I wonder where the smelly socks are!! Still like curry though!! (Provided it is mild.) Personally, I prefer Japanese or Thai curries. Very different in flavour to Indian curries. Also North Indian curries are different in style and flavour to South Indian curries. Oh and an Anglo-Indian curry is different again!

The best bet for getting your curry right, IMO, is to go to the website of the brand of curry powder you have and look for a recipe there.

 

[waaza]

problem is, a curry powder will not let you produce a good 'curry', all it can provide is a curry powder flavoured sauce. Proper Indian food uses individual spices (or a mix of just a few at a time) because they have different properties, and need to added at different times. The problem with a curry powder is that the flavour will always be the same, OK if you think 'curry' is just one dish, but in India there are hundreds of different dishes, and thousands of different variants.

If you must use curry powder, mix with a little water first. This will reduce the likelyhood of the spices burning. Heat the chopped onions and fry on medium heat in a mildly flavoured oil or ghee until golden (about twenty minutes). Also add garlic/fresh root ginger/fresh chillies to taste. Then add the meat you are using (or even veg.) and then, once browned, add the spice paste, and continue cooking until the water has boiled away, and pure oil/fat separates from the meat/onions/spices. Now, either add a little water or stock so that the spices don't burn, and repeat until the oil separates again, or add a water based ingredient, such as yoghurt or tomatoes. There are so many different ways, now its up to you.

If you feel you would like to try a proper Indian dish, using the individual spices, I'm sure you will find it produces a far better (and varied) flavour.

Ten spices should give you about 50 - 60 different dishes, enough to keep you interested for a year or two, and collecting more spices along the way will open up your choices even further. Try to look at regional dishes rather than the usual 'restaurant' types.
HTH

Waaza

 

[blissful]

Got Garlic, that link to Jennas restaurant style chicken sounds worthwhile trying next.
Bilby, good advice.
This curry thing is very complicated and it sounds like I need to choose an area like Thai or Japanese and focus on one kind over another. I've just only had my mom's curry, pre ground mix off the standard grocery store spice rack.
Waaza, I have about half the spices, but, maybe for fun I'll get the rest of them and experiment a bit.
Thank you for the advice! ~Bliss

 

[waaza]

Got Garlic, that link to Jennas restaurant style chicken sounds worthwhile trying next.
Bilby, good advice.
This curry thing is very complicated and it sounds like I need to choose an area like Thai or Japanese and focus on one kind over another. I've just only had my mom's curry, pre ground mix off the standard grocery store spice rack.
Waaza, I have about half the spices, but, maybe for fun I'll get the rest of them and experiment a bit.
Thank you for the advice! ~Bliss

My advice to you, Bliss, is not to experiment (this is where most people go wrong IMHO) get a very good recipe book on basic Indian food, and follow the instructions very carefully. Thai curries use little spice, relying more on fresh ingredients for the flavours. Japanese curry is usually made from a block of curry paste, very much like a chocolate brick, and is a poor example of spicing, IMHO.
HTH
Waaza

 

[Bilby]

Japanese curries are much milder than Thai or any variant of Indian curries. Anglo-Indian curry is usually mild (provided the person in control of the curry can has taste buds left!), but Japanese curry is sweeter than them all. More closely aligned in flavour to the Anglo-Indian curry.

Curry powders, curry pastes and made-from-scratch curry blends all have their place in the world and all produce different effects. And not every brand of curry is as good as another - same as any product.

I like a good Thai green curry but there are so many different green curry pastes/powders/sauces out there that it becomes a case of trial and error. When you find a brand you like, stick to it.

 

[waaza]

Japanese curries are much milder than Thai or any variant of Indian curries. Anglo-Indian curry is usually mild (provided the person in control of the curry can has taste buds left!), but Japanese curry is sweeter than them all. More closely aligned in flavour to the Anglo-Indian curry.

Curry powders, curry pastes and made-from-scratch curry blends all have their place in the world and all produce different effects. And not every brand of curry is as good as another - same as any product.

I like a good Thai green curry but there are so many different green curry pastes/powders/sauces out there that it becomes a case of trial and error. When you find a brand you like, stick to it.

I enjoy Thai curries too, in fact I have eaten my third in as many days, but I had a chat with my local Thai store owner (who is a good cook in her own right) and she agreed that no paste is as good as a paste made from fresh ingredients. It is not difficult, it just might be difficult to source fresh galangal and lemon grass. If you can't do that, then it may have to be pastes, though the flavour will be much inferior, IMHO.

I'm not sure I agree with you that there is a place for curry powder/paste, I would rather not make a 'curry' than have to make it with curry powder, but each to their own. There again, I would never eater American burgers, dawgs or pizzas.

 

[GotGarlic]

There again, I would never eater American burgers, dawgs or pizzas.

Why not? Hot dogs I can understand, but burgers and pizza? How are English burgers and pizza different from American? And btw, there are lots of different kinds of both.