Hi.

I make curries that come in a can or jar from the supermarket. I just
have to brown some meat (usually chicken), add the sauce and heat it.
These curries are always mild or medium strength but I like my curries
hot. What do I need to add to make them spicier without ruining the
flavour? How much spice do I need to use?

I'm guessing that different flavoured curries would be better with
different spieces. I'm interested in increasing the spiciness of:
Butter Chicken
Tandoori
Red Thai
Tikka Masala
Korma
Peanut Curry
Vindaloo
and any others that I might be able to buy in a jar or can.

Thanks for your help.

BobWise

On 15 Oct 2003 04:39:34 -0700, BobWise wrote:

Hi.

I make curries that come in a can or jar from the supermarket. I just
have to brown some meat (usually chicken), add the sauce and heat it.
These curries are always mild or medium strength but I like my curries
hot. What do I need to add to make them spicier without ruining the
flavour? How much spice do I need to use?

I'm guessing that different flavoured curries would be better with
different spieces. I'm interested in increasing the spiciness of:
Butter Chicken
Tandoori
Red Thai
Tikka Masala
Korma
Peanut Curry
Vindaloo
and any others that I might be able to buy in a jar or can.

Apart from the fact that the dishes you listed are supposed to be
relatively mild, except perhaps the Vindaloo and the Red Thai.....
Do you want more heat? Just add chilli - either ground, or fresh (cayennes
are a good general one -habaneros have the wrong taste), or as a sauce from
a jar (try and avoid the really garlicky or vinegary ones - they don't go
with all sorts of dish).


Or do you want more/improved flavour generally ? That's a bit more involved
and you'll have to add (and probably pre-cook) more of the sort of spices
that are in each dish, say mint and fenugreek leaves for the tandoori, etc.
In that case I'd recommend any curry cook-book, and add the spices to the
pan whith a little water after you've cooked the meat, but before you add
the sauce from the tin.

The basic spices you'll likely need include cinnamon, cardamon (pods or
seeds), cumin (ground), coriander(seeds) and maybe some fresh or frozen
coriander leaves (cilantro?), and whole black peppercorns to start with,
and of course chilli-peppers of some sort. Anything else you can get if and
when you feel the urge.

In things like the korma, add a dash of cream or coconut-cream near the
end. Maybe a heaped spoonful of crushed nuts (almonds or hazelnuts are
good). Try adding a handful of chopped veggies like peas, carrots or french
beans, or potato near the end if you think it'll go with the dish (vindaloo
and korma at least).

Tim.

--
Tim.

If the human brain were simple enough that we could understand it, we would
be so simple that we couldn't.

"BobWise" wrote in message
om...
Hi.

I make curries that come in a can or jar from the supermarket. I just
have to brown some meat (usually chicken), add the sauce and heat it.
These curries are always mild or medium strength but I like my curries
hot. What do I need to add to make them spicier without ruining the
flavour? How much spice do I need to use?

I'm guessing that different flavoured curries would be better with
different spieces. I'm interested in increasing the spiciness of:
Butter Chicken
Tandoori
Red Thai
Tikka Masala
Korma
Peanut Curry
Vindaloo
and any others that I might be able to buy in a jar or can.

Thanks for your help.

BobWise

The better way, taste-wise, would be to add some diced fresh hot pepper
(jalapeno or serrano) when sauteeing the meat (I assume you saute the meat
then add the canned sauce). Easier would be to sprinkle in some ground red
pepper (cayenne).


--
Peter Aitken

Remove the crap from my email address before using.

(cayennes
are a good general one -habaneros have the wrong taste)

Habeneros have the PERFECT taste and just the tooth-throbbing effect to be
perfect. Do it.

(BobWise) wrote in
om:

Hi.

I make curries that come in a can or jar from the supermarket. I just
have to brown some meat (usually chicken), add the sauce and heat it.
These curries are always mild or medium strength but I like my curries
hot. What do I need to add to make them spicier without ruining the
flavour? How much spice do I need to use?

I'm guessing that different flavoured curries would be better with
different spieces. I'm interested in increasing the spiciness of:
Butter Chicken
Tandoori
Red Thai
Tikka Masala
Korma
Peanut Curry
Vindaloo
and any others that I might be able to buy in a jar or can.

Thanks for your help.

BobWise

Apart from adding a bit more of *hot* curry paste or powder, you might
try adding judicious amounts of cayenne pepper. It certainly has the
heat, but not an overpowering flavor.

Wayne

On 16 Oct 2003 01:36:26 GMT, WardNA wrote:

(cayennes
are a good general one -habaneros have the wrong taste)

Habeneros have the PERFECT taste and just the tooth-throbbing effect to be
perfect. Do it.

I dissagree - the citrusy flavour they have doesn't go really well with
things like a korma or tandoori. For heat, that's a different argument.
--
Tim.

If the human brain were simple enough that we could understand it, we would
be so simple that we couldn't.

On 15 Oct 2003 04:39:34 -0700, (BobWise)
wrote:

I make curries that come in a can or jar from the supermarket. I just
have to brown some meat (usually chicken), add the sauce and heat it.
These curries are always mild or medium strength but I like my curries
hot. What do I need to add to make them spicier without ruining the
flavour? How much spice do I need to use?

The 'heat' of curries is produced by a mixture of spices, which may
include ginger, pepper, chiles, mustard, sour ingredients like
tamarind, etc. As you suppose, simply adding hot pepper flavoring may
overpower the mixture. My suggestion would be to try out some
different canned or packaged sauces until you find some that meet your
requirement for heat. Or just get some lime pickle to serve alongside.
^_^