Does anyone use yoghurt in cooking hot curries, ie vindaloos. I make
nice curries but using tomato doesn't really capture the hot and sour
taste that some restaurants get. I have tried vinegar and tamarind, but

if these are used then its a particular combination of spices that is
used to blend with them. Does anyone have any idea, would yoghurt get
closer to this taste ?

"Magpie" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Does anyone use yoghurt in cooking hot curries, ie vindaloos. I make
> nice curries but using tomato doesn't really capture the hot and sour
> taste that some restaurants get. I have tried vinegar and tamarind, but
>
> if these are used then its a particular combination of spices that is
> used to blend with them. Does anyone have any idea, would yoghurt get
> closer to this taste ?
>

Generally yogurt is used in milder curries. Vindaloo is made with vinegar
to sour it.

David

David wrote on Tue, 25 Jul 2006 05:53:37 GMT:


DHS> "Magpie" > wrote in message
DHS>
ups.com...
??>> Does anyone use yoghurt in cooking hot curries, ie
??>> vindaloos. I make nice curries but using tomato doesn't
??>> really capture the hot and sour taste that some
??>> restaurants get. I have tried vinegar and tamarind, but
??>>
??>> if these are used then its a particular combination of
??>> spices that is used to blend with them. Does anyone have
??>> any idea, would yoghurt get closer to this taste ?
??>>
DHS> Generally yogurt is used in milder curries. Vindaloo is
DHS> made with vinegar to sour it.

It's worth remembering in this context that adding yoghurt makes
the curry taste milder tho' it may add some sourness.

James Silverton.

On 24 Jul 2006 09:45:42 -0700, "Magpie" > wrote:

>Does anyone use yoghurt in cooking hot curries, ie vindaloos. I make
>nice curries but using tomato doesn't really capture the hot and sour
>taste that some restaurants get. I have tried vinegar and tamarind, but
>
>if these are used then its a particular combination of spices that is
>used to blend with them. Does anyone have any idea, would yoghurt get
>closer to this taste ?

curries in india are like BBQ in the US - they vary by region. i know
of some regions where the use of yogurt is common.

as for what yogurt might do - in general, sourness and acidity helps
to counteract fattiness - as well as rescue anything that might be
oversalted. also, the milk proteins counteract the alkaloids that are
contained in chili peppers that produce the burning sensation we
associate with spiciness.

vinegar also provides sourness and acidity, but acetic sourness can
vary. this may not be authentic, but you may find that the addition of
sweetness may give you a fullness of "sour" that you may enjoy more
- but don't use sugar - you'll end up with a sweet & sour sauce. try
adding some browned onion or something like that.

"i can spell. i just can't type."