The Lemon Fool

inspired by the other thread...

Ive started making a lot of curries at home using recipes form a certain youtube channel specialising in "British Indian Restaurant" style curries.

Typical of these recipes is the use of ginger and garlic paste ... but not the commercial stuff one buys in supermarkets as they often contain acetic acid which alters the taste . instead the advice is to blend raw ginger and/or garlic.

So - blenders...

We have a HUGE kenwood mixer with a blender attachment - but its designed really for a litre of soup style blending.

the other blender we have a stick blender - which again is much the same.

Putting every a considerable amount of ginger or garlic into the former doesn't come up to the blades enough to really "chop" it all. the stick blender just doesn't do the job.

And especially if I want to do it really fresh per meal cooked. As opposed to freezing LOTs of blended garlic/ginger (and even that doesn't really work with the above)

Any suggestions as to a suitable blender? A coffee grinder?

I have tried buying commercial frozen blocks but nowhere in our town stocks them, and pre chopped that is sold still doesnt provide the paste needed and i'm back to blending it - see above

Didds

My stick blender came with a whisk and a cup sized grinder attachment. I have used it to turn granulated into icing sugar, blend chick peas to humus, and baked egg shells into dust. Peanuts into butter.
Bit like this https://www.procook.co.uk/product/hand- ... ds&cq_cmp={campaigned}&cq_net=x&cq_plt=gp&gad_source=1

Begs the question: why a paste? Ginger and garlic are both regular ingredients in my cooking, but I'd never buy them as a paste! Just chop them finely, and for appropriate dishes (like soups) liquidise them later.

UncleEbenezer wrote:Begs the question: why a paste? Ginger and garlic are both regular ingredients in my cooking, but I'd never buy them as a paste! Just chop them finely, and for appropriate dishes (like soups) liquidise them later.

The OP was about curries and in particular restaurant style curries. Paste is almost universally used in such preparation at home.

There is an alternative method where onion, garlic and ginger are boiled together then liquidized to produce a base, which is added to cooked spices and tomatoes. That method works well, but your house smells like you have a gas leak!

https://glebekitchen.com/indian-restaurant-curry-base/

didds wrote:
Typical of these recipes is the use of ginger and garlic paste ... but not the commercial stuff one buys in supermarkets as they often contain acetic acid which alters the taste . instead the advice is to blend raw ginger and/or garlic.

Any suggestions as to a suitable blender? A coffee grinder?
Didds

I didn't know that, I buy jars of both garlic and ginger mixed and separately. I assumed they have some oil mixed in but I've scrutinised the ingredients now. Ginger (40%), Garlic (40%), Rapeseed Oil, Sugar, Salt, Acetic Acid, Citric Acid, Ascorbic Acid.

A microplane grater is good for processing small amounts of both too.

I'd provide a link to one of the videos of such a curry but I believe its against LF rules as it could be construed as promoting an external site etc

a decent mortar and pestle can work for smaller quantities of ginger and garlic (best to cut close to size beforehand)

I blend ginger/garlic with a little veg. oil and freeze it in ice cube trays. Trick I learnt from my Indian staff.

john

johnstevens77 wrote:I blend ginger/garlic with a little veg. oil and freeze it in ice cube trays. Trick I learnt from my Indian staff.

john

Maybe I've missed something, but what on earth is the point of blending ginger and garlic before you add it to the pot?

Okay, in a restaurant where you're in a hurry, it may make sense, but at home?

I actually like a bit more cumin in my curries, but I would never dream of blending anything before. Just slice, add to pot and cook slowly. I always like a curry/chilli con carne dish the next day, after the spices have had more time to diffuse and soak into the meat/fish/vegetables.

Steve

PS We do use a blender for some things, but garlic? Wouldn't you spend eternity cleaning it? Just use a specific garlic crusher.

stevensfo wrote:
Maybe I've missed something, but what on earth is the point of blending ginger and garlic before you add it to the pot?
...

PS We do use a blender for some things, but garlic? Wouldn't you spend eternity cleaning it? Just use a specific garlic crusher.

Yes you did. Ginger isn't garlic. The OP is not looking for a blender for garlic.

Now why would you want fresh ginger taste, without the texture of the root?
Look, there are easier methods, but they have downsides.

Make your choice.
Gritty curries (small chunks of fibrous root).
Musty curries (dried powdered ginger).
Smelly house (cook the ginger before processing it).

Alternative, convert the ginger to a paste. And while doing so, why not include the garlic?

Ps, FWIW I accept gritty curries and finely chop my ginger. I tried the boiling method and it's fantastic, but the downsides!

didds wrote:inspired by the other thread...

Ive started making a lot of curries at home using recipes form a certain youtube channel specialising in "British Indian Restaurant" style curries.

Typical of these recipes is the use of ginger and garlic paste ... but not the commercial stuff one buys in supermarkets as they often contain acetic acid which alters the taste . instead the advice is to blend raw ginger and/or garlic.

So - blenders...

We have a HUGE kenwood mixer with a blender attachment - but its designed really for a litre of soup style blending.

the other blender we have a stick blender - which again is much the same.

Putting every a considerable amount of ginger or garlic into the former doesn't come up to the blades enough to really "chop" it all. the stick blender just doesn't do the job.

And especially if I want to do it really fresh per meal cooked. As opposed to freezing LOTs of blended garlic/ginger (and even that doesn't really work with the above)

Any suggestions as to a suitable blender? A coffee grinder?

I have tried buying commercial frozen blocks but nowhere in our town stocks them, and pre chopped that is sold still doesnt provide the paste needed and i'm back to blending it - see above

Didds

I have one of these for all my small volume chopping and blending requirements, which are numerous so it gets a lot of use :-

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kenwood-CH180A ... 765&sr=8-3

A Bamix is ideal for that kind of thing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0A1Ohzt8W0

Not cheap but they are well made.

didds wrote:I'd provide a link to one of the videos of such a curry but I believe its against LF rules as it could be construed as promoting an external site etc

Is it?

I'd imagine posting links to a commercial site belonging to you is a contravention but can't think that links illustrating a subject under discussion are banned. Even links to commercial sites.

On checking, here is the rule:

"Posting of links to 3rd party sites is acceptable where it is entirely relevant to the discussion. However, any links promoting a 3rd party site are not allowed"

https://lemonfool.co.uk/app.php/rules

Look like you're fine to post a link to your YouTube recipe or channel, given you are not doing it for the purpose of ramping it. Sounds like an interesting channel which I'd be interested in browsing.

Mike4 wrote:Look like you're fine to post a link to your YouTube recipe or channel, given you are not doing it for the purpose of ramping it. Sounds like an interesting channel which I'd be interested in browsing.

your wish etc

here's an example.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCHzZAEdoFo&t=115s
thats running form 115 seconds into the video. You can see/hear he is talking about making your own garlic and ginger paste ... I cant readily find an example but in others of his extensive collection of recipe videos he mentions to not use the pre made jars from s/markets etc as they contain citric acid etc. This is what has spurned my query in my OP ability something to "whizz" up the garlic cloves/peeled ginger appropriately.


WRT that channel, TBH I find Al a tad grating but his British Indian Restaurant (BIR) recipes are bang on. To the extent I genuinely believe they are better than restaurant takeaways. And my family agrees! No affiliation etc, just a VERY satisfied user. You'll note some of his recipes are his recent "30 minute series" whilst others are using a base gravy (he has two base recipes in the channel).