Spice Timing

Question:

“A friend of mine made a dish with a spice paste that he fried before adding the chicken, veggies and broth. When would you add spices in making a dish? It was a chicken curry.

Just want to first start off saying thanks for the question and…. that I love Curry. I’ve tried all the Curries they serve at Bangkok Royal, but have never gotten around to making any myself.  So I had to do a little research on this one, which is great!

Long Winded Answer:
Curry pastes usually come in a jar. They are handy to use as they last a long time, take up little space, can be kept in your cupboard or fridge to use when you need them, and they are very reasonably priced, given that you can make lots of curries with them.

I personally recommend making your own, if you have the time. I have provided a couple of recipes below that sounded really good. I will try to make one of them in the next week or so when I get a free night.

http://thaifood.about.com/od/thaicurrypasterecipes/r/Magic-Paste.htm

http://thaifood.about.com/od/thaicurrypasterecipes/r/penangcurypaste.htm

+Curry paste benefits when you add a little water to a pan, and fry the paste before adding other ingredients. It brings the flavors to life again and brings out the oil.

If the recipe you are using calls for Curry paste; Take the recommend amount of  curry paste, fry it in a little water in a frying pan over gentle heat until it is fragrant, then add one fried sliced onion, the tomatoes, stock or whatever it call for next.

+If you are asking when to add additional seasonings, those are generally added after the stocks, veggies, juices and such have been added and heated. This will allow them to blend more smoothly with the curry paste and liquids. But most curries get their main seasoning from that paste, other seasoning that might be added; salt, pepper, sugar... not much else from what I can gather.





Most recipes have it solid; they’ve been tested several times. Don’t be afraid to make adjustments based on your taste though.  Something my Chef really tried to imprint on us, and a system (we devised) is S.T.A.R.   = Season, Taste, Adjust, and Repeat.
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So I guess the simple answer would be: The beginning.  I hope I effectively answered your question, if not please let me know and I will do my best to clarify. I’m looking forward to the next one.

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The Devil made Pinot Noir

Valley Mills Vineyard

(254) 848-4343
8532 Highway 6 North
Waco, Texas

Open: Thursday 2 to 7
Friday 2 to 7
Saturday 12 to 7
Sunday 12 to 5

Valley Mills Vineyard: Web




           

           This past week I joined the Valley Mills Vineyard Wine Club; Great way to support a local business and access to some great local wine. I am not a connoisseur or extremely knowledgeable when it comes to wine, but I became pretty interested while working in the cooking connection at H.E.B. While working there, I was able to sample several wines and learn some stuff from April. I feel, hope, that joining this Wine Club will help me expand my pallet and knowledge of wine.

            I’m starting this blog section for all the wines I get to sample over the next couple of years (Minimum of 12). Every time I try a new wine from them I will post my thoughts, some history on the style, and what VMV thinks about it. I got the idea from one of the employees up there, after I told them that I have a food blog.

           The few times I have visited VMV I have had great experiences. The employees there are extremely nice, friendly and knowledgeable. Noelle is the young lady there, whom I have spoken the most with so far... very nice. The second time I stopped by was for some live music they had playing, "A Brighter Blue", along with my first 'case' of wines as a Wine Club Member. Some friends and myself, enjoyed a couple of bottles and the great music. You don't have to be a member to buy their wines, but If you really like wine it is a great deal! Cant wait for what the future will bring, being a member!
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          Most people lean one way of the other when it comes to wine, in some manner, and I lean toward the sweeter side. Most of my collection is built of sweet whites and reds, a few middle wines like Pinot Noir and even a couple of dries thrown in like Malbec and Cab. But I will try my best to not let my sweeter side hinder my judgment.


Since I am not a professional by any standards, actually pretty new, at reviewing wines I have decided to use the American Wine Society Evaluation guidelines:

“The American Wine Society has created its own 20-point scale for use in evaluating wines. 

• Appearance (3 points)
• Aroma/Bouquet (6 points)
• Taste/Texture (6 points)
• Aftertaste (3 points)
• Overall Impression (2 points)

As you examine and drink a wine, you score each category above from zero to the maximum number of points indicated (using guidelines provided on the form), then total, for a maximum score of 20.  For example, wines rated 18-20 are considered Extraordinary, 15-17 Excellent, and 12-14 Good.”