Chili cooking question (for Indian chefs?)

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geekIT

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#207999 22-Jan-2017 18:56

My question is at the end of the post.

I've devised a tasty recipe for a side dish that goes with a lot of things.

It's 2 cups of chopped cauliflower florets, microwaved until tender.

Mix 5 tablespoons of canola oil with one level teaspoon of chili powder and 2 heaped teaspoons of curry powder.

Stir oil mixture through the cauliflower until it's thoroughly coated.

Heat the wok then fry at medium heat until it's heated through.

Question: When this mix is frying, the hot vapor that it gives off is incredibly pungent.

No kidding, it's almost like I imagine mustard gas must have been. Really catches in your throat and makes you cough.

Anyone know what the active ingredient of this vapor might be?

BTW, the cauli\chili\curry mix is delicious! But not for the faint-hearted :-)

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#1707580 22-Jan-2017 19:02

Chilli powder or perhaps the Turmeric component in the "curry powder". But most likely the chilli - it can be quite choking.

vexxxboy

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#1707607 22-Jan-2017 19:40

Capsaicin, the main component of pepper spray and found in chilli's . Used to be a big prank in professional kitchens where i worked to take a handful of cracked black pepper corns and drop them onto the red hot oven elements, instant tear gas and would clear the kitchen.

Common sense is not as common as you think.

geekIT

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#1707775 23-Jan-2017 07:45

Thanks guys.

vexxxboy, your expo is spot on. I didn't realize that ordinary black peppercorns could do that.

I guess that a little ground chili on a hot element would have the same effect.

I did the cauliflower dish last night and had to open the kitchen window to get rid of the 'smoke'.

Cheers :-)

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Goosey

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#1707776 23-Jan-2017 07:48

try garlic and ginger in the oil before the vege and then add some peas (if you like peas) and some small potato's diced.

yum.

geekIT

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#1707819 23-Jan-2017 09:26

Good call, sorta 'dahl-ish?'

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gsr

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#1707900 23-Jan-2017 10:42

You might want to add the chilli and curry powder after adding the cauliflower to the oil. That way the powder is going to mix with water (from the cauliflower), not burn and it will not be as pungent.

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#1707945 23-Jan-2017 11:38

let me help you convert this to main dish.

add - caramelise shallots, garlic, very very small tiny miniscule ginger and then finally some coconut cream [+ meat/skate* of choice - best added at the browning phase. *could add onions if using meat.]

geekIT

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#1707956 23-Jan-2017 11:55

Mmm, sounds very tasty :-)

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#1707961 23-Jan-2017 11:57

it's very hard to get the meat soft, it needs to be cooked the right amount of time (for most meat if you follow what I said you end up with a black pan and the fire brigade turning up for dinner), easiest is chicken.

trig42

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#1707969 23-Jan-2017 12:03

joker97:

it's very hard to get the meat soft, it needs to be cooked the right amount of time (for most meat if you follow what I said you end up with a black pan and the fire brigade turning up for dinner), easiest is chicken.

Easiest (and tastiest IMO) is Chicken Thighs. Breast dries up.

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#1707970 23-Jan-2017 12:05

trig42:

joker97:

it's very hard to get the meat soft, it needs to be cooked the right amount of time (for most meat if you follow what I said you end up with a black pan and the fire brigade turning up for dinner), easiest is chicken.

Easiest (and tastiest IMO) is Chicken Thighs. Breast dries up.

Ah you gave the secret ingredient away!

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WolfmanNZ

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#1708601 24-Jan-2017 12:26

Regarding the OP - I have the same issue where I cant cook anything using chilli paste into a hot pan myself - my wife does it and I cant even enter the kitchen without having a coughing fit and minor asthma attack like reaction. I love me a good curry - I just cant cook one. So its good to know now whats causing the issue!

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pbgben

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#1708607 24-Jan-2017 12:33

trig42:

joker97:

it's very hard to get the meat soft, it needs to be cooked the right amount of time (for most meat if you follow what I said you end up with a black pan and the fire brigade turning up for dinner), easiest is chicken.

Easiest (and tastiest IMO) is Chicken Thighs. Breast dries up.

Soak the breast in brine over night, usually solves this for me when I BBQ chicken on a high heat.

And you can cook the meat in a separate pan and add it at the end. Or throw it into a slow cooker.

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MikeAqua

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#1708634 24-Jan-2017 13:05

You want to dry-roast the chilli and some of the other spices. It gives the dish a more developed flavour and less raw heat.

Just turn the range-hood up or stand-back

Edit/Afterthought: An issue with curry powder is that it contain spices that benefit from roasting (e.g. cumin) with those that tolerate little roasting (e.g. tumeric). It can be fun to formulate your own spice mixtures and individually roast them before grinding/blending.

I had an Indian mate at University who was a great cook (his dad was a chef). He used to do lot of his cooking by nose. Individually roasting spices with his nose hovering over the pan.

Mike

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#1708643 24-Jan-2017 13:12

To the OP, might be worth considering the lung cancer risk:

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/cooking-with-gas-raises-risk-of-lung-cancer-1903000.html

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