# Is it me or all Indian recipes ended up tasting the same?



## John Swift (Feb 26, 2018)

First don't get me wrong since I make curry dishes every week but I got the feeling somehow they all end up tasting the same. I mean almost every Indian recipe more or less goes something like this:
1. curry
2. paprika
3. cumin
4. cayenne pepper
5. then either yogurt or coconut milk
6. then mixing with chicken or lamb(since Indian don't eat red meat).

Maybe my cooking skills are not good enough but anyway that's my opinion.


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## Pat Pat (Sep 26, 2017)

Your recipes seem very simplified. No wonder they all taste the same.

What differentiates the dishes is the "curry".

"Curry" can be a combination of a number of spices in various proportions.

It's what defies the taste profile of a dish.


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## peachcreek (Sep 21, 2001)

Its you.


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

It may not be your skills so much as breadth of knowledge. Indian food is just as regional as is Italian, French, American, British, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Swiss, and probably a few more that I failed to mention. Get more familiar with the variety of regions for a better experience.


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## John Swift (Feb 26, 2018)

Pat Pat said:


> Your recipes seem very simplified. No wonder they all taste the same.
> 
> What differentiates the dishes is the "curry".
> 
> ...


I bought my curry from Target. I mean how can one differentiate different type of curry? It's hard for me to understand the entire dish can be made different with just one single ingredient, in this case it's the curry. But then again, my cooking skills are fairly basic. I haven't got to that last 5%.
When comparing other world cuisines, either Italian, French, Asian, there are a lot of differentiation among different type of dishes. But IMHO, Indian cuisine is just like curry, curry, curry ... But then again, don't get me wrong, not that I don't like it. I make curry dishes like every other week.


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

https://www.google.com/search?clien...j20..........1.......3..41j0i131.Z8IpGtEcg+4=


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

Look up Nadan beef curry. It has none of the ingredients you listed.


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

There is certainly some common flavors. But there is plenty of variety of you get past curry powder.


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## John Swift (Feb 26, 2018)

cheflayne said:


> Look up Nadan beef curry. It has none of the ingredients you listed.


It does have masala which is just a variation of curry. Some of the other ingredient such as ginger, garlic, pepper powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder which are what I usually use as well. I only listed the basic ingredient of what are essential to an "Indian cuisine". Stuffs like garlic, ginger, coriander, turmeric are more or less generic that can also be found in other world cuisine.


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

Never mind then.


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## redbeerd cantu (Aug 7, 2013)

Indian cuisine is nearly infinite with flavor varieties. Terroir, geographical climate differences, vegetable/spice varieties, and the recipes themselves are vast.

I think maybe the issue is that you've a limited amount of exposure to the various varieties of the many menu items available. Look at the local indian restaurants, avoiding the Indian buffets. Around here, the main distinction between Indian restaurants is Northern/Southern. There's one I've been to several times that is specifically Hyderabadi cuisine and it's DELICIOUS and different than what I've been eating for the last 20 years. 

Expand your horizons. Indian food is remarkable.


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## John Swift (Feb 26, 2018)

redbeerd cantu said:


> Indian cuisine is nearly infinite with flavor varieties. Terroir, geographical climate differences, vegetable/spice varieties, and the recipes themselves are vast.
> 
> I think maybe the issue is that you've a limited amount of exposure to the various varieties of the many menu items available. Look at the local indian restaurants, avoiding the Indian buffets. Around here, the main distinction between Indian restaurants is Northern/Southern. There's one I've been to several times that is specifically Hyderabadi cuisine and it's DELICIOUS and different than what I've been eating for the last 20 years.
> 
> Expand your horizons. Indian food is remarkable.


How would you recommend I "expand my horizons". I already understand Indian food since I make it almost every week. The part I need explaining is "expand my horizons".


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## peachcreek (Sep 21, 2001)

I make Dal that is chana boiled in vegetable stock with loads of garlic and ginger. I top it with cilantro and lime.
Tastes amazing.


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## John Swift (Feb 26, 2018)

peachcreek said:


> I make Dal that is chana boiled in vegetable stock with loads of garlic and ginger. I top it with cilantro and lime.
> Tastes amazing.


I already know Indian foods taste amazing, real amazing since I cook Indian food almost every week. I just got an inkling feeling that their tastes can be a bit homogeneous may be due to the "curry centric" recipes. Maybe I should expand my horizons and learn to cook non-curry Indian food. Would it still be called Indian food without the "curry" since I think from my local Indian restaurants every dish has some variation of "curry" in it.
I recently saw an episode of Gordon Ramsays show Kitchen Nighmares in which he was responsible to turn around an Indian restaurant. Here is the link: 



He did a test to see if people could tell the difference between different dishes with their eyes blind folded. None of them could tell the difference. Granted that is probably not a good example of a good Indian restaurant but it just illustrates my point how Indian dishes can easily be made to taste the same if not having the appropriate skills. 
Anyway, "expanding my horizons" is just to broad to help someone with my rather basic skill level.


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## sgmchef (Sep 30, 2006)

Hi there John Swift!

I guess I'll join you!

Italian food is all pasta, tomato, parmesan and basil.

Asian food is nothing but Soy products, fishy things, ginger, and garlic.

Middle eastern food is all Chick Peas, lamb, lentils and some of those same darn Indian spices...

It's not your cooking skills in question, but your willingness to search beyond what you already know. Curry Powder is a western invention to introduce that flavor profile to cooks that don't know where to start. I would love to see you go to an Indian restaurant and ask to see where they keep their curry powder. The look on the face of the Chef would say it all! They would have a puzzled look! They don't use the westernized version, they toast, grind and blend their own unique versions.

Do you think a good Italian Chef would just add a couple shakes of "Italian seasoning" to one of their dishes? Like "Curry Powder", it is merely an introduction to the newbies of those flavors. A cook or Chef moves it forward from that _starting_ point.

Here is your free lesson to move forward. Look at the ingredient list on the label for your curry powder. Contents are listed from most to least. You easily and safely add more of an ingredient that is already in there!

Ginger is one of those common ingredients in Indian cuisine and curry powders. Add a healthy dose of fresh grated ginger to your standard "curry" and if you tell me you couldn't tell the difference and it still tastes like every other "curry" you have made, we may have identified the real issue.

A little research could open a new world for you and advance your cooking skills and abilities.

Good luck!


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## fatcook (Apr 25, 2017)

John Swift said:


> I already know Indian foods taste amazing, real amazing since I cook Indian food almost every week. I just got an inkling feeling that their tastes can be a bit homogeneous may be due to the "curry centric" recipes.


You are not making_ Indian food_ - you are making _curry_ (in India = Kari which just means gravy or sauce). Curry does not equal Indian food - many curries are not even strictly Indian (for example chicken tikka masala was created in England).



John Swift said:


> Would it still be called Indian food without the "curry" since I think from my local Indian restaurants every dish has some variation of "curry" in it.


No - not every Indian dish has "curry" in it.

"Indian spice merchants are said to have invented the well known curry powder for British colonial personnel returning to Britain. The closest thing to the store bought "curry powder" that is commonly used in the Indian kitchen is the garam masala. There are many other spice mixtures available in Indian (and Indian stores) that can also be called curry powder, but if you have to guess what someone means by curry powder, garam masala is a safe bet.

Garam means warm or hot, and masala means a mixture of spices. This spice mixture is not about spicy heat from chili but more about the warmth and complexity created by blending various spices. There is no set recipe for a garam masala, it varies greatly depending on region and personal preference."

https://indiaphile.info/what-is-curry-and-a-recipe-for-garam-masala/

As a "fun fact" in India curry is a leaf - kind of lime like and citrus-y.



John Swift said:


> Maybe I should expand my horizons and learn to cook non-curry Indian food.


Yes, yes you should. Just because it is all that you know does not mean it's all there is - here is a sampler of dishes to dip your toes in. I personally love a samosa (or two, three if no one is looking...), naan, Kulfi, tandoori chicken, Kichadi, bonda, Gujiyas (made some just recently), potato Kachori... great, now I am hungry.

http://www.india.com/food-2/16-foods-that-prove-theres-more-to-indian-food-than-curry-313407/


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## John Swift (Feb 26, 2018)

sgmchef said:


> Good luck!


Sorry I didn't mean to offend you so much you have to post such a spicy curry like post. Calm down.


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## John Swift (Feb 26, 2018)

fatcook said:


> You are not making_ Indian food_ - you are making _curry_ (in India = Kari which just means gravy or sauce). Curry does not equal Indian food - many curries are not even strictly Indian (for example chicken tikka masala was created in England).
> 
> No - not every Indian dish has "curry" in it.
> 
> ...


Hm... this is getting too complicated. I think I'll stick to my usual "all the same" curry. Wish I have all the time in the world to learn.


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

You seem to be your own worst enemy John. Do some research in your spare time. Choose one new dish at some point. Take your time but please don’t ask advise and then blow it off. I hope that’s not your intent. I, too, am time constrained. But I still find time to try a new dish every now and again. Take your time and enjoy... including your “same old- same old” curry. We all have old reliable dishes like that!


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## John Swift (Feb 26, 2018)

brianshaw said:


> You seem to be your own worst enemy John. Do some research in your spare time. Choose one new dish at some point. Take your time but please don't ask advise and then blow it off. I hope that's not your intent. I, too, am time constrained. But I still find time to try a new dish every now and again.


I was told to try some good Indian restaurant to learn how to cook. If I go drive a Ferrari does it mean I know how to build a Ferrari? If everyone goes to a good Indian restaurant, does that make him/her a good at making Indian food? I want to understand how that works.


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

When eating at ethnic restaurants you can always ask the region/style of their food. If your eating only Punjabi then it will all be similar. Some better than others but... There are many regions of India with distinctive foods. They are different: Punjabi or Bengal or Kerala or Tamil, etc. Then buy a book or watch YouTube vids. Eating food won’t make you a good cook but it will give you an idea of what it should taste and look like.


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## fatcook (Apr 25, 2017)

It's not that complicated - give it a try. 

Start with samosa, either chick pea or potato to start. I go off course with the dip, not that fond of the mint or chutney so we use a yogurt based dip. So good!


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## John Swift (Feb 26, 2018)

brianshaw said:


> When eating at ethnic restaurants you can always ask the region/style of their food. If your eating only Punjabi then it will all be similar. Some better than others but... There are many regions of India with distinctive foods. Southern is different from Punjabi or Bengali, etc. Then buy a book or watch YouTube vids. Eating food won't make you a good cook but it will give you an idea of what it should taste and look like.


My point is one can't become a good cook by simply go to a good restaurant if that is the case everybody is a Bobby Flay. But anyway ...


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## John Swift (Feb 26, 2018)

fatcook said:


> It's not that complicated - give it a try.
> 
> Start with samosa, either chick pea or potato to start. I go off course with the dip, not that fond of the mint or chutney so we use a yogurt based dip. So good!


Sure I'll give it a try ... already sounds like so so good.


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

John Swift said:


> My point is one can't become a good cook by simply go to a good restaurant if that is the case everybody is a Bobby Flay. But anyway ...


Your not reading what is being offered to you. Bye.


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## someday (Aug 15, 2003)

This guys taking the piss...


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## sgmchef (Sep 30, 2006)

John Swift said:


> Sorry I didn't mean to offend you so much you have to post such a spicy curry like post. Calm down.


I think most of the chefs here interpreted your post as "_I don't know how to change the flavor of Indian curry dishes, everything I make tastes the same_".

Were you not seeking a way to break your thought that all curry taste the same?

We took the time to think how we could help and gave you a place to start to be better at changing the flavor of your curry.

If my suggestion of fresh ginger doesn't suit you, start with altering the Garlic or the Cumin. Changing the proportion of an ingredient that is already in the seasonings you already use every time, can make a huge difference. I still think this is an excellent place for you to start, not complicated at all.

I'm just saddened that you have refuted all input, from all chefs in this forum that have attempted to help you move forward and improve.

When I say Good Luck! , I mean it in the most positive way. I want people to succeed. You haven't been happy with anything anyone has posted. So, I won't bother you anymore...

Good Luck!


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## John Swift (Feb 26, 2018)

sgmchef said:


> Good Luck!


Thank you.


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## John Swift (Feb 26, 2018)

This getting good. Posts are getting more "masala" spicy. Didn't know chefs can be so sheepish.


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## Pat Pat (Sep 26, 2017)

John Swift said:


> I bought my curry from Target. I mean how can one differentiate different type of curry? It's hard for me to understand the entire dish can be made different with just one single ingredient, in this case it's the curry.


Have a look at this catalogue, for example.

http://www.symega.in/spice-blends/products/curry-powders/


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## redbeerd cantu (Aug 7, 2013)

Damn. Another troll...took a better approach this time, though.

They're evolving, y'all.


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## John Swift (Feb 26, 2018)

redbeerd cantu said:


> Damn. Another troll...took a better approach this time, though.
> 
> They're evolving, y'all.


We're all evolving. Some slower than others.


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## chefbuba (Feb 17, 2010)

Time for some popcorn.


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## harpua (May 4, 2005)

But really John Swift, tell us, how often do you cook curry dishes exactly?


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## John Swift (Feb 26, 2018)

harpua said:


> But really John Swift, tell us, how often do you cook curry dishes exactly?


On average probably once a week. Other than using different protein such as potato, chicken, lamb, or even pork, the main sauce is more or less the same. Sometimes I use either yogurt or coconut.


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

> I make curry dishes every week but I got the feeling somehow they all end up tasting the same...
> ....Other than using different protein such as potato, chicken, lamb, or even pork, the main sauce is more or less the same.


Hmnn...is the light starting to come on?


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## John Swift (Feb 26, 2018)

cheflayne said:


> Hmnn...is the light starting to come on?


 As a matter of fact, I am about to turn on the kitchen light to start cooking.


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## doraima3875 (May 3, 2015)

Hi John Swift,
Indian food is more spicy and rich where cooks really blend a lot of onions, shallots, curry spices especially they use Sun brands. They also saute' a lot of onions, mustard seeds and specific powders of curries they are making. They use a lot of coconut milk to make the gravy and put either chicken in the dish. I saw one of my cooks cooking authentic Indian food, and smelled it- it was so good but when they are finished cooking - it is so spicy. After a few weeks, people are complaining about the level of spiciness of the dishes. All of the chefs were trying to figure out how to tone down the chilies they use. They were using too much. So the chefs advised not to put too many chilies, and somehow lighten the dish. But hey, there were customers who liked their food and appreciate the changes.
The spices involve in Indian curries can vary like garam masala, fish curry,etcetera. You should probably research and google Indian food blogs especially there are great books about curries: 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer, The Curry Guy or maybe some South Indian cooks who make the best Indian curry. They include a mixture of a minimum of 8 to 18 spices depending on the ratio of spices used and where the dish originated. Their proteins are mostly lamb, chicken, and fish. Some of their religions prohibit from eating pork and beef.
The way that I learned new cuisines, is to do some research about ingredients that they use and then their recipes. And then cook it to become more familiar with the cooking methods, preparation, and how it is eaten. For example, I was so obsessed making Oaxacan Mole ***** from scratch. It involved a long process to toast all of the nuts, spices, and then fry it every one of them like bread, some vegetables, and everything from what it ask for. Then I made it, wow!. I was so amazed how these came together because it was worth the effort to prepare it, and then cook it to make chicken mole. The whole family loved it. Afterward, now you know that authentic means not making shortcuts and every step is critical making great food.
The reason why Indian food is so bland when you go to restaurants is they want to suit American taste. I have experienced this a long time ago when I went to an Indian buffet. All of their dishes tasted the same because they only used curry powder, onions, coconut milk and little chilies. They didn't put the spices required on that dish. They did a lot of shortcuts and used the same sauce for all of their dishes. After eating there, I didn't come back because the food was horrible. They sacrificed using spices and the time to cook 4 to 6 dishes differently. The restaurant that I went was out of business after 6 months.
One more thing, India is not all about curries though. They have some great dishes you should try like pakoras, samosas, butter chicken, chicken murgh- their spiced kebab, and they are a lot of variety of dishes coming from each city in India. They are so many variations.
Asian dishes can mean so many things:
Thai: they rely on sticky rice, tamarind, bird's eye chilies, lemongrass, galangal, ginger and many more. All of the 5 senses of tastes intermingle with each other which is so different from the rest: Sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, salty.
Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and Nepal are similar in taste: But Vietnam is much lighter and has great clean taste especially their rice noodles and wraps. They use a lot of fish, lemongrass, cilantro, pickled vegetables. Their influence from the Chinese, French and South East Asia are great too.


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## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

Wish I could remember the name of the comedian who did this bit about Mexican food. It was about this fellow at a Mexican restaurant asking about the food. What is the taco like? Well you got seasoned meat, some beans and cheese and a tortilla. Tell me about the burrito. Well you got seasoned meat, some beans and cheese in a tortilla. And so on, it was funny. 

mjb.


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## capricciosa (May 30, 2015)

teamfat said:


> Wish I could remember the name of the comedian who did this bit about Mexican food. It was about this fellow at a Mexican restaurant asking about the food. What is the taco like? Well you got seasoned meat, some beans and cheese and a tortilla. Tell me about the burrito. Well you got seasoned meat, some beans and cheese in a tortilla. And so on, it was funny.
> 
> mjb.


I think about that guy all the time when I eat Mexican! But somehow I always forget to look it up when I get home.

Googled it - Jim Gaffigan


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

Oh this is the same OP who wanted to make his linguini and clam sauce taste better and literally everyone here told him he must marry the pasta and the sauce and he was like "yea whatever I'm not doing that."


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## harpua (May 4, 2005)

koukouvagia said:


> Oh this is the same OP who wanted to make his linguini and clam sauce taste better and literally everyone here told him he must marry the pasta and the sauce and he was like "yea whatever I'm not doing that."


Hahahahaha


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## pete (Oct 7, 2001)

I guess my first question to the OP, is what cookbooks are you reading to learn how to cook Indian food? It sounds like you are relying on the same basic ingredients, with slight variations and are dissapointed when they don't turn out vastly different. How many spices do you have in your "spice drawer"? A single recipe for garam masala can contain as few as 5 spices or as many as 10 or 12? Have you tasted the difference between the various types of cardamon used in Indian cooking? Are you aware that cumin has a different flavor between ground cumin and whole cumin when used in a dish? I suggest you go down to your library, pick up 1 or 2 Indian cookbooks and try cooking using those books, looking for recipes with vastly different ingredients and then come back and tell us that all Indian food tastes the same.


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## french fries (Sep 5, 2008)

The first time I discovered reggae music I thought all reggae songs sounded the same.


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## Hank (Sep 8, 2015)

If I may make a suggestion. Many Indian restaurants in my area offer a buffet at lunch. Maybe you can find one in your area. Sample a variety of dishes. Each dish is marked with it name. Note several you like and find a recipe online and make them. 

This site has many professional cooks and very talented home cooks. They are trying to help you, but their patience may wear thin. Open your mind, or don't ask the question.


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