DS Forums

 
 

Do Spices go off ???


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 22-09-2011, 12:18
spendleb
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 3,899

Hi all, made a meal last weekend for a friend, it was a Thai potato curry and a recipe I have used many times successfully but this time it was disgusting, the sauce had a bitter nasty taste and I can't figure out why?

It involved grinding coriander and fennel seeds and adding them to garlic onion and chilli and then adding pandan leaf, curry leaf and ground up yellow mustard seeds and turmeric followed by coconut milk (which was a cheap store bought can) and potato and tofu.

Now all I can think of is that it either came from the seeds which I've had for a while or the cheap coconut milk?

Any thoughts?

Edited to say I did add Fenugreek seeds where the recipe called for a pinch but I threw in a handful, now read they are very bitter, sounds like this could have been the culprit ??
spendleb is offline   Reply With Quote
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
Old 22-09-2011, 13:23
PamelaL
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Worcestershire
Posts: 59,800
They don't go off but they do lose their flavour. I think you're right, those fenugreek seeds are very bitter.
PamelaL is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-09-2011, 14:34
Flying Dagger
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Up North
Posts: 1,359
Definately the fenugreek. You can get fenugreek leaves too and have to use both soaringly.
Flying Dagger is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-09-2011, 14:37
spendleb
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 3,899
Definately the fenugreek. You can get fenugreek leaves too and have to use both soaringly.
Least I know now it wasn't anything else, my friend said he liked it but seriously it was terrible, I couldn't eat it at all, the Indian curry I made the week before was as bad as I threw in extra chillis when normally I don't and it was way too hot, why don't I just stick to my tried and tested versions
spendleb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23-09-2011, 01:23
c4rv
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Essex
Posts: 16,223
spices will lose flavour over time. You curries will basically taste powderer. You should be able to store ready milled spices for around 3 months in a air tight jar.

And yes fenugreek will be bitter, I believe its related to spinach family. Use it sparingly.
c4rv is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23-09-2011, 11:14
stud u like
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: The Sunny Side Of The Street
Posts: 40,106
I find fenugreek hard to find locally. None of the shops sell it. I had to order it on amazon.
stud u like is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 23-09-2011, 11:17
spendleb
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 3,899
I find fenugreek hard to find locally. None of the shops sell it. I had to order it on amazon.
I bought a massive bag in one of the Indian supermarkets in Manchester. Convinced myself that adding it really assisted the flavour of curries, not in the amounts I tried though lol
spendleb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23-09-2011, 12:12
whoever,hey
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 30,072
Definately the fenugreek. You can get fenugreek leaves too and have to use both soaringly.
Soaringly or sparingly?
whoever,hey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23-09-2011, 12:15
spendleb
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 3,899
Soaringly or sparingly?
LOL definately soaringly this time!!!
spendleb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23-09-2011, 20:43
wedk656
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Southampton
Posts: 480
Jars of spices tend to 'be good' for about six months, stored in a cupboard, according to an Indian recipe book I've been reading.
wedk656 is offline   Reply With Quote
 
Reply




 
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 17:56.