UK Catering Forum

When i was at catering college many years i was taught to fry my dried spices in a little oil before adding to the wet ingrediants.This prevents a powdery taste and helps release the oils in the spices.Colleagues in hotels and restaurants where i've worked also follow this procedure.

However when viewing online videos on how to make spicy foods such as youtube , the method is different.It seems that people in India/Pakistan and other eastern countries add them straight into the pot without any prior treatment.

When i ask at my local curry restaurants they too don't fry the spices beforehand.My asian catering friends also cook this way.

This leads me ask , are we in the west using spices in the correct manner ?The people in the east surely know how best to use spices?

I know that we don't necessarily fry the spices in oil first.

When my dad makes a masala (sauce) he fries the onions, garlic, ginger etc and then add the meat (if any) with the dried spices???

But i guess everyone probably has their own methods of cooking?

I think I am a bit lazy with Asian food and usually go for the dried powdered curry spice jars. That way at least it is not totally instant curry like using a jar.