What is the point of a Phal curry?
16 September 2009, 09:18 PM
#32
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I've never tried a Phal, as generally its a choice of a madras or jalfrazi for me. The hotness of curries does vary wildly from place to place as well obviously - some places a Jalfrazi is not all that hot, but other places its full of chopped green chilli's.
It's not fun having your stomach churning the next morning after a massively hot curry though - especially if you've got meetings...
It's not fun having your stomach churning the next morning after a massively hot curry though - especially if you've got meetings...
16 September 2009, 09:33 PM
#34
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I love really hot food, but have only got that way after years and years of trying everything else on the menu at my local curry house 
I nearly ordered a Phal once, but the owner that knows me really well recommended i go for my normal Jalfrazi (comes with tons of chopped birds eye chillies as standard) but an ultra spiced up version
It was PLENTY hot enough for me 
Still, ive always been intrigued by the actual taste of a Phal, has anyone just ordered a bit of sauce so you can have a dip and try it
I nearly ordered a Phal once, but the owner that knows me really well recommended i go for my normal Jalfrazi (comes with tons of chopped birds eye chillies as standard) but an ultra spiced up version
It was PLENTY hot enough for me Still, ive always been intrigued by the actual taste of a Phal, has anyone just ordered a bit of sauce so you can have a dip and try it
16 September 2009, 09:44 PM
#36
I do appreciate the attitude thing, it is a bit of a naff cliche ordering the hottest thing they do but I just like it that way, I dont do many self counciously blokey things and that isnt one of them, maybe at one time, now I just want hot food, will try a Phall one day I suppose, will have to be an order of magnitude hotter than the ones I have had recently, nearest has been Garlic Chilli Chicken at the Spice Lounge in Hale, Cheshire which is epic, a huuuge red chilli split into four on the top.
I nibble on raw chillies when cooking, red, green, Birds Eye, Habanero, Scotch Bonnet.
I nibble on raw chillies when cooking, red, green, Birds Eye, Habanero, Scotch Bonnet.
16 September 2009, 09:51 PM
#39
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I had a bit of a thing for them a while back when madras just didnt do it for me anymore and I'm not a fan of vindaloo.
I packed it in a few months later, I enjoyed eating them, it was the morning after I couldnt cope with, so I packed it in and have stuck with madras ever since. Going on what those on here have said, I might order my next one with a little extra chilli next time
These days I do the same as a few of the others have said. You can gague how good a curry house is by the quality of the madras they serve.
Always the same thing. Onion Bahji for starters, then Chicken madras, Pilau rice and naan bread. Serve with several cans of cold lager for best results.
Yum
astraboy.
I packed it in a few months later, I enjoyed eating them, it was the morning after I couldnt cope with, so I packed it in and have stuck with madras ever since. Going on what those on here have said, I might order my next one with a little extra chilli next time
These days I do the same as a few of the others have said. You can gague how good a curry house is by the quality of the madras they serve.
Always the same thing. Onion Bahji for starters, then Chicken madras, Pilau rice and naan bread. Serve with several cans of cold lager for best results.
Yum
astraboy.
16 September 2009, 09:58 PM
#40
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the Scoville Scale measures the hotness of chillies
just thought I'd let you know that
http://www.chilliworld.com/FactFile/Scoville_Scale.asp
just thought I'd let you know that
http://www.chilliworld.com/FactFile/Scoville_Scale.asp
Last edited by hodgy0_2; 16 September 2009 at 09:59 PM.
16 September 2009, 10:03 PM
#41
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I do appreciate the attitude thing, it is a bit of a naff cliche ordering the hottest thing they do but I just like it that way, I dont do many self counciously blokey things and that isnt one of them, maybe at one time, now I just want hot food, will try a Phall one day I suppose, will have to be an order of magnitude hotter than the ones I have had recently, nearest has been Garlic Chilli Chicken at the Spice Lounge in Hale, Cheshire which is epic, a huuuge red chilli split into four on the top.
I nibble on raw chillies when cooking, red, green, Birds Eye, Habanero, Scotch Bonnet.
I nibble on raw chillies when cooking, red, green, Birds Eye, Habanero, Scotch Bonnet.
I started off wondering why people ordered such hot curries but as you eat more you condition yourself to the spice. Your taste buds become less sensitive to the chillies.
I eat vindaloos and enjoy them. I look at a Korma and it looks disgusting. I have never gone for a Phal as I am happy with Vindaloos.
Also, I have had Jalfrezi's and Balti's with chillies on which after eating the chillies have felt far far hotter than any vindaloo I have ever had!
16 September 2009, 10:37 PM
#42
endorphins mother****er.
used to have vindaloo , then they changed chef and a madras is hot enough for me
A number of studies have claimed that the reaction of pain receptors to the hotter ingredients in curries, even Korma, leads to the body's release of endorphins and combined with the complex sensory reaction to the variety of spices and flavours, a natural high is achieved that causes subsequent cravings, often followed by a desire to move on to hotter curries.
16 September 2009, 11:31 PM
#43
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Just got back from Bradford and reading the replies I could eat another.
The Madras they serve at the Kashmir is hot enough for most yet still very tasty!! The wife tries different things each time and she had a Dopiaza.
Garlic Naan was out of this world!
14 quid for startes and mains for 2!!! Worth the drive!
The Madras they serve at the Kashmir is hot enough for most yet still very tasty!! The wife tries different things each time and she had a Dopiaza.
Garlic Naan was out of this world!
14 quid for startes and mains for 2!!! Worth the drive!
17 September 2009, 06:22 AM
#45
Pontificating
I find as the years pass by your tolerance for chili increases, Phal though is just too hot imo. Vindaloo is not an extremely hot dish in India just seems to be in the UK.
Thai Red Duck curry is where it's at, add Chili oil for extra strength, I usually like to take a teaspoon or two and mix it in with the coconut rice, turning it a nice Orange colour, awesome, probably my fave dish
Thai Red Duck curry is where it's at, add Chili oil for extra strength, I usually like to take a teaspoon or two and mix it in with the coconut rice, turning it a nice Orange colour, awesome, probably my fave dish
17 September 2009, 08:43 AM
#47
Never tried phal.
However because of all the hype myself and a few mates have said that next time we go to the indian we'll get 1 phal and put it in the middle for tasting.
I normally get madras, infact I had a lamb madras last night and it was lovely (takeaway)
My local restaurant varies in heat for whatever reason.
Most times its just right, plenty of heat but not pushing it and sometimes its just fire and uncomfortably hot - I can only assume a different chef?
I enjoy most indian dishes, but I don't really like the very mild stuff.
Jalfrazi is nice, and a balti jalfraiz is equally good although this can also be something a bit like russian roulette
Have tried vindaloo a couple of times, but i'm afraid thats a wee bit too hot for me.
Indian does play havoc with the old stomach though, because I haven't stopped farting since I got up at 6 this morning - and they don't half stink
However because of all the hype myself and a few mates have said that next time we go to the indian we'll get 1 phal and put it in the middle for tasting.
I normally get madras, infact I had a lamb madras last night and it was lovely (takeaway)
My local restaurant varies in heat for whatever reason.
Most times its just right, plenty of heat but not pushing it and sometimes its just fire and uncomfortably hot - I can only assume a different chef?
I enjoy most indian dishes, but I don't really like the very mild stuff.
Jalfrazi is nice, and a balti jalfraiz is equally good although this can also be something a bit like russian roulette
Have tried vindaloo a couple of times, but i'm afraid thats a wee bit too hot for me.
Indian does play havoc with the old stomach though, because I haven't stopped farting since I got up at 6 this morning - and they don't half stink
Last edited by urban; 17 September 2009 at 09:24 AM.
17 September 2009, 11:49 AM
#50
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Never tried a phal but always have either Madras, a hot Jalfrazi or Vindaloo. I just don't enjoy the mild stuff as it is bland and has to be relatively hot for me to enjoy it. I also don't understand the stomach churning or ring of fire stuff as all a hot vindaloo will do to me is give me a bit of a runny nose at the time of eating it. Has absolutely no effect on my guts at all. Do people really get the squits from eating a spicey curry, I thought that was more a case of p!ssheads having too much beer and then a curry 
I don't often have them out and so eat them at home with pilau rice, a couple of large stellas and garlic and coriander naan bread and sometime onion bajis if being greedy. One of my favourite meals of the week.
For shop bought stuff the best i've found is Sainburys ones although no where near as hot as restaurant curries. Anyone got any shop bought recommended ones to try?
I don't often have them out and so eat them at home with pilau rice, a couple of large stellas and garlic and coriander naan bread and sometime onion bajis if being greedy. One of my favourite meals of the week.For shop bought stuff the best i've found is Sainburys ones although no where near as hot as restaurant curries. Anyone got any shop bought recommended ones to try?
17 September 2009, 12:15 PM
#51
I would do if I could get hold of one, just nibble a bit, the thing is that you may be able to stand it in terms of it going in but its then down to your stomach to cope, at the moment I dont thinkI would as Friday's school reunion beer session gave me a acidy stomach, would do it when 100 percent though, I expect that would find my limit !
17 September 2009, 12:21 PM
#52
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we are growing chilli's again next year there on our list along with scotch bonnets and an apache f1 hybrid, all are really easy to grow indoors or out.
17 September 2009, 03:50 PM
#54
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I would do if I could get hold of one, just nibble a bit, the thing is that you may be able to stand it in terms of it going in but its then down to your stomach to cope, at the moment I dont thinkI would as Friday's school reunion beer session gave me a acidy stomach, would do it when 100 percent though, I expect that would find my limit !
17 September 2009, 04:10 PM
#55
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Korma, Bhuna or a Byriani for me.
Sod all that burning stuff, I like the taste of the food nice and mild.
Used to do cash in hand for a take away once, they thought hot curries were hilarious
Sod all that burning stuff, I like the taste of the food nice and mild.
Used to do cash in hand for a take away once, they thought hot curries were hilarious
17 September 2009, 04:18 PM
#56
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There is a place in newcastle we go to some times that serves a really hot phal the owner challenges any body to finish it the whole table eats for free it comes with a plastic bucket!!!! Most people are sick within one mouthfull its bloody horrible, funny to watch though
Never saw the point but each to their own
Never saw the point but each to their own
17 September 2009, 04:59 PM
#57
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Being half Indian I can tell you I dont know any members of my family that would eat a Phall.
As a kid I was given very mild Dal with rice or a Chapati. They only spicy food I was given was Chiwda / Gathia (like Bombay mix) - even then on a scale of 1 to 10 this is probably only a 3.
As I got older I would get curry. But again none of it was mega hot. Mostly 3 out of 10 in terms of hotness and this is probably the theme for most meals. 4 or 5 out of 10 at the most.
Does vary from region though - my family were from the west, so the food is milder because its not as hot. From the south it can get quite a bit hotter. Its to help you keep cool fromt he sweat produced from eating the hot food as its a lot hotter down there.
Its also worth noting that the majority of "Indian" restaurants are a) not Indian and b) not serving much in the way of actual Indian food (Phall being a classic example!). There are exceptions, mostly being in the Midlands - but in the South and North very few are actually Indian. E.g in Manchester there is maybe 100+ "Indians" but I only know of 4 that are Indian owned.
As a kid I was given very mild Dal with rice or a Chapati. They only spicy food I was given was Chiwda / Gathia (like Bombay mix) - even then on a scale of 1 to 10 this is probably only a 3.
As I got older I would get curry. But again none of it was mega hot. Mostly 3 out of 10 in terms of hotness and this is probably the theme for most meals. 4 or 5 out of 10 at the most.
Does vary from region though - my family were from the west, so the food is milder because its not as hot. From the south it can get quite a bit hotter. Its to help you keep cool fromt he sweat produced from eating the hot food as its a lot hotter down there.
Its also worth noting that the majority of "Indian" restaurants are a) not Indian and b) not serving much in the way of actual Indian food (Phall being a classic example!). There are exceptions, mostly being in the Midlands - but in the South and North very few are actually Indian. E.g in Manchester there is maybe 100+ "Indians" but I only know of 4 that are Indian owned.
17 September 2009, 05:01 PM
#58
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There is a place in newcastle we go to some times that serves a really hot phal the owner challenges any body to finish it the whole table eats for free it comes with a plastic bucket!!!! Most people are sick within one mouthfull its bloody horrible, funny to watch though Never saw the point but each to their own
Never saw the point but each to their ownIIRC the missus was in once and some gonk was trying it
17 September 2009, 05:21 PM
#59
Dont take your contact lenses out after eating them without washing your hands properly, I had to fill that out on a Police sickness form once
Eye pain due to chilli contact.
17 September 2009, 08:12 PM
#60
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The other day I had the Marks and Sparks Chicken Piri Piri curry. IMHO it was quite unlike the normal supermarket efforts. The chicken was in big chunks and the sauce was really thick and intense. Lots of chopped red chillies and vinegar in there. Definitely worth a try.
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