Re: Learning to cook with Daffy Duck
hi Lafu,
you have intesresting queries .. here are the detailed answers :
1- yes most certainly the flavour gets affected when you blend the browned onions … what you can do to get that smooth paste it that you blend raw onion into a coarse paste .. dont let it become runny.. usually just two runs are enough in the blender … then when you are frying the onion in the oil, add quarter cup water and cover the lid … that will soften it up first … then as water evaporates you will start stiring it quicker and brown it to what ever level you like …
This will ensure that the onions get blended nicely into the salan without you hving to blend it again …
2- about the tomatoes , blanching can make it taste different .. but if you blend it fine along with the skin … and then add it to the salan , the taste wont get affected at all. there are only some salan’s where cubed tomatoes add value .. they are mostly vegie salans like bindi … where you need slow release water content … thats the purpose that tomatoes serve …
3- yes in my opinion ginger garlic mixed together or added at the same time affect the flavour … why ? i have no idea but I have felt that ginger takes over the taste and aroma of garlic immediately …
but when you do garlic first , it gives out a very nice aroma to the masala and then when you add garlic after a few minutes .. you can smell that the aroma gets better and beautiful rather then a mixed bag of smells 
Taste wise , I think garlic needs a bit of toasting to give out its aroma … while ginger doesnt need the frying as much .. it just mixes well within seconds and when you put in the spices it absorbs the spices too … but if you over cook the ginger it wont absorb the spices …
hope this helps ..