Curry Recipes Online
Curry Chat => Lets Talk Curry => Topic started by: JerryM on March 13, 2008, 07:41 PM
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in the local supermarket where i shop for my curry ingredients I keep seeing big bags of dried fried onions.
does anyone have any thoughts on whether they are used by BIR and if so how/when.
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surely this must have crossed someone else's mind.
my thinking is at cooking stage when a recipe calls for fresh onion. because i am keeping the pan as hot as my hob will allow and being petrified of burning anything i always tend to under cook the onion.
what i was thinking was to replace the raw onion with the shop bought dried pre fired and add to the recipe after the bulk of the base has gone in.
i will ask at the shop next time i'm there in case they know. but would appreciate any thoughts or experiences on the shop bought fried onion.
is it worth looking into or a straight no no?
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I think the shop bought prefried onion has been taken well past the point where it might reasonably be expected to be used in a base recipe. I might, however, expect to see it as a garnish to a dish or perhaps an ingredint in something like a dupiaza.
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Or you could just pre-fry the onion yourself, Jerry. I wouldn't use the shop-bought dried fried onions though, fresher is always better ;).
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i've gone and bought a packet.
each time i go in the shop i keep seeing em.
the chappy (who knows me as a regular) at the shop said they are good and to use them at cooking stage when adding the spices. i tried to pin point sort of when but he doesn?t cook so i'm none the wiser.
my gut feeling is to add after the sauce goes in. they are very crispy and could be put out in posh little bowls along with bombay mix if they turn out no good. so garnish is definitely thumbs up and pre fry myself may be on the cards.
going to give em try in next curry.
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They are pretty much the essential garnish for dahl and so much less hassle than using all that oil just to fry up a garnish, good in a pillau rice etc, etc...
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in the local supermarket where i shop for my curry ingredients I keep seeing big bags of dried fried onions.
does anyone have any thoughts on whether they are used by BIR and if so how/when.
I doubt it. I've only seen it used at those little international markets on bratwursts. I have some in the house and use it as a garnish for sauasages, burgers etc.
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have now tried in my std madras curry adding after the bulk of the base sauce. i don't think i cooked the curry long enough for the onion or should have pre soaked it a little. why i say this is that the texture of the onion was very nice (sort of creamy, moorish) but still had an overtone of the pre frying which was not good.
on balance consigned to the bin i'm afraid. May suit some tastes but definitely not my cup of tea.
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hi jerry m
i watched a programme by james martin in a yorshire market and there was a curry shop off the market place that did curry ingredients and the woman gave him some things to make a curry. there was a big board behind her with all the curies you would find in a standard curryhouse and she had pre-fried onions in the ingredients. i think that it was more geared to authentic curries but she gave you a foil carton with the spices and whole spices and even told you how to cook it. i'm sure that you would use this and add water this would then moisten and then make the taste smoother.
htese are great garnish for a salad though
regards
gary
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gary,
thanks for the thoughts. i will try adding a little water to sort of "refresh" them.
i am still sticking to your rajver base as my bread & butter - many many thanks again for sharing it.
just as an aside i don't know if you've tried ifndforu's base and would recommend giving it a try as it's quite interesting both in terms of cooking and taste.
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I personally always go for the fresh onion approach since nothing can compare to a nice freshly chopped onion, slowly fried until golden brown. As oppose to already friend onions.
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going to have to revisit this.
been watching hairy bikers gourmet (not as good as usual so no recommend).
episode 5 visited Michelin star indian in london. the chef was top notchy.
he used some blended pre fried onion and yogurt mixture in his korma and like dishes. in the episode he actually used to marinade lamb.
might just be a missing flavour in some cream dishes.
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I do use them in traditional style biryani for layering with the rice.
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I do use them in traditional style biryani for layering with the rice.
will give this a try. i do like fresh fried onion in the biryani (Dipuraja's) but see a few small pieces of the shop bought giving an extra dimension (you would not know it was there but there's certainly a hint of taste from it).
i think once you have a bag then quite a few uses may evolve.
best wishes
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2 penneth time !
when i had some bir lessons many moons ago, the chef said you must fry the fresh chopped spanish onion at full temp for few minutes while vigerously stirring . I find this works well and gives the dish a slight extra tangyness. not sure why but it just works.
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2 penneth time !
when i had some bir lessons many moons ago, the chef said you must fry the fresh chopped spanish onion at full temp for few minutes while vigerously stirring . I find this works well and gives the dish a slight extra tangyness. not sure why but it just works.
Like Mr Lal does in the bhuna video. :) Bit heavy on the salt though. (Then again,, no added extras like gravy with salt or pre-cooked meat with salt)
Chicken Bhuna
www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2KXUCwDWv8 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2KXUCwDWv8)
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,11641.msg90760.html#msg90760 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,11641.msg90760.html#msg90760)
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Hi Jerry
Getting back to your OP, were you sure they were "fried" onions, I've never seen big bags
of fried onions, but plenty of big bags of dehydrated catering onions -- (and Mushrooms)
The type of onions you'd get from a hot dog van/cart back in the day.
On dry fried onions, I came across tubs of Top Taste Crispy Onions in ASDA a couple of years ago
and are fantastic as a crispy garnish on Rice, Dhal and Curry.
It's a Dutch company, Factory made, so no chance recreating the same at home.
I think they were less than a quid a tub, so it would cost you more in time, effort and energy anyway.
http://www.top-taste.nl/ (http://www.top-taste.nl/)
Well worth a punt, simple product packed with flavour.
cheers Chewy
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I've never seen big bags
of fried onions,
I'm surprised you've never seen em Chewy, maybe just one of those things you dont see in front of you until you have an interest? Like when somebody says "i never see vw beetles on the road anymore" then you see 5 in an hour. :P
They was always on the shelf in my local Sri Lankan place, but it wasn't until i first went to Scandinavia, that i took notice of them. ::) (they use them in salads over there)
I think a lot of spice companies sell them. Occasionally the supermarkets stock Indian brands.
http://www.mysupermarket.co.uk/#/tesco-price-comparison/dried_vegetables/pride_fried_onions_400g.html (http://www.mysupermarket.co.uk/#/tesco-price-comparison/dried_vegetables/pride_fried_onions_400g.html)
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Interesting ;)
(http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/imagehost/pics/9df662e401930bf4b50a3c140c79a078.jpeg)A curry base is the foundation of all curries. It is a blend of fried onions with a hint of garlic, ginger and tomatoes. This jar provides you with this authentic curry base by fitting all these wonderful flavours into one jar.
All that is required from you the chef is to heat half jar of Nishaan Curry Base, 1tsp Minced Ginger and 1tsp Minced Garlic. Cook for 3-minutes on high heat. Then to create your own authentic curry use our spice blends, which are found in flavours such as Jalfrezi, Tikka Masala, Balti and Rogan Josh. Enjoy creating curries to suit your own individual taste using this Nishaan Curry Base and the freshly minced ingredients also available in this range.
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Chewytikka,
have rechecked the programme and defo fried onion (31 mins) just like your link to top taste.
as you say you won't get that taste yourself at home - they have to be bought.
the question beckons for me though - does atol the chef buy or make.
(http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/imagehost/pics/67b98d3b23b26ccfc0d0030872186b0e.JPG) (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/imagehost/#67b98d3b23b26ccfc0d0030872186b0e.JPG)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01r0zkf/Hairy_Bikers_Everyday_Gourmets_Luxury_Lunches/ (http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01r0zkf/Hairy_Bikers_Everyday_Gourmets_Luxury_Lunches/)
ps the programme is well worth a watch - there's a very brief point showing frying as it should be (27:55)
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I've followed Atul Kochhar
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but plenty of big bags of dehydrated catering onions (and Mushrooms)
Anyhoo, I've never seen them used in any BIR kitchen other than a rice garnish.
it is the dehydrated catering onions that i have in mind and intend to revisit but this time blending with yogurt.
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I use this one:-
(http://poundplaza.net/uploads/asiansupermart/TRS%20Crisp%20Fried%20Onions%20400g9395.jpg)
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Hi Jerry,
This might help you.
http://youtu.be/AWC7JN2mZ6s (http://youtu.be/AWC7JN2mZ6s)
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Axe,
many thanks - had not seen the video.
corn flour eh. will certainly give it a try. even if only to taste the oil afterwards.
i am pretty sure i will use a mix of the dipuraja fresh fried onion and the bought rough chopped thrown in at the end.
you can see how much advantage BIR's have over us - another thing to prep for say 3 dishes yet easy done if making a large amount.
best wishes