Curry Recipes Online
Supplementary Recipes (Curry Powders, Curry Paste, Restaurant Spice Mixes) => Supplementary Recipes (Spice Mixes, Masalas, Pastes, Oils, Stocks, etc) => Topic started by: natterjak on October 23, 2012, 04:29 PM
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This is a recipe to make oil infused with curry flavours which can then be used whenever you cook a curry main dish - just use in place of your normal oil. I'll say up front the real credit for this recipe belongs to forum member IFindForu, as it has been developed from the recipe he already posted for pre-cooked chicken (here: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=7611.0 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=7611.0))
You may wonder if it's worth going to the trouble of making a spiced oil such as this, given you could easily just use plain veg oil or used bhaji oil as some do. It has to be left to you to decide, but IMHO using this oil has lifted my curries to a new level and gives a fantastic BIR-like aroma and flavour to the dish. I'm not going to claim it's "the taste" because I never quite know what people mean by that, but it's good enough to make this an essential part of my curry routine.
Ingredients (yield is around 4litres of oil but of course you could scale down if you wish)
- 3 large onions finely sliced
- 3 salad tomatoes (normal tomatoes) cut into eight pieces each
- 4.5 litres vegetable or sunflower oil
- 6 asian bay leaves torn into pieces
- 4 pieces of cassia bark about 2 inches long
- 10 green cardamons crushed with the back of a spoon to open them a little
- Three quarters of a chef's spoon garlic and ginger paste (50/50)
- 1 rounded chef's spoon mix powder (your favourite blend)
- 1 rounded tablespoon tomato puree
- 2 rounded teaspoon salt
- optional: 6 cloves of garlic peeled and lightly crushed
Some pics....
(http://img803.imageshack.us/img803/993/1351002816444.jpg)
3 large onions finely sliced and 3 tomatoes cut pirate-style (pieces of eight!)
(http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/7310/1351002925128.jpg)
Whole spices
Method
First heat 1 cup (150ml) of oil in a large high sided stockpot (I used a 6 litre pot) on a high hob heat (max on my electric halogen hob) and when hot add the whole spices to fry for around three mins. The cassia should have tiny bubbles coming from it and the asian bay leaves should have a hint of brown about them before you move onto the next stage.
(http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/9277/1351003525306.jpg)
Frying the whole spices
Add the garlic and ginger paste and fry till the water evaporates from it and the colour starts to change. You're not looking for browning as such but at least some slight darkening to signal the raw flavours have gone. Now add the onions and tomatoes and keep the heat up on full unless your hob is making the ingredients catch on the base of the pan. Add the salt at this stage (it helps break down the onions)
(http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/409/1351003608717.jpg)
Someone ordered noodles? (starting to fry the onions and toms)
Fry very well.... on my electric hob this takes 15 mins during which time you'll see the onions go through the various stages of softening and then going translucent, then starting to brown and finally becoming a kind of mush where much of the water is gone... The tomatoes should have melted away so only the odd bit of tomato skin hints at their presence.... see pics:
(http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/9172/1351003710993.jpg)
Frying, but not ready yet
(http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/9739/1351003841100.jpg)
more or less there, just a bit more
Now add the tomato puree and mixed powder and keep frying for a further two mins... it should look like this:
(http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/1628/1351004104751.jpg)
Well fried onions with mixed powder and tom puree added
As this will start to stick after a couple of mins, add half a cup (70 or 80ml) water and then reduce down again for a further few mins. At this stage you want to get everything as well fried as you can without burning.
Now... either add the remaining oil with the garlic and bring up to a low simmer on the hob OR transfer the spices / onion mix to a slow cooker and add the rest of the oil and garlic then bring up to a boil on High heat setting then simmer on low. Tip: preheat the slow cooker on HIGH for 20 mins while you're frying the onions, etc..
I have only ever cooked the final stage of this recipe using a slow cooker and find that although it will take around 90 mins on high to get the oil to the boil, the nice very low controllable simmer you get when you switch down to low is ideal for a long cook to fully infuse the spices into the oil without burning the onions. I would imagine when cooking on the hob it will be hard to get the simmer low enough to ensure nothing burns, as you are essentially deep frying for a long time.
(http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/9189/1351006028160.jpg)
The oil frying at a low simmer in the slow cooker on LOW with garlic floating
In the slow cooker once simmering, stir every hour and after three hours when the onion residue at the bottom of the pan is dark brown and the oil is a rich ruby red, the oil is done. Squash the garlic cloves after 90 to 120 mins and the soft innards should come out into the oil. On the hob you would have to observe and adjust timings according to your judgement.
(http://img688.imageshack.us/img688/7094/1351004908539.jpg)
Filtering will take a while, be patient
When cooked, allow to settle and cool then filter through a funnel lined with a coffee filter paper. The first time I made this I used muslin cloth but it didn't filter finely enough and the oil was cloudy. It's important to get it clear and I filter twice (use a new filter paper on the second time) to get the oil fully clear.
(http://img845.imageshack.us/img845/2092/1351004983718.jpg)
slow cooker residue, discard once you separate all the oil
(http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/1978/1351005081014.jpg)
The end product, rich savory and delicious oil - totally BIR!
There is some wastage along the way so the yield will be around 3.9 litres of oil from 4.5l to start with. That's a lot of spiced oil so I keep it in lock'n'lock tubs in the freezer (1.3l and 2.6l) and just scoop some into a beaker in the fridge, enough to last me a couple of weeks at a time. The oil when frozen has a jelly-like consistency and will melt quickly:
(http://img842.imageshack.us/img842/7783/1351005286663.jpg)
Easy to scoop the oil, ice cream style, from a frozen tub full
I hope a few of you will try this, I think it's a reliable method and the results are excellent, but interested in feedback as always!
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A very good post Natterjak.I was always skeptical about the whole spiced oil thing.However I still have some spiced oil in my fridge(probably about a month old now but still looks ok),I have to say I cannot resist the urge just to have a sniff every time I pass by,just pure BIR smell and taste,quite a magic ingredient actually.The only thing I would add to your recipe would be a teaspoon or so of panch poran it does give my oil an extra layer of flavour.
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Good work Chris. I can understand why you use IFFU's pre-cooked chicken recipe as a base. It produces excellent chicken with the BIR smell and taste. I kept the stock from my last chicken cook and will be adding it to my next base. I think JB's idea of a tsp of panch phoran will lift it even further. If you haven't tried CBM's method of precooking spuds and veg, do so. The smell and taste is spot on. I may just have to give this a go ::)
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Thanks guys, Panch phoran would be a good addition I'm sure. Yes CH I have also used this approach to precook potatoes for Bombay aloo (adding water not oil after the first frying stage). Works great and gets all the right flavours into the spuds.
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I don't know how I managed to miss this thread first time around. Thanks for posting the link in the other thread, NJ - I'll definitely try your recipe very soon as I've just exhausted my last batch of spiced oil. :)
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Thank you for highlighting this Natterjak. I have seen it before but then forgot about it!! I will give this a go when time permits and compare with the Bahji Oil I currently use, then 'report back'. ;)
Good example of members helping each other out and sharing experiences AND recipes etc. ;) 8)
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Anyone else tried this?
If so, what is the verdict?
Time consuming if not a reasonable improvement.
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I haven't tried the above recipe but have on a few occasion made CA's spiced oil, and in all honestly couldn't detect a great deal of difference.
I was also warned about the danger of Botulism if kept any longer than a week in the fridge.(not my words).
I must say i was surprised at how well it froze.
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Reckon natterjack
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(http://img688.imageshack.us/img688/7094/1351004908539.jpg)
Filtering will take a while, be patient
When cooked, allow to settle and cool then filter through a funnel lined with a coffee filter paper. The first time I made this I used muslin cloth but it didn't filter finely enough and the oil was cloudy. It's important to get it clear and I filter twice (use a new filter paper on the second time) to get the oil fully clear.
You must have an awful lot of patience. Every time I used coffee filter, there would always be micro-stuff causing the pores to clog and then no oil would pass. I suppose the trick might be to use a muslin cloth before the coffee filter, but by now I have lost my faith in the "spiced oil" a little. The extra work is rarely worth the effort.
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Hey NJ,
I also missed this, excellent and detailled post.
Can I ask, do you still produce this spiced oil and in your opinion, is it still worth the effort?
When ever I have spooned off excess oil from a curry, and used it on the next one, I believe that it most definitely adds more depth of flavour aswell as filling the room with that restaurant aroma!
Ray
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When ever I have spooned off excess oil from a curry, and used it on the next one, I believe that it most definitely adds more depth of flavour aswell as filling the room with that restaurant aroma!
Ray, me old fruit, where have you been hiding? I've missed that bit of banter we used to have! Hope all's well with you and family etc..
And yes I agree with you here.
Whenever I've used spooned off oil in another dish, a Saag bhaji in my example, which is a relatively simple dish and easy to compare with one without reused oil, I've noticed additional depth of flavour added, but it was subtle and certainly didn't transform the dish into something else.
So my conclusion is much the same as yours, it definitely adds an additional layer of flavour but, and it's a big but, it didn't do enough for me to warrant spending lots of time making up large batches of it.
I suspect that BIR's do this out of sheer expediency, practicality and without wishing to waste all that flavoursome oil. They scoop excess oil off a dish and sling it into the base sauce. Rinse and repeat that a few times and you have lots of additional flavour, they probably also add a new pot of base to that same pot.
It would be interesting to try this ourselves just to see the taste results.
Make up a batch of base, make a dish, skim off the oil, sling it in the pot of base, freeze the dish and number it No.1. Make another dish from the base, skim off the oil, sling it in the same pot of base and freeze the dish and number it No.2 and so on till you've used all the base up.
Then taste the results in time and see if there really is a difference between No.1 dish and No. 4 or 5 or whatever.
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Not convinced you need to strain to quite this level of clarity. Put it through a fine sieve and get the lumps out yes but not to the point of it being see through. What benefit is there when it ends up in a sauce? Even a smooth sauce. It is the taste we want and whilst I agree we do not want bits, the clarity of the oil can not really be an issue.
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I suspect that BIR's do this out of sheer expediency, practicality and without wishing to waste all that flavoursome oil. They scoop excess oil off a dish and sling it into the base sauce. Rinse and repeat that a few times and you have lots of additional flavour, they probably also add a new pot of base to that same pot.
Not at my local TA. Spooned off oil goes straight in the bin. The oil from the deep fat fryer is also changed every night (sometimes 2 nights if it's been slow). I have occasionally seen the chef use a small amount of oil from the top of the base gravy (there isn't that much) and added this to a curry. I think he only does this when they are very busy, with people working behind him, and he can't easily get to the spiced stock/oil in the pre-cooked meats/veg. Herein lies the difference perhaps? Whereas spiced oil alone may improve a dish, stock/spiced oil will transform the end result to a completely new level.
Rob :)
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I suspect that BIR's do this out of sheer expediency, practicality and without wishing to waste all that flavoursome oil. They scoop excess oil off a dish and sling it into the base sauce. Rinse and repeat that a few times and you have lots of additional flavour, they probably also add a new pot of base to that same pot.
Not at my local TA. Spooned off oil goes straight in the bin. The oil from the deep fat fryer is also changed every night (sometimes 2 nights if it's been slow). I have occasionally seen the chef use a small amount of oil from the top of the base gravy (there isn't that much) and added this to a curry. I think he only does this when they are very busy, with people working behind him, and he can't easily get to the spiced stock/oil in the pre-cooked meats/veg. Herein lies the difference perhaps? Whereas spiced oil alone may improve a dish, stock/spiced oil will transform the end result to a completely new level.
Rob :)
Definitely Rob, I've saw this done in an open kitchen now & posted about it yesterday. Anyone looking to re create an old style bhoona may do well to look into this. More meat stock & less gravy. Maybe even in vegetable dishes :)
ELW
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Herein lies the difference perhaps? Whereas spiced oil alone may improve a dish, stock/spiced oil will transform the end result to a completely new level.
Rob
Could you please explain to me, exactly what you think the difference is between oil spooned off a cooked curry dish and your term stock/spiced oil and why one may improve a dish and the other transform the end result into a completely new level?
I'm not trying to be awkward here in any way, I genuinely want to understand the difference between why one is supposed to be so much more effective than the other when both in my mind appear to be produced in exactly the same way. You seem to be suggesting that somehow the meat flavours are infusing the oil, when as far as I understand it, it's the spice essential oils that infuse and flavour the oil.
It's that science v that's the way things are done kind of thing coming up again.
And baghar by the way from your original post, that your Bengali chef friend terms his method of producing this stock/spiced oil, is simply the word for the process of frying spices in oil, usually whole spices. But he seems to have adopted this name for this process.
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Thanks for the positive comments guys, hope some of you will give it a try.
Can I ask, do you still produce this spiced oil and in your opinion, is it still worth the effort?
Yes and yes! In fact I'm right at the end of my 2nd full batch, which means I've been through about 8 litres of the stuff since the end of last summer. It's a bit of hassle yes, but not as bad as you might think, and considering the number of curries you can cook with 4 litres of spiced oil, the effort per curry is low.
Yes I think it elevates my curries and adds a certain hard to define quality but as others have said only a side by side lab conditions test could prove the size of the effect. For me it's become a must have weapon in my BIR cooking armoury.
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(http://img688.imageshack.us/img688/7094/1351004908539.jpg)
Filtering will take a while, be patient
When cooked, allow to settle and cool then filter through a funnel lined with a coffee filter paper. The first time I made this I used muslin cloth but it didn't filter finely enough and the oil was cloudy. It's important to get it clear and I filter twice (use a new filter paper on the second time) to get the oil fully clear.
You must have an awful lot of patience. Every time I used coffee filter, there would always be micro-stuff causing the pores to clog and then no oil would pass. I suppose the trick might be to use a muslin cloth before the coffee filter, but by now I have lost my faith in the "spiced oil" a little. The extra work is rarely worth the effort.
The filtering isn't so bad. You need to use gravity to settle most of the gunk out before you scoop the oil off the top for filtering - that way you're not clogging your filter papers. A tall thin container helps settle the solids away from most of the oil.
Then the filtering can proceed with a couple of ladles into the funnel at a time, then go do something else, come back after 10 mins for another couple of ladles, etc. it's not like you have I stand there watching it!
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Anyone looking to re create an old style bhoona may do well to look into this. More meat stock & less gravy. Maybe even in vegetable dishes :)
ELW
I wouldn't dispute the extra loveliness that a good meat stock will add to a curry but I can tell you with 100% certainty that it's not necessary for the old style bhuna flavour. Nor for that matter is a base sauce.
How do I know?
About 20 years ago I was in a rush to get out and I very hastily cobbled together a curry from raw ingredients, traditional style, no BIR practices whatsoever. Anyway, because I was simultaneously getting ready I forgot the pan and returned to what I was sure was a burnt curry in the making. Being Hank Marvin, I persevered and what do you know - it had the absolutely authentic BIR flavour of Bhuna - absolutely no mistake, I mean exactly! ;D
Regretfully I forgot what I did and what ingredients I used, so I was never able to reproduce it (and I regularly curse myself for the loss ever since). :'(
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Hi
I've often wondered if spiced oil as a recipe came about because the FSA were finding bad practice in curry houses ?
Regards
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Hey Chris
Did you ever taste the onion solids left over from making your spiced oil?
Only asking because it is almost the same ingredients as bunjarra/onion paste, of which the excess oil from it is great to use.
Martin
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Anyone looking to re create an old style bhoona may do well to look into this. More meat stock & less gravy. Maybe even in vegetable dishes :)
ELW
I wouldn't dispute the extra loveliness that a good meat stock will add to a curry but I can tell you with 100% certainty that it's not necessary for the old style bhuna flavour. Nor for that matter is a base sauce.
How do I know?
About 20 years ago I was in a rush to get out and I very hastily cobbled together a curry from raw ingredients, traditional style, no BIR practices whatsoever. Anyway, because I was simultaneously getting ready I forgot the pan and returned to what I was sure was a burnt curry in the making. Being Hank Marvin, I persevered and what do you know - it had the absolutely authentic BIR flavour of Bhuna - absolutely no mistake, I mean exactly! ;D
Regretfully I forgot what I did and what ingredients I used, so I was never able to reproduce it (and I regularly curse myself for the loss ever since). :'(
Starting out on curry from very late 80's, I don't even know what the "old school,skool" curries tasted like santa. What I do know
through ocd like observations is that the 350 odd ml of of watery onion gravy applied across the board in dishes isn't how my
favourite places do their dishes. In some of the dishes, the cooked meats together with the tarka were almost a curry in itself. Then only a couple of thick chefs spoon of base were added
rather than what now seen in the videos. The Indian Ocean Karahi Vid Dalpuri posted is almost identical to the method i saw, which produces a completely different thing.
Madras/basic curry etc, which is lots of sauce, was more standard as we now know it, albeit with ladles of meat & cooking liquor,
which looked like oil rather than water, added. Not just the meat pieces as seen in many vids.
Regards
ELW
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Hi
I've often wondered if spiced oil as a recipe came about because the FSA were finding bad practice in curry houses ?
Regards
Good Post commis - it may well have been, it does seem like a workaround which may have stayed