Topic: Re-heating ( again ) Onion bhagis

[RubyDoo]

The thorny old subject of reheating food.

How do you guys reheat your onion bhagis after they have been frozen? At the mo I am defrosting them naturally then reheating in 200 c ( 180 fan ) oven for 10 mins as suggested by C2G. They taste nice, they heat through BUT  they are a little on the soggy side and not like they are fresh out of the fryer.

Now before anyone suggests it, I only use the fryer for bhagis. I like to make them in bulk then bottle the oil so reheating in the fryer is no an option as it is too much agg just to do a couple of these on a Saturday night!! Is there any other way I can reheat right through but also re- crisp them? Grill perhaps but then will the heat through before burning?

Ta

Will add that I have never been a great lover of onion bhagis but have developed more of a taste after doing Julian's and now CA's. 

[Peripatetic Phil]

Microwave then shallow fry ?
** Phil.

[RubyDoo]

Microwave then shallow fry ?
** Phil.

Mmmmmm. Wanted to avoid any sort of re fry if possible, especially when getting everything else ready 

[curryhell]

Refry is the first option.   Anything less will affect the quality.  If you're prepared to sacrifice the quality then reheat under the grill, medium heat for 15 mins turning half way through.  The best compromise you're going to get i'm afraid 

[Malc.]

I would lower the oven temperature to 180c and cook for 20-30 mins.

[RubyDoo]

Refry is the first option.   Anything less will affect the quality.  If you're prepared to sacrifice the quality then reheat under the grill, medium heat for 15 mins turning half way through.  The best compromise you're going to get i'm afraid 

If I refry, what temp is best and how long? Surely they do not need the full 5 mins again?

[RubyDoo]

Refry is the first option.   Anything less will affect the quality.  If you're prepared to sacrifice the quality then reheat under the grill, medium heat for 15 mins turning half way through.  The best compromise you're going to get i'm afraid 

Does that dry them out / crisp them up Axe?

[curryhell]

Refry is the first option.   Anything less will affect the quality.  If you're prepared to sacrifice the quality then reheat under the grill, medium heat for 15 mins turning half way through.  The best compromise you're going to get i'm afraid 

If I refry, what temp is best and how long? Surely they do not need the full 5 mins again?

I would cook them for 3 -4 mins max at 160C, to heat thoroughly but at the same time avoiding over-cooking if you were to use a higher temp.  But the grill option works very well and doesn't produce any sogginess 

[Naga]

Just a thought, RD, but what about individually wrapping a number of individual raw bhajis in a piece of clingfilm and then bagging them up in a large ziploc bag before freezing them? That way you would have any number of fresh bhajis ready for the fryer once you defrosted them.

I know what you said about the hassle of digging out the oil and heating it up just for a couple of mouthfuls, but you would have the inconvenience of getting the oven and/or grill and/or microwave going anyway - it may be worth considering if you want to avoid sogginess and save on the washing up.

[RubyDoo]

I think the grill option is the way to go.

Naga - nice  suggestion but I really do not see that working. This stuff is messy at the best of times but just loves being dropped into hot oil. Wrapping in cling film may just be a step too far. Be great if it sctually worked and you could kep the shape for freezing. Then begs the question of dropping into hot oil straight from the freezer ( don't think so ) or defrosting to even more mess when extricating from the cling film.  Perhaps I have missed something here?