Topic: Why so much oil?

[Peripatetic Phil]

If the oil carries flavour then wouldn't you be taking away flavour by skimming off the oil at the end of cooking ?

Yes, you would :  but there will still remain a substantial quantity of oil in emulsion in the dish, so as long as you have adjusted the spicing to allow for the fact that you plan to skim off the surplus oil at the end, all will be well. 

** Phil.

[hezzie]

I'm with you on that one Simplysandy, I saw the recipe calling for 500ml of oil in the base recipe and thought "Well that's not gonna happen".

I'm not saying using less oil is going to have the same flavour or mouth feel as a B.I.R but for those of us that need to watch our weight, or like to eat less oils and fats, I think using so much oil doesn't change the flavour enough to warrant not being able to have a delicious curry a few times a month.

I've tried Ghee in the past and again, the flavour was different but not so much I thought, I'm not going to use oil ever again.

I might change my mind after trying a few different recipes but for now I'd rather use less oil and have a reasonably healthy meal than one swimming in grease but that's just my personal opinion.

Having said that, I'd rather have deep fried fish and chips from a great chippy once every 2 months than oven chips and oven baked fish 3 times a week, maybe that's how some people feel about their curry's. 

I'll reserve judgement on that until I've been cooking curry's for a few more months.

[Simplysandy]

Thanks to all who replied for the advice, having made 5 bases now and to many curries I prefer the first one I made which had hardly any oil in. (Only because I had none, and it had cardamom seeds in) but for the life of me can I remember the exact ingredients? Nope! My family loved it to. I can't bring myself to put that much oil in, but I'm going to just to see what the difference is. I can understand butter and ghee as they are a flavour, so trying is a must you are mostly experts so ill give it a go. I've seen 3 e books, anybody recommend one? Thanks again

Sandy 

[randomxchef]

Personally, i don't believe oil carries flavor any better than any other liquid, but i do believe its the way the oil delivers that flavour thats the key.
If you went to a resturant, and while eating your side salad you found the dressing to be made of water and vinegar, you wouldnt be too happy!
Oil is good for "suspending" ingredients, and provides a thicker, more luxurious mouth feel.
While it isn't the most healthy, experiment and see how you feel. The proof of the curry is in the eating after all!

[hezzie]

If you went to a resturant, and while eating your side salad you found the dressing to be made of water and vinegar, you wouldnt be too happy!
Oil is good for "suspending" ingredients, and provides a thicker, more luxurious mouth feel.

Well that's a good way of putting it random chef, it makes sense, never thought of it like that. 

[Peripatetic Phil]

Personally, i don't believe oil carries flavor any better than any other liquid, ...

Not any flavour :  oil carries the flavour of the essential oils that are what the spices contribute to the dish.  An oil-less curry would (IMHO) be an impossibility, whilst (e.g.,) boiled cod is absolutely great.  If I need to re-spice an inferior take-away dish, I invariably add oil as well as spices.

** Phil.

[Graeme]

The oil is an ingredient of the base and often the cooking stage, you may not obtain BIR results without it 

[randomxchef]

If you make a big pan of velute (Velvety soup!) and keep it on the heat- its eventually going to reduce down. Instead of topping it up with water, use whole fat milk- it will hardly change the viscosity, instead it will make it more rich and luxurious.
Always look to ad that 'bit extra' to your food, that show passion(&or)dedication and that's what makes it all that bit more special!

"oil carries the flavor of the essential oils that are what the spices contribute to the dish."

(apologies on my lack of ability to quote)

I whole heatedly agree. Any flavor you add to a dish- any spices will always have that flavor/oil within them to start with, the oil is just a means to distribute that flavor and those natural oils (and also protect them as they cook!). All i meant was it is important to put thought into the ingredients you use, and through experience learn how to sculpt your results to your specification!

[Simplysandy]

Well that's me told from my scientist hubby, the spices are fat soluble not water soluble hence the oil is important! And he lives on protien shakes! But knows his stuff!

[randomxchef]

I agree, but it depends on the ingredient in question! again, it boils down to refining the dish, applying experience to come to an agreeable conclusion, and learning how to treat each ingredient as an individual component in its own right!
Perhaps i should revise how i make my comments, i agree with all of thee above, yet i have managed to convey it in a way that has caused ambiguity!