Base Gravy,Oil v Without Oil.

[littlechilie]

Hi,

I have recently been cooking my base sauce with nothing more than Onions,Turmeric and Salt, this has been producing the closest results I have ever had to bir.

This leaves me to believe there is no need for oil in my gravy combination, as Turmeric,salt and Onions don't require oil to cook them, I have been sieving my base as suggested by Chewy for the smooth finish

The resulting base is a yellow smooth Onion gravy that works very well for me.

What are people's experience, advantages or disadvantages of Oil in base gravy please, also why are we adding all the other products, vegetables or spice?

Looking forwards to any input.






Thanks.
   

[Madrasandy]

Different restaurants will add different ingredients to there base to add there own signature to their gravy.

Lc have you tried your base (onions turmeric salt) with only one extra of the usual suspect ingredients added, i.e onions turmeric salt cumin, or onions turmeric salt green pepper. That way you can see what individual ingredients add to the base

[littlechilie]

Hi,
Yep that's a fair point there Andy, and I have tried this,but am finding the small amount of pepper makes no discernible difference in the final dish, It would be more beneficial for me to add a pice of chopped pepper in at the fry stage.
If you follow my point, then at the fry stage the flavour is produce and I would taste the Pepper but the gravy is just gravy.

[Madrasandy]

Im not sure I completely agree there lc, Ive made jb base with no peppers and it is not as good as when made with IMO

[littlechilie]

Hi Andy,
Now thats interesting, ok now are you finding the base tastes not as good as usual or different? or are u actually noticing the lack of the pepper in the curry stage or is it affecting the finished dish?
Thanks.

[Madrasandy]

Just thought that the base lacked a bit in depth of flavour when made without peppers. How noticeable was this in the final curry? cant really say without doing a side by side comparison which I really don't have the time and inclination to do .
My latest jb base batch is made to spec and I am enjoying fantastic results

[noble ox]

Just onions cooked and blended as a base is a good method for home cooks
After all a base is only a method of getting onions in and quenching the spices cooking and a convenient habit ;D

[macferret]

Despite the fact that I make a ridiculously complicated gravy, I agree totally with N.O. Years ago I had been pestering a local chef for his gravy recipe for months and eventually he got exasperated: "100 time you ask me and 100 times I say onions, cabbage, spices and oil. That's it!"
I now realize that a good chef can make a good curry with a simple onion gravy. The reason I persist with my complicated gravy is more to do with superstition - it works so I don't want to change it.

[littlechilie]

My new strategy in BIR , simplicity that is if it's simple there is less room for error and more room for expansion  ;D

[Garp]

Are we talking base with no tomatoes here guys?