Topic: garlic chicken chilli from the takeaway

[Peripatetic Phil]

All I can say is that from my own experimentation there's absolutely no need to use veg ghee in any dish. It is after all a bland vegetable oil that just happens to be solid at room temperature. And it's more expensive than a bottle of cheap vegetable oil so why use it at all. Not least of all because no one has ever got a reasonable (or any if memory serves) response from a BIR chef as to why they use it. People here may disagree but they don't seem to offer a logical reason for its use and until they do I'll trust the results of my own experimentation.

Very few BIR chefs are also scientists, and therefore to ask them /why/ they use (or do) certain things may not always be a productive line of approach; the most truthful and accurate answers you are likely to get are (a) "because that's what I've always used / how I've always done it"; (b) "because that is how I was taught to make it / do it"; and (c) "because it works".  You are very unlikely to get an answer of the form (d) "because the lipophilic antioxidants and polyunsaturated fatty acids found in vegetable ghee have been shewn to bind more completely to the essential oils found in the spices that we use than the corresponding LAs and PFAs in vegetable oil".  And as most of us are more interested in the flavour of the final dish than in the science that led up to its creation, I am happy to accept (a), (b) and (c) above as necessary and sufficient pre-conditions for a willingness to experiment with vegetable ghee, not caring very much at all whether (d) has any basis in fact whatsoever ...

** Phil.

[Roida15]

Hi,

Made 3 of these at would comment as follows:

First attempt ( I will not be having this one) - made exactly the same at described but used a heaped teaspoon of butter ghee with oil. I found that adding the spices straight into the service onions followed by only a tablespoon of tomato did not give enough liquid to cook the spices and was worried about burning so I had to add some base gravy very quick. My view is the final dish had a slight hint of uncooked spices even though I did ramp the heat up after adding the second base gravy.

Second attempt. Same method as above but added an extra heaped teaspoon of butter there. Similar as above but did not have to add base as quick.

Third attempt. I used same oil and ghee but added 2 tablespoons of tomatoes before adding the spices. I found this much better and the end result was better.

This may just be my cooking, but thought I would mention. The 3 dishes are in cartons and we are having for supper so will see what my partner and daughter have to say. I have marked them to see if they get the same taste as me.

[Secret Santa]

And as most of us are more interested in the flavour of the final dish ...

Which is precisely why I have rejected veg ghee as a necessary ingredient. If someone tells me that they've made a curry and done a side by side comparison of the curry with and without veg ghee and that it in some way the one with veg ghee has a discernable and beneficial effect then I'll try it and see if I agree. But as I said my own experimentation would lead me to believe that that will not be the case.

It is I believe a case of monkey see, monkey do, but given the fiercely competitive nature of the business and the premium they have to pay for using veg ghee it still deafeats any logic.

[Peripatetic Phil]

... Given the fiercely competitive nature of the business and the premium they have to pay for using veg ghee, it still defeats any logic.

But does that not in itself constitute circumstantial evidence that the use of vegetable ghee is beneficial in some way that we do not as yet understand  ?

** Phil.

[curryhell]

As intriguing as it may be, this thread is about garlic chicken from jb's TA and not the use /  worth of vegetable ghee.  If you wish to continue the debate on its use, please start another thread in the appropriate section of the forum or better still, add to those that already exist.

[dave3310]

SS...... You talk s**t

For your info in my local cash and carry veg ghee is CHEAPER than veg oil, so there goes your logic.

It wasn't long ago that I asked a few selective customers of mine to give me feedback on the ghee v oil.  All but 2 preferred ghee and the 2 that didn't were undecided.

Veg ghee for me----- and more so because it's cheaper than oil.

[George]

please start another thread in the appropriate section of the forum or better still, add to those that already exist.

Why should he? SS makes a very valid point only to be shouted down by you and (breaking forum rules) by dave3310.

[dave3310]

please start another thread in the appropriate section of the forum or better still, add to those that already exist.

Why should he? SS makes a very valid point only to be shouted down by you and (breaking forum rules) by dave3310.

Whatever... George

[RingStinger]

I read somewhere, probably this forum, that chefs use veg ghee as it makes the finished dish look less oily.  In today's health conscious world this is important....

Cheers RS

[Secret Santa]

I read somewhere, probably this forum, that chefs use veg ghee as it makes the finished dish look less oily.  In today's health conscious world this is important....

Cheers RS

It's possible I suppose. It's not something I deliberately considered when I was doing a side by side comparison against ordinary veg oil but it obviously wasn't that noticeable. That said I do tend to spoon off excess oil anyway.

I do think it's along the right lines though because if you taste veg oil and melted veg ghee there's barely any difference so if it's being deliberately used for some, yet to be proved, unknown purpose then it may well be one of altering the look or mouth feel of the dish. Still, if so, I haven't noticed it.