Topic: The Best Oil?

[spicymatt]

Hi peeps
This is my first post after a couple of weeks on the site and wow what a site it is, so much info my head is spinning!!!
Anyway to get to the point, all the recipes I've read seem to specify "veg oil" but which oil do you think is best?
For me a good oil can make or break a curry, its the base of the base so to speak. Over the years I must have tried most of them but for the last year or so I've been using something called "Carotino" which is a blend of red palm and canola oil. Its a deep orange/red colour and cholesterol free but high in vitamins A & E and omegas 3 & 6 and has no trans fats. Just as importantly its a joy to cook with having a very high smoking point, great for stir frying and sealing meats etc. and it gives everything a lovely sheen making curries in particular look wonderful. The only downside is the price...?2 for a 500ml bottle, more expensive than some olive oils!!!
Still in this case you do get what you pay for and for me at least it represents good value.
This is not an advert I'm just a very satified customer and wondered wether anyone else had tried it or had any other suggestions/comments.
Regards
Matt.

[Cory Ander]

Hi SM,

Welcome to cr0.  You might want to check this thread out: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1588.msg14147#msg14147

Regards,

[Paul-B]

Hi peeps
This is my first post after a couple of weeks on the site and wow what a site it is, so much info my head is spinning!!!
Anyway to get to the point, all the recipes I've read seem to specify "veg oil" but which oil do you think is best?
For me a good oil can make or break a curry, its the base of the base so to speak. Over the years I must have tried most of them but for the last year or so I've been using something called "Carotino" which is a blend of red palm and canola oil. Its a deep orange/red colour and cholesterol free but high in vitamins A & E and omegas 3 & 6 and has no trans fats. Just as importantly its a joy to cook with having a very high smoking point, great for stir frying and sealing meats etc. and it gives everything a lovely sheen making curries in particular look wonderful. The only downside is the price...?2 for a 500ml bottle, more expensive than some olive oils!!!
Still in this case you do get what you pay for and for me at least it represents good value.
This is not an advert I'm just a very satified customer and wondered wether anyone else had tried it or had any other suggestions/comments.
Regards
Matt.

I've not tried it. However I notice Asda sell Carotino for UKP 2.33 per litre. Might give it a go.

[spicymatt]

Thanx for the link CA, I knew there had to be a thread on here somewhere!
While I agree with most of the points raised there I would still recomend anyone to give Carotino a go, if only for what it does visually. As for ghee (veg or butter) any hard fat is by nature saturated and therefore best avoided or only used sparingly and its also worth noting that many cheapo veg oils are also loaded with hyrogenated/trans fats -- approach with caution
Matt

[terry]

I use Pride sunflower oil (most of my local takeaways use sunflower oil now)which is cholesterol free.

  Terry

[Woks Up]

I think youll find that all non-animal fats are cholesterol free Terry

[CurryCanuck]

I think youll find that all non-animal fats are cholestrol free Terry

Its not so much as to whether they are cholesterol free , but rather do they increase the HDL and lower the LDL ie coconut oil raises both .

[Woks Up]

Its not so much as to whether they are cholesterol free , but rather do they increase the HDL and lower the LDL ie coconut oil raises both .

I accept what youre saying about raising and lowering the different types of cholesterol cc.  In reply to terrys statement that sunflower oil is cholesterol free, my point was simply that only animal products have cholesterol in them.  Sunflower oil is therefore cholesterol free because it is not derived from an animal - as is any other oil not derived from an animal (e.g. cheapo vegetable oil).  I am not disputing that other oils may be bad for you in other ways (as sm correctly points out).

Anyway, were just retreading old ground covered in the previous thread indicated by ca above  :