Topic: Do I Need the Oil to Separate? If so, Why?

[Cory Ander]

A very intriguing question arose in separate thread (see here: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,2271.msg22147.html#msg22147)   

I thought it might be interesting to pose the question in a separate thread because it seems quite important.

The question arose because sometimes (for whatever reason) the oil separates when making a curry base and sometimes it doesn't.  The same is true for main dishes.

Presumably oil separation indicates that something (physical or chemical) has occurred, but it got me questioning what it actually indicated, whether or not it is desirable, if so, why?

So I would like to pose these questions:

• What does it actually mean when the oil separates when cooking a curry base?  Why does it occur?  What does it indicate has happened?
• What does it actually mean when the oil separates when cooking a main dish?  Why does it occur?  What does it actually indicate has happened?
• Is it desirable in each of the above cases (i.e. for the curry base and for the main dish)?
• If so why is it desirable?
• If not, why is it undesirable or why doesn't it matter?
• Why does it happen sometimes and not others?

I would be really interested in people's views on the matter 

[Domi]

As I've already stated in another thread, I don't like oily bases or curries and I usually alter the amount I add to recipes (unless it's the first time I'm cooking it, that is, in which case I follow the recipe to the letter).

Some people like to add more oil because they reclaim it...I don't use reclaimed oil so this is not an issue for me. Oil separation in some sauces means that the sauce has split, which is not desirable in alot of dishes as it means that something has gone wrong.

It's all personal preference once again : I suppose the same argument can be used for pros and cons on either side....In reality you can't argue with someone when basically their view is "Yeah, butI just like it that way". :

I guess we all have to respect one another's tastes even if they are not agreeable with our own. It does make for some nice debates, but I doubt either side truly sees the merits/ideals of the opposing view. We just have to agree to disagree sometimes.

As an aside, I also think that recipe posters can be a little too over-protective of their recipes, just because someone points out things which they personally do not like, it does not mean that they are slating your recipe, however some debates can sink into personal nit-picking/back-biting, which does nothing whatsoever for the debate, in fact, it can put members off from revealing their views or end with threads being closed.

IF you post a recipe, you must expect to be criticised and questioned about your methods, ingredients, sources etc etc...but it seems that some recipe posters (both now and in the past ) take such questioning as a personal attack, when no insult is actually intended. You can't please all the people all the time and if you can't take constructive criticism, then maybe you should hold back on posting a recipe as I for one am tired of reading a thread, packed with opinion and suggestions for tweaking (which IS very helpful) turns into pages of petty argument and raking up of past events, which helps no-one at all.

[cg13]

I have also tried to separate oil from the bases source because I wanted to use the oil in the main dish and the flavours are in this oil from the base sauce using this oil makes the dish so much tastier dose any one know how to separate the oil successfully