Topic: Who cooks their onions in oil for the base?

[Bobby Bhuna]

Before everyone was chatting about it here, I thought I'd try gently cooking my onions in a whole lot of veg oil (maybe around 500ml - I don't measure). When making my own base, I do this every time now, and have done since the first time I tried it (a few months back). It just tastes better - much sweeter that the boiling method. I see this is being talking about and note that Stew is up to the same thing. Who else is using the oil technique? Has anyone tried and disliked this method? Maybe we can compare the two approaches!

[Yousef]

I agree boiling only ends up with bitter bases, boiling the onions in Veg Oil brings out the sweetness in the curry base.

Has anyone tried adding a squeeze of lime juice to their curry when making it, please try it it really adds something.  I can also recommend adding whole chili's sliced down the middle.  This does not add heat but infuses a nutty smell and taste into the curry....

Stew

[Bobby Bhuna]

I can also recommend adding whole chili's sliced down the middle.  This does not add heat but infuses a nutty smell and taste into the curry....

I often add whole chili's sliced down the middle as a garnish. What stage do you add them at? Also when you recommend squeezing in the lime juice? Cheers, BB.

[SnS]

I agree boiling only ends up with bitter bases, boiling the onions in Veg Oil brings out the sweetness in the curry base.

I really don't understand why this bitterness is being experienced by some and not others. I've never had a bitter tasting base from boiling onions ... so why is it some get it and others don't?

Maybe I'm grasping at straws here, but I wonder what difference the hardness of the local water makes to the outcome. In Lincoln we have particularly hard water. Is it possible that this could be the reason for the difference in sweetness - possibly a different chemical reaction ?

Or is it just down to the variety/origin of the onion.
SnS 

[Bobby Bhuna]

Or is it just down to the variety/origin of the onion.
SnS 

Or the variety/origin of the taster? ;D

SnS, have you tried the gently oil soaked onion cooking technique for the base? If not, then please do. Do this before adding the tomatoes.

[JerryM]

this i feel is a very good question and worthy say of a poll to find out who is frying and who is boiling.

i also feel "bitterness" is being inadvertently used when "neutral" is possibly a better description.

all the bases i've made on every occasion (rajver, saffron, ifindforu, Ronnoc's, ivangoughs) don't taste bitter at all. they don't have an "underlying sweet tone" though.

if i make CTM for example the sweet tone does not matter - the CTM tastes as good as BIR for me.

if i make the more standard curries ie madras and compare it side by side with BIR/TA the BIR is clearly much sweeter.

the question for me is where and how do BIR's add this "underlying sweet tone" - is it:

A) - in the base by frying the onion
B) - at the cooking stage by using previously fried onions
C) - by adding some other ingredient in the base
D) - by adding some other ingredient at the cooking stage

 

[SnS]

Or is it just down to the variety/origin of the onion.
SnS 

Or the variety/origin of the taster? ;D

SnS, have you tried the gently oil soaked onion cooking technique for the base? If not, then please do. Do this before adding the tomatoes.

Hi Bobby

As you know (from the recent Madras recipe), I do use a slow fry for onions when I want a sweeter taste. However, I don't really feel the need to do this with onions used in the base gravy - after all aren't we all trying to replicate BIR - and as I suggested earlier it is highly unlikey that they (BIR's) will fry the onions before adding to the base (they certainly don't in the Saffron).

If the comments of 'bitterness', refer to, as Jerry suggests 'neutral' sweetness, then for me, that is at it should be. There is no need to adjust it. Sweeteness can be added at the curry stage .... if required  :

If it is a sweet base you're after I'd have to asky why? What do you need a sweet base for? As long as it is not bitter then surely that is okay!

Regards
SnS

[haldi]

The BIR kitchens I visit, boil the onions

[SnS]

if i make the more standard curries ie madras and compare it side by side with BIR/TA the BIR is clearly much sweeter.

the question for me is where and how do BIR's add this "underlying sweet tone" - is it:

A) - in the base by frying the onion
B) - at the cooking stage by using previously fried onions
C) - by adding some other ingredient in the base
D) - by adding some other ingredient at the cooking stage

Perhaps the solution to your desired Madras sweetness is here Jerry.

SnS 

By Bobby Bhuna

Result, delicious. Far better than any of my expectations. It tasted very sweet despite the fact that I didn't add any Mango chutney, which I put down to the cooking of the onions in stage 1.

If I am to go back to using high heat, I will still fry the onion gently until translucent, as the resulting sweetness is top notch.

Full review here

http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,2603.msg23682.html#msg23682

[joshallen2k]

A) - in the base by frying the onion
B) - at the cooking stage by using previously fried onions
C) - by adding some other ingredient in the base
D) - by adding some other ingredient at the cooking stage

I would hazard a guess its A or C. Most of the "demos" on this site are pretty straightforward, with no mention of "adding prefried onions". Unless there's something in the spice mix, I'm thinking it must be in the base, not necessarily ingredients but method.

Josh