Topic: How to Make Spicy Oil ? The Secret to Truly Replicating BIR curries?

[Derek Dansak]

when making the ashoka banjura onion paste try doubling the recomended amount of oil. the end result is a onion paste swimming in oil. however the oil is very good reclaimed oil. i used grapeseed oil.

[Cory Ander]

when making the ashoka banjura onion paste try doubling the recomended amount of oil

Yes, I've tried that DD.  The problem is (if you still want the onion paste) that the onions end up frying rather than caramelising (you only want a little oil for caramelising the onions) and the oil tastes predominantly oniony (as you might expect).  Otherwise, I think it's along the right track.

Haldi - what does your bought BIR oil taste and smell like?

[Derek Dansak]

thanks for the Tips CA, i have never been shown how to caramalize onions, so will try that suggestion.

[CurryOnRegardless]

hi DD

try a Youtube search for caramelised onions...

CoR

[SnS]

I used to use my own 'spiced oil' in the past and it never made that much of a difference, not enough to bother scooping it out and storing it separately every time

Have you simply scooped it off your curry base and off any curries that you've made CK?  This seems to be the most common practice by members who use a spiced oil?

What about making a spiced oil infusion specically for the purpose?  Has anyone tried that?

This was my previous point - the difference between 'reclaimed' oil versus purposely 'seasoned' oil. One is not the same as the other. Although both are actually 'seasoned', the latter would be developed to achieve a specific taste using a 'recipe'.

[Secret Santa]

The question is how?

Pay attention boy! (followed by a severe ear thwacking).

I posted a few weeks ago in response to haldi I think. It's easy, sort of, you use a small volume of oil and 'expose it' to all the normal BIR stuff like samosa, bhaji, pakora, onions and peppers, etc.

Just cook all your normal stuff in it over a week or so and that should do it.

[chinois]

surely reclaiming oil from base will only ever provide enough oil for at most 20 customers? 

That's what i've always thought.
The oil from the bunjara works well i think. It smells amazing when heating it up!
You just top the oil up afterwards, stir the oil into the onion paste and put it back in the fridge. Mine didnt taste 'oniony' as the onions were consistently dark brown and so the taste was sweet, savoury and curry-like.

[Secret Santa]

The oil from a 'good' base will provide one chef's spoon per curry all night long, until the base itself runs out. Watch the malik's videos if you don't believe me.

Using the oil from the bunjara is an option but not a normal procedure I would conjecture. It's an Ashoka thing and nothing more.

If you really want to experience the true POWER of reused oil then add extra oil while making your curry (feel free to chip in anytime CQ) and recover this. Then use this on your next curry. It is not what the BIRs do but it is so good that you'll never look back. I'm guessing that in its small way it replicates what the BIRs do on a larger scale.

Try it!

[Unclebuck]

The oil from a 'good' base will provide one chef's spoon per curry all night long, until the base itself runs out. Watch the malik's videos if you don't believe me.

Correctymondo!! when the base runs out of floating oil they just add fresh oil to the pot see em do it.

[JerryM]

Correctymondo!! when the base runs out of floating oil they just add fresh oil to the pot see em do it.

interesting - u'd think it would dilute the base sauce - one to ponder (glad u pointed it out UB i must have missed that part of the webcam).

i use reclaimed oil and swear by it. Curryqueen put me onto it and Malacara got me started on the method.

I aim to use no more than half the reclaimed oil for cooking and recycle what's left into the next base.

There's a lot of info on the site (links added below) but a few things remain unresolved for me:

1) "yellow" curry base oil (essentially no paprika, currypowder or garam in the base) does not give the same depth of taste as ?red? curry base oil (most bases on the site produce this). maliks and my local BIR TA use yellow oil though.
2) Having only tasted the finished dish oil from my local TA (which is red) I?m not sure which spices are needed in the base to optimise the taste of the curry base oil and which are added at the frying stage.

http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=190.msg1069#msg1069
- real good read started by ghanna
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,602.0.html
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=190.msg1069#msg1069
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=2684.msg23835#msg23835


UB's earlier links are also essential readinghttp://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3295.msg29728#msg29728