Topic: What's your Oil?

[Onion B]

I've been reading a lot of comments about reclaimed oil being the way forward and it's something that i will be doing in the future.

My question is, what oil do you use to start this process? I have recipes suggesting Mustard Oil, Ground Nut Oil, Corn Oil, Sunflower Oil and of course Butter Ghee.

Whats you Oil?

[adriandavidb]

Usualy groundnut, occasionally rice bran oil (someone here recommended it).  I also have some blended mustard oil (Tesco's ethnic section, large tin), which I must get 'round to trying; although I have heard that it's not that good for you?

[JerryM]

i use veg oil. i've seen some suggestion that sunflower may produce a superior curry but i've not tried it or felt the need. i've also started putting a little marg into the base as well (around 15% of the oil).

relevent post on the reclaim: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=2684.0

[CurryOnRegardless]

Any relatively flavourless oil should be OK which rules out mustard oil (I don't think BIR's would risk the wrath of the authorities, however mistaken, by using it but it is used extensively in authentic cuisine). I think BIR's tend to use sunflower oil thinking it is healthier than ordinary veg oil but this may be a little misguided. S/F oil is high in polyunsaturated fats but the current thinking is that we should be using oils high in monounsaturated fats. Olive oil fits that bill but is too heavily flavoured for curry so given the amount of oil used for curries perhaps we should be doing our arteries a favour and sticking to oils like groundnut, rice bran and the like. Plain ordinary veg oil is a blend of heaven knows what so you can never be sure just what you are getting. A little saturated fat is actually required for a healthy diet so using a small amount of butter ghee in a base would be OK.
CoR

[Secret Santa]

Olive oil fits that bill but is too heavily flavoured for curry

Virgin and standard olive oil perhaps, but light and mild olive oil (Tesco) not only has very little flavour but also has the highest smoke point of all the affordable oils, which clearly benefits it for high temperature curry cooking. What with all its health virtues too, this is the only oil I now use, and I would recommend its use to others.

[Cory Ander]

Commom-all-garden vegetable oil or Canola oil (if it's comparably priced) for me.

And homemade butter ghee for naans, some recipes, and when the occasion takes my fancy.

In my opinion, all other oils are simply too expensive by comparison.  Sunflower oil is a good choice (but is at least 50% more expensive than plain vegetable oil).

Olive oil, groundnut oil, etc, are even more expensive (twice as expensive as plain vegetable oil).  So this precludes me from using them...though I can understand the perceived benefits (on health grounds) for the more health conscious domestic curry cook.

Frankly, I'm thinking of using fully synthetic, high performance, engine oil...I think it works out cheaper! 

[Onion B]

I think I've got some engine oil in the garage, I'll give it a go later.

[HOTRING]

My fav BIR uses Veg Ghee I know this as they would keep the empty tubs for me (for plastering) so this is what I use as its good for you.
Lab studies have shown ghee to reduce cholesterol both in the serum and intestine(aren't you surprised?!). It does it by triggering an increased secretion of biliary lipids (stuff coming out of your bile). Ghee is also good for nerves and brain. It helps control eye pressure and is beneficial to glaucoma patients. I bet you didn't know these, did you?
 
Ghee is most notably said to stimulate the secretion of stomach acids to help with digestion, while other fats, such as butter and oils, slow down the digestive process and can sit heavy in the stomach. You don't want that really.
 
In addition to ghee's nutritional value, it is rich with antioxidants and acts as an aid in the absorption of vitamins and minerals from other foods, feeding all layers of body tissue and serving to strengthen the immune system. A high concentration of butyric acid, a fatty acid that contains anti-viral properties, is believed to inhibit the growth of cancerous tumors.
 
It is also good for treatment of burns and blisters; a little kitchen remedy there for y'all. According to Ayurveda ghee promotes learning and increased memory retention. Make sure you remember that. And it'll help you remember if you had some ghee!
 
However, as a caveat, while in a healthy person consuming ghee may reduce your cholesterol or not affect it, it not advised for people already suffering from high cholesterol.
More Here
http://begumskitchen.com/GoodGhee.aspx

[SnS]

Wow - good stuff then - learn something every day. Back to ghee we go then.

One thing concerns me though - many Indians are apparently coming away from using 'butter' ghee in favour of veg ghee (for health reasons) - so I'm a little sceptical about the accuracy of that report.

More investigation from other sources perhaps?

SnS

[CurryOnRegardless]

My fav BIR uses Veg Ghee I know this as they would keep the empty tubs for me (for plastering) so this is what I use as its good for you....


More Here
http://begumskitchen.com/GoodGhee.aspx

Hi Hotring

All the info from GoodGhee is referring to butter ghee, if you scroll down to the bottom of the page you will see a highlighted warning concerning veg ghee.
This stuff is particularly nasty being virtually 100% hydrogenated trans fat which is to be avoided like the plague. I think we are all to a lesser or greater degree the victims of the global oil industries' propaganda which makes people think veg oil=good/animal fat=bad which is a gross over simplification at best. Basically any hard vegetable fats (including margarine) will be "partially hydrogenated" and should be used sparingly. These fats are all high in trans fatty acids, substances that occur only in tiny amounts in natural oils and fats but are to be found in great abundance on our supermarket shelves, prolonging the shelf life of cakes, biscuits etc., but shortening the lives of you and me by increasing "free radicals" in the body causing the high levels of heart disease/obesity etc associated with the affluent western diet. Best to keep to natural oils, preferably high in monounsaturated fat, and a little saturated fat such as butter ghee or coconut oil.
CoR