Topic: 100%

[chriswg]

Well it definitely works for my onion bhajis. I always save the oil and reuse it next time. Its only done 60 - 70 bhajis but it has gone a dark colour and smells lovely. Personally I think the bhajis get most of their flavour from the old oil.

The next time I make up a batch of base I'll use it and see if it makes a difference. it might be that it hasn't been used enough but I would expect to see some change in the taste for better or worse.

[Curry Barking Mad]

Well it definitely works for my onion bhajis. I always save the oil and reuse it next time. Its only done 60 - 70 bhajis but it has gone a dark colour and smells lovely. Personally I think the bhajis get most of their flavour from the old oil.

The next time I make up a batch of base I'll use it and see if it makes a difference. it might be that it hasn't been used enough but I would expect to see some change in the taste for better or worse.

Chris ,
This is what I'm talking about, the dark colour and flavour coming from the burning of debris(little bits and pieces of onion,gram flour and spices) from the bhajis,just filter the debris from the oil through kitchen paper or a coffee filter, it may not give the taste and flavour that you may be searching for, as "the taste" that people talk about seems difficult to describe and pin down, but it works for me,
Bob

[JerryM]

Haldi,

congratulations. i've felt your pain along what's been a torturous route for u. well chuffed for u.

does this mean my LFC recipe might get some action. ;D

[parker21]

hi haldi congratulations after all your hard work you deserve it mate , it has to come to and end sometime at least you can enjoy paying a visit to the kebab shop for their free oil . have been making progress with the chefs at mouchak and they are more than willing to help me out, got a feeling i may get the opportunity to get to see their base made from start to finish, they do it in 2 parts!
anyway pete this is your HOLY GRAIL
happy BIRing

regards
gary

[haldi]

Haldi, are you saying NOT to use oil that has been used for bhajis? Just chips and chicken?

From what I have seen, the main thing cooked in most places is chips, chips and more chips.
Bhajees & samosas and chicken too but not anything like the quantity of chips.
I think the main thing is that the oil is well used
This means after it's cooked in the curry gravy, you can cook on high without burning anything.
It's smoking point is drastically reduced.
I have watched chefs cooking curries and it's always in this unhurried fashion.
Whenever I tried to duplicate this at home, things burnt easily
Especialy garlic and tomato puree.
The only way to get a BIR result, is to follow their cooking style.
Anyone who has been in a BIR kitchen will have seen the pot of curry gravy.
The oil on top is really dark
Far darker than boiling fresh oil with onions and spices

Thanks Jerry and Gary for your comments

[emin-j]

I did post on a similar thread about a Chinese T/A my family used for a few years and their food was delicious ,we all tried to replicate ' the  taste ' of this Chinese food but never could ,me and the kids were talking about the different foods we had from the T/A and how they all had this certain delicious flavour , then it came to me  even the Chips had this special flavour so I believe it must have come from the oil ( oil flavoured by countless meals cooked in it ) I did try cooking a Madras using the oil from the deep fat fryer that had cooked Chips and Bhaji's for a few weeks but it didn't really improve the flavour of the Curry  well done haldi     

[joshallen2k]

Thanks Haldi.

I have a deep fryer at home that I use for chips, wings and the like (with the odd Bhaji) but I normally change the oil after five uses or so, or right away if I fry fish.

I will resist changing it now until its really dark and give this a go. I will avoid fish for the time being.

Really hope this works out! Appreciate feedback from others who give this method a go.

-- Josh

[qprbob]

Well done Haldi

I have oil from the deep fat fryer that has been used only for Bhajis. Only cooked five batches, so no where near ready for use in the base or curry. From now on, will cook everything in it except fish and hopefully get the same results as you.

[rallim]

Hi all

Haldi me thinks you have nailed it. A long time ago, I had a whisky filled conversation with an Indian restaurant owner/chef after the restaurant had closed  who also liked his whisky, about Indian restaurant cooking and the elusive "secret ingredient".

We were sitting in the kitchen and after looking around I basically said, I have more spices in my kitchen than you have in the restaurant so I know the "S I" is not a spice, what is it that gives the food that wonderful smell and taste?

His reply after waffling for a while about the smells on the walls the furniture etc, which I said I wasn't buying into, was....

Burnt Oil....They use it in the gravy (he wouldn't call it a base sauce)
and in the curry dishes.

I don't know (can't remember a lot that night  :) if they used the oil from pakoras and bhajis but remember him saying that they changed the oil for them quite regularly as it would make them to dark. He liked them a golden colour.

I wish I had elaborated on the acquisition and the use of the burnt oil now.

[haldi]

Burnt Oil....They use it in the gravy (he wouldn't call it a base sauce)
and in the curry dishes.

I don't know (can't remember a lot that night  :) if they used the oil from pakoras and bhajis but remember him saying that they changed the oil for them quite regularly as it would make them to dark. He liked them a golden colour.

I wish I had elaborated on the acquisition and the use of the burnt oil now.

I'm sure you are right
And quite why this improves it so much, is beyond me
On it's own, the old oil, smells and tastes, as you might expect.
But when added, to the cooking base, its truly remarkable

After the base is cooked and the oil has been seperated, you can cook with it.
The aroma of it heating in the pan is stunning
Anyone who has had a BIR demo will recognise this immediately
And of course some of the oil is in the blended base

Well done Haldi

I have oil from the deep fat fryer that has been used only for Bhajis. Only cooked five batches, so no where near ready for use in the base or curry. From now on, will cook everything in it except fish and hopefully get the same results as you.

Hi QPR
       My first attempt at this was oil from a chip shop
It was really digusting
It gave a horrible aroma
So definitely no fish in the oil

I am concerned that achieving the "taste" may be extremely unhealthy
I guess anything in moderation is ok?