Topic: 100%

[Secret Santa]

Yes, I agree CA.

Bloody hell SS! 

You're not going through the male menopause are you!  ;D

Well statistically there has to be one occasion every year where we agree!

[JerryM]

i made a further 4 off curries last night (2 madras, 2 kashmiri). i turned my stove down slightly - something i'd been pondering for a couple of weeks (burn on the rim - will detail in relevant post).

i found the "clash" almost disappeared. i've been trying to put into words what this "clash" is - the nearest is buy the same curry from 2 different TA and mix it together. i'd have to say the different taste is not for me - i think this is purely down to what u've been brought up on and how i cook - it's the same as using lemon (or not) in a madras - nothing wrong with it either way.

on the heath grounds i have no concerns - i've eaten much BIR and i think contrary that i am far more healthier as a result even with burnt oil.

CA's view will be very interesting for me as i believe/hope i'm following his teachings.

[Cory Ander]

I've seen a base made up, using fresh and old oil from the top of another curry gravy pot

I confess this confuses me a bit Haldi. 

Given the (unspiced) oil you are using, I would have expected you to say that you've seen a base made up using old oil from a deep fat fryer (but I would expect that even this oil would be spiced in a BIR) rather than from another gravy pot (which would most definitely be spiced, I would think?). 

Surely the two oils are quite different (i.e. spiced and unspiced) aren't they?  Though I accept you say that unspiced oil works for you.

[CurryCrazy]

Maybe the oil doesn't need to be spiced (enough in the base/curry?)

Maybe the difference with this oil is the boiling/frying point + oxidisation.

Anyone who has a deep fat fryer can see that chips cooked in it cook "differently" over time.

New oil takes ages to cook chips (used to own a pub with a restaurant). Oil thats a day or two old (commercial cooking) cooks better and the food tastes better.

Is oil reclaimed for this reason rather than for being spiced?

One consideration would be what else has been cooked in the oil. If it's chicken, then animal fat will be present and cooked heavily. If just chips then???

Just random thoughts, but I think this idea of used oil (in some form) could be really move us forward in our quest

[CurryOnRegardless]

Got a take away last night from one of the few T/As I still rate round here. It was early evening so they weren't busy and I watched them like a hawk, it being one of those open plan places. First thing the chef did was go out back and carry in a big 20 litre tin of KFC long life veg oil. He decanted some oil into a small (2Lt?) plastic tub on the counter along with all the other tubs of pastes and spices. This was the oil that ours and the other couple of phone orders he was making, were made with so no old oil in the curry. The flames on the burners where quite high but also "lazy" looking, when he cooked each meal there were the usual sparkly flames shooting up round the edge of the pan as he added the base but no real pyrotechnics just a few gentle sparkles. Further proof that the flames although high were in fact not particularly hot came when chef # 2 started doing some chapattis. These started off on the tawa but when almost done on the first side he transferred them to a large round wire scoop thing and finished them off over the high open flame on the burner, tossing each one as they puffed up like a football, if the flame had been fiercely hot the chapattis would have burnt given the time each took. We gave him a round of applause so he started showboating and did a couple spare which we were given along with some gratis chutney to munch while our meal was done, great stuff.
So, no evidence here of any old oil but they did have 2 huge stockpots of base on the go which he kept transferring ladles full from old to new which would make sense keeping some sort of consistency between batches.
The curry was excellent, one of their specials with fancy onions and capsicums, goodness knows how they do them but they are bloody lovely!

Cheers
CoR 

[Secret Santa]

one of their specials with fancy onions and capsicums, goodness knows how they do them but they are bloody lovely!

What are these "fancy" onions and peppers?

[Secret Santa]

First thing the chef did was go out back and carry in a big 20 litre tin of KFC long life veg oil. He decanted some oil into a small (2Lt?) plastic tub on the counter along with all the other tubs of pastes and spices. This was the oil that ours and the other couple of phone orders he was making, were made with so no old oil in the curry.

From watching the maliks video (when it works!), and the Eastlive takeaway, I can see that they only use clean fresh oil and sometimes ghee. Also the few BIR kitchens I've seen have done the same. So I think the use of old oil is not done any more and that probably explains why the old taste is missing!

I posted ages ago that I thought they stopped using the old oil when the councils started  collecting it for free to convert to Biofuel. Prior to that they would have to pay to get rid of old oil, so they would incorporate it into the curries instead. I'd love to know when this practise started (and if it's a national practise) to see if it matched with when I think the curries lost their old taste. It would be the final proof.

[emin-j]

Ive got my 3 hour cooking lesson ( along with three of my family )next Saturday ( Myristica Indian Restaurant ) 
I reckon the Chef will soon get fed up with me asking so many questions 

[JerryM]

The flames on the burners where quite high but also "lazy" looking, when he cooked each meal there were the usual sparkly flames shooting up round the edge of the pan as he added the base but no real pyrotechnics just a few gentle sparkles.
 

CoR,

real good description of how my stoves performs. i can assure though the "no pyrotechnics" is down to skill. i'm still trying to master avoiding them as they are not useful. i've had to move my stove further way from the ceiling electric light as a precaution. the flames are hot for defo - my pan handle is 8" long and not long enough - i have to use a tea towel over the handle end to tip the food into the serving bowl at the end of cooking.

Secret Santa,

i don't think we'll ever know the history for sure. Haldi's TA must still be using it. I am pretty sure (just on taste) that my local TA is not.

[CurryOnRegardless]

Hi SS.

I agree with what you are saying but there is no way that we are ever going to know for sure. For one thing no one in the biz up here would ever admit to having ever used old oil wether they did or not. Years ago some bright spark in our local council decided it would be a good idea to lump or zone all the T/As into one small area of the town center, why I dunno but the net effect just seems to compound all the ills that befall town centers up and down the country come the weekend i.e. the place turns into WW3 with every pissed up chav in town battling and vomiting and then battling again, you know the scenario. Anyway the T/As eventually got done for bunging up the towns' drains with old grease because for years they had just emptied the stuff down the nearest grid. These days they have to pay to have it disposed of properly and they are monitored to ensure they comply, so you see why asking about old oil is met with great suspicion.
As to those onions, they ain't letting on how they do them, I've asked loads of times only to be told it's "Chefs Secret".

Regards
CoR