Topic: Chicken tikka and Tandoori chicken

[976bar]

I used to set it on skewers and cook it in the oven, but you cannot beat the taste of a BBQ.

I have a gas BBQ, but I also always use a tin or metal tray and put Charcoal in it.

I light the Charcoal and wait until it has turned grey then I light the gas BBQ and cook the chicken with the lid down on a very low heat.

I turn it very often to prevent burning, but I end up with a wonderfully cooked chicken tikka, very moist inside and very smokey........

[George]

All bottles of mustard oil must be labelled 'FOR EXTERNAL USE' and its because by European law, mustard oil should contain  no more than 5% Erucic Acid but it contains 20-25% so that is why it has to be labelled like that or it would be illegal to sell, but they still use it for cooking.

Is there anyone here who is qualified to judge if it's safe to ignore the warnings and consume this stuff anyway? It strikes me as quite risky. I can't see a BIR using a bottle marked with such a warning. Surely, they could be in serious trouble if the health people found out, even if it doesn't actually do any harm in practice.

[PaulP]

George, it may be worth having a look on Wikipedia or similar. I think there was an experiment years ago that showed that Mustard oil had a negative effect on rats.
I think it was later established that humans don't suffer from the same ill effects.

You cannot by law buy mustard oil for human consumption in the EU, USA, Canada, Australia etc, so you will never see a bottle labled for consumption in these zones.

I've got the KTC pure mustard oil and I'm not at all worried that it will harm me.

Paul.

[Razor]

Hi PaulP,

I also use mustard oil on my tikka/tandoori marinades and have up until now, come to no harm but, I think what George has pointed out is very interesting.  As he quite rightly point's out, it is labelled 'external use only' so DO the BIR's actually use it.  Again, as George ask's, wouldn't the BIR's be at risk  if they are using this stuff?

The only way, that I can see the BIR's getting around this, is to import it from somewhere such as Asia/Africa where it assumed to be perfectly safe for human consumption!  Surely this would make it far too expensive to use in our BIR's/TA's?

Very good point George, thought provoking!

Ray

[PaulP]

Hi Ray,

Check out:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mustard_oil

It might actually be good for you!

If BIRs use the stuff it will be the UK stuff labelled "for external use only" I'm pretty sure.

Cheers,

Paul

[Razor]

Hi PaulP,

Intersting read, and as you suggest, it could actually be good for you.

If BIRs use the stuff it will be the UK stuff labelled "for external use only" I'm pretty sure.

This is where I, and I think George have concerns.  How would they stand with health and safety inspectors?

Anyway, with all that said, I think it plays it's part well in marinades, never cooked with it though and certainly never used it as a sex lube as wiki suggests pmsfl ;D

Ray

[JerryM]

jb,

loving u're posts.

this is quite timely for me. not been cooking for a while but i did have a tikka night last week for some curry boffs making lasan & dipuraja (had previously made CA's for them). dippies was well out of favour down to a sort of vinegar taste that comes through too strong from the pataks.

i was about to chuck out my patak jars as they are taking up a lot of the fridge.

will give this recipe a go asap and report back

[976bar]

Good to see you back Jerry!!

[Secret Santa]

dippies was well out of favour down to a sort of vinegar taste that comes through too strong from the pataks.

Hi Jerry, welcome back!

I know what you mean about the Pataks flavour. Unfortunately these pastes are now so widely used in the curries, not just the tandoori and tikka, that for me it has ruined the BIR curry.

The trouble is, for many people, this is the standard BIR taste. It's why I think so many people seem to shovel loads of lemon juice into their curries because it probably gets them closer to that BIR (Patak) flavour they are used to.

[Masala Mark]

JB, can you check with your chef if it was mustard oil, or mustard seed oil?

Here in Australia we can buy mustard seed oil from the supermarket and is used quite extensively in authentic home style Indian Cooking. I have a bottle in the cupboard that is definately for cooking, it even has a recipes address that you can go to. It is used for a couple of dishes I know such as Aloo Gobi, Aloo Baingan that I have been taught by some friends from Gujarat. It is also used in Tandoori and Tikka marinades as well, as per this post.

There may well be a difference between what is mustard oil and what is mustard seed oil which is causing the confusion.