Topic: Onion Bhaji Group Test

[Secret Santa]

is the oil used to cook bhajis in worth adding to curry?

Personally I don't think so.

There's no doubting that a good bhaji oil has immense depth of flavour and a beautiful aroma but, in my experience at least, when added at the cury cooking stage it just loses its potency.

I suppose it adds something, no actually I know it adds something, but not the last few percent that I thought it would when I first tried it (many years ago now).

Having said that I'm left wondering if it's similar to MSG in that some people swear by it but for me, no matter how much I use, it makes bugger all difference to the flavour of Chinese cooking.

[Mike56]

I am being encouraged to take part in the Bhaji group test and so have been looking at the ingredients in the recipies. I do not have any Kashmiri Masala and have found a recipe for it as follows:

2 Cinnamon sticks
2 TSP Black Cumin
1 TSP Green Cardamom Pods
2 TSP Black Peppercorns
5 Cloves
1 TSP Mace
1 Pinch Grated Nutmeg

Roast & grind.

Does this sound OK?

I am thinking in order for the tests to be valid I suppose we should all try to use the same ingredients, curry powders, oil for frying etc

Mike

[Secret Santa]

Hi Mike56

No that's more like a Kashmiri garam masala which is quite different to the pastes.

You might like to look at my recent post about Kashmiri masala here:  http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=5219.0

I thought this would be a good thing for a group effort but it would appear that the forum has transformed into one which now focuses on Jen's singing and the correctness or otherwise of British spelling and grammar.  :

[Peripatetic Phil]

I thought this would be a good thing for a group effort but it would appear that the forum has transformed into one which now focuses on Jen's singing and the correctness or otherwise of British spelling and grammar.  :

Shouldn't that read either "has been transformed" or "has transformed itself", SS ?  You appear to be conflating the passive and active, and the intransitive and transitive, forms  ;D ;D ;D

[Secret Santa]

I thought this would be a good thing for a group effort but it would appear that the forum has transformed into one which now focuses on Jen's singing and the correctness or otherwise of British spelling and grammar.  :

Shouldn't that read either "has been transformed" or "has transformed itself", SS ?  You appear to be conflating the passive and active, and the intransitive and transitive, forms  ;D ;D ;D

Never claimed to be an expert Phil but you know what they say...'those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones'.

I hope we're not going to start picking each other up on our errors.   ;D

[Peripatetic Phil]

I hope we're not going to start picking each other up on our errors.   ;D

Wouldn't dream of it, Sir ; just wanted to confirm your suspicions that this forum had now become obsessed with Jen's singing and the finer points of English grammar 

[Mike56]

Back to Kashmiri Masala.

I see one of the recipies requires Kashmiri Masala and another Kashmiri Masala Paste. I guess the paste is just the powder with a little oil added.

I googled the recipe I posted and it is the eighth one down. WWW.food.sulekha.com.

Having printed all the recipies in the test I was all fired up to make one of them this afternoon with a view to re frying them tomorrow. Sadly I discovered I did not have all the ingredients to hand to realistically attempt any of them. Will see if I can find any of them on the next shopping trip.

Mike

[chriswg]

Hi Mike

They both use the Kashmiri Masala paste. You can buy it on the spices of India website and it's a very handy jar to have in the cupboard.

Chris

[solarsplace]

is the oil used to cook bhajis in worth adding to curry?  i have always felt a good balti curry should have some bhaji oil in it.  do members use the bhaji oil for cooking curry with?

Hi

Sorry to slightly OT the Bhaji thread, but I do have to agree with SS and say that Bhaji oil used for the base or even as the main cooking oil for main dishes has been for me personally, an experiment that I am unlikely to repeat. Just seems to turn a fresh curry into an 'old chip shop sock'tm of a curry for me. If my time were yours I would be looking at specially made spiced oils.

As always just an opinion.

Regards

[Mike56]

Thanks Chris,

It only becomes clear that one of the recipies uses the paste upon watching the video. It does not make it clear in the written instructions. I have found the paste on the web site you mention, I guess this will be available at my local Co Op. However I have a problem buying what I see as commercially made artificial products presumably loaded with tons of chemicals. I have always made my pastes at home using spices & oil.

More than likely I will have all the ingredients in my cupboard to make the Kashmiri Masala paste but for the purposes of a test I do need a recipe.

Mike