Topic: ?The BIR style wagon?

[loveitspicy]

fantastic - great to have you on board

best, Rich

[Cory Ander]

Maybe the salt decreases the cooking time of the onions by helping to draw out water.

It seems a common technique when cooking onions to add salt early rather than later on "to taste".

Paul

Yes, I can understand why adding salt to water containing substances (such as onions and....errrr....water) may have an effect, but I can't see how adding salt to oil (and frying it for some considerable time) achieves anything?

Salt, after all, is ionic and is therefore immiscible in oil and will also not melt at such low temperatures?

I would like to know if I'm missing something?  Presumably there is a reason for it?

[loveitspicy]

Thanks for posting your recipes Abdul, and very clearly presented 

1.   In a cooking pot add oil, salt and cook for 1 to 2 minutes

This intrigues me.  I know other (BIR) recipes include adding salt (usually with the spices) at the frying stage.  But, for the life of me, I can't understand why? 

Could you (or anyone else) please explain the rationale for this?

Thanks

I don't understand either - i was taught the salt went in to draw out the moisture and sweeten the onions - hope Abdul replies before next weeks recipe post
best, Rich

[PaulP]

I've just spent some time googling frying onions and salt and the consensus seems to be that they cook and/or brown faster.

CA is correct in that the salt won't interact with the oil but the fact that the grains of salt are in contact with the water containing onion flesh will help to draw out water from the onions which will evaporate in the hot oil.

Seems reasonable to me, although if you use a non-stick pan for frying onions the gritty salt will probably reduce the life of the coating.

Paul

[chewytikka]

Good post Abdul
Maybe there should be a beginners guide/101 section on the forum and
this post would fit in nicely.

As you say, this is your style of cooking and i would agree that any member
following your guidelines, would produce your BIR style, but definitely not all BIR styles.
Just like Restaurant cooking is usually a higher level than Take Away cooking.

cheers Chewy

CA
Amazing, after 3160 posts on your curry journey, you ask such a daft question about Salt. or are you simply Trolling again...
What part of the country are you in and just curious, but have you ever spent any time, in a BIR kitchen.

[976bar]

Thanks for posting your recipes Abdul, and very clearly presented 

1.   In a cooking pot add oil, salt and cook for 1 to 2 minutes

This intrigues me.  I know other (BIR) recipes include adding salt (usually with the spices) at the frying stage.  But, for the life of me, I can't understand why? 

Could you (or anyone else) please explain the rationale for this?

Thanks

Hi Cory,

I believe I read somewhere once, but not too sure where now, that if you add salt in the frying process, it actually reduces the sodium in the salt but leaves the taste...

Therefore making for a healthier dish...... Not sure how true this is though.

[Cory Ander]

Seems reasonable to me, although if you use a non-stick pan for frying onions the gritty salt will probably reduce the life of the coating.

That's fine Paul but, in this case (and in some others), the salt is being fried, by itself (or with spices), for some considerable time, in oil, before the onions (or anything else) are added.

And I wonder why?

[Cory Ander]

CA
Amazing, after 3160 posts on your curry journey, you ask such a daft question about Salt. or are you simply Trolling again...
What part of the country are you in and just curious, but have you ever spent any time, in a BIR kitchen.

Thank you for your erudite response CT  :

So, in your infinite wisdom, WHY is it such a daft question and what IS the answer!?

I would REALLY like to know.  Perhaps it is YOU who is trolling??? 

As for the part of the country I'm in, it matters not one iota (Does it?  Regarding my question?).  Suffice to say that I have spent MANY years eating BIR curries and MANY years trying to replicate them.

I have also been in SEVERAL BIR kitchens...as, no doubt, YOU have!

So, cut the crap and extend me the courtesy of answering my question please 

Otherwise, you're adding nothing to my (or, I would assume, others') understanding!


PS:  Thank you very much for reminding me why I am nowadays reluctant to participate in the forum 

[chriswg]

I just read it that you add the salt while the oil heats up so when the onions go in the salt is hot and evenly distributed around the pan. Im sure it would make little difference to add the salt with the onions but maybe it is a good habit to get into.

[Les]

PS:  Thank you very much for reminding me why I am nowadays reluctant to participate in the forum 

Don't let him (CT) rattle you CA, Just ignore him and he might go away ;D
I for one look forward to your input, as i would imagine many others do, So keep posting.
I'm also intrigued by this salt frying ;D
Come on CT, we are waiting to be enlightened