Topic: Spiced Oil & the Curry2Go Ebook

[curryhell]

The residue left from precooking chicken is delicious,I remember on my takeaway lesson I saw a huge tub of the stuff on the side from which the chef was spooning out the remains of the precooked chicken.I can't believe for one minute they would chuck this stuff away,it's far too flavoursome.Do some places throw this back in the gravy?? I honestly don't know.It would seriously upset the vegetarians,but is this why they're so secretive??

Julian's smaller base is next on my list,I know it's not going to be as per his spec completely but I may do two versions,one with some pre cooked chicken residue added and one without to see what the difference is.

It's definitely food for thought jb.  JerryM did try adding 100ml of this to a 3ltr base with no discernable difference
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=8184.msg72368;topicseen#msg72368
As for it being added to the gravy, i'm sure there are some less scrupulous establishments that do this and it would have to remain one of the untold secrets.  Can you imagine the hullabaloo if that got out .  The veges would go apeshit and quite rightly so.
I can see the point of using "spiced" oil though.  If you make a gravy that contains a lot of oil what better than to use the stuff you've been cooking your bhajis in, providing it's not too far gone. You get rid of your waste oil from the fryer and recycle it in your gravy.  Very thrifty .
I've now have three lots of base in the freezer so i won't be making any more soon.  The next lot will be on a small scale and  definitely have whole spice added.  Let us know how you get on with Julian's base.  I'll do my write up later today or tomorrow once i've tried the curry that's resting in the fridge.

[curryhell]

CH,as you say, the flavour from the whole spice is amazing ,from memory in my 600ml of base (c2go) it was 6 cardamom,4Asian bay,2cloves,2"cinnamon,1star anice and some how Ive got to work out a starting point for 6ltrs  If I pro-rata it it's gonna be loads 
Just to make you smile I bought a coffee machine yesterday and had a couple of brews to try it out,last one was about 11.30pm and now I cant sleep  typing this at 02.33 am and wide awake  ) atb.

Seeing as the coffee was working a treat i'm surprised you didn't get a base on the go in the early hours  ;D.  I think i will probably use the quantities you specified for the base as a good starting point.  Thinking back to the Zaal experience, only half a chef's spoon of garam masala was added to the bucket of other spices.  Az's garam contains the key ingredients mentioned above.  In addition, the spices he infused were used more than once so therefore had the capability to continue to provide the smell and taste.  I think i'd be wary of upscaling drastically.  Just my opinion of course  ;D

[JerryM]

prawnsalad,

add more oil to the base and then pour off before blending.

this link is a starting point http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=2684.0

[markh3565]

Oh dear.  You've obviously been around the block a few times like many of us on here.  Not sure what advice to give other than sticking to a tried and tested base.  As for mix powder, I'm not going to enter the minefield of "it needs to matched to the base".  but the technique is very much key.  Bottom line, no matter how good your base and mix powder, if the person with the pan and chef's spoon doesn't know what to do with it, the results will be crap.  I can only suggest you read the Zaal lesson threads.  The findings of the visit may prove helpful or at least provoke some thought.  One bonus here, it rarely goes quiet unless somebody releases an e- book ;D

Cheers CH

Yeah been following that like glue!!!!

TBH the Zaal lessons have been a bit of a turning point - managed now to hit the taste with this method - but its not constant weird really how small changes effect the end result

Again like all on here I've almost gone full circle with bases/spice mix/matching base etc etc but have recently reduced spicing levels and now concentrating on technique based on the Zaal video's rather than the secret non existant ingredients

Great forum - lots of stuff to learn & pot currently on the hotplate with 3lt Curry 2 Go base - keep you posted

[curry2gochorley]

One thing though,I can't wait for the results of member's attempts of Julian's gravy,albeit it without bhaji oil!!!

Ok, where shall I post the result then???  Where on earth is this up market restaurant Jason??  In Grays or are we talking Orsett Cock 

Hi there,

Just picked up on the thread about the debate over the seasoned oil.

Firstly,  I would just say, there are no rules, and as I mention in my Ebook, "there is no one school of thought or authority on BIR cooking- that's what makes the chase for the taste interesting!

What I will tell you guys is this; of the many different Bengali Chef's that I have had the benefit of knowing and who's kitchens I have spent time in, all of them without exception recycled the oil 
  2 of them I know didn't add it to the Gravy but they used it all the the curries. The others I know all use recycled oil in the base. The Pakistani kitchens I have been in don't use it (but I have only been in 3 Pakistani chef's kitchens.

If you are still in doubt about this check out a Bengali chef on Youtube called Dipurajah  (I know him and have been in his kitchen) watch his videos and note the colour of the oil going into his pan at the frying stage and you will without doubt notice the oil is seasoned. The are a couple of reasons this happens in Takeaway's,  1 is economics, the other is simply a matter of adding another subtle layer of flavour.

Having said all that if someone finds that it really doesn't make all that much difference and they don't like the thought of used oil, then that's fine as I said there are no rules.

Happy Cooking!


Julian

[solarsplace]

Hi Julian

Good post!

Thanks for the honest and helpful input regarding the spiced oil. I think everyone really appreciates your openness and it is great to see you doing well. Really enjoyed reading your book BTW, bought it on the day it came out.

Personally I really like your angle of saying, words to the effect of, you have seen it done (re-used / spiced oil) and you know it goes on. There is no hard and fast rule on it. Try it out for yourself and make your own mind up. I don't think anyone can say fairer than that!

Good luck to you!

Regards

[laynebritton]

I always use my saved "Onion Bahji Oil" when making a Curry
it's kept in my glass sweet jar it's pure liquid gold
believe me the flavour really does enhance the finished product
to smell the oil is like the smell on any indian establishment
if your looking for that elusive "taste" then this oil helps you greatly !
Cheers
Layne

[976bar]

I always use my saved "Onion Bahji Oil" when making a Curry
it's kept in my glass sweet jar it's pure liquid gold
believe me the flavour really does enhance the finished product
to smell the oil is like the smell on any indian establishment
if your looking for that elusive "taste" then this oil helps you greatly !
Cheers
Layne

I wish I still had my deep fat fryer which I gave to my daughter

I guess I'll have to invest in another as I would like to try this spiced oil out

[Micky Tikka]

I dont mind trying the spiced oil
Just fed up of onion bahjis

[curryhell]

I don't have that problem, they just love em at work ;D.  Another couple of batches to fry and i reckon the oil will be more than ready to use.  I'll then give it a go when starting my phall off and see if it makes a beneficial improvement.  In the meantime work will be very happy