Quote from: chriswg on July 22, 2009, 05:15 PM
Well it definitely works for my onion bhajis. I always save the oil and reuse it next time. Its only done 60 - 70 bhajis but it has gone a dark colour and smells lovely. Personally I think the bhajis get most of their flavour from the old oil.

The next time I make up a batch of base I'll use it and see if it makes a difference. it might be that it hasn't been used enough but I would expect to see some change in the taste for better or worse.

Chris ,
This is what I'm talking about, the dark colour and flavour coming from the burning of debris(little bits and pieces of onion,gram flour and spices) from the bhajis,just filter the debris from the oil through kitchen paper or a coffee filter, it may not give the taste and flavour that you may be searching for, as "the taste" that people talk about seems difficult to describe and pin down, but it works for me,
Bob

I do believe that Haldi is on to something here, although I too am struggling with the idea of oil from fried chicken and chips, I have tried the same myself, it did change the flavour but not to what I was hoping for, however I do know that oil from cooking a shed load of bhajis goes into some restaurant bases, this really does give "the taste" for me,
The BIR kitchens I have been into use either KTC veg oil or Pride veg oil,(rapeseed oil and anti-foaming agent)
The BIR kitchens I have been into that don't have the taste have not added old bhaji oil to the base,

Quote from: Secret Santa on July 19, 2009, 01:44 PM

Quote from: AchMal on July 18, 2009, 09:03 PM
I wouldn't know about that, having never tasted dish water.

So you don't partake of the Kingfisher lager when you go to the BIR then?

;D No I don't, beer or lager before or after but never during for me,
only ice water during the meal,

Quote from: George on July 18, 2009, 07:43 PM

Quote from: Robbo1979 on July 12, 2009, 10:23 AM
How much Lemon juice would you say that a whole Lemon has?  I would like to make this using juice from a bottle as opposed to getting a whole lemon.

I suggest it's worth using the real thing, i.e. a real lemon. In my opinion, "lemon juice" from a bottle tastes little better than dish water.

I wouldn't know about that, having never tasted dish water.
I find that KTC Lemon Dressing is quick, convenient and more than acceptable and I have seen it used in several BIR kitchens,
Bob

Quote from: Secret Santa on July 10, 2009, 07:40 PM

Quote from: AchMal on July 10, 2009, 06:19 PM
Now use the dark oil in your base instead of your measured amount of new /fresh veg oil,
this goes a long way to getting the taste in your curries that I am aiming for,
Bob

Hmmm, I sort of agree and disagree. The use of the bhaji cooking oil is essential in my opinion, however, I think if it is used it should go in at the curry cooking stage and  not in the base. If it goes into the base it seems to lose its efficacy.

I understand where you are coming from with your comment,
I have seen this oil albeit much darker from cooking a hundred or so bhajis not just a small batch or two, go into base gravy pots, and as a curry is nearly finished some of this oil is skimmed off the top of the pot and added to the curry,
if the oil is flavoured enough from the spices, onions and gram flour (burned) then it is powerful stuff and certainly adds a taste to the gravy which is not overpowering in kormas etc when used from the bottom of the pot, but gives a real kick to madras, bhuna type curries when skimmed off the top, ie the actual oil,
I also saw Maliks add a dark liquid that really coated the onions in the gravy pot(about 2 litres)they carried on making the gravy but added no other oil ,
I emailed them about this and they wouldn't answer other than to say it was new fresh oil that went into the gravy, but I know I'm not blind...
Bob

Now use the dark oil in your base instead of your measured amount of new /fresh veg oil,
this goes a long way to getting the taste in your curries that I am aiming for,
Bob

Quote from: Robbo1979 on June 30, 2009, 11:48 AM
In a restaurant not far from me, they do a curry I've never seen other than in there called a Chicken Tikka Masala Madras.  Now it is exactly as it sounds and is actually VERY tasty and an exciting variation for those of you who like their curries spicy.

Hi Robbo,
There are variations on a theme on this,
you may see in some restaurants or takeaways the dish Chicken Tikka Chilli Masala,
This is done by frying some sliced onions and garlic and green chillies at the start of the curry then make the Tikka masala as normal,
Great if you like the creaminess and sweetness of a CTM but with the heat and taste from the chillies and garlic,
Bob

I have seen in a restaurant kitchen where they cut the breast of chicken lengthways as Haldi says but they carefully skewer the chicken on skewers that have been in the tandoor for a few minutes, you can hear the chicken sizzle as they thread them on,
this also ensures a quicker cooking of the middle of the chicken and the chicken never slides off the skewer,
Bob

  and you went there just for perlite...

Quote from: 976bar on May 24, 2009, 10:49 PM
Achmal,

Do you see your local Indian restaurant using these? I've visited quite a few in my years and have never seen a jar of Pataks on their shelves....have you ever found one that does??....

I refer you to a previous post of mine in this thread.....

I'm not here to argue with you but I have seen the big plastic containers of Tikka Paste, Tandoori Paste and Kashmiri Masala Paste and Madras/Kebab Paste, but as I have seen them I will tell you I have seen them,