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Author Topic: What do BIRs use vegetable ghee for?  (read 11,542 times)

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The discussion centers around the use of vegetable ghee in British Indian Restaurants (BIRs), with participants sharing their experiences and speculating on its applications. It is noted that vegetable ghee is commonly used for brushing naan, in marinades for chicken tikka, and in combination with vegetable oil to enhance the flavor of various dishes, including korma and pilau rice. While some participants express curiosity about the specific ingredients and properties of vegetable ghee, there is a general consensus that it plays a significant role in BIR cooking, particularly for its flavor and texture benefits.

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Offline Bobby Bhuna

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What do BIRs use vegetable ghee for?
« on: September 28, 2008, 06:42 PM »
I recently bought a tub of Butter Ghee, and have been using this for my rice with great effects ever since.

However, I have a rule of thumb. If it's not in giant tubs inn the Indian cash and carry, it's not important. They don't sell dairy Ghee but they sell massive drums of Vegetable Ghee, so they're using it for something.

For about 3 quid, I got a 3kg tub of Khanum Vegetable Ghee and plan to try it in the rice. What else do BIR's use it for in these massive quantities?
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Offline Bobby Bhuna

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Re: Vegetable Ghee
« Reply #1 on: September 29, 2008, 03:24 PM »
Anyone? :-\
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Offline SnS

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Re: Vegetable Ghee
« Reply #2 on: September 29, 2008, 04:25 PM »
I'm off the talk to Latif again this eveing - I'll ask Bobby.

SnS  ;)
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Offline Bobby Bhuna

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Re: Vegetable Ghee
« Reply #3 on: September 29, 2008, 05:44 PM »
Cheers SnS, I imagine they probably brusg the nans with it too but in the volume they're buying it, I wonder what it's in. I know Korma aswell, but I wonder if it's in the Madras or base or anything. I doubt it but the size of the drums makes me wonder.
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Offline SnS

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Re: Vegetable Ghee
« Reply #4 on: September 30, 2008, 11:40 AM »
Quote from: Bobby Bhuna on September 28, 2008, 06:42 PM
For about 3 quid, I got a 3kg tub of Khanum Vegetable Ghee and plan to try it in the rice. What else do BIR's use it for in these massive quantities?

Hi Bobby

They use a mixture of the normal vegetable oil with vegetable ghee for some of the dishes to give a richer smoother flavour ... apparently. The butter ghee is used to add flavour to the rice.

SnS  ;)
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Offline George

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Re: Vegetable Ghee
« Reply #5 on: October 05, 2008, 12:14 AM »
Quote from: Bobby Bhuna on September 29, 2008, 05:44 PMI wonder what it's in

I wonder what's in it. In vegetable ghee I mean. It must be solid vegetable fat, but what type of vegetable and is there anything else special about it? It can't be much different to margarine or Trex.
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Offline haldi

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Re: Vegetable Ghee
« Reply #6 on: October 05, 2008, 08:41 AM »
Quote from: Bobby Bhuna on September 28, 2008, 06:42 PM
However, I have a rule of thumb. If it's not in giant tubs in the Indian cash and carry, it's not important
Hi Bobby
         I reckon that statement is important
In takeaway kitchens I've seen small empty tin cans of the ghee, with cows on
They seems to be used for keeping the cooking oil, in on the stove
But I've also seen the giant orange khyber vegetable ghee tubs, too
Those empty tubs, seem to be mainly involved, with marinading the chicken tikka.
So, at any rate, they must use a lot of this veg ghee
It seems to be used in the Maliks curry base, doesn't it?
Perhaps it's an essential ingredient of the base
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Offline adriandavidb

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Re: Vegetable Ghee
« Reply #7 on: October 05, 2008, 12:44 PM »
Kris Dillon specifies vegatable gee in her pilau rice, I use that method when I make pilau, and it's good.

I don't make it often 'though, I usually buy extra pilau when I order a take away and freeze the surplus as soon as it gets to my door, I know reheating rice is not good practice, but so far I've had no probs.  When I make rice I microwave a load of (plain) Kohinoor basmati, and mix a the defrosted T/A pilau with it, good way of making it go further!
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Offline Panpot

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Re: Vegetable Ghee
« Reply #8 on: November 01, 2008, 12:43 PM »
I just purchased a large tub of vegetable ghee like Bobby Bhuna and intend to experiment with it, its certainly used somewhere in the process. As I have indicated elsewhere. I have an opportunity soon to get into the kitchen of a popular Glasgow BIR in the near future. I have promised not to give away any trade secrets but I am sure generalities like cooking tools, ghee or oil and other wonders I will be able to share. I am particularly after the definitive Glasgow Pakora recipe and ideally the base sauce and paste mixes. I will post all that I can once I have had the experience of a life time of cooking Curry now thirty years and like the rest of us on this site still searching for Nirvana. Cheers Panpot
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Offline HOTRING

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Re: Vegetable Ghee
« Reply #9 on: December 04, 2008, 11:57 AM »
My favorite BIR only uses vegy ghee as they would keep the buckets for me as at the time I was doing a lot of plastering & getting through many buckets, I never once saw a butter ghee, have you ever made a curry with butter ghee? the butter taste is so overwhelming as to taste sickly.
Quote from: George on October 05, 2008, 12:14 AM
Quote from: Bobby Bhuna on September 29, 2008, 05:44 PMI wonder what it's in

I wonder what's in it. In vegetable ghee I mean. It must be solid vegetable fat, but what type of vegetable and is there anything else special about it? It can't be much different to margarine or Trex.
It is vegetable butter (what type of veg I dont know)that is then clarified, (boiled until it separates, half is binned the other half is ghee) 
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