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Curry Chat => Lets Talk Curry => Topic started by: Ader1 on September 01, 2014, 09:11 PM

Title: Frying onions
Post by: Ader1 on September 01, 2014, 09:11 PM
I watched this Indian....well Bangali in actual fact, chef frying some onions for this dish.  The oil was pretty damned hot.  In fact, he semed to heat up the pan for ages before adding the oil.  Then in went the thinly sliced onions.  He said that the needed to melt and later on added some water a couple of times.  I've been trying to do this with varying degrees of success and I'm beginning to think that my saucepen isn't the right type.  Maybe not heavy enough or made from the right material.  Do you gusy have any advice on which type of saucepan to use for frying.  Doesn't need to be too big as it's not for a large amount of bse gravy.  Thanks.
Title: Re: Frying onions
Post by: london on September 01, 2014, 10:23 PM
Without seeing the video is hard to tell but most BIR places use aluminum frying pans which are a great conductor of heat. What colour is the pan that he uses.
Title: Re: Frying onions
Post by: Ader1 on September 01, 2014, 11:05 PM
Thanks.....but I've seen them use aluminium pans but for making BIR dishes.  They don't need to melt onions as they're in a way already melted in the base gravy.  I'm talking about making certain Indiand dishes from scratch.
Title: Re: Frying onions
Post by: George on September 02, 2014, 12:54 AM
The oil was pretty damned hot.  In fact, he seemed to heat up the pan for ages before adding the oil... added some water a couple of times.

Do be careful. I thought that adding water to very hot oil is likely to cause a large enough fireball to destroy your kitchen and entire dwelling, unless you can step in fast with a carbon dioxide fire extinguisher. Perhaps the oil needs to be already on fire as seen in the following video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDKD9LUER7A (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDKD9LUER7A)
Title: Re: Frying onions
Post by: Gav Iscon on September 02, 2014, 09:26 AM
The CO2 would be another bad way to tackle a chip pan fire as it would disperse the burning oil all over. Wet tea towels or a fire blanket would be the best option. Remove the source off heat, ie turn off gas or electric. The newer way is to turn off the heat source and get out and call the fire brigade. Personally I'd go for the wet tea towel option. Even better get a fryer.

Ader1, I would just cook them for ages with a lid on until they just about dissolve. Off the top of my head is the beginning of Happy Chris's staff curry what your after?

http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,11933.msg95153.html#msg95153 (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,11933.msg95153.html#msg95153)
Title: Re: Frying onions
Post by: Madrasandy on September 02, 2014, 09:52 AM
Where's Adey pain when you need his experience   ;D
Title: Re: Frying onions
Post by: chewytikka on September 02, 2014, 12:27 PM
Ader1
The clue might be to use a similar pan, to the pan
Title: Re: Frying onions
Post by: Ader1 on September 03, 2014, 04:45 PM
Ader1
The clue might be to use a similar pan, to the pan
Title: Re: Frying onions
Post by: Gav Iscon on September 03, 2014, 05:27 PM
Ader1
The clue might be to use a similar pan, to the pan
Title: Re: Frying onions
Post by: Ader1 on September 03, 2014, 05:41 PM
Thais don't as far as I know 'melt' onions and neither do the Chinese.  I've done courses in both but am in no way an expert.   I just thought that maybe somebody might have a suggestion.  The Bangladeshi who I watched cooking and melting the onions did so on a pretty battered saucepan.  But it's heavier than what I've been using.   Tonight I used a heavier saucepan I got down from the attic and it seems to not burn the onions and brown them well.  Of course, this is not a scientific conclusion as I've only done this once.  Might it have been the saucepan or my technique tonight?  No worries. 

PS  I've watched Cris's video and it's great but not quite like the one I watched being made.  His is also much drier....I mean the end product.   Does he mention the type of saucepan?
Title: Re: Frying onions
Post by: Gav Iscon on September 03, 2014, 05:45 PM
It would most likely be a catering pan which have a thicker bottom. Saying that I've caught loads of stuff on the bottom of one due to distractions. At least your sorted.  :)
Title: Re: Frying onions
Post by: Donald Brasco on September 03, 2014, 09:28 PM
Hi Ader, is it possible the chef you watched added some salt, perhaps without you even noticing? This would promote the onions breaking down quicker and might explain why you can't replicate what he did (if you're not adding salt at home)
Title: Re: Frying onions
Post by: Ader1 on September 04, 2014, 10:03 AM
Hi Ader, is it possible the chef you watched added some salt, perhaps without you even noticing? This would promote the onions breaking down quicker and might explain why you can't replicate what he did (if you're not adding salt at home)

It did work better yesterday.  And the curry I made was liked by all the family.  In fact, I wanted it for this eveing but it's almost all gone with one sister and her son paying a visit and helping themselves too.  But it gives me pleasure to have people like what I make.  But it's interesting what you said because coming to think of it, I do add salt at a later stage than what he (the Bangladeshi chef) did.  Will change this next time.  Thank you.
Title: Re: Frying onions
Post by: DalPuri on September 04, 2014, 12:09 PM
Add a teaspoon of sugar with plenty of oil to your finely sliced onions. Put the lid on and cook on medium. Check and stir now and again so nothing is catching.They should melt within 20 mins.
The oil can be decanted when cooked.
Title: Re: Frying onions
Post by: livo on September 12, 2014, 01:32 AM
Check this out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUchcSalRgo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUchcSalRgo)