Curry Recipes Online

Curry Chat => Lets Talk Curry => Topic started by: Invisible Mike on April 19, 2015, 03:17 AM

Title: Ghee or Oil
Post by: Invisible Mike on April 19, 2015, 03:17 AM
Having watched numerous videos on YouTube it seems a lot of chefs including H4ppy's mate Sam seem to favour ghee instead of oil. I've only ever used oil in the finished dish. Does anybody think ghee makes a better curry. Also what type of ghee - vegetable or butter?

Cheers

Mike
Title: Re: Ghee or Oil
Post by: Stu-pot on April 19, 2015, 06:30 AM
Hi Mike

If it's any help I use KTC Butter Ghee because I love the taste of butter and IMO KTC is the only one that tastes like butter.  I just use it towards the end to achieve a really nice flavour and to get a good glossy look.
Some years ago I purchased 5 or 6 tins of Ghee, all different, lined them up on kitchen side, opened them up, smelt each one and then tasted each one and finally heated them up and tried them all again just in case there is any change etc but there wasn't and KTC WON HANDS DOWN.

That experiment cost me
Title: Re: Ghee or Oil
Post by: Naga on April 19, 2015, 08:02 AM
I use oil exclusively. I had a bad experience using butter ghee when I made a recipe suggested by Rick Stein a number of years ago, so I used it once and never again. On mature reflection, it might just be that I bought a rancid example.

Following on from a recipe by SoberRat, I've recently taken to making my own butter ghee and adding a tablespoonful towards then end of cooking time. It's delicious! But I haven't used it to replace oil - yet! I should really try it out from the start one of these days and see how it goes.
Title: Re: Ghee or Oil
Post by: livo on April 19, 2015, 11:09 AM
I think you would have to go back to the roots of the cuisine to answer this question.  It is highly unlikely that the everyday Indian population had access to processed vegetable, canola or seed oils.  In the past that is, but possibly still today in some demographics.  They would have had access to buffalo milk which could then be turned into butter and then ghee in the home kitchen.

I can do quite well without ghee by using butter and oil as required. I have used ghee but I no longer see the value for what is costs and what it delivers.  Several Indian recipes I've been reading lately say to use 3 Tbsp of Veg Oil or 2 Tbsp of oil and 1 Tbsp of butter if you want a richer dish.  No mention of ghee.  I think if you use a mix of butter and oil there will be very little milk solids in the mix and you will have the same thing, or near enough.

If a recipe says to use Cr
Title: Re: Ghee or Oil
Post by: Onions on April 19, 2015, 02:52 PM
I tend to use oil to cook in- at the beginning- then ghee at the end.
Title: Re: Ghee or Oil
Post by: Stu-pot on April 19, 2015, 05:12 PM
I tend to use oil to cook in- at the beginning- then ghee at the end.

I agree....  The safest way is oil to start and a little Ghee at the end and a great result is guaranteed.  Hopefully...   
Title: Re: Ghee or Oil
Post by: Pugs on April 20, 2015, 02:46 PM
Why is it safer, I've been using ghee for years with non BIR curries with no problems and ghee and frying onions smells wonderful. So no problems here using butter ghee
Title: Re: Ghee or Oil
Post by: Stu-pot on April 20, 2015, 03:06 PM
Why is it safer, I've been using ghee for years with non BIR curries with no problems and ghee and frying onions smells wonderful. So no problems here using butter ghee

Hi Pugs.
The only reason I said that was I was thinking of clogging up arteries !  Nothing more.    I also would prefer to use more butter ghee but scared the ol ticker might suffer ! 
But putting some in at the end for end flavour and gloss is my 'healthy' compromise... 

Title: Re: Ghee or Oil
Post by: Pugs on April 20, 2015, 03:07 PM
Why is it safer, I've been using ghee for years with non BIR curries with no problems and ghee and frying onions smells wonderful. So no problems here using butter ghee

Hi Pugs.
The only reason I said that was I was thinking of clogging up arteries !  Nothing more.    I also would prefer to use more butter ghee but scared the ol ticker might suffer ! 
But putting some in at the end for end flavour and gloss is my 'healthy' compromise...

Ahh, yes it is rather dodgy for the old ticker.
Title: Re: Ghee or Oil
Post by: loveitspicy on April 20, 2015, 03:17 PM
Both

Oil in and then ghee to not burn - whether at the start or the end of cooking choice is yours

best, Rich
Title: Re: Ghee or Oil
Post by: Invisible Mike on April 21, 2015, 11:59 AM
I guess the best thing to do is just try it. The reason I became curious was because I discovered a local takeaway of mine uses ghee in their pilau rice which when I tasted it was a revelation. I wondered if I would have a similar revelation in the curry itself. I will have a go next curry session...

Nice tip on KTC though Stu-Pot I'll look out for that.
Title: Re: Ghee or Oil
Post by: mickdabass on April 21, 2015, 04:29 PM
Ive been knocking up my own butter ghee for a couple of years now. I tend to use it more for special occasions. I dont like the canned stuff. Its got a weird aftertaste compared to home made.

Generally though, I use veg oil  out of convenience/laziness.

Regards

Mick
Title: Re: Ghee or Oil
Post by: JerryM on April 21, 2015, 07:12 PM
Try a little veg ghee in the base and stick to veg oil for dish frying.

I've never actually tried frying in ghee. I don't plan to either. I guess its down to what your used to.

Veg ghee will solidify in the fridge - next time TA keep some back and see how it gets on in the fridge.

I use 30g veg ghee per 800g onion. You can increase it quite a lot if you need. The Ashoka base is a example of a lot.
Title: Re: Ghee or Oil
Post by: Geoffbrick on April 24, 2015, 10:17 PM
Was in store in Handsworth(Bham)buying Methi(two large bunches ?1.50)and was falling over various cans of ghee.Speaking to the store owner about the use of,he says the family use oil with a finish of ghee(roughly speaking,Idont speak urdhu or Punjabi too well!! Great shopping
Title: Re: Ghee or Oil
Post by: leodis1970 on June 29, 2015, 08:58 AM
Much as I love butter ghee, I find that vegetable ghee is much, much cheaper and although not quite the same as the "real thing", still adds more flavour than oil. Use it in just about everything, curry or not!
Title: Re: Ghee or Oil
Post by: haldi on June 29, 2015, 07:42 PM
If it's any help I use KTC Butter Ghee because I love the taste of butter and IMO  KTC WON HANDS DOWN.
now that's interesting
I tried cooking Adey's recipes, and quite a few (including the base) use butter ghee

they just tasted "off" to me
and it was the ghee doing it

They brand I was used, was Heera Butter Ghee

Maybe I should try again using KTC

Thanks for the heads up Stu Pot!!
Title: Re: Ghee or Oil
Post by: littlechilie on June 29, 2015, 09:33 PM
Interesting but I'm not buying into the Ghee improving my currys thing, ok it has it's place in some dishes. But after many times of buying ghee and using it in base it's ok but I preference veg oil. As a poster mentioned above, ghee solidifies when cold! And I have never seen a TA curry solidify in my fridge, and it's not something I want to see.

Ok it has it's please in sweeter richer dishes were it can be hidden.

I believe a lot of TA are more inline with health these days and also use veg oil as standard, most  customers no longer want to see oily food !

TA and BIR want customers bums on seats, also a healthy profit when they return time and time again.
Title: Re: Ghee or Oil
Post by: Kattis on June 30, 2015, 10:57 AM
Having watched numerous videos on YouTube it seems a lot of chefs including H4ppy's mate Sam seem to favour ghee instead of oil. I've only ever used oil in the finished dish. Does anybody think ghee makes a better curry. Also what type of ghee - vegetable or butter?

Cheers

Mike
hej :) i find Ghee has more flavor :) as i can not get it in sweden i just microwave a 500g of butter and that separates the ghee :)
Title: Re: Ghee or Oil
Post by: Donald Brasco on October 04, 2019, 03:42 PM
Ghee is
Title: Re: Ghee or Oil
Post by: Naga on October 05, 2019, 08:18 AM
 ;D