Topic: 100%

[joshallen2k]

Haldi,

I finally got around to trying the "old oil". Mind you, mine was nowhere near black, but certainly was a medium brown colour. I must have gone through 50 sittings of chips over the last month to get it to this point.

Following your advice, I made a base with 50% old and 50% new oil. I used 2 tablespoons of "old" to make the Vindaloo.

Observations - firstly I was worried that the base and curry would smell weird, as the oil itself had a very "chippy" and 'chickeny" smell to it. I could not detect it in the base or the curry. I couldn't pick out a discernable "wow" taste - although I wouldn't know what a 1970's or 80's BIR curry would taste like in comparison to todays.

That said, tonights curry could well have been the best to ever come out of my kitchen. Its just so tough to rank one curry against another without doing a side-by-side. I was tempted to make parallel bases and Vindaloos to do such a test, but decided to do just the one.

Great work Haldi, I am going to continue to use this method, until such time as I get the chance to do the head-to-head.

-- Josh

[Cory Ander]

A word of warning!

I recently made two different bases (Ashoka and BE) using used oil (used for frying chips and onion bhajis) from my deep fat fryer (see earlier post in this thread).  I made some curries and froze the remaining base. 

Earlier this week, I defrosted some of each of the two bases and made some more curries.  I have to say that the bases (and the resultant curries) smelt and tasted awful! In fact, I ditched the lot (something I have rarely, if ever, done!) 

I have never had this problem before.  They both had a nasty, rancid, horrible boiled/stewed onion smell and taste.  I can only put this down to the used oil in the bases; I can't think what else it could be...  

So, please beware, if you intend to freeze your base (and maybe the resultant curries), used oil might not be the way to go.....

Anyone else experienced this?

[joshallen2k]

Warning heeded!

The base I used was fresh, and still hot after being on the cooker.

I will freeze some of it to see if I get the same problem. Note I didn't fry any bhajis in the oil I used. Primarily chips with the odd chicken.

[haldi]

Haldi,
I finally got around to trying the "old oil".
Great work Haldi, I am going to continue to use this method, until such time as I get the chance to do the head-to-head.
-- Josh

I'm really glad this worked out
I'm still getting exact results with the original (now frozen) oil I got from the kebab shop

A word of warning!
I recently made two different bases (Ashoka and BE) using used oil (used for frying chips and onion bhajis) from my deep fat fryer (see earlier post in this thread).  I made some curries and froze the remaining base. 

Sorry this happened CA, but the recipes I use call for hours of boiling, after the oil is added.
Maybe it's that, or perhaps this old oil was somehow ruined
At no stage did my curry base smell or taste horrible

[Cory Ander]

Sorry this happened CA, but the recipes I use call for hours of boiling, after the oil is added.
Maybe it's that, or perhaps this old oil was somehow ruined

It's hardly your fault Haldi! 

Actually, I did simmer both these bases for over 2 hours.  The difference being (to you) is that I only added used oil to these bases (no fresh)

I'm still otherwise using the same oil for frying...it otherwise seems fine.  Did you freeze your bases too and find they were still OK afterwards?

It may have been something else, such as shite onions, perhaps?  Very strange indeed 

[Secret Santa]

I couldn't pick out a discernable "wow" taste - although I wouldn't know what a 1970's or 80's BIR curry would taste like in comparison to todays.

You would if you knew it...and that pretty much sums it up for me!

[artistpaul]

Hi Haldi

A perfect post

 ( I posted something similiar a while ago but it seemed not to click with members? )

AND its something Ive been doing for many months now, even before I read your post.

Im living in Turkey now but have been cooking Indian and Asian food for years

I ALWAYS make my base from 50% Old oil & 50% new

I get mine from a Fried Chicken fast takeaway joint here, just when its getting nice and dark in colour, just before they get rid of it

Exactly like you.

Ive no problem getting BIR taste now EVERY time

And to answer  this question or comment I see from other members '' Im sure Indian Restaurants dont go around Chicken Takeaways etc scavenging waste / old oil '' the answer is easy - they dont have to,
All Indian restaurants have deep fat friers for doing Bhagies, poppadoms etc = this is their source of old oil

Members cannot replicate this oil at home as its the sheer volume of cooking that does the trick.
Dont believe me? Try cooking fresh oil for long enough yourself  with enough food items in a batch of oil & see if you can get it to turn almost black. I dont think so. It will have turned rancid from age before that happens.

Old restaurant oil is relatively young and thus fresh, its the volume of cooking that does the business to the oil.

Just try it and you will see.

Just dont take old oil that has had fish cooked in it aswell, that WONT work

[haldi]

I ALWAYS make my base from 50% Old oil & 50% new

I get my old oil from a Fried Chicken fast takeaway joint here, just when its getting nice and dark in colour, just before they get rid of it

Ive no problem getting BIR taste now EVERY time

I'm so glad someone else is getting success with this
The mistake commonly made is  that the flavour of the curry, comes from the spices.
It doesn't
It comes from the old oil and salt
Spices have very little flavour (except cummin and garam masala)
I've had full flavoured curries, where only a pinch of spice was added

[artistpaul]

Cheers Haldi

You are spot on

In fact the best taste Ive got was using old restaurant oil which had had a lot of onion rings deep fried in it, during a promotional offer!