Topic: Its all in the oil

[peteleton]

Was having a conversation with my next door neighbour (who is Indian or Pakistani i cant remember) and mentioned my curry habit at which point she went inside and bought me out some food to taste. After 2 dishes nearly killing me with spice, the last dish had that distinctive taste we all no and love. So i asked her what is was and she replied high heat, long simmering and the oil that is used. So i delved a bit deeper and found out her dad owns a TA After asking if  she could tell me any secrets or recipes she said  no but he bought her shed loads of oil and showed me the tin. KTC Vegetable Cooking oil.. Now i do no it is the type allot of TA use around here. Could it really be that simple.

[Razor]

Hi Pete,

Could it really be that simple.

It's hard to say really.  Is the oil that her dad brings home used?  By that, I mean is it reclaimed, perhaps from the base or fryer or even spooned off cooked dishes?

Did it look clear or was it darker/redder?

I also use KTC vegetable oil.  I buy it in 5 litre bottles for about 4 quid from my local Asian supermarket.

As it comes, it doesn't add anything more to my final dish that any 'off the shelf' supermarket vegetable oil brings.

Keep nagging her for those recipes though ;D

Ray

[peteleton]

Don't worry i will. Couldn't believe my luck when she said her dad owns a TA. didn't see the oil just the tin. But she did say her bases are simmered for a long time which would indicate the oil being infused with flavours, now as we all no allot of Indians and such use bases. And this is transferred on a larger scale to the takeaways so i may consentrate on asking her about her cooking and see if she can shed any light on things. I have had my ideas about how the taste and spicing works in a Takeaway but never been able to prove any of it so i hope i come close to finding what I'm after

[Razor]

Pete,

now as we all no allot of Indians and such use bases

Interesting that you should say that.  I was of the opinion that Asian home cooks, tend to stick to traditional methods, i.e; no base.

I think what we have here, is a daughter, possibly taught by her father or mother for that matter, how to cook using TA/BIR methods rather than the traditional way.

Pete, I wouldn't mind betting that she has wealth of knowledge that we all could find useful here.

Have you told here about cr0?  It may be worth trying to get her onboard?  Just don't show her your profile avatar, she'll never be able to look you in the face again hahahaha ;D

Ray ;D

[peteleton]

I'm from luton and as u no its a very Multi cultural place lol. and i have found allot of Bangladeshis and Pakistanis use bases for there everyday meals and save the real cooking for when the family or mother comes over. not to say all do it that way mind. but have never been given any leads onto the TA scene by the recipes i have been given in the past by people just basic sauces and recipes that I'm pretty sure we have all known and tried. But i do agree with u that she may have been taught by her father or mother and is well versed in takeaway cooking. but as we all no its like trying to get blood from a stone. but i will indever to ask questions till she tells me to sling my hook as the chances will be ;D

[Razor]

Fair enough Pete, do what you can mate

[JerryM]

Pete,

go and ask if u can clean her car - she sounds one fine lady to get to know.

ps it ain't the KTC brand of veg oil - it is very good but it's no different in taste to u're aldi or asda oil. the heat and simmer sits well with me.

[CurryOnRegardless]

They all seem to use that KTC 'long life' veg oil round here in those big (20litre?) drums, I assumed they used that stuff so they didn't have to change the oil in the deep fryers so often.

Cheers
CoR

[George]

She's either mistaken or leading you up the garden path, if she seriously suggests that oil is producing any special flavour whatsoever, i.e. unless the oil is flavoured before she uses it, in which case she's failed to tell you about the flavouring process.

[Malc.]

I'd certainly have to agree that I would be very surprised if the oil made any significant difference to the dish. Obviously some oils can have a greater effect in taste than others but regular cooking oil used in such small quantities to prepare dishes would not have any real noticeable difference.