Hi Mamta,

I am interested to know if there's a way of making curries without using oil or any type of fat. I have tried to make this in a pressure cooker by cooking everything for 20 minutes on full pressure then placing it in the oven with the vegetables.

The result was very bland and boring really. Is there a way to do this or not?

Thanks. Lisa.

Tell me which currry you want to make, then I will have a go. For vegetable curries, it is possible but not as tasty. Meat and chicken etc. that have their own fat, can be curried without it.

Mamta

the natural flavours in spices and other foods dissolve in the oil/fat, and it is from this that we experience most of the flavours of a dish.

There is an old saying of chefs, 'the flavour is in the fat' for the reason iven above.

Why do you want to cook without fat, may I ask?

you can use less fat and fat that is better for you if you need to reduce it !

Steve

I'm sure you can make a 'virtually fat-free' curry but surely at some point with the total exclusion of any fat you are not actually making a curry any more, merely a 'curry flavoured' something else.

When feeling virtuous I use Rice Bran Oil with great results. Would avocado oil count as 'fat' for you?

the difference between fat and oil is that fat is solid (at the temperature used) and oil is liquid. Chemically, they are very similar, although the longer the fatty acid chains, the more likely it will be solid ie fat. Look at a bottle of oil in a fridge, and you may well see solids forming.

As far as food/health/metabolism is concerned oil = fat

what may make a difference is whether one considers other components, like cholesterol, or degrees of saturation, and omega 3, 6, 9 etc.

Hi

I used to try 'oil free' curries cooking the onions, garlic, ginger and spices in water until the the onions soft then adding the meat/veg, however they did come out very bland as the oil helps to add to the flavour. Even though there is fat in meat, the cooking of the spices was essential for the flavour

So whilst trying to stay on the healthy side, I now spray the oil into the pan instead of pouring, use a 'healthy ' fat like olive oil/ canola oil for the cooking of the spices etc and use the better cuts of meat.

Cheers

JL

Sorry, just one more addit- If I do use the cheaper cuts of meat then we eat the curry the next day, as allowing it to cool allows the fat to rise to the surface. Next day I skim off the fat before reheating and there we have a low fat curry. Also letting the curry sit in the fridge overnight allows all the spices to steep and the dish is more flavoursome.

Ciao

JL