Onion as a thickener
 

I've been told a good way to thicken a curry is with finely minced onions.

What would be a good way to go about this? Finely chop the onions with a
knife and then fry? Or blitz the onion in a dry chopper then fry or boil?
Or with a small amount of liquid in a blender?

How would this most easily and best be done please? Thanks.

Onion as a thickener
 

On 2013-06-21, Jim Stone > wrote:
> I've been told a good way to thicken a curry is with finely minced onions.
>
> What would be a good way to go about this? Finely chop the onions with a
> knife and then fry? Or blitz the onion in a dry chopper then fry or boil?
> Or with a small amount of liquid in a blender?
>
> How would this most easily and best be done please? Thanks.

When I took a cooking class from a noted Indian chef, she did one dish
that required a whole lotta onions. I'm talking at least 5 lbs. She
minced them very fine and essentially sauteed them in a large pot. It
was a slow process and took quite awhile, an hour or two, because as
they cooked, they softened and became a coarse mush, like a coarse
applesauce. The intent and final goal was to carmelize them to a
golden brown, which she did, but it was a long slow process requiring
constant attention cuz the cooking temp was low so as to not burn
them.

nb

Onion as a thickener
 

On Friday, June 21, 2013 6:11:55 AM UTC-4, Jim Stone wrote:
> I've been told a good way to thicken a curry is with finely minced onions..
>
>
>
> What would be a good way to go about this? Finely chop the onions with a
>
> knife and then fry? Or blitz the onion in a dry chopper then fry or boil?
>
> Or with a small amount of liquid in a blender?
>
>
>
> How would this most easily and best be done please? Thanks.

You cannot thicken a curry with onion, but you can give the sauce more substance. The method to use is to put a combination of onion and ginger and a little water in a blender. Put some oil in a your pan and fry on medium heat until the oil starts to separate. Then add your other ingredients as required. To thicken add some yogurt later in the cooking process. Spices can be added before, at the same time or after the onion mixture.

Just Google Indian cooking for more information.

http://www.richardfisher.com

Onion as a thickener
 

"Jim Stone" wrote:
>
>I've been told a good way to thicken a curry is with finely minced onions.
>
>What would be a good way to go about this? Finely chop the onions with a
>knife and then fry? Or blitz the onion in a dry chopper then fry or boil?
>Or with a small amount of liquid in a blender?
>
>How would this most easily and best be done please? Thanks.

What moroon questions... just eat a ton of onions and shit them into
the pot.

Onion as a thickener
 

On 6/21/2013 4:11 AM, Jim Stone wrote:
> I've been told a good way to thicken a curry is with finely minced onions.
>
> What would be a good way to go about this? Finely chop the onions with a
> knife and then fry? Or blitz the onion in a dry chopper then fry or boil?
> Or with a small amount of liquid in a blender?
>
> How would this most easily and best be done please? Thanks.
>
>
I've found that using a hand cheese grater works well.

The blender and liquid sounds reasonable too.

Onion as a thickener
 

On 6/21/2013 5:56 AM, Helpful person wrote:
> On Friday, June 21, 2013 6:11:55 AM UTC-4, Jim Stone wrote:
>> I've been told a good way to thicken a curry is with finely minced onions.
>>
>>
>>
>> What would be a good way to go about this? Finely chop the onions with a
>>
>> knife and then fry? Or blitz the onion in a dry chopper then fry or boil?
>>
>> Or with a small amount of liquid in a blender?
>>
>>
>>
>> How would this most easily and best be done please? Thanks.
>
> You cannot thicken a curry with onion, but you can give the sauce more substance. The method to use is to put a combination of onion and ginger and a little water in a blender. Put some oil in a your pan and fry on medium heat until the oil starts to separate. Then add your other ingredients as required. To thicken add some yogurt later in the cooking process. Spices can be added before, at the same time or after the onion mixture.
>
> Just Google Indian cooking for more information.
>
> http://www.richardfisher.com
>

At the risk of being obvious, a slurry of water and cornstarch does
wonders and adds a nice velvet texture.

Onion as a thickener
 

notbob wrote:
> On 2013-06-21, Jim Stone > wrote:
>> I've been told a good way to thicken a curry is with finely minced onions.
>>
>> What would be a good way to go about this? Finely chop the onions with a
>> knife and then fry? Or blitz the onion in a dry chopper then fry or boil?
>> Or with a small amount of liquid in a blender?
>>
>> How would this most easily and best be done please? Thanks.
>
> When I took a cooking class from a noted Indian chef, she did one dish
> that required a whole lotta onions. I'm talking at least 5 lbs. She
> minced them very fine and essentially sauteed them in a large pot. It
> was a slow process and took quite awhile, an hour or two, because as
> they cooked, they softened and became a coarse mush, like a coarse
> applesauce. The intent and final goal was to carmelize them to a
> golden brown, which she did, but it was a long slow process requiring
> constant attention cuz the cooking temp was low so as to not burn
> them.
>
> nb


I thought Indians didn't eat onions -- that's why they use so much
asafoetida for a spice (because it tastes kind of oniony)

Bob

Onion as a thickener
 

On Fri, 21 Jun 2013 06:41:21 -0700 (PDT), Vegan Earthworm Holocaust
> wrote:

> Caramelized onions are the most flatulogenic food I know of, and no doubt
> the gas produced would carry with it not only the onion essence, but also
> the aromatics from the curry powder.

Onions give you gas???? My, my, my... aren't YOU the delicate little
flower.

--
I take life with a grain of salt, a slice of lemon and a shot of tequila

Onion as a thickener
 

On Fri, 21 Jun 2013 09:30:38 -0600, casa bona > wrote:

> At the risk of being obvious, a slurry of water and cornstarch does
> wonders and adds a nice velvet texture.

The only curries I've ever made call for coconut milk and that
thickens up enough for me.

--
I take life with a grain of salt, a slice of lemon and a shot of tequila

Onion as a thickener
 

On 6/21/2013 11:20 AM, sf wrote:
> On Fri, 21 Jun 2013 09:30:38 -0600, casa bona > wrote:
>
>> At the risk of being obvious, a slurry of water and cornstarch does
>> wonders and adds a nice velvet texture.
>
> The only curries I've ever made call for coconut milk and that
> thickens up enough for me.
>
Plus you get that fabulous taste, good stuff, fat content aside.

Onion as a thickener
 

zxcvbob > wrote in
:

> I thought Indians didn't eat onions -- that's why they use so
> much asafoetida for a spice (because it tastes kind of oniony)

Jains eat neither onions or garlic. Indians eat LOTS of onions.

--
Traditions are group efforts to keep the unexpected
from happening.

-- Barbara Tober

Onion as a thickener
 

On 2013-06-21, zxcvbob > wrote:

> I thought Indians didn't eat onions -- that's why they use so much
> asafoetida for a spice (because it tastes kind of oniony)

A big country. You got the Nothern veggies, the Southern carnivores
(reverse?), the coastal fish eaters, the goat guys, etc.. No such
thing as one cuisine. One of my all time fave sides is a mint
chutney, which at its simplest, is pureed onion, mint leaves,
cilantro, and some damn hot chile peppers. This is very
popular in India.

Onion as a thickener
 

casa bona wrote:

>> I've been told a good way to thicken a curry is with finely minced
>> onions. What would be a good way to go about this? Finely chop the
>> onions
>> with a knife and then fry? Or blitz the onion in a dry chopper then
>> fry or boil? Or with a small amount of liquid in a blender?

> I've found that using a hand cheese grater works well.

I use it a lot for both onions and carrots
--
"Un pasto senza vino e' come un giorno senza sole"
Anthelme Brillat Savarin