Cook till oil separates? Here’s what it means!

Hey reader reader, I'm Richa, the face behind My Food Story. Welcome to a new series where I'll be sending you an email exclusive tip/recipe every Wednesday! Here's today's Tip/Kitchen Hack You've probably heard me mention "cook till the oil separates" in a recipe before. This is possibly one of the most common steps when it comes to Indian curries. I do this for my chicken curry recipe, rajma masala and so many more. This refers to a cooking technique called "Bhuna". Bhuna is also a common name given to the base masala of most Indian gravies - the onion tomato masala which you could say is sort of an Indian curry paste. The term is versatile and is used as a verb and a noun.  I know all this sounds confusing. But don't worry, let's just talk about the oil separating bit. Here's what it means: To fry (in Hindi we call it - bhunao) the gravy/masala over a constant medium flame until all the moisture evaporates. The masala thickens and all the ingredients including spices cook through While this happens, the oil separates into a thin layer. This layer floats to the top or the sides as the density of oil is lower than other ingredients. When this occurs, it is an indicator that almost all the moisture has evaporated and the spices are well cooked The amount of time it takes will differ depending on the gravy. It usually takes approximately 10-15 minutes for most dishes Remember to stir occasionally during this process to prevent the masala from burning at the bottom  Oil separating or leaving is a sign that your gravy is ready for the next step. Usually, the next step would involve adding vegetables or protein along with more water and allowing it to cook into a gravy P..S. I have a recipe for Bhuna Masala that will make your everyday cooking much easier. Click here for the Bhuna Masala recipe Hope this helps!! Is there anything else you need help with? Reply and tell me and I'll make sure to include it in my next few emails. Happy Cooking, Richa My Food Story Bangalore, India You received this email because you signed up on our website. Unsubscribe