Too much oil in your curry? Simple tricks to remove the excess

Many people now try to keep oil to a minimum in their cooking for health reasons, but a curry can still sometimes end up with too much oil, in a hurry or by mistake. In extreme cases, the vegetable settles at the bottom of the pan while a layer of oil floats visibly on top. Eating that much oil can be harmful, so the question is what to do when it happens. A few simple home remedies can help.

The first method uses an ice cube. It went viral on social media earlier, and there is a simple science behind it. To reduce or remove excess oil, a large ice cube is gently moved over the surface of the curry and then taken out of the pan. A layer of oil sticks to the ice as this is done. This oily layer is scraped off, and the ice cube is run over the curry again. Repeating this process five or six times draws out the extra oil.

The second method uses bread. It works like a sponge: just as a sponge soaks up water, bread absorbs the excess oil in the curry. A slice of bread is placed gently on top of the curry and pressed lightly, and it soaks up all the excess oil collected on the surface.

The third method uses tissue paper. If a curry has too much oil, tissue paper can also be used to draw it out. A tissue is placed lightly over the pan and pressed down slightly. Once oil has collected on the tissue after a few seconds, it is lifted off. The curry should be reheated after the oil is removed.

The fourth method is to chill the curry in the freezer. If there is enough time to spare, the curry can be taken off the flame and kept in the freezer for about half an hour. The cold air causes a thick layer of oil to solidify on top, which can then be easily lifted off. After half an hour, the pan is taken out, the oil layer removed, and the curry reheated before eating.