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Any recommendations for a good curry sauce??

(98 Posts)
Notagranny44 Wed 06-Mar-24 13:28:51

I spent ages last night making a curry from scratch to use up the leftover chicken from Sunday. By the time I'd finished, I didn't feel like eating it and it wasn't even all that good!
Can anyone recommend a good quality readymade curry sauce that I could just add to the meat and vegetables to save all the time and effort? At 80, with various health problems and generally in constant pain, I feel like taking the easy way.

Liz46 Wed 06-Mar-24 19:42:53

Spice Tailor is on offer at Asda. We bought quite a few of them today.

srn63 Wed 06-Mar-24 19:53:50

Punjaban.co.uk.

They make the best curry sauces I have ever tasted, the website has a list of stockists or buy online. Not cheap, but excellent. Nut free, wheat free, gluten free, preservative and additive free.

grace56580 Thu 07-Mar-24 08:49:31

Pataaks but I do add ginger, garlic and cumin and coconut (the stuff that comes in a block and coriander the stuff you can buy the bunch Lidls is good 50p )

NotSpaghetti Thu 07-Mar-24 09:49:01

I'm another who prefers Spice Tailor to the others.
You add things to the pan in 3 stages so not just tipping a sauce in.

I think it's worth it - and the small extra effort.

Fairislecable Thu 07-Mar-24 10:11:04

I too am a lover of Pataks pastes (not the sauces). I did like the Balti and slightly spicier ones but GC and DH prefer the milder Korma one.

It has a lovely fruity, but not sweet flavour.

Elless Thu 07-Mar-24 10:11:42

Try Patak's Curry Kits rather than a sauce or paste, their Tikka Masala is really tasty.

M0nica Thu 07-Mar-24 10:17:04

I think the solution is to systematically try different brands and different types of curry sauce until you find one you like.

I have had friends recommend particular brands of, say, some thing like curry sauce, and why they may think it is delicious, I have not liked it at all.

MiniMoon Thu 07-Mar-24 11:46:03

I freeze leftover ginger. Sometimes I chop it ready for use and sometimes just freeze it as it is and then grate it when I want it.
I like Spice Tailor sauces too, but most of the time I make a sauce from scratch.
I have Madhur Jaffrey's Curry Easy book, the sauces in it are super simple to make.

Frenchgalinspain Thu 07-Mar-24 11:57:34

The ingredients for My Beef Curry ..

750 grams of beef cut into chunks
2 tablesp ghee
1 onion sliced in arcs
1 garlic clove sliced finely
2 dried chili peppers green or red
1/ 4 tsp cloves grinded
1 1/2 tsps cilantro or parsley
1 tsp cúrcuma
1 tsp garam masala
1/ 2 tsp of finely chopped fresh green chili pepper
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
375 ml beef stock strained
2 tomatoes - large de-seeded and de-skinned
150 ml coconut milk
100 grams of Greek Yogurt
200 grams of spinach

Notagranny44 Thu 07-Mar-24 12:22:30

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions! I think MOnica has it when she suggests trying out a few different sauces. I have made-from-scratch for so long, I've forgotten what we've tried before, so today I think I'll get a couple of Patak's in Iceland where they are on offer too, and see how we go. Could also pick up some frozen onions there. Might look out for the curry kits too, but just now I want something really easy, which doesn't need me to stand and cook it.

Stansgran Thu 07-Mar-24 12:41:12

DH likes a range called Spicy Monkey. They go from Kerala type to Malaysian. I keep frozen spinach and frozen mash to add to readymade curries. And steam rice in the microwave. Firm believer like op is time saving as I have to sit to cook these days.( mash is really for thickening soups but if the curry is made too early then I water it down and then often need to thicken it up) I’m a terrible timekeeper.

kittylester Thu 07-Mar-24 15:25:36

A hundred years ago, a good friend gave Indian Cooking lessons. I remember trawling round all the little shops in town trying to find all the ingredients. I thoroughly enjoyed following her recipes and those of Madhur Jaffrey's recipes and, of course, all the ingredients became more widely available.

Then I bumped into her in Sainsbury's putting Spice Tailor kits into her trolley. She uses them for a quick meal. So I do too.

1summer Thu 07-Mar-24 15:33:22

Another fan of Spice Tailor, a little bit more effort but much nicer than a jar of ready made sauce,

Saggi Sat 09-Mar-24 11:32:54

Forget all the jars and find your way to either B&M ….they sell Mayflower curry sauce ….it comes in powder form and you just mix a certain amount with water ….instructions are on box….and you add your cooked meat to the simmering process ….and add to your rice ! It’s fantastic and tastes just like a Chinese takeaway curry . It really is my favourite .

Grandmabatty Sat 09-Mar-24 11:34:05

Saggi totally agree with you!

Pri1 Sat 09-Mar-24 11:39:02

Indi grand curry sauces from Home Bargains are delicious

SueBdoo70 Sat 09-Mar-24 11:53:51

I’m not normally a fan of curry sauces in jars and some of them have nearly doubled in price recently. My own efforts from ‘ scratch ‘ tend to be too bland. But I have just discovered this jar from Sainsbury’s, Spicy Balti cooking sauce 99p for a 500g jar. It already has vegetables in it, so just add to cooked or raw chicken, a quick and delicious meal.

Newgran59 Sat 09-Mar-24 11:57:13

Very much hope you manage to get your pain under control too. 🙂

Tanjamaltija Sat 09-Mar-24 12:05:31

Cheat. Use a jar of mango chutney, one can of polpa, and a spoon each (or less) of onion and garlic powder, and some curry powder, and white wine. Vary the ingredients according to what you have and what you like...frozen onions, broccoli mix /peas / carrots... just bring everything to a rolling boil, and then simmer.

Grantanow Sat 09-Mar-24 12:11:30

LadyGracie

I like Pataks Madras, I've tried others but I think this is the best.

I use it too and it's good.

red1 Sat 09-Mar-24 12:17:00

real curries are made with fresh ingrients whole spices, lots of recipes /info online. curries in a jar?! no thanks

MissAdventure Sat 09-Mar-24 12:24:32

The poster has said she is too unwell presently to cook "from scratch".

GrammarGrandma Sat 09-Mar-24 12:26:20

Another vote for Patak and Sharwood, sauces not pastes.

Ktsmum Sat 09-Mar-24 12:26:37

Maykway if you can get it, never fails

Witzend Sat 09-Mar-24 12:27:35

V3ra

Notagranny44 I'm a lazy time-poor cook.
I buy frozen ready-chopped white onions and frozen puréed garlic and ginger cubes from Tesco. So easy 😁

I always have the little jars of ginger and red chilli paste from Asda. I still use fresh garlic though.