Gransnet forums

Food

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.

DrWatson Sat 09-Mar-24 12:28:30

Never understood the supposed appeal of curry, which was invented to disguise the taste of rotting meat? As it happens, anything spicy makes my acid reflux worse, so curry is no use to me, even a spicy sausage is a no-no.

Risotto is a good way to use up leftover chicken??

JaneJudge Sat 09-Mar-24 12:30:28

The curry sauce company are good, they come in plastic tubs, often in the chiller and Suhana packets are good too, the butter chicken one is especially nice.

JaneJudge Sat 09-Mar-24 12:32:11

I can smell curry at the moment as my neighbours must be cooking it grin and of course as t's sunny we all have our windows open. It smells delicious. They are from Mumbai and they are party people

ForeverAutumn Sat 09-Mar-24 12:32:45

I would love to find a ready made cook in sauce that is not very salty if anyone has any suggestions. My husband has never liked really salty tasting food (he doesn't mind a little salt) and after 52 years together I also have become quite intolerant of very salty tasting food. The last time I used a curry sauce was years ago and Pataks, it was very salty to our taste and I have been put off using it ever since. I do like cooking a curry and I can adjust salt but it would be nice now and again to use ready made.

JaneJudge Sat 09-Mar-24 12:33:30

Oh I've just remembered Meah's are nic e too

sarahsfoodieblog.wordpress.com/2014/03/26/local-producer-meahs/

kittylester Sat 09-Mar-24 12:33:51

Cheerful soul, DrWatson.

I make curries from fresh meat and not everyone has acid reflux.

JaneJudge Sat 09-Mar-24 12:39:15

but if you did have acid reflux, there is always risotto

kittylester Sat 09-Mar-24 12:41:27

ForeverAutumn

I would love to find a ready made cook in sauce that is not very salty if anyone has any suggestions. My husband has never liked really salty tasting food (he doesn't mind a little salt) and after 52 years together I also have become quite intolerant of very salty tasting food. The last time I used a curry sauce was years ago and Pataks, it was very salty to our taste and I have been put off using it ever since. I do like cooking a curry and I can adjust salt but it would be nice now and again to use ready made.

Try Spice Tailor

jools1903 Sat 09-Mar-24 13:11:12

I use this sauce from Sainsbury’s (available elsewhere), it makes a beautiful tasty, but not hot or too spicy, chicken curry

oodles Sat 09-Mar-24 13:38:48

Try Aagrah, they have just launched some of their jars in Tesco. They are based on the sauces they use in their restaurants and I used to buy online where they have a wider range
You can always add yoghurt to adjust the heat.
I don't think that curry was invented to hide the taste of rotting meat, a friend spent time in Pakistan and they sold live chickens so that the meat was pretty fresh

ForeverAutumn Sat 09-Mar-24 14:12:42

41kittylester
Try Spice Tailor

Thank you, I do have a free sample of Spice Taylor, I will give it a go.

sharon103 Sat 09-Mar-24 14:19:49

Saggi

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 .

I'll 2nd that Saggi. Mayflower curry sauce. B&M
I buy the medium one. Although they do it in hot.
So easy.

NotSpaghetti Sat 09-Mar-24 14:38:03

DrWatson
Fresh meat in India I think involved the animal being slaughtered and eaten straightaway. By Indian standard, the meat available in the UK is surely not "fresh".

Covering up bad meat is a myth apparently..
Besides which I think parts of India and neighbouring countries are largely vegetarian.

medievalcookery.blogspot.com/2007/10/medieval-food-myths.html?m=1

Notagranny44 Sat 09-Mar-24 15:19:06

Lot's of suggestions - I was really surprised you all had so many. Shopped on Thursday and we now have five different jars in the cupboard to try. We were going to M&S and got a couple of their jars in addition to the Pataks and Sharwoods. I understand those people who say curry is far better cooked with whole spices and other ingredients, but just now I'm finding that I want to spend less time on making dinner and I'm hoping a good readymade sauce will prove both easy and palatable. Not being comfortable standing for more than a few minutes (and I do use a stool too when I can) makes cooking a chore, not a pleasure.

Janeea Sat 09-Mar-24 15:30:58

Patak butter chicken every time 😋😋

Nannytopsy Sat 09-Mar-24 15:38:49

Another vote for the Spice Tailor range.

Namsnanny Sat 09-Mar-24 15:43:29

Turmeric is supposed to be good for RA or any arthritis Notagranny44 so a curry may be what the dr ordered. Perhaps you could add a teaspoon extra to your sauce? smile.

Hope you get some relief soon.

Vintagegirl Sat 09-Mar-24 16:00:02

I dont know if already mentioned but I like the Aldi own brand curry sauces. They have dry spices in a separate container so they are put in with ingredients before main sauce is added. The varieties are rated on hotness from one to four. I usually add a fair amount of veggies as well as chicken and maybe some raisins.

MissAdventure Sat 09-Mar-24 16:08:14

Thank you.
I'll remember that, if I ever manage to get to Aldis.

Nannan2 Sat 09-Mar-24 16:42:34

Look up the new Kohinoor range- its online or in some supermarkets and theres side dishes as well and snacks with them and just cooking sauces or even ready made dishes.All authentic flavours in ranges from very mild to hot/very hot and good reasonable prices too.

cc Sat 09-Mar-24 16:59:57

Another vote for Patak's curry pastes here. There are a wide range and you can use them with any meat\fish\vegetable that you fancy. You can add to the spicyness with extra chilli or reduce it with yoghurt at the end.
I like to keep some frozen chopped ginger in the freezer, mine came from Morrisons. I also keep a jar of tamarind paste in the fridge. I don't mind slicing onions, it's such a quick job, and I find that the prepared garlic can be a little vinegary so I prefer to crush my own. Coriander pesto can be a stopgap if you can't get fresh.
If I'm using a tandoori-type paste I prefer to cook the chicken and vegetables in my air fryer to get a slightly charred effect. It's simple to thread them onto a skewer to make it easier to take them in and out.
I used to love the Loyd Grossman dhansak sauce but they stopped making it ages ago. I've occasionally made a decent dhansak myself but you need so many ingredients that I don't do it very often.

cc Sat 09-Mar-24 17:07:16

We recently had some excellent ready made curry meals from Morrisons, the Rogan Josh had lovely tender lamb in it and plenty for one person. We never get the ones with a portion of rice in the pack, there isn't enough of the meat and sauce in the pack.

jerseygirl Sat 09-Mar-24 18:45:34

I like Pataks tikka massala but i also find the supermarket own brand are good and are cheaper. Try mixing some medium curry powder into cooked onions ti give it a bit more body.

dogsmother Sat 09-Mar-24 18:54:02

Perching stools are a brilliant idea in the kitchen when you are less able notagran. So are the M& S readymade takeaways, love those even simpler. Good for a treat.

Juicylucy Sat 09-Mar-24 19:20:05

Omg Homepride curry sauce is definitely the best I’ve tried and tested them all but still nothing beats Homepride in the tin curry sauce.