I remember when I first started cooking, my curry sauce was always surrounded by little puddles of water, and no amount of simmering combined with vigorous stirring would thicken the sauce. It felt like it was taking a lifetime to reduce and in the meantime my vegetables would overcook, or my chicken would dry out.
- So there was no other alternative I would have to pour out some of the water into the sink before I served it up for dinner and hope no one would notice.
- Oops! I do however love cooking and I refused to be beaten by ‘the watery curry sauce’.
- So after numerous lessons from my mum, ‘the experienced one’, and through experimentation of my own; I learnt that adding one key ingredient can be the difference between serving up a rich, luscious curry sauce or having a river running through your curry.
So here are four different methods you can use to help answer the question I am most frequently asked ‘How can I thicken my curry sauce?’ 1. Tomato puree/ paste Ideal for tomato-based sauces so great for Indian and Italian cookery. Adding tomato puree is probably the most common method of thickening curry sauces.
- Simply add the tomato puree during the cooking process rather than adding it at the end.
- This will help to thicken your curry or pasta sauce from the beginning, speeding up the cooking time.2.
- Cornflour Ideal for Chinese sauces or Thai curries but can also be used for Indian curries.
- Add one tablespoon of cornflour to two or three tablespoons of cold water and stir.
Pour the mixture into the sauce and allow to simmer until the sauce begins to thicken. Which doesn’t take very long.3. Yogurt Ideal for Indian curries and can be used as a cream substitute (which is also thickens sauces). This is another common thickening agent used within Indian cookery.
I like to use Greek style yogurt rather than natural yogurt because it’s thick, creamy and it doesn’t tend to curdle in the pan. I would still recommend adding a little at a time though and stirring just to be sure. Yogurt can be used alone or along with tomato puree depending on what the sauce base is.4.
Simmer down Ideal for all curries and sauces, this is the traditional method I was trying for years, and failing miserably at! But it is still necessary even if you use one of the above key ingredients. Including them in the cooking process just ensures you won’t need to simmer your curry sauce for as long as you would without them.
- Simply simmer your sauce on low heat (uncovered) until the sauce reduces.
- If you are cooking vegetables, try reducing the sauce first and then adding the vegetables.
- This will help you to avoid overcooking the vegetables maintaining valuable nutrients for the whole family.
- So there you have it, my top four methods to achieving a fabulously rich curry sauce.
Some of these methods may not be ‘authentic’ to some cuisines, but it gets the job done so I don’t tend to lose much sleep over it. Also, as mentioned, using a combination of these key methods will ensure you never see a runny curry again!
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Why is my curry so watery?
What Makes Curry Watery? – So, if you have guests arriving soon and your curry appears to be runny, here are some factors that can help you determine why the curry is watery. If too much liquid or broth is added to a curry, it will become runny and thin.
- It may also be thin if the cooking temperature is too low for it to cook, or if the cooking time is too short, thereby preventing the sauce from being reduced.
- For example, when sautéing onions and tomatoes for a curry, you want to make sure that there is not much liquid remaining and oil starts to ooze out before adding other ingredients.
Sometimes using frozen ingredients in a curry can make it watery. As the ingredients defrost, the curry can become watery.
How do you thicken a loose curry?
I remember when I first started cooking, my curry sauce was always surrounded by little puddles of water, and no amount of simmering combined with vigorous stirring would thicken the sauce. It felt like it was taking a lifetime to reduce and in the meantime my vegetables would overcook, or my chicken would dry out.
So there was no other alternative I would have to pour out some of the water into the sink before I served it up for dinner and hope no one would notice. Oops! I do however love cooking and I refused to be beaten by ‘the watery curry sauce’. So after numerous lessons from my mum, ‘the experienced one’, and through experimentation of my own; I learnt that adding one key ingredient can be the difference between serving up a rich, luscious curry sauce or having a river running through your curry.
So here are four different methods you can use to help answer the question I am most frequently asked ‘How can I thicken my curry sauce?’ 1. Tomato puree/ paste Ideal for tomato-based sauces so great for Indian and Italian cookery. Adding tomato puree is probably the most common method of thickening curry sauces.
Simply add the tomato puree during the cooking process rather than adding it at the end. This will help to thicken your curry or pasta sauce from the beginning, speeding up the cooking time.2. Cornflour Ideal for Chinese sauces or Thai curries but can also be used for Indian curries. Add one tablespoon of cornflour to two or three tablespoons of cold water and stir.
Pour the mixture into the sauce and allow to simmer until the sauce begins to thicken. Which doesn’t take very long.3. Yogurt Ideal for Indian curries and can be used as a cream substitute (which is also thickens sauces). This is another common thickening agent used within Indian cookery.
I like to use Greek style yogurt rather than natural yogurt because it’s thick, creamy and it doesn’t tend to curdle in the pan. I would still recommend adding a little at a time though and stirring just to be sure. Yogurt can be used alone or along with tomato puree depending on what the sauce base is.4.
Simmer down Ideal for all curries and sauces, this is the traditional method I was trying for years, and failing miserably at! But it is still necessary even if you use one of the above key ingredients. Including them in the cooking process just ensures you won’t need to simmer your curry sauce for as long as you would without them.
- Simply simmer your sauce on low heat (uncovered) until the sauce reduces.
- If you are cooking vegetables, try reducing the sauce first and then adding the vegetables.
- This will help you to avoid overcooking the vegetables maintaining valuable nutrients for the whole family.
- So there you have it, my top four methods to achieving a fabulously rich curry sauce.
Some of these methods may not be ‘authentic’ to some cuisines, but it gets the job done so I don’t tend to lose much sleep over it. Also, as mentioned, using a combination of these key methods will ensure you never see a runny curry again!
How do you reduce liquid in a sauce?
Ever have trouble with your gravies or liquid based foods being too runny? Here are four methods for thickening your sauces:
Reducing – reducing liquid to thicken it simply involves letting excess water boil out of the dish. Bring dish and liquid to a low to medium boil and watch carefully, stirring as needed to let excess liquid evaporate. Cornstarch – using cornstarch is an excellent way to thicken a sauce in a pinch. Mix together 1 part corn starch to 2 parts water, typically 1 tablespoon cornstarch to 2 tablespoons cool water will do the trick. Stir well then add to your dish, stir well and watch your sauce thicken quickly. Beurre Manie – this is a method for you, if you don’t mind adding butter to your dish. Mix equal parts butter and flour together until well combined. A good combination to start with would be 2 tablespoons unsalted room temperature butter with 2 tablespoons flour, then add to your dish and cook until thickened. Keep in mind, adding butter to your healthy recipes will add fat and calories! Roux – making a roux is similar to a Beurre Manie, it involves combining equal parts butter (or other fat) and flour, but this time you begin cooking the mixture before you add in other liquids. In a sauce pan heat butter (or other fat) over medium heat, add in flour and mix well until thick and cooked, then add in other liquids. Keep in mind, this method also includes adding fat and calories to your meal as well!
How do you remove water from a sauce?
Too much liquid? Get rid of it with science! Let the excess liquid evaporate away by bringing the substance to a boil or a simmer until the desired consistency is reached.
How do you save curry?
Don’t let anything come between your family and a delicious plate of curry. Every now and then even master chefs have an off day in the kitchen. It could happen that your curry turns out to be a bit of a flop, but don’t despair. Here are some easy ways that can save the day if your curry is on the way to becoming a disaster.
These tips will help you quickly transform your meal from a potential failure to a lip-smacking masterpiece. How to Save Curry that’s Too Hot Curry is meant to be spicy and flavourful, but it is not supposed to burn your tongue. When everyone is grabbing tissues to dry their eyes and wipe away sweat, they may not be able to enjoy the meal you’ve just prepared.
Little ones also battle with hot food and even when the dish is perfectly acceptable to adults, they might be inclined to push their plates away. Solution: Add dairy. A curry that is too hot to handle can be defused by the addition of a little dairy. A tablespoon of yoghurt, a dollop of cream or even a sprinkle of cheese does wonders to cool the hot spices in the dish.
Top Tip: Add the dairy when serving but don’t add it while cooking on the stove. It may curdle on high heat. For a mild curry taste why not try Boerewors Meatball Stew with Butternut Isijingi, Made with Rajah Flavourful & Mild Curry Powder, it’s ideal for those who prefer fragrant to fiery. How to Save Curry that’s Too Watery Just as flavour is important, so is presentation.
When your curry is too watery, it may not look as appetising as you would like. The perfect curry has a rich, thick sauce that clings to the rice and vegetables it coats. Solution: Combine a teaspoon of corn flour with two tablespoons of water to form a paste.
Pour this paste into the food and allow to simmer on low to medium heat. Voila! Your sauce will slowly get thicker and creamier – delicious! Solution : Combine a teaspoon of corn flour with two tablespoons of water or the exact amount you need to form a paste. Pour this paste into the food and allow to simmer on low to medium heat for the sauce to thicken.
This Beef and Sweet Potato Curry is a curry recipe that delivers the perfect consistency. With a meaty sauce that covers the veggies you cannot go wrong when serving this hearty meal to your family and friends. How to Save Curry that Tastes Bitter Your curry can taste bitter if the spices and garlic are burnt or if you’ve added too much fenugreek to the dish.
- You see, the secret to cooking a delicious curry recipe is to create a spicy paste and slowly cook it before adding your meat.
- Doing this will bring out its flavour and is all you need for the perfect curry base.
- Solution : While cooking your curry spices, add a pinch of salt to bring out the natural sweetness of the spices.
Alternatively, add a teaspoon of sugar and stir well before tasting. Top Tip: If you’ve added too much sugar, you can counteract this by adding a few drops of lemon juice. How to Save Burnt Food In the hustle and bustle of life it is easy to get distracted and forget about the pot on the stove.
First things first, remove the pot from the stove.Then change the pot the food was cooked in, making sure not to scrape the burnt food at the bottom.Cut up a potato or two and add it to the food.Simmer on a low to medium heat for about 45 minutes.The potatoes will absorb the flavours and smells, which will take the burnt taste away.
Top Tip: Did you know that adding a teaspoon of peanut butter to the pot can help mask the burnt flavour? Relax! Everyone has their off days, and no home cook is perfect. Remember that even the biggest mistakes usually have a workaround. If you are new to making curry and you want to get better at preparing this beloved South African dish, check out our Tips For The Perfect Curry,
Can I add more curry powder after cooking?
when to add the curry powder None of these is categorically true. Adding it early or late will give different flavor, adding it at the very end of cooking will usually leave you with an unpleasant raw spice taste unless it is a roasted variety of curry powder.
- It does make a big difference whether the powder is added into oil, water, or an emulsion.
- For the most “complete” flavor, add it twice – part goes in the oil when your aromatics are mostly done, before adding bulk liquids; part goes in a few minutes before taking the dish off the heat (optionally bloomed in oil).
: when to add the curry powder
Why does curry go watery in slow cooker?
Why is your Slow Cooker Curry Watery? – The slow cooking or cooker can make some times curry too watery. Unlike stovetop cooking, the moisture in the slow cooker doesn’t evaporate, which contributes to added liquid and make your slower cooker curry watery.
