Anything taste better from the packet?

corblimey

As much as I enjoy cooking, there a few recipes where I find the packet or jar a little more tasty than anything I can cook myself. Following Mr Oliver's recipe for curry, for example, it was ok, fine, edible. But I've since returned to the jars of sauce I was using before I took up cooking. I don't know, I just they give a better, more consistent curry.

I cooked very little fresh food prior to this year, curry being one. Maybe it's just that I was used to the texture and smell and taste of the jarred curry and the fresh stuff didn't come close. Maybe I messed something up with my initial (and only) attempt and really should go back and try it again? Or is there anyone else out there who loves to cook, but just prefers the pre-made stuff in some cases?

(PS for full disclosure, I also prefer the packet fajita mix to anything I've cooked myself, but I'm really trying to break that one)

olaola

I find curry pastes great. By the time you get everything (be it Thai or Indian) you've spent a fortune, and then you'll only use a bit of it before it all goes off.

lightening

Pesto.

John Mason

lightening wrote: »

Pesto.

god no - after making my own i could never go back to jars

mine is custard, you cant bet the ready to pour tubs

Mellor

OP, i'd say your just not a good enough cook yet.
it will come with time, keep trying

Minder

I find that curries made from a collection of dried spices rarely taste like restaurant curries or those made from jars. But if you make a homemade curry paste, the flavour outshines anything from a jar.

The homemade paste recipe I use has some vinegar in. That allows the spices to mellow and improves the flavour. The pastes are made with ground spices, fresh ginger and garlic, oil and vinegar. They keep in the fridge for ages. That's indian curry.

Thai and chinese curry pastes are great out of a jar. Making a green curry paste from scratch is difficult as the ingredients are hard to find.

I bought some fancy curry cook in sauces recently and didn't like the flavour at all - way too much fenugreek.

corblimey

Mellor wrote: »

OP, i'd say your just not a good enough cook yet.
it will come with time, keep trying

I agree, and I'll never learn if I keep popping open a jar, will I?

Mr.David

OP - I agree about Jamie's Curry, I found it to be a bit crap. I always use pastes I must admit for curry. Apart from curry though I always do it from scratch. His fajitas though are great, especially when you make your own salsa. You cannot beat fresh coriander.

Mr.David

Minder wrote: »

I
The pastes are made with ground spices, fresh ginger and garlic, oil and vinegar.

Thats interesting. Where do you get your paste recipies or is it trial and error? how much vinegar do you use - just a dash? i presume its white wine vineger?

Lex_Diamonds

I use Pataks curry paste, not bad! Must have a shot of making my own paste though.

rubadub

Lex_Diamonds wrote: »

I use Pataks curry paste, not bad!

Pataks have a great reputation, I see them even in the window of hte bombay pantry and saw a documentary on them with lots of chefs praising them.

I like to do crosses of packet and fresh ingredients. I cannot make a decent soup for the life of me, but if I get a packet soup I will add in loads of extra veg and it comes out great.

Some say curries taste better a few days after cooking when the flavours all blend together, so I suppose on the shelf they have had plenty of time to develop.

Thai and chinese curry pastes are great out of a jar. Making a green curry paste from scratch is difficult as the ingredients are hard to find

True, I remember meeting a mate of mine in the supermarket, who does not really cook much. I helped him track down all the stuff, it costed a fortune, he could probably could have gone to a restaurant for the same price for the same dish.

olaola

Lex_Diamonds wrote: »

I use Pataks curry paste, not bad! Must have a shot of making my own paste though.

I use Pataks too - handy to have in the fridge.

mental07

Made korma myself a couple of times earlier in the year; one day last week I made it with Patak's sauce, and Patak's won hands down I'm sorry to say! It was gorgeous.

Minder

Mr.David wrote: »

Thats interesting. Where do you get your paste recipies or is it trial and error? how much vinegar do you use - just a dash? i presume its white wine vineger?

Pat Chapman from The Curry Club. There is quite a lot of vinegar in the paste - it's made by adding vinegar and water to the dry spices, then frying the wet spices until the water is gone. Keeps in the fridge for ages. I made the last batch in a wok in the garden - saves smelling it in the house for a week after cooking it.

lizzyvera

Most of the spices you buy in shops are gone off and flavourless. Best to go to an asian shop if you can. Their stock is usually much fresher for some reason.

My curry is quite sweet and fruity:
a good bit of oil
a teaspoon each of tumeric, cumin, coriander, mustard seeds.
1/2 fennel (or more if you like, sometimes I'm more in the mood for it)
as much chilli as I feel like, normally 1.5 tsp

I tilt the pan over a medium heat so all the oil is on one side and put all the spices in the oil. The flavours are mostly oil soluble so they need to be warmed in oil to come out properly. I hold that there for about 5 min. It seems like a long time but it's worth it.

Then I (carefully!) add a blended tin of tomatoes and bring that to a simmer for 5 min until the colour changes slightly and the flavour gets richer, add 1tbsp sugar and a shake of salt. Adjust chilli, salt and sugar. Add a tin kidney beans and some frozen peas.

The rice should cook in the same time as the sauce, so in 15 min you have a lovely curry for two! I normally don't bother too much with chopping veg because I get home so late and I don't eat meat.

Cleansheets

I make Tana Ramsay's Lamb Curry and wondered what the vinegar was doing in there?!?!

Making my own pastes is on my list of things to try.

Novella

I love that ready made custard, mmmm! Beats making your own every single time!

electrogrimey

Wagamama have just started selling a range of their sauces, you can get them in Tescos, marinade type sauces, I've only had their Teriaki one but it's seriously delicious, I use it for marinade and then throw a bit over the stir-fry or whatever I'm making.