Corner-shop curry sauce | Jamie Oliver recipes (2024)

FAQs

What to add to a shop bought curry sauce? ›

Use fresh ginger and garlic: Fresh ginger and garlic add a lot of flavour to curries. You can add them to the sauce while it's cooking. Add a touch of sweetness: Some store-bought curry sauces can be quite sour. Adding a touch of sweetness, such as a bit of honey or s.

To use curry sauce from a jar: sauté ingredients, add sauce, and simmer. Adjust seasoning; serve with rice or naan bread. How to make a spicy curry? To make a spicy curry, you can add hot chili peppers, such as cayenne pepper, chili powder, or fresh chili peppers, to the dish.

Sour cream, regular cream, and yoghurt can also be added to improve the flavour. Pour in the sour cream, regular cream or yoghurt and taste until you reach the desired spice level. You can also add more base ingredients to your curry to make it less spicy.

A curry is simply a sauce that has curry, or masala, and usually cumin too in it to give it that distinctive “curry” flavor. A sauce is a combination of finely diced solids with liquids that is used over solid foods. A gravy is similar to a sauce but has meat as both a flavoring agent and served as a course .

Whether you may be familiar with the differences between curries from various countries, such as Indian versus Japanese curry, and perhaps even know how to make them at home, there's a special flavor enhancer that you may not have thought to add: honey.

Indian chef Maunika Gowardhan suggests using tomato purée, coconut milk or yoghurt as natural thickening agents to achieve the perfect consistency. Adding ground nuts such as almonds or peanuts can also be a great way to ensure your curry is a knockout.

Adding a little water can restore the balance. Yes, it “dilutes the flavour” but that may be desirable. Secondly, keeping the water content of your curry up to a consistent level (not too much, not too little) throughout the cooking process does ensure gentle cooking.

The best way to get the full flavour into your meat is to use as a marinade. Overnight is best but if time is short then a couple of hours will still work well. A 300g jar is enough to cope with up to 1.5kg of meat and we recommend using chicken wings, drumsticks or thighs.

How long does curry sauce last once opened? ›

Oil based curry sauce will last in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or 3 - 4 days if it's water based, but it's best consumed within a few days. Be sure to store it in an airtight glass jar like our kiln clip jars, so that it doesn't dry out or absorb any flavours from other foods in the fridge.

The actual sweetness and creaminess of such curries meanwhile, usually comes from fried onions and either cashews and/or dairy products. Instead of (or in addition to) onion, ground coconut may be used. White poppy seeds and/or watermelon seeds are also used in some creamy sauces.

However, here are some general suggestions to make your curry taste better: Aromatics: Start with a flavorful base of aromatics such as onions, garlic, and ginger. Sautéing these ingredients well can add depth to the overall flavor of your curry.

The Indian Curry Base Hack

Onions, garlic and ginger feature heavily in any good Indian curry base, whether it is slow-cooked for hours or cooked in a matter of minutes in the takeaway kitchen. Spices are plenty, with flavours from a blend of coriander, cumin, and turmeric amongst others.

The easiest way to fix a bland and tasteless curry is by adding spices like red chili powder, cumin, coriander, garam masala, curry leaves and turmeric. Just make a quick tempering and pour over the curry to give it a nice punch of spices and herbs.

If you want to bring a bit of heat to the curry, try adding some chili powder or cayenne pepper. If you want to add a bit of smokiness, try adding some smoked paprika or cumin. You can also add fresh herbs such as cilantro or mint to bring freshness and flavor.

I went with broccoli, carrot, onion, snow peas and tomato, but you could go with just bell peppers and onion, potatoes, cauliflower, etc. – whatever you wish! As for the spices I kept it simple with curry powder* and a pinch of cayenne. But you could also just add a dried red chili for a similar effect.