Curry Recipes Online
Curry Chat => Lets Talk Curry => Topic started by: George on April 09, 2013, 07:34 PM
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In a word - AWFUL
Last night, I realised I needed to buy something to eat, as in eating to stay alive rather than for a gastro experience. I went to a supermarket with an open mind, happy to consider anything, whether it be a pizza, a chilled pasta dish or anything.
On the way in, I noticed a stack of jars of Pataks ready made sauces at half price (88p), in quite a range of dish names such as Jalfrezi, Madras and Bhuna. I selected Korma, and bought some fresh chicken to go with it.
I followed the instructions - fry chicken, add sauce and simmer for about 25 mins. The cooked item looked the part but it tasted bland and devoid of much flavour at all. How can it be so difficult to prepare a BIR type korma, and pour it into a glass jar? Perhaps the nutritional declarations would come as a bit of a shock.
It's another nail in the coffin for the low quality of Pataks products, as far as I'm concerned.
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Doesn't surprise me George, my 8 yr old daughter loves my chicken korma but recently she had to settle for a sharwoods jar the missus picked up. It was awful just like the pataks sounds, I was hoping she wouldn't notice too much being young, but she did and most went in the bin.
Maybe there's an opening in the market for BIR korma in a jar, as that, for me, is one dish you can rely on time and time again!
W
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I agree, Sharwoods leaves a lot to be desired. In terms of these jars then, that leaves Lloyd Grossman and ASDAs own brand as being ones I recall trying in the past. Both better as I recall but I can knock out a Korma in less than 25 minutes and kick them all into touch.
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Couldn't agree anymore. I had this a few times (2-3 most) and it was horrible every single time. I tried looking up a recipe that didn't require this paste and I ended up reproducing the exact same flavor of pataks korma. What are the odds?
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George you've lost me, how did you ever expect to get a BIR experience out of a Pataks jar? ::)
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George you've lost me, how did you ever expect to get a BIR experience out of a Pataks jar? ::)
I didn't! But I still think it's reasonable to expect that food experts working for such a large firm would somehow be able to pack much better flavours (of something) into a jar, even if it's a bit different to a BIR korma.
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To be honest George, i'm still quite taken back by the fact you are still eating korma and from recent posts, haven't yet cooked a madras. The one thing that I have taken onboard is that a dedicated heart into all things curry, is quite a journey of taste exploration. Maybe you should take a leap of faith, like I did. ;)
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Did you expect the results to be any different to what you experienced? All store-bought/pre-made curry sauces are crap, even the ones that should deliver more (e.g. Madhuban).
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Did you expect the results to be any different to what you experienced? All store-bought/pre-made curry sauces are crap, even the ones that should deliver more (e.g. Madhuban).
I've tasted sauces from jars that were a lot better than the Patak's version, so there's really no excuse.
As for chilled food curries, I know many people on here write them off but I continue to enjoy selected examples. It's not fair to generalise. Some are excellent and almost certainly taste better than many of the home made curries featured on this site, however good the photos look.
Why suggest to anyone that they shouldn't enjoy something like korma, if that's what they like, together with hundreds of other food types? The last thing I was working on was shepherd's pie, made with lamb. Is it OK, and socially acceptable, to like the taste of shepherd's pie?
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Is it OK, and socially acceptable, to like the taste of shepherd's pie?
Most definitely George,
Also one of the better tasting bought curry's is a Chicken Bhuna from Morrisons, (own make) believe it or not.
Les
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Also one of the better tasting bought curry's is a Chicken Bhuna from Morrisons, (own make) believe it or not.
I can believe it. Were you here or do you recall, I mentioned a liking for the Safeway/Morrisons Chicken Dhansak a few years ago and then - even better, their Chicken Saag. People who say supermarket curries never taste good, must have something wrong with their taste buds.
But c2012 they revamped the chilled food range and a chilled korma I tried was almost as bad as the Pataks one. I think I tried something else, later, and that was a disappointment, also, so I gave up. Perhaps I'll try the bhuna, as you recommend it.
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As for chilled food curries, I know many people on here write them off but I continue to enjoy selected examples. It's not fair to generalise. Some are excellent and almost certainly taste better than many of the home made curries featured on this site, however good the photos look.
Perhaps, but I would probably argue otherwise. I would imagine the curries cooked by folks on here are significantly better than anything bought in-store.
Why suggest to anyone that they shouldn't enjoy something like korma, if that's what they like, together with hundreds of other food types? The last thing I was working on was shepherd's pie, made with lamb. Is it OK, and socially acceptable, to like the taste of shepherd's pie?
Nothing wrong with Korma, or CTM for that matter. I would happily eat both, assuming they're BIR.
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I've tasted sauces from jars that were a lot better than the Patak's version, so there's really no excuse.
That is a fair point to make as a comparison, but I struggle to understand your palate. I have never found a single jar of sauce that was truly enjoyable. Some have been so awful they were confined to the bin after the first mouthful others have been ok.
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Were you here or do you recall, I mentioned a liking for the Safeway/Morrisons Chicken Dhansak a few years ago and then - even better, their Chicken Saag. People who say supermarket curries never taste good, must have something wrong with their taste buds.
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I do seem to recall your post, did you not get a few negative comments about it? (what's New) :o
The Bhuna is quite hot and spicy George, So steady as you go if you don't like it to hot and spicy ;)
Les
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I can believe it. Were you here or do you recall, I mentioned a liking for the Safeway/Morrisons Chicken Dhansak a few years ago and then - even better, their Chicken Saag. People who say supermarket curries never taste good, must have something wrong with their taste buds.
People who say supermarket curries never taste good, must have something wrong with their taste buds. ;D
Sorry George, couldn't resist that one. I was expecting good things from Atul Kochhar's morrisons Korma, but again, no difference in taste from a bog standard supermarket curry. Looked pretty with the flowers on top though. ;)
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I was expecting good things from Atul Kochhar's morrisons Korma, but again, no difference in taste from a bog standard supermarket curry. Looked pretty with the flowers on top though. ;)
Agree with you there DP, Atul's range of curry's are quite bad to say the least.
les
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I think perhaps the supermarket testers dont give the public the respect they deserve when it comes to flavour. Assuming that if they keep things bland, they cater for all palates?
(I dont believe its down to packaging and preservatives.)
But we KNOW our curries in the UK and its about time they upped their game! ;)
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But we KNOW our curries in the UK and its about time they upped their game! ;)
Here-Here, well said that man ;D
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I think a korma is one of the easiest curries to make yourself BIR style.
Not my cup of tea and probably one of the unhealthiest curries, but surely easy to replicate at home if you have some base sauce handy?
Paul
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I think a korma is one of the easiest curries to make yourself BIR style.
Not one of the easiest, the easiest, by a long way.
I don't even consider it a curry in its BIR form, and it almost put me off curries for life, but there's no denying its popularity.
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I agree as well. DalPuri picked one of the items which don't taste good, rather than a dish that does. What does that prove? I didn't say that all chilled curries taste good.
I mentioned the Korma because that was the last supermarket curry i gave a chance to and remains freshest in the memory. Also because its in the thread title.
What it proves to me is, even with a premium label and a known top Indian chef behind it, they still cant get it right. :(
I've had some good dishes in other cuisines from supermarkets though. The odd Mexican and Thai thing from various places and the Tapas from Waitrose were quite good, but Indian has never quite cut it for me.
Some are excellent and almost certainly taste better than many of the home made curries featured on this site, however good the photos look.
I cant believe you think some supermarket curries taste better than any of your own George? :(
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This does raise the question, why are supermarket curry sauces and ready made dishes, so far from what the UK has become used to in a BIR? Are they in a quandary as to what the British enjoy? Why is a typical jar of Tikka Masala hot when a restaurant tikka masala is not?
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I cant believe you think some supermarket curries taste better than any of your own George? :(
Yes, some do taste better than anything I've managed to produce. It doesn't surprise me. Firms like Noon (the market leader) must employ top chefs and consultants to formulate these dishes. Given that they are chilled, and not bottled or frozen, it gives them a reasonable chance of delivering fine flavours to the customer, and I think they do. Some people have said here that curries can taste even better the next day, so the fact that they're not served immediately, isn't necessarily a show-stopper.
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This does raise the question, why are supermarket curry sauces and ready made dishes, so far from what the UK has become used to in a BIR?
It may be because of the likely furore, given they'd need to make a full declaration of fat and salt levels.