Topic: Patak's tandoori paste

[ELW]

Last week I had a reader tell me that Patak's has discontinued its tandoori paste in the UK and I have a friend in Australia who reports the same there. I thought I'd give doing a copycat recipe a go as a public service .

I think I got very close. Slightly better to my palate but close. It's still available here and still listed on the Patak's Canada website curiously. Took me a few days as tasting tandoori paste straight from the jar is a palate blowing experience...

If anyone is interested the recipe for the copycat tandoori paste is available now.

Pataks are in partnership with Knorr, which produce trade / catering versions of their retail pastes and sauces. I

[livo]

The ingredients. Empirical observations.

Ginger (23%), Water, Ground Spices (13%) [Coriander, Cumin, Paprika, Spices], Vegetable Oil, Lemon Juice, Ground Red Lentils, Tamarind (4%), Garlic (4%), Acidity Regulators (260, 330), Garlic Powder (3.5%), Salt, Colour (Paprika Oleoresin), Sugar.

The ratio of ginger to tamarind here is 5.75 : 1. The same ratio for ginger to garlic, plus there is garlic powder.

Copycat ratio of ginger to tamarind is (roughly) 1.5 : 1  or nearly 4 times the amount of tamarind, and no garlic at all.

The use of the tandoori masala is probably as close as necessary for the spices and the ratio to the ginger is close.

Other differences: Additive 260 is acetic acid (vinegar) and lemon juice for pH control. Ground Red Lentils (thickener) Sugar (sweet for the sour).

These are not the same thing. The Pataks product is a preserved paste.  I'm sure the copycat makes a good and tasty dish, but it won't be the same.

Please understand Romain, this is not intended as a criticism of your work.  Your food on the site looks delicious, you methods are sound and your photography is amazing.  It is simply my unfortunate inability to overlook things.  It is a behaviour trait that has spared me no grief in the past and possibly stems from my years as a school teacher, correcting work.  I have an analytical mind and I need to know how things work.  (By the way there is a spelling mistake. You left an "e" of the word "one" and wrote "on" instead. 
"The number on ingredient listed is ginger."

[romain]

Livo, you have a list of ingredients taken from the Australian Pataks site that does not correspond to the list of ingredients in Canada.

In Canada, by law, ingredients must be listed in descending order. From the Canadian Patak's website the list of ingredients is water, ginger pur

[livo]

Interesting that the Canadian version is so different.  The Australian product is marked Product of United Kingdom.  It wouldn't be too strange to think that they make different versions for different markets but I would like to know the reasoning behind it.  It is known that the smaller household Pataks jars are different to the commercial bulk pastes branded Knorr Pataks.

Our ingredients must also be listed in descending order and it has made my product reproductions easier on occasion but there are always some elements not specified and anything less than 1% does not need to be listed, (other than the possibility of known allergens).  The Australian version has this information;
Allergen may be present
Mustard, Peanuts, Tree Nuts but mustard is not a listed ingredient as is noted on the Canadian version.

Does the Canadian version list percentages as does the Australian?

The Australian version has Acidity regulators (260 and 330). You are correct that 330 is Citric Acid. 260 is Glacial Acetic Acid, glacial meaning pure organic acid in crystalline form.  The Canadian version uses Lactic Acid instead. 

There is no oil in the Canadian product.  The colouring agent in the Australian version is Paprika Oleoresin which is oil soluble but not soluble in water, which leads to the question what food colour is used in the Canadian?  They really are quite different products. 

Incidentally, Pataks Kashmiri paste is unavailable in Australia.

The Balti Paste I make uses white vinegar and oil and I have some in the fridge that is approaching 2 years old. Still as good as the day I made it.

[livo]

OK, so I've found this information.  UK V Canada V Australia.

It would appear that the product in UK packaged as "Tandoori Spice Marinade" is similar to the Canadian product packaged as "Tandoori Curry Paste (Pate de cari)", but not exactly the same.  The ingredient listing on the UK product gives percentages where the Canadian doesn't but the ingredient list is essentially the same with one main difference. The UK Ground Spices (11%) and Tamarind (8%) are reversed in order when compared to the Canadian Tamarind / spices (contains mustard). The UK lists the colours as; Colours (E163, E122, E129). It can possibly be assumed the Canadian product uses the same.

The Australian product packaged as just "Tandoori Paste", is clearly a different product.

https://www.pataks.co.uk/products/spice-pastes/tandoori-paste
https://www.pataks.ca/products/tandoori-curry-paste
https://www.pataks.com.au/products/pataks-tandoori-paste-295g/

[Peripatetic Phil]

Ladies and gentlemen, I bring you Patak (Canada)'s own images of :

• Butter Chicken Curry Paste
• Hot Curry Paste
• Madras Curry Paste
• Mild Curry Paste
• Tandoori Curry Paste
• Vindaloo Curry Paste

Now who of you can tell me which is which (without looking at the source code) ?

[livo]

It appears to be the same image but 2 versions. The dark marks at the bottom right are identical in all 6 but the reflections are different on  2 and 4 respectively. I haven't looked at source code so I'll wait for you to tell Phil.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Exactly right.  They used only two images (the same jar, contents unknown) taken at slightly different times, then Photoshopped a different label onto each.  Which means that the "photographs" give no indication whatsoever as to the likely oil content, granularity and so on of the products.  What I can say is that the two images bear no resemblance whatsoever to any of the UK paste images, all of which appear genuine.  My suspicion is that it is an image of a mixed pickle jar (see below) or similar. Complaint registered with the Canadian Advertising Standards Authority (Reference #147941).

[Peripatetic Phil]

I got mine from Bookers, and my local store does it for about

[mickyp]

Turns out to be a blessing in disguise then Phil, speak to the desk at Bookers, they should be able to order you a tub in, I have done that also