Topic: Can I make curry paste with powder and water?

[mdoherty]

Hi. hope someonce can help. I have madras powder but the recipe calls for paste. So I simply add water, or shall I just add the powder as it is?

[SnS]

Hi. hope someonce can help. I have madras powder but the recipe calls for paste. So I simply add water, or shall I just add the powder as it is?

Is the recipe from this site?

If the recipe calls for you to make a paste from spice powders and water it would normally say so. This would normally then be fried to release flavours.

If the recipe is specifying a ready made commercial paste (eg: Patak's) then, to be safe, I would use one of these pastes.

SnS 

[mdoherty]

Thanks for posting. No the recipe is from a book and I am out of paste and need to make the curry tonight. I live miles from a supermarket. I just wondered if I could use the powder and make a DIY paste?

[SnS]

As it's an emergency - then I suppose you have no choice.

Mix the curry spices/powder with a little water to make a thick paste and gently fry in oil (without burning) for a minute or so or until the raw pungent smell has gone. Use this oil/spice mix as the curry paste.

Be aware that some commercial curry powders also contain other 'filler' ingredients that can burn very easily.

[mdoherty]

Now your talking, thanks a lot!

[Cory Ander]

Thanks for posting. No the recipe is from a book and I am out of paste and need to make the curry tonight. I live miles from a supermarket. I just wondered if I could use the powder and make a DIY paste?

Yes, you can MD.

Pastes are normally made my making a slurry of the powdered spices in water, then frying in oil until the water has evaporated and the oil has separated.  The paste can then be transfered to a sterilised jar, topped off with fresh oil, for storage.

So you can either do this, or:

- just fry the powdered spices when you make your curry, or
- make a slurry of the powders in water and fry that in oil (this helps prevent the spices from burning)

Hope this helps!  

[SnS]

Thanks for posting. No the recipe is from a book and I am out of paste and need to make the curry tonight. I live miles from a supermarket. I just wondered if I could use the powder and make a DIY paste?

Yes, you can MD.

Pastes are normally made my making a slurry of the powdered spices in water, then frying in oil until the water has evaporated and the oil has separated.  The paste can then be transfered to a sterilised jar, topped off with fresh oil, for storage.

So you can either do this, or:

- just fry the powdered spices when you make your curry, or
- make a slurry of the powders in water and fry that in oil (this helps prevent the spices from burning)

Hope this helps!  

ditto

SnS 

[mdoherty]

thanks folks, think I'll make me a slurry for me curry.

[CurryCrazy]

mmmmmmmm sssslllluuuurrrryyyy

sounds nice  ;D

[Frying Tonight]

If the recipe is specifying a ready made commercial paste (eg: Patak's) then, to be safe, I would use one of these pastes.

SnS says that because Patak's madras paste in a jar contains tamarind, ginger, and garlic, as well as acetic acid and citric acid.  You would have to approximate those, as well.  Is that what your recipe calls for?