Topic: Stumbled upon a better flavour

[Paul1980]

I made Unclebuck's Patia recipe about 3-4 weeks ago with great results. I had some left over sauce which I froze. Last night only cooking for myself so decided to use the patia sauce up from the freezer along with some chicken.
This was the best tasting curry I have made by a mile as good if not better than my my favourite TA patia which is saying alot as my normal patia I have is the best I have ever tasted throughout 10 BIR's and 15-20 TA's I have tried.

The original Patia tasted excellent when I first made it but nothing like the one I had last night from the freezer the big difference was the sweetness to it which for me is the no.1 BIR flavour I was missing.

The curry last night took me 10mins to prepare and cook. All I did was defrost the patia sauce then fried half an onion for 5mins and added half a chopped tomato then some diced chicken then the Patia sauce and cooked on highest setting for about 3-4 mins and added lime juice the coriander at the end. Unbelievable taste compared to the original Patia from 3-4 weeks earlier.

This may make alot of sense as I am thinking most TA's may do this. Have a load of different curries already frozen then defrost and cook to order only adding chicken or lamb and coriander to the finished article.

Any curry pro's have any views on this?
Has anyone tried freezing the finished curry sauce then recooked it 3-4 weeks later?
If so did it make a difference?

Paul

[joshallen2k]

I don't think any of the kitchen experiences posted here have seen that - using frozen thawed curry...

[Paul1980]

Does one of the curry pro's fancy giving this a try and letting us know how you get on ?

[Cory Ander]

Hi Paul,

I would think that most members here do precisely as you suggest (freeze curries).  I know I do, and I agree that doctoring a frozen curry (in a way similar to the way you describe) often gives great results.

However, I also doubt very much that many BIRs (if any) do this as standard practice.  I think they hit the nail on the head the first time around, without freezing anything.

But freezing them is definitely expedient for most home curry cooks.

[JerryM]

Paul,

i doubt the freezing had any part to play. i for a long time used to get big differences in product form top notch to rubbish.

i put it down to technique (CA has done a previous post). i feel now that the number of curries i've cooked has increased substantially the experience i have and the consistency has improved significantly as a result to the point that i'm well happy. if the curry ain't right 1st time it's down to ingredient or technique.

i do not freeze curry at all.

i do know that suspicions existed in the midlands a few years ago that BIR's were somehow cooking at a central kitchen and then distributing to a number of TA outlets (for reheating when orders came in). the suggestion at the time was freezing was involved. i know it sounds potentially ridiculous.

my only other experience was when i obtained a real BIR base. i froze most of it in ice cubes. when the 1st cube was defrosted (24 hrs later) and compared with the original there was a stark difference.