Topic: Freezing, storing and reheating curries and vegetable side dishes

[natterjak]

From time to time I think it would be convenient to have a fully cooked curry or veg side frozen and ready to microwave at short notice. Does anyone successfully do this? Can you reheat from frozen in the microwave or does this destroy the flavour and dehydrate the dish too much?  For a veg side such as Bombay aloo I would be concerned that once reheated the potato would be overcooked.

Any tips welcome 

[PaulP]

I've never tried freezing my curries, only the base sauce. Here are a couple of links to home freezing tips:

http://life.familyeducation.com/foods/safety/36570.html

http://www.helpwithcooking.com/food-storage/freezing-food.html

Cheers,

Paul

[martinvic]

I freeze some of my curries, if there is enough left for a portion.

But instead of just microwaving them, I defrost them in a microwave then cook/reheat them in my curry pan.
I add a little oil to the pan, add the curry, rinse out the container with a little water (don't want to waste any ) and add that to the pan also. Cook/heat it through on a med/hot heat for 2 to 3 mins, until hot and correct consistency (because of added water).

To me it is nicer than just microwaving them in the container.

Martin

[Peripatetic Phil]

But instead of just microwaving them, I defrost them in a microwave then cook/reheat them in my curry pan.
I add a little oil to the pan, add the curry, rinse out the container with a little water (don't want to waste any ) and add that to the pan also. Cook/heat it through on a med/hot heat for 2 to 3 mins, until hot and correct consistency (because of added water).  To me it is nicer than just microwaving them in the container.

Yes, I strongly concur with that.  And I use the same technique for re-heating left-over takeaway curries, which will just have been chilled, not frozen.

** Phil.

[Unclefrank]

I have frozen a lot of curries which i make but be careful with green peppers (Jalfrezi, Bhuna etc...) they tend to go bitter if cooked then frozen and reheated again, what i do is just put some uncooked green pepper back into the sauce or left over Jalfrezi and freeze like that and when ready, defrost and reheat in pan or wok.

[natterjak]

Thanks for your suggestions guys, it looks like reheating in the pan is a better idea than using the microwave.  I'll see how I get on 

[natterjak]

I freeze some of my curries, if there is enough left for a portion.

But instead of just microwaving them, I defrost them in a microwave then cook/reheat them in my curry pan.
I add a little oil to the pan, add the curry, rinse out the container with a little water (don't want to waste any ) and add that to the pan also. Cook/heat it through on a med/hot heat for 2 to 3 mins, until hot and correct consistency (because of added water).

I tried this last night using remainders from the previous night's takeaway (I often order TA as my own efforts aren't really up to standard yet).  I was surprised how much extra water I had to add and by the time I'd simmered it all long enough to heat through fully there was no getting away from the fact that the dish was somewhat overcooked.  Maybe I should have tried a lower heat setting.

Ps. have found a new favourite TA that does an absolutely amazing vindaloo.  I would write it up but the forum only has sections for good / bad / indifferent restaurants, not takeaways.  I guess the theory is we all should cook our own when eating in 

[emin-j]

Had a T/A last Saturday and when I took the lid off the Bombay Aloo container I had a bit of a shock 
some of the Potato was almost Black in colour and it all looked disgusting  the T/A is just around the corner so I returned it Pronto and when I showed the Guy behind the counter he said " sorry we have give you the wrong dish that is Potato and Aubergine " I thought Aubergine my Arse ! Just confirms all the pre-cooking that goes on,if that would have been cooked fresh they would never had sent it out like that.

[natterjak]

I hope you won't be returning there!