# Curry question



## Douzer77 (Mar 14, 2008)

I make my own curry using curry paste, chic stock, tomatoe puree, onion, coriander, cumin, ginger, garlic, tumeric, curry powder and coconut milk. Always cook it up the night before so all flavours infuse together overnight. My question is if its not thick enough when should i thicken it? The night i make it or the following night just before i serve it up?


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## BreezyCooking (Mar 14, 2008)

Thai curries (which I'm assuming are what you're asking about) are usually meant to be quite thin - like watery thin - but I, as I suspect you do, like them somewhat thicker.  If thickening is needed, I do it when reheating & before serving up.


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## kitchenelf (Mar 14, 2008)

I also like mine a bit thick and I would do that when reheating also.  

Side Note:  I was trying to thicken my curry one time and the phone rang or someone asked me something - I neglected to whisk fast enough and everything got all lumpy - I just went with it and after all was said and done I had the best little curry dumplings!


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## waaza (Mar 16, 2008)

Hi Douzer77,
I can't work out from your ingredients what kind of curry it is, is it your own recipe or are you following one? Can you post the recipe (remember copyright law!) so we can be clear what was intended. If a kind of Thai curry, as a poster upthread has stated, they are supposed to be thin, more like an unthickened stew, but where the chicken would be cooked in a thin gravy just prior to serving. If you wanted to keep the dish overnight to 'infuse' the flavours, then the answer may be completely different. You do not mention oil/ghee/butter. This is essential to extract the flavours; without it, the flavours would be very lean indeed, there is little in your list of ingredients to extract the flavour into.
HTH
Waaza


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## YT2095 (Mar 16, 2008)

thicken it next day, leaving it to stand will alter it`s properties somewhat (tastes better too IMO), bring to the heat next day and Then check it`s consistency 

a little bit of corn starch in a cup with a splash of water over it and mixed with a fork will make a great thickener, but you Must stir well when you add it.


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## waaza (Mar 17, 2008)

This is an offering to you, YT, not a criticism.

You have three different spice mixes in your curry. One reason there is little flavour is that you are preparing it in a water-based liquid. Most of the flavours in a curry are oil soluble, meaning you will need oil/fat/ghee to extract those flavours before a satisfactory product is produced. Leaving your water-based mix overnight is a very long winded way of trying to extract/develop those flavours.

Using your ingredients, I would start by frying the onions in a little oil/ghee until golden, but not brown. Then add pureed garlic and ginger and fry for a couple of minutes. Next add the raw spices coriander and cumin, and cook for about 3 minutes. Then add either curry paste or the curry powder (mixed with a little water) and fry until the water has gone. Now add the turmeric, fry for another 30 seconds, and add your chicken stock. Once boiling, turn down the heat a bit, add the tomato puree and then the coconut milk. Let it simmer a while, then add your chicken pieces and cook until just cooked (about 5-8 minutes, thats all). The curry should be full of flavour, and quite thick, else remove the chicken, and heat the liquid until you reach the required thickness. Do not add flour.

An alternative would be to fry the onions, then add the chicken, then the spices and garlic and ginger (I'm assuming fresh root ginger?). Fry until the chicken is a little browned, then add stock, tomato paste and the coconut. Heat until thickened enough. Do not add flour.

You should find a difference in flavour, the former should be lighter, the latter a little darker and with a nutty/roast flavour.

HTH
Waaza


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