Sauce consistency

[Suthseaxa]

Can anyone advise on how to get a decent sauce, particularly with curries? I have a problem where I serve a sauce and I don't get a sauce, I get a pile of chopped/boiled vegetable fibres with water leaking from it.

I recently made a very nice sauce with a blended boiled onion paste and yoghurt and, when served, the sauce was just as above: water and then a blended paste beneath it.

The yoghurt has not curdled, but I just cannot get all of the components of the sauce to stay together. Any tips?

 

[GotGarlic]

How exactly do you make your curries? In particular, where are the vegetable fibers coming from?

 

[blissful]

I put sour cream, or coconut milk, or cream, or butter, or kefir, in my curries, which when cooked, they thicken the sauce (with the vegetable fibers). It does take a little while to get the consistency right. When I see that a swipe of the spoon through the sauce, shows me a little of the pan, it is usually thick enough for my tastes.

 

[caseydog]

I don't do curries, but sauces in general need to be brought to a simmer, and reduced to the right consistency. They won't thicken until brought to a boil (simmer). That simmering process should reduce the water content of your sauce.

Also, are you using raw veggies? They are loaded with water. If I am using veggies in a sauce, I sweat them down first, to steam off some of the water.

That's all I got. I hope it helps.

CD

 

[Suthseaxa]

The main sauce I have in mind if a sauce of blended onion paste and yoghurt. I seem to have either a really thick, clingy paste, or this split sauce, with little in between. Perhaps I just need to simmer the sauce for longer to cook it all out?

 

[GotGarlic]

The main sauce I have in mind if a sauce of blended onion paste and yoghurt. I seem to have either a really thick, clingy paste, or this split sauce, with little in between. Perhaps I just need to simmer the sauce for longer to cook it all out?

That would probably help. As caseydog said, raw vegetables, including onions, contain a lot of water and that needs to be cooked off in order to thicken the sauce. It's easier to do that before you mix the onions with the yogurt.

 

[buckytom]

I agree that mighty casey has a big part to your answer (he did t strike out, this time ). Sweat your veggies.

Also, use a low moisture yoghurt like Greek yoghurt.

They apparently eat well in Mudville, I guess.

 

[caseydog]

I agree that mighty casey has a big part to your answer (he did't strike out, this time ).

Oh, give me time, and I'll strike out.

CD

PS: It's Pork Roll

 

[CakePoet]

Can you give me the name of the curry dish? I do curry once a week and every one has differnt way of doing it. Most things with onion paste, the paste is fried for a moment and the yogurt, is added at the end.

 

[CraigC]

Why does everyone say "curry", as if it means the same thing to all? Are we supposed to "assume" what cultures "curry" you are talking about? Please specify.

 

[dragnlaw]

It 'might' help if you have your yogurt at room temperature or even warmed up somehow so that you are not adding it cold to hot.

It sounds like your sauce is splitting. Are you using a low fat/no fat yogurt?

 

[CakePoet]

I do Indian, Sri Lankan and British curries, 1 once a week due to my Scottish husband. Better?
Anyway, show us the recipe.

 

[GotGarlic]

It 'might' help if you have your yogurt at room temperature or even warmed up somehow so that you are not adding it cold to hot.

It sounds like your sauce is splitting. Are you using a low fat/no fat yogurt?

I have added cold fat-free yogurt to pan sauces for seared chicken and it has not broken.

 

[Stock Pot]

Cornstarch?

This is probably anathema, but a lot of times I use a tablespoon or two of cornstarch dissolved in water to thicken a sauce.

 

[CraigC]

I do Indian, Sri Lankan and British curries, 1 once a week due to my Scottish husband. Better?
Anyway, show us the recipe.

The only time it would be "Better", is that when making a post using "curry" in the title, that you specify what type.

If you are asking me for a recipe, I've already posted them for a couple of scratch made Thai curry pastes.

 

[Suthseaxa]

It's in all sorts of recipes so there is no particular one recipe. Also, I can confirm the sauces are not splitting; the watery part of it is nice and creamy with yoghurt! I just have sticky pieces of chopped tomato or onion hanging around rather than all in one sauce. I'm going to try simmering for longer next time I try it I should post the recipe for the fish (Mughlai) curry in which is definitely happened!

 

[GotGarlic]

It's in all sorts of recipes so there is no particular one recipe. Also, I can confirm the sauces are not splitting; the watery part of it is nice and creamy with yoghurt! I just have sticky pieces of chopped tomato or onion hanging around rather than all in one sauce. I'm going to try simmering for longer next time I try it I should post the recipe for the fish (Mughlai) curry in which is definitely happened!

If you're using the same basic method with different types of ingredients, except for the onion-yogurt sauce, it would be helpful to see if.

 

[CakePoet]

Suthseaxa; change recipe you are using. It could be the recipes fault.

 

[caseydog]

It's in all sorts of recipes so there is no particular one recipe. Also, I can confirm the sauces are not splitting; the watery part of it is nice and creamy with yoghurt! I just have sticky pieces of chopped tomato or onion hanging around rather than all in one sauce. I'm going to try simmering for longer next time I try it I should post the recipe for the fish (Mughlai) curry in which is definitely happened!

Again, I don't make curry, and I also don't cook with yogurt, but if you were to post a recipe, and your cooking process, it would probably get you some better responses.

CD

 

[dragnlaw]

It 'might' help ....
It sounds .... splitting. Are you using a low fat/no fat yogurt?

I have added cold fat-free yogurt.... and it has not broken.

Just a question, GG, just a question... I too have also added cold and ... sometimes it has not broken but many times it has.