Indian Curry Base Recipe (for a Week or to Freeze) - Tiffin And Tea (2024)

FAQs

How long does curry base last in freezer? ›

You can keep this Indian sauce base unfrozen for up to three days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. You can keep the frozen cubes for up to three months.

Dals and subzis are perhaps the most obvious choices to freeze. From Black Bean Dal to Shahi Dal, from Usal to Nawabi Curry, from Rasam to Sambhar, you can stock almost all Indian curries in the freezer. For dals and sambhar, you can probably add the tempering before serving, to get a fresh aroma.

Curries also freeze beautifully. You can make them in a large batch, either in a saucepan on the stove or in a slow cooker. You can bulk them out with potatoes and other vegetables to make them more economical. Once cooked, you can freeze them in bulk or individual portions with rice.

Refrigerating Curry Sauce

Oil based curry sauce will last in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or 3 - 4 days if it's water based, but it's best consumed within a few days. Be sure to store it in an airtight glass jar like our kiln clip jars, so that it doesn't dry out or absorb any flavours from other foods in the fridge.

So all you need to do is take whichever type of curry you want – remember each has a slightly different spice blend – to the 'tarka' stage, cool, place in tupperware and freeze. Just be sure to label and date it.

Curries, whether vegetarian or non-vegetarian, often contain a mix of vegetables, meats, and spices. It is possible to store curries in the refrigerator for 3-4 days when they are properly packaged in an airtight container. For longer storage, consider freezing.

'Not suitable for freezing' means the quality may be affected but it won't be harmful if you do freeze it. It might have been previously frozen, or it might just be a quality issue.

Freezer: To freeze, put it in a freezer-safe container or a plastic bag after being completely cooled. Make sure to leave a few inches of space as the dahl could expand as it freezes. Keep in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thawing and reheating: Place the frozen dahl in the fridge overnight before reheating it.

You can absolutely freeze curry. The fact that it's vegan will help it keep longer. Cooked meats can be kept about three months, but you can keep frozen cooked vegetables for a year. Even then, it's unlikely to actually be dangerous, but water will gradually sublime away even in the freezer, resulting in freezer burn.

From fully frozen, 40 minutes is usually sufficient for double portion containers (640g). You may find some sauce at the edges getting charred which is normal. But the rest of the curry should be just fine. For a 320g container, about 35 minutes is usually enough.

Can I freeze curry after 3 days? ›

Store leftover curry in an airtight container. Keep curry in the fridge for up to four days. Your curry needs to cool down to room temperature before placing it in the fridge. Freeze curry for up to six months.

Yes, curries freeze very well. In general, I've found for best quality, it's best to freeze curries at the 80% cooked stage. Most curry recipes will have you add the bulk of the ingredients at the start of the cook and then add certain ingredients towards the end like potatoes/green beans/herbs/peas etc.

When does curry sauce expire? When does curry sauce expire? An unopened bottle or jar of curry sauce can last for about 1-2 years past the printed date, when stored in a cool, dark place. Once the sauce is opened, it's best to use it within 1-2 weeks if stored in the refrigerator.

The base curry sauce will keep for 3 days in the fridge, or can be frozen in portions. Use this sauce to make prawn masala and aloo gosht.

🔪 How to make this Indian Base Gravy

Add garlic, ginger, garam masala, ground coriander, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, salt, pepper, cardamom and tomato puree and stir together. Add chopped red and green bell pepper, chopped carrot and a tin of chopped tomatoes. Stir and bring to the boil, then simmer for 1 hour.

Whilst not as sophisticated as my other base gravies, it's a very convenient compromise, both in terms of time saved and the ingredients required. The base gravy can be kept in the refrigerator for 4-5 days, or frozen for 3 months or more. You can double or triple the ingredients to make a larger batch if you wish.

The roux can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for a month or in the freezer for 3-4 months. I recommend cutting the block of roux into cubes. Then, you can add pieces as you need in your curry recipe.