Flavour Rescue: Four Easy Ways To Save Your Curry

Don’t let anything come between your family and a delicious plate of curry. Every now and then even master chefs have an off day in the kitchen. It could happen that your curry turns out to be a bit of a flop, but don’t despair. Here are some easy ways that can save the day if your curry is on the way to becoming a disaster.

These tips will help you quickly transform your meal from a potential failure to a lip-smacking masterpiece.

How to Save Curry that’s Too Hot

Curry is meant to be spicy and flavourful, but it is not supposed to burn your tongue. When everyone is grabbing tissues to dry their eyes and wipe away sweat, they may not be able to enjoy the meal you’ve just prepared. Little ones also battle with hot food and even when the dish is perfectly acceptable to adults, they might be inclined to push their plates away.

Solution: Add dairy. A curry that is too hot to handle can be defused by the addition of a little dairy. A tablespoon of yoghurt, a dollop of cream or even a sprinkle of cheese does wonders to cool the hot spices in the dish.

Top Tip: Add the dairy when serving but don’t add it while cooking on the stove. It may curdle on high heat.

For a mild curry taste why not try Boerewors Meatball Stew with Butternut Isijingi. Made with Rajah Flavourful & Mild Curry Powder, it’s ideal for those who prefer fragrant to fiery.

How to Save Curry that’s Too Watery

Just as flavour is important, so is presentation. When your curry is too watery, it may not look as appetising as you would like. The perfect curry has a rich, thick sauce that clings to the rice and vegetables it coats.

Solution: Combine a teaspoon of corn flour with two tablespoons of water to form a paste. Pour this paste into the food and allow to simmer on low to medium heat. Voila! Your sauce will slowly get thicker and creamier - delicious!

Solution: Combine a teaspoon of corn flour with two tablespoons of water or the exact amount you need to form a paste. Pour this paste into the food and allow to simmer on low to medium heat for the sauce to thicken.

This Beef and Sweet Potato Curry is a curry recipe that delivers the perfect consistency. With a meaty sauce that covers the veggies you cannot go wrong when serving this hearty meal to your family and friends.

How to Save Curry that Tastes Bitter

Your curry can taste bitter if the spices and garlic are burnt or if you’ve added too much fenugreek to the dish. You see, the secret to cooking a delicious curry recipe is to create a spicy paste and slowly cook it before adding your meat. Doing this will bring out its flavour and is all you need for the perfect curry base.

Solution: While cooking your curry spices, add a pinch of salt to bring out the natural sweetness of the spices. Alternatively, add a teaspoon of sugar and stir well before tasting.

Top Tip: If you’ve added too much sugar, you can counteract this by adding a few drops of lemon juice.

How to Save Burnt Food

In the hustle and bustle of life it is easy to get distracted and forget about the pot on the stove. You might be multitasking; helping a child with homework while your pot is bubbling away or perhaps you were engrossed in a book or captivated by the TV series you’re watching. If you’ve burnt the food, don’t panic!

Solution:

1. First things first, remove the pot from the stove.
2. Then change the pot the food was cooked in, making sure not to scrape the burnt food at the bottom.
3. Cut up a potato or two and add it to the food.
4. Simmer on a low to medium heat for about 45 minutes.
5. The potatoes will absorb the flavours and smells, which will take the burnt taste away.

Top Tip: Did you know that adding a teaspoon of peanut butter to the pot can help mask the burnt flavour?

Relax! Everyone has their off days, and no home cook is perfect. Remember that even the biggest mistakes usually have a workaround. If you are new to making curry and you want to get better at preparing this beloved South African dish, check out our Tips For The Perfect Curry.