I just use this curry roux and it's freakin delicious. There are other brands too. And if you're gonna make it from scratch, S&B curry powder is what you want for Japanese curry.
My favorite (Golden Curry, amazon link). That cooked with some meat and/or veggies goes great over fresh rice, and lasts in the fridge for days and only seems to get better as the spices soak into the other ingredients. One box lasts me for at least 4 large meals and takes about 20 minutes to cook.
Mae Ploy is a highly regarded curry paste and can be found in some groceries in the asian section.
It has much better flavor than the "Thai Kitchen" crap you'll find in most US grocery stores. Also, it holds in the fridge for numerous months and you only use a few tablespoons (I like it hot!) per dish.
I buy mine on amazon.
Not OP, but we get a packet of butter chicken flavor paste (it's like $2). Follow its directions and throw in whatever protein you like: chicken, pork, chick peas, etc. it's a very easy meal!
Edit: I think we use this brand - Amazon sells a 6 pack
You use curry cubes as a pre-made roux that forms the base of the curry. S&B is pretty popular in the states, so I guess this
It usually comes in a box like this and is probably labeled "sauce mix". I really like Vermont Curry but Golden Curry is usually more common in US grocery stores and it's good too.
The back of the box walks you through the steps and suggests ingredients, but specifically what I did here:
2 potatoes, 1 onion, 1 head of cauliflower, 'bout a cup of carrots and a cup green bean, and half the curry mix.
Curry is surprisingly easy to make!
Brown the protein. Add green curry paste, coconut milk, and vegetables. Simmer until the vegetables are done. Pour over cooked rice. The whole thing takes less than 30 minutes and requires no "instinct," and hardly any skill.
My go to form of bachelor chow is curry packs with a pound of chicken and two or more pounds of mixed frozen vegetables. It makes for a week or two of work dinners for under $12. I've lost nearly 40 pounds by using curry to mask the horror of eating mostly vegetables.
I hope curry! A friend turned me on to this a few years ago and it's the only thing I have on monthly order from amazon. Highly recommend!
I find premade pastes to be at least as cost effective, but I don't live in an area with good asian markets and good prices. Between the time it would take me to source all the ingredients, buy from various businesses/online and then make the paste, it's not worth the extra effort.
I really like Mae Ploy brand pastes and I get them on Amazon. They're more cost effective than what I can get at the regular grocery store and the jar is large and lasts me a long time (but I like my food medium spicy and I only feed myself, so YMMV if you like things really hot or feed a family).
Other than that - use the meat cuts you get on sale. Curry is extremely versatile and you can put pretty much any meat or make it vegetarian and use seasonal vegetables to cut the cost. Most any vegetable is going to do just fine in curry too.
What about curry is time intensive to you? I've never found it to be an intensive meal.
There is nothing wrong with using a good pre made curry paste. Maesri is a good brand with authentic Thai ingredients. You can buy it on Amazon if you can't find it locally. Beware, it is pretty hot. https://www.amazon.com/4oz-Green-Yellow-Curry-Pastes/dp/B000QU3JM0/ref=sr_1_6_s_it?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1495500050&sr=1-6&keywords=curry+paste
I live in the rural midwest and the only grocery store within 30 miles of my house is a walmart. it sucks. I buy Mae Ploy paste on Amazon https://smile.amazon.com/Mae-Ploy-Yellow-Curry-Paste/dp/B000EICISA/ref=sxts_sxwds-bia-wc-rsf-lq2a1_0?cv_ct_cx=yellow+curry+paste&dchild=1&keywords=yellow+curry+paste&pd_rd_i=B000EICISA&pd_rd_r=301504a1-b995-4ab2-ad50-ed2c5ec99555&a.... It's cheaper than driving 45 miles to the nearest city with an Asian grocery store
SO EASY:
Curry paste
* You can buy this on Amazon
* https://www.amazon.com/Mae-Ploy-Thai-Curry-Paste/dp/B0091UW4QS/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1478982408&sr=8-1&keywords=thai+curry+paste
* Note that all but the Yellow curry paste from Mae Ploy contain shrimp paste, so keep that in mind.
Coconut Cream
* Buy something like this at the store; prices are absurd on Amazon, so you'll want to shop local. You can usually find something for $1-$2 per can:
* https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/bc/60/0b/bc600b27f226d6e9371824f790ceea2e.jpg
* You want coconut cream/milk in a CAN. Not watery, watered down 'coconut milk' packaged in a box for drinking, this won't work. The can will be filled with a little bit of coconut water and the rest will be a solid cream that melts when you cook it.
Instructions
All you have to do is put a little oil in a saucepan and turn the heat to medium. Put 1-2 tablespoon of the curry paste in the oil and let it simmer for a bit, making sure that you play around with it and ensure that it's getting heated thoroughly. After 5 or so minutes of this (the curry paste begins to get ever so slightly golden brown), lower the heat to a simmer and dump the jar of coconut cream into the saucepan. As the cream melts, stir the mixture well. Let simmer for 5 - 10 more minutes.
Done
You now have curry that tastes exactly like it does in a restaurant (most restaurants actually use curry pastes.)
Combine with your protein of choice, some veggies, pour over rice, whatever you want.
If you're already trying to stay on a budget and not wanting to buy a bunch of ingredients you're not sure if you'll like, start subbing out things you like for alternative versions. For example instead of buying Nissan or Top Ramen noodles get some soba or udon noodles - slightly different but open to lots of possibilities! Then you can use it in familiar ways or try something new.
A lot of what is good about international markets is the seasoning! Having some rice vinegar, mirin, soy sauce, and sesame oil on hand lets you make tons of delicious dishes! Lots of things can be flavored or marinated with miso paste. Sriracha, garlic chili paste, and gochujang are really popular for adding spice. If you have a few key seasonings from different cuisines that can be a great way to make cooking more fun and interesting. Or try pre-made pastes and mixes. We used this curry mix the other day and liked it. Now we know to buy more or branch out and learn to make a cheaper/healthier version!
Haven’t tried 888’s yellow chicken curry, but if you’re a yellow chicken curry nut like me, here’s the ultimate bang for your buck foolproof recipe. When people ask me what i would eat every day for the rest of my life, it’s this chicken curry.
Ingredients
Instructions
We use our Instant Pot for curry on a regular basis and almost always include potatoes. The most recent pok obsession is Japanese curry. Try these curry cubes and toss in whatever meat and/or veggies you have on hand (we use 4 cubes which is half the package to make a total of 4 meals). For us that usually means potatoes, peas, carrots, mushrooms. Serve on rice and you have a tasty meal that reheats well. Japanese curry comes in mild, medium hot, and hot. The hot is quite mild. Think along the lines of a mild restaurant salsa level of heat.
If you want to try a premix of spice- Golden Curry Sauce mix works great in a slow cooker. https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Curry-Sauce-Mix-8-4-Ounce/dp/B0011UGYLM?th=1
Link just for reference, you can find it at the supermarket probably cheaper.
Also don't forget to check out /r/slowcooking for great crockpot recipes.
I get this spice mix from Amazon: Kitchens of India Paste for Butter Chicken Curry, 3.5-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 6) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000V17MLS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_EujDAbMZCPKT0 I like it a lot, I also add potatoes and cauliflower sometimes for variety and it turned out well.
If I'm having a bad craving for biryani I'll get the Saffron Road biryani from the frozen food aisle. I have seen it at Target, at some organic food stores etc. They nailed the smell, the spice is on the lighter side but it will satiate my craving.
Just a warning: The Kitchens of India stuff recently changed their recipe (and the packaging is now blue). It's now a good bit higher in carbs -- from 3g/serving to 7g/serving.
I haven’t had it there yet! I’ve been making my own ever since I discovered these packets off Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Kitchens-India-Butter-Chicken-3-5-Ounce/dp/B000V17MLS I know it’s cheating to use one of those but wow does it taste delicious. I finish it off with coconut milk and naan!
I would think so. I don’t know if it exists for Indo-Pak curries, butbfor japanese curry there are these that you just mix with water and are pretty decent
Yep, pad thai is pretty easy.
Also, Maesri brand curry paste is a great base for making your own curry. With coconut milk, some veggies and protein, you have a pretty decent curry experience close to some restaurants. Of course, making your own curry paste is better, but I have lots of thai friends who prefer this brand (as do I).
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000V17MLS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_MQhjFbABSKTHY
This one, my roommate turned me on to it and it's damn good, usually use thighs but I had a pound of breast in the freezer so that's what I used this time around, you can mostly ignore the instructions as long as you add enough liquid to simmer in but not so much that it never thickens up, and just cook until the chicken falls apart and the sauce thickens up
It's easy, instant, and so delicious/comforting. It should also last a couple of days, so you can have leftovers (day old curry > fresh, btw). You can serve it over rice, udon, ramen, etc.
Pro-tip: using homemade broth instead of water adds depth and umami.
I just made a great dish that was super cheap, easy, very filling and very tasty.
500g frozen/fresh broccoli €0.95 500g fresh Mushrooms €1.25 1 large onion €0.10 2 cloves garlic €0.10 250ml cream subsitute. €0.50 a few dabs of curry paste to taste. €0.20
Total cost €3.10. Makes about 5 servings for me.
for the cury paste I use something like this http://www.amazon.com/Mae-Ploy-Thai-Curry-Paste/dp/B0091UW4QS
for the cream subsitute use coconut milk (more expensive), soy cream (less expensive).
Saute your onions, throw in the garlic for 5 minutes. Throw in the broccolli with a bit of water to let them soften up and turn bright green, add the mushrooms. Once everything is smelling nice pour in the cream with equal parts water. let it come to a simmer. Add the curry paste.
Put it over rice, or my current favourite, Buckwheat.
This stuff right here is awesome. I usually make it with chicken or beef, but you could just omit those and add a bit more potato.
Only thing I'll say is that you might have to add a little extra water as the potatoes thicken it up quite a bit. Really good easy meal though.
Excellent, if you like Thai red curry paste. May Ploy is one of the best respected brands of Thai products out there, and it makes a true restaurant quality curry. We are never without this or their panang curry paste in our kitchen. The red is the most versatile.
https://www.amazon.com/Thai-Curry-Paste-Mae-Ploy/dp/B0091UW4QS
hey u/rainyredditafternoon - ikr, enjoy any type of curry to be saucy! it was extremely easy to make. prep the veggies, cook your choice of protein, and highly recommend using a curry sauce mix! lmk it how it goes.