Pataks pack a punch (Patak's Original Madras Curry Paste)

Member Name: Happyjaw

Product:	Patak's Original Madras Curry Paste
Date:	14/09/08 (115 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Flavoursome tastes of India

Disadvantages: Greasy and creates terrible stains

Patak's make a huge range of Indian foods and accoutrements, notably the famous curry pastes and I've used them since I left home and started cooking for myself aged 16. Previous to that I've been brought up on a combination of Patak's and more traditional methods of currying.

The colour in the jar is deep and rich, this as a madras is bound to be darker and richer than some of the less heated pastes, though not enormously. However, it's worth noting that if you have light skin, light clothing, solid wood tables or wooden spoons and white fingernails - they won't be for long. Take care at all stages of using this paste, the stains are evil. A French polish looks just vile if you wash up after a Patak's curry.

Patak's make life easy, you can throw the meat in with the paste and the meal is half done already, though that's not my style.
I like to fry off the meat and onions then add liberal amounts of Patak's paste and fry off again to really get some flavour added to the meat.
Then you can add water or in my case tinned or fresh chopped tomatoes and any other bits you like and leave to simmer. The longer the better.
Serve over basmati rice and with a side of mint sauce, poppadoms and mango sauce.

I'd say it's a good thing to use red meats as it's a very strong flavour and it really permeates the other ingredients so you need something which can take the flavour. Prawns are no good, you get the consistency but no flavour at all. Chicken isn't bad but not a strong enough flavour to balance it.
I don't like curried potato myself but I'd guess it would do a good job, along with other veg if that's your style.

You can also add a small amount to dahl to give it some extra oomph!

The main reason I rarely use it now is the phenomenal amount of grease. The top of the jar is swimming in oil and it's throughout the jar. It's great for frying off but not good to eat. Hence preferring to use the dry spices these days.
You could drain it but you won't get it all.

Overall, a good flavoursome paste.

Summary: Tasty but with drawbacks to be avoided.