20-minute Turkey Curry Recipe - Savory Spin (2024)

FAQs

When to add coconut milk to curry? ›

Once the spices and veg have cooked, add in the coconut milk and a couple cups of chicken stock. Turn the heat up so it comes to a boil and then lower to about medium heat and cook for 10-15 minutes. Just until it starts to thicken! I normally do 10 minutes, but if you like a really thick sauce, take it longer.

A quick saute of spices awaken flavor, taking curry to whole new level. After sauting the spices, the star ingredient - yogurt is added. Mostly, yogurt is hung or allowed to drain while masala cooks. This removes water content from yogurt leaving behind thick and creamy, whey like yogurt.

Saute onion in butter with curry powder. Blend in flour and other seasonings. Cook on low until smooth. Stir in broth and milk slowly with whisk to make sure to get all the lumps out.

Jaggery is the best option to sweeten curry instead of sugar. You could also use honey, agave or maple syrup. Adding lime juice can to your dish can balance out the sweetness. In case, you don't want too much of tanginess in the dish you can also add vinegar white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar.

Coconut milk and cream are mostly interchangeable in recipes such as curries and soups. If you prefer a richer flavour and texture, try coconut cream or vice versa. However, be careful when substituting coconut milk and cream in baked goods.

If you prefer to go the coconut-free route (or if you don't have coconut shreds, cream, oil, water, or butter on hand), you can use plain old milk — whichever kind you prefer. Whatever you're making won't have the same flavor as it would with coconut, which may make things like curries taste a little flat.

If it's North Indian dish, it's mostly cream in curry and hung yogurt for marination. If it's southern Indian dish, it's either yoghurt. Most of Indian cuisines don't use coconut milk. We use either fresh grated coconut or dried coconut.

A smart trick to avoid yogurt from curdling is to add a smart portion of gravy to the yogurt and whisk it in. This act is called 'Tempering'. Further, you can add the tempered curd to the hot gravy/curry. It enables a slow rise in temperature, thus preventing curdling.

If your supermarket has a brand of dahi or Greek yogurt then use that in curries. Tangy creamy yogurt is the best in Indian cuisine.

Coconut Milk: Curry

With its richness, sweetness, and wonderful aroma, tinned coconut milk can add magic to many a dish, but its creamy texture is perfect for curries. And it's packed with iron, vitamins, calcium, and all sorts of other goodness.

How to thicken up a curry? ›

Cook for 5 mins to coat the chicken in the masala and seal in the juices, and then pour over 250ml hot chicken stock. Simmer for 8-10 mins without a lid until the chicken is tender and the masala lightly thickened – you might need to add an extra ladleful of stock or water if the curry needs it.

Sizzle your spice:

Kick off your curry by heating whole spices in hot oil to unleash their flavor. Choose from cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and seeds for the perfect base to your dish. Fresh spices are the best choice and will keep for longer in the freezer.

The actual sweetness and creaminess of such curries meanwhile, usually comes from fried onions and either cashews and/or dairy products. Instead of (or in addition to) onion, ground coconut may be used. White poppy seeds and/or watermelon seeds are also used in some creamy sauces.

A little palm sugar or jaggery (cane sugar) helps take the edge off the sourness whilst it remains a flavour profile in the dish. Sugars can also help to neutralise spicy heat. They do this by absorbing oils ( which changes the taste).

Tip. Add a teaspoon of cornstarch to a dish to prevent curdling of coconut milk. Adding cornstarch will also thicken the sauce, so don't use it if you're making a dish that requires a thin sauce.

Coconut milk or cream can be used to balance out the heat in Thai and coconut-based curries. Acidic ingredients like lemon juice or vinegar can cut through the spiciness and provide a tangy flavor. Yogurt or sour cream can help cool down the heat and add a creamy texture to the curry.

Cornstarch is another popular thickening agent. To create a slurry, mix a tablespoon of cornstarch with an equal amount of cold water. Add the slurry to your curry and bring it to a simmer. Keep in mind that cornstarch should be added towards the end of cooking, as overcooking can cause the sauce to thin again.

Start with half the coconut milk, 2 tablespoons of paste (remember you can always add more later, but you cannot take out), and the protein you're using. Then finish with the rest of the ingredients (proportions below). Bring to a boil, and then let simmer until protein is cooked through.