Curry Paste (Chinese Takeaway Style)

Make takeaway style curry sauce anytime you choose with this Chinese takeaway style curry paste recipe! Perfect for chicken, beef or vegetable Chinese curry, or simply with fried rice or chips.

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Ingredients For Chinese Takeaway Style Curry Paste

To make Chinese takeaway style curry paste, the main flavour comes from curry powder (typically Eastern Star style or madras style curry powder), as well as oil seasoned with vegetables and aromatic ingredients.

• Seasoned Oil: Vegetable Oil, Onion, Carrot, Celery, Bay Leaf, Star Anise, Cinnamon, Garlic.
• Other Ingredients: Salt, Sugar, MSG, Turmeric, Chilli Powder, Smoked Garlic Powder, Chinese 5-Spice, Fruit Cocktail, Creamed Coconut, Curry Powder, Plain Flour.

How To Make Chinese Takeaway Style Curry Paste

This Chinese curry paste is easy to make, but takes a little time and does require some love and attention during the final cooking step. That being said, it’s a great recipe for a lazy day, and one that will reward you many times over for your efforts. With the curry paste prepared and in the freezer, you’ll never be more than 10 minutes away from some delicious Chinese takeaway style curry sauce!

Step 1: Oil

Add 400 ml sunflower oil, 1 onion, sliced, 1 carrot, sliced, 1 celery stalk, sliced, Indian bay leaf (tej patta), 2 whole star anise and 1/4 cinnamon stickto a pot over a medium-high heat. Once sizzling, reduce the heat to low and fry for 10 minutes. Add 4 cloves garlic, sliced and fry for a further 20 minutes.

2: Seasoning

Remove the bay leaf, star anise and cinnamon stick. Add 3 tablespoons tinned fruit cocktail, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 2 teaspoons caster sugar, 1/4 teaspoon MSG, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 1/2 teaspoons mild chilli powder, 1/4 teaspoon smoked garlic powder and 1/4 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice. Mix well. Blend the mix with a stick blender until completely smooth. Add 50 grams creamed coconut block and stir well for 1-2 minutes until fully melted. Add 120 grams curry powder and mix well.

3: Paste

Add 300 grams plain flour 1/3 at a time, mixing well after each addition until the flour is well incorporated with the oil and the spices. The mix will become thick and harder to stir as more flour is added. Continue cooking over a medium heat for a further 45 minutes, stirring and mixing occasionally. Give your curry paste plenty of love and attention at this stage. As the spices and flour cook out, oil will start to come through the curry paste.

4: Store

Allow the curry paste to cool completely before packing flat for the freezer (this saves on freezer space). The frozen mix will remain soft enough so you can take one portion at a time.

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To make 1 portion of Chinese curry sauce with this paste.

Add 50g of curry paste to a pot.  Add 225ml light (low salt) chicken or vegetable stock, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon of caster sugar and 1/4 teaspoon MSG.  Mix well over a low to medium heat, stirring well until the sauce thickens and is piping hot.  Add a little water if the sauce becomes too thick, or cook it for longer or add more curry paste if it becomes too thin.

If a smoother sauce is desired the sauce may be passed through a fine sieve before serving.

If using stock that is already quite salty, the additional salt may not be necessary.

Chinese Curry Paste Recipe Tips

Curry Powder: Eastern Star style curry powder is available online or from Chinese supermarkets, or you can use a good Madras style curry powder.

Satay Sauce: As well as curry sauce, a touch of this paste works really well in satay sauce.

Chinese Takeaway Style Curry Paste Recipe FAQ

What is Chinese curry paste?
Chinese curry paste is a labour of love, painstakingly prepared by your favourite takeaway and restaurant chefs. Vegetables and fruit combine with aromatic spices and flour to create a paste that’s rich and full of flavour, ready to be turned into the perfect Chinese curry sauce. This scaled down recipe pays tribute to the sort of curry paste made in takeaway kitchens.

What can I do with Chinese curry paste?
You can use this paste to make a classic Chinese takeaway style curry, or a simple and delicious Chinese curry sauce to serve with fried rice, chips, prawn crackers and more. I touch of curry paste also works very well in satay sauce.

How long can I store Chinese curry paste?
Chinese curry paste stores well in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 6 months. It can be used straight from the freezer, making it very useful for quick midweek dinners or snacks.

Do you like this Chinese takeaway style curry paste recipe? If so, buying a copy of my book might appeal to you! In The Chinese Takeaway Secret you can find a host of takeaway style recipes that you can make at home. You’ll learn how to make salt and chilli chicken wings, prawn toast, crispy chicken wings, chow mein and more! You can buy The Chinese Takeaway Secret in paperback or kindle form here.

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