Cream substitute for curries

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moltogordo

Assistant Cook
Joined
Oct 29, 2010
Messages
40
When making kormas and other curry or heavy sauce recipes that call for cream, try putting a banana and 3/4 cup of skim milk in a processor and blender. Use the resultant liquid as a substitute at a very large saving in calories. You can also substitute this for coconut milk in Thai curries, with a similar 75-80% reduction in calories.

I used this substitution (amongst others) with success in losing over 150 pounds after my body crashed due to Type II diabetes three years ago.

I've added this to my healthy cooking repertoire - it tastes very good, as well. :)
 
I haven't had curry since sometime in the 70s because I'd get too heavy handed with it and, well you get the picture.

Can you give me a recipe for a simple starter curry dish that won't turn me off with the strong flavors?
 
Low fat yogurt is the best substitute for cream in curries,taste wise...
 
I haven't had curry since sometime in the 70s because I'd get too heavy handed with it and, well you get the picture.

Can you give me a recipe for a simple starter curry dish that won't turn me off with the strong flavors?
Can you get ready made "curry" paste?
 
if you google "Pat Chapman Curry Club" you will find a lot of UK Restaurant Style recipes.His Indian Restaurant cook book is a bible for curryoholics in the UK:)
 
I haven't had curry since sometime in the 70s because I'd get too heavy handed with it and, well you get the picture.

Can you give me a recipe for a simple starter curry dish that won't turn me off with the strong flavors?

This is my tried and true chicken curry recipe.

Chicken Curry (Serves 8)

4 whole bone-in chicken breasts (about 3.25 lbs) split
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 can (13.75 oz) chicken broth

CURRY SAUCE

3 TB. Butter or margarine
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 cup chopped onion
2-3 teaspoons curry powder (your choice medium to hot)
1 cup chopped pared apple
1/4 cup unsifted all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom (don't leave this out!)
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp pepper2 tsp. grated lime peel
2 TB. lime juice
1/4 c. mango chutney, chopped up

Skin the chicken and wipe dry. Brown chicken, a few pieces at a time, in 1/4 cup hot butter,
about 5 minutes each side.

Return all chicken to the skillet, add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat
and simmer, covered for 20 minutes, or until tender.

Remove chicken pieces and keep warm. Measure the liquid in the skillet, add water to
make 3 cups and set aside.

Make the sauce. Put the 3 TB. butter in the skillet and heat. Add garlic, onion, curry powder and apple
and saute until onion is tender.

Remove from heat and stir in flour, cardamom, ginger, salt and pepper. Mix well.

Gradually stir in reserved liquid, lime peel and lime juice.

Bring to a boil, stirring. Reduce heat and simmer covered for about 20 minutes,
stirring once in a while.

Add back the cooked chicken and chutney and heat just to boiling.

Serve with basmati or saffron rice and curry accompaniments.

Curry Accompaniments to set on the
table for sprinkling on the chicken dish. They add
a lot of different and interesting flavors to the curry.

Chopped bananas, dipped in lemon juice
Chutney
Whole salted peanuts
Flaked Coconut
Yogurt
Sliced Green onions
chopped cucumber
Raisins
Chopped tomatoes
Pineapple chunks
 
Zhizara, you don't need to go out and buy a curry paste to make curry. It's quite easy to make your own mix at home and yes you need to get some proportions right. Also you don't need cream to make most curries. There are many types of curries - I speak on behalf of Indian ones that use different things as a base:

- Yogurt as Sara said
- Ground nuts (almonds and cashews mostly)
- Coconut Milk (Low Fat substitues are available)
- Onions and Tomatoes - This is really traditional and I use it all the time to make my curries

A simple recipe for a curry (chicken or lamb that I use is as follows) and yes most ingredients can be bought at your local grocery store.

- 1 tbsp of cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp of corrainder seeds - zap both of these in the microwave for a minute and they will toast instantly
- 2-3 whole dry chilies (I like arabol, available in any Mexican asile)
- 1 large onion
- 1 small can of tomato sauce or puree
- salt
- 1/2 inch of fresh ginger root peeled
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 2 tbps of lime juice
- 1 stick of cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp of black peppercorns
- 1/4 tsp of cloves
- 2 cardamoms - optional (if you find it, use it)

Chop the onions, garlic and ginger into big chunks. Add all these ingredients to a blender and blend for atleast 10 minutes until it's a paste. Ensure the cinnamon and other whole spices are thoroughly blended.

Clean the chicken (skin it, remove fat) or lamb and cut them into small cubes.

In a pan or pressure cooker or whatever you use, add 4 tbps of oil (olive is fine), pour the blended mixture and let it cook in the oil until the water evaporates (keep it on high and keep stirring for atleast 15 minutes or so). The gravy will start to thicken and oil will start to seperate. At this point add the meat, stir it to ensure it's coated in the gravy, add 1/4 cup of water, cover and let it cook until the meat is tender. You may have to add a little more water if it starts to evaporate. Remember as the meat cooks, it will release it's own liquid.

When you are done, the meat should be tender and the gravy should be thick not watery. At the end if you feel like finishing it with some low fat yogurt, you can, just keep it at room temperature so it does not curdle when you add it. I like to cook many a times without any creamy substance.

Garnish it with boiled eggs (I like to boil a couple, then cut it nicely and place on the top of the gravy) and lots of fresh cilantro.
 
That's an awful lot of things to add to my grocery list. Maybe I should just buy a frozen dinner? I'd like to try it again, but don't want to spend so much on ingredients I don't usually have. How about those McCormick spice recipes? Do they have anything curry?
 
Not sure that Wal Mart will carry something like the canned curry paste, but if they do I can highly recommend this recipe. It's super quick, super simple and ooooh so good. Can sub chunks of cooked chicken if you're not a fan of mussels ... though I don't see how anyone could not be. <3 It's a perfect way to re-introduce yourself curry without having to buy a dozen spices. And if you can't find the mung bean noodles it's equally delish with rice.

Lemongrass Coconut Curry Mussels

2 lbs mussels, scrubbed & picked through
1 stalk of lemongrass, white part grated with microplane grater
2 bottles of clam juice (or substitute with broth + wine)
1 can (14oz) of good coconut milk, shake the can vigorously to mix the fat with the liquid
1/2 can of Thai curry paste (I use Maesri brand, in a little red can)
1 tablespoon fish sauce (or substitute with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt)
1 tsp sugar
3 small skeins of mung bean noodles, soaked in cold water for at least 5 minutes
chopped scallions & chili for topping

Heat a wok or large pan over medium heat. When it's hot but not smoking, add 2 tbl curry paste (I usually add about half the can, we like it on the spicy side) and the lemongrass and fry for 30 seconds to release its flavors. Add the clam juice, fish sauce, sugar and coconut milk. Simmer for 5 minutes. Do a taste test and if you want more heat, add more curry paste.

Drain your mung bean noodles. The noodles should still be a little stiff.

Crank the heat to high, add your mussels and cover the pan with a tight fitting lid. Steam on high for 5 minutes or so. Push the mussels to one side, add mung bean noodles and cook for another couple minutes uncovered. Use a large spoon to redistribute the mussels from the top to the bottom of the broth, cook another 30 seconds and it’s done! Top with chopped chilies and scallions.

Let the slurping begin! Crusty bread for sopping up the sauce is good. Leftovers are heavenly.
 
Butter Chicken, cut chicken breast into bite size pieces, make a light tandoori marinade , milk,chilli powder, garlic powder, ginger powder, dried mint, red food coloring, marinade in the fridge for 24 hours, heat butter in karahi or wok drain and stir fry chicken with some cummin seeds till cooked.:)
 
That's an awful lot of things to add to my grocery list. Maybe I should just buy a frozen dinner? I'd like to try it again, but don't want to spend so much on ingredients I don't usually have. How about those McCormick spice recipes? Do they have anything curry?

Here's a simple lamb curry dish with simple ingrediants, and very delicious too.

I've been making this lamb curry off and on for over 30 years. I find most other lamb curry recipes a bit much for required ingredients or too much trouble to make. Most everything here is on everyones spice rack.

The hardest part is getting the lamb. One major chain store here actually has lamb for stew in packs! I bought 10 paks and froze/vacume sealed them.

2-2.5 lbs. fat trimmed lamb in 3/4" cubes. (be prepared to spend 45 min.)
4 small onions (or two big ones) chopped.
2 TBS. butter.
1 clove garlic crushed.
2 bay leaves crushed.
1 TBLS salt.
A little thyme.
2-2.5 TBLS curry powder. I use 3.5 TBLS for more curry flavor.
2 green apples chopped. Don't chop untill ready to add.
Corn starch or thicking powder.
5 qt. stew/soup pan. At least 9" wide and 5" deep. Metal.

Lightly saute the onions in butter. Add in the lamb along with the spices.
Add 3-1/3 cups water or broth. Bring to boil, lower heat and simmer low 1.5
hours or untill lamb is tender. Remove the meat to a seperate dish.
To the sauce, add 2 green apples chopped, fairly good size pieces.
Bring to boil then add 2 TBLS corn starch mixed with a little "cold" water to thicken. Final season to taste. Remove from heat and return lamb to the sauce. Serve over rice.

Condiments are very much a part of this recipe: Sprinkle chopped egg whites, egg yokes, crushed peanuts, crushed or chunk pineapple , raisins,
real bacon bits, chopped green onions. Spoon some Mango chutney on plate. I still prefer Sharwoods Major Grey, tho they've changed their recipe.

Serves 4-6 ppl. I portion out servings into Ziplock's new 3 cup plastic tubs, then freeze.
 
Low fat yogurt is the best substitute for cream in curries,taste wise...

There are lots of substitutes. The one I gave is non-dairy if you use say, Rice Dream or water instead of the milk, and doesn't curdle like yogurt can. It also has a sweetness that is very pleasant.

Soy milk products are also good substitutes, if you like the taste. I don't.
 

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