Vegan Curry Sauce

[cassa333]

Hi,

In recent weeks I’ve had vegan curry twice and both times the sauce was, although flavoursome, pretty much like dish water with no substance other than flavour.

Is there not a vegan thickener?

[Samuraisan]

You shouldn't have to thicken any curry sauce with thickener. You are probably using too much liquid, stock ? When I make curry, either with chicken or with chickpeas for example, tomatoes should provide enough liquid, or coconut milk.

[fender62]

corn flower

[Mamyalynne]

Well you don't use a thickener as such in an curry sauce, the onions, tomatoes etc do that job.

Basic recipe here.

https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/curry-base-sauce/

[cassa333]

I didn’t make it. I just had to eat it.

Both were made by different catering firms and both times it was just water with spices in.

TBH if at all possible I shall be avoiding the vegan option in the future.

[Mamyalynne]

They have no excuse then, a basic good curry sauce should be a breeze to a professional vegan or not.

[Prudie]

I can't think of any natural thickener, even in normal curries/stews etc that isn't vegan - flour, cornflour, arrowroot, gelatin etc

[woofgang]

I know what you mean. I tried a waitrose jackfruit biriani. It tasted like the ghost of a curry and was running wet. There does seem to be a perception in some quarters that vegan food must always be "healthy" in the worst sense of the word....no richness, no lusciousness....sort of virtue signalling food.

[Atheist]

Cass...do you have a problem with wheat flour?

[Atheist]

Cass...or besan (chick pea flour)

[Mamyalynne]

You don't put flour in a curry sauce.

[pastafreak]

Ermmm....gelatin isn't vegan.
There are substitutes though.

[Tilly2]

I can't see why you can't make a 'normal' vegetable curry without worrying about it being vegan.

[pastafreak]

That's what I thought, Tilly.

[Prudie]

If that was at me re flour I was just listing thickeners rather than specifically for curry and yes my bad, of course gelatin is an animal product.
Knew I shouldn't join in with a cooking thread.

[Atheist]

Mamy...why on earth can't you put flour in curry? Besan is a traditional ingredient, and that's a sort of flour. But even without the traditional ok, why can't you just use wheat flour to obtain what you want? Our food isn't ordained by ancient writings.

[Tilly2]

I have never had to thicken a curry. The tomatoes and the tomato puree do it.

[Atheist]

Tilly... I suppose it depends on how thick you like it.

[ummmm]

What about Thai curry. They are quite wet.

[237SJ]

Gound almonds or ground cashews are good for thickening curry.

[jennyjoan]

You shoulda had my gravy today with roast beef - a stock of roast beef juice, carrots, onions and parsnips, then a little taste of bovril. It was to die for.