Curdled curry / dinner

absfabs

Hi, couldn't find anything on a search, so hope one of you expert cooks can give me a bit of advice, please:

What causes sauces containing either coconut milk or cream to curdle?

I've been cooking meat and chickpea curry last night, done the same recipe a couple of times in the past, without problems.

But yesterday the coconut milk (light version) curdled, about 15 min into cooking time. I don't think I did anything differently than before.

Had the same experience with a different recipe recently, this one contains double cream and I had replaced it with elmlea single (done this before without problems, I think, though not sure re brand) and it was quite vile when it separated.

What am I doing wrong? Help please!

fiscalfreckles

I've never had coconut milk curdle, but usually it can be avoided by cooking at a lower heat.

So I'd cook the curry for longer at barely a simmer.If you need to brown stuff off or soften veg first, do this then turn the heat right down before adding the coconut milk or cream.

Or it could be that you have something acidic in there, lemon juice for example? That can cause cream etc to separate, so just add a dash at the end if you need it.

absfabs

I suppose I was in a rush and brought it up to boiling pretty fast. It didn't curdle then, though, but after simmering on lowest possible heat for roughly 15 min.

No lemon or anything acidic in the recipe.

Bongedone

Single cream is not suitable for cooking as it does not have enough fat and will curdle. I presume the same may be the case with coconut milk.

http://www.deliaonline.com/ingredients/cream,273,IN.html

absfabs

Thanks Bongedone, that explains the other favourite recipe going wrong, no more single cream, we'll just have to have the heavy stuff :rotfl: :rotfl:
I seem to remember that I substituted the double cream before, but maybe not or just added right at the end. Will use double cream (lesser amount) next time

The meat and chickpea curry, out of weight-watchers magazine, does state to use light or lower fat coconut milk, add it right a the beginning of cooking time and simmer away for 90min.

And it did work the previous 2 times.

Only changes I made this time were using turkey and pork (clearing out freezer) instead of beef, and I added the tinned chickpeas at the beginning, rather than 1h into cooking time.

We found this curry always tastes much better next day, so thought flavours would mingle better if I added the rather bland chickpeas earlier. I didn't think they or the different meat were acidic in any way.

Bongedone

Strange. I don't think there is any acid on the chickpeas either.

I have only used coconut milk twice and both times where stir fry, so it did not get to cook for long. This may help with the coconut milk: -

http://www.asianonlinerecipes.com/rss/index.php/archive/1/index.php/item/927

absfabs

Thanks for the very informative links, both cream and coconut milk.

I did stir when adding the chickpeas, and maybe a couple more times at the beginning, I hadn't kept my eye on things, left the kitchen, so you tend to stir to check things are not too thick or sticking to the bottom, don't you? Also I now remember I thought it looked very pale and wondered if the spices had mixed in properly (think now it was pale as using pork and chicken rather than beef) and gave it a good stir

Didn't know stirring was likely to cause curdling, still don't really understand why, but will be more careful next time.

Thank you.

Stephen_Leak

Its usually simply down to too much heat. Try this recipe, which is quite simple, very authentic (the fresh ginger makes all the difference) yet has proven to be "bomb proof". Note that the yoghurt and creamed coconut are added right at the end, when everything is just simmering.

MILD CHICKEN KORMA

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

375g of chicken
2 onions
1 clove of garlic
2cm (1 inch) piece of fresh ginger
2 tablespoons of sunflower oil
½ teaspoon of salt
200g (½ a tin) of plum tomatoes*
¼ teaspoon of chilli powder
1 tablespoon of garam masala
½ teaspoon of ground turmeric
250ml of water
70g (½ a small pot) of yoghurt**
1 sachet of creamed coconut

METHOD

Cut the chicken into 1cm (½ inch) pieces. Peel and chop the onion into small bits. Peel and chop the garlic into tiny pieces. Peel and cut the ginger into tiny cubes.

Put the oil into a saucepan over a moderate heat. Put the chicken, onions, garlic, ginger and salt into the pan and cook for 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked thoroughly, stirring frequently to stop it sticking.

Pour the mashed tomatoes* into the saucepan. Continue to cook, stirring as the mixture boils. Add the chilli, garam masala and turmeric and stir. Add the water. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat until it is just boiling (simmering). Put a lid on the saucepan and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the yoghurt and the creamed coconut and cook for another 10 minutes.

* Open the tin of tomatoes. Pour the juice into a bowl. Mash the tomatoes while they are still in the can (it’s easier than chasing them around the bowl). Put the mashed tomatoes into the bowl. Use half and save the other half.

** Add a teaspoon of mint sauce to the leftover yoghurt to make some mint raita.

thriftlady_2

absfabs wrote: »

I had replaced it with elmlea single (done this before without problems, I think, though not sure re brand) and it was quite vile when it separated.

That's because Elmlea isn't food, it is merely a foodlike substance- check the ingredients;)

Single cream and yogurt will curdle if too hot (don't know about coconut). To prevent this happening blend a tsp of cornflour with a little water to make a paste. Then add it to the cream and that should stabilize it and stop it splitting

absfabs

Stephen_Leak wrote: »

Its usually simply down to too much heat. Try this recipe, which is quite simple, very authentic (the fresh ginger makes all the difference) yet has proven to be "bomb proof". Note that the yoghurt and creamed coconut are added right at the end, when everything is just simmering.

MILD CHICKEN KORMA

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

375g of chicken
2 onions
1 clove of garlic
2cm (1 inch) piece of fresh ginger
2 tablespoons of sunflower oil
½ teaspoon of salt
200g (½ a tin) of plum tomatoes*
¼ teaspoon of chilli powder
1 tablespoon of garam masala
½ teaspoon of ground turmeric
250ml of water
70g (½ a small pot) of yoghurt**
1 sachet of creamed coconut

METHOD

Cut the chicken into 1cm (½ inch) pieces. Peel and chop the onion into small bits. Peel and chop the garlic into tiny pieces. Peel and cut the ginger into tiny cubes.

Put the oil into a saucepan over a moderate heat. Put the chicken, onions, garlic, ginger and salt into the pan and cook for 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked thoroughly, stirring frequently to stop it sticking.

Pour the mashed tomatoes* into the saucepan. Continue to cook, stirring as the mixture boils. Add the chilli, garam masala and turmeric and stir. Add the water. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat until it is just boiling (simmering). Put a lid on the saucepan and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the yoghurt and the creamed coconut and cook for another 10 minutes.

* Open the tin of tomatoes. Pour the juice into a bowl. Mash the tomatoes while they are still in the can (it’s easier than chasing them around the bowl). Put the mashed tomatoes into the bowl. Use half and save the other half.

** Add a teaspoon of mint sauce to the leftover yoghurt to make some mint raita.

sounds nice, thank you :j

absfabs

thriftlady wrote: »

That's because Elmlea isn't food, it is merely a foodlike substance

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

I suppose I was tempted by fewer calories or less sat fats (can't remember exact details)