Can you freeze a takeaway curry?

In this article, we answer the following question: Can you free a takeaway curry? We will teach you how to freeze curry and how to reheat it when it’s time to eat. 

Can you freeze a takeaway curry?

Yes, dishes that are stew-based, like curry, freeze well in most cases. This is because the broth or the liquid covers the entire contents like fruits and vegetables present in the curry. It is frozen evenly and reduces the chances of developing freezer burns that are present around the corners. Use airtight containers to freeze curry.

The uncertainty arises when you are not sure if the curry has been made with previously frozen meat. The problem is that the meat should not be frozen twice, otherwise you risk getting food poisoning. When the meat is thawed, bacteria start their activity and they will act more quickly so that the deterioration of the food is assured and that meat can cause food poisoning. 

Another problem is that many believe that curry rice cannot be frozen. It might surprise you, but yes, it is possible to freeze rice. However, the freezing technique will depend on how your rice was cooked. If it is dry rice, such as curry rice, it is possible to freeze it, however separately from the meat and the curry sauce. 

On the contrary, if it is rice cooked from the broth, then it cannot be frozen anyhow. If you take the rice leftover from the pot and put it straight into the freezer, the rice will be poorly frozen. So when you thaw it, you won’t be able to eat it because the rice grains and all the other ingredients will be too soft, with the added bonus of a very unpleasant taste.

However, if you still want to freeze curry, we recommend removing the sauce and the meat by straining the rice with a strainer and freezing the meat and rice separately. This way you can save your dish and eat it later. Remember that the grains will never have the same texture as they started out, unlike dry rice.

How to freeze curry?

If you are unsure of how to freeze curry, be aware that before freezing, it is important to let it cool if it has just been cooked. If so, let it sit at room temperature until the steam escapes completely. Remember that it is not necessary to put it in the fridge before freezing it, just let it cool.

Adding a little vegetable oil to the rice is a great way to prevent the grains from sticking together and keep the texture good.

Here are the tips for properly freezing curry:

• Separate the rice from the curry and put it in a piece of cling film. Depending on how much you want to freeze, divide the rice to create multiple portions. Wrap the rice with the film, forming tightly closed packages so that they are protected from ice.
• Put the curry meat preferably in a zip-bag. 
• Keep packages in an airtight freezer bag. If you don’t have this type of bag, use a plastic container.
• Be sure to remove the air from the bag before closing it. This will keep the food fresh.
• Place the container or bag in the freezer. Make sure the container or bag is flat so that ice does not form around and it is easier for thawing.
• Make sure that the curry is not crushed by other containers.

Frozen rice can be stored for a month. Despite this, it is important not to take it out of the freezer until you eat it.

We recommend that you put a label on the bag or container indicating the date you put it in the freezer. So you will know if the rice is still good or not. There you go, you now know how to freeze curry!

How to reheat curry – tips

Reheated foods tend to be better if we use the stove. This means a little more time, and dirtier because we will need pots or pans, but the result will be more delicious.

Also, if it is a question of reheating several servings of food, in the end, it will compensate us because it will be much faster and cheaper to heat everything in a pot than to reheat two or three dishes in the microwave.

The idea is a bit that: if the objective is to reheat a single dish, the microwave will be the most practical, but if we are already talking about reheating several servings, it will be worth using the kitchen.

And here’s a tip: so that we do not multiply dirty dishes, when storing food, try to do it with a little vision and being very practical. For example, if the leftover food will be reheated at work, then a casserole with a lid is perfect.

But if we want to heat the leftover stew the next day, it is best to leave it in the fridge in the same pot, and not transfer it to a Tupperware, and then have to use a saucepan to heat it again.

To reheat food on the fire and give it touch so that it does not lose flavor, a good trick, whether it is a stew, a puree, rice, or pasta, is to add a small cup of water. When it gets warm, our food will run out of the water, so nothing better than adding a little water or broth if we have it, so that it does not lose its consistency and does not stick to us.

Another good ally is olive oil. Splashing the dish that we are reheating in the pan is always going to be welcome.  This way, we will prevent it from sticking, and we will give it creaminess. And if they are pasta with tomato or some meatballs in tomato sauce, then do not hesitate to add a splash of fried tomato to intensify its flavor when reheated.

Other FAQs about Curry that you may be interested in.

Can you reheat the Indian takeaway after 2 days?

What is the Difference Between Jamaican and Indian Curry?

Does Thai Curry Paste Go Bad?

Conclusions

In this article, we answered the following question: Can you free a takeaway curry? We taught you how to freeze curry and how to reheat it when it’s time to eat. 

Generally speaking, you can freeze a takeaway curry just like you would freeze homemade curry. Our advice is to freeze the meat and the rice separately and to make small portions in case we are speaking of a larger quantity. 

If you have any tips, comments, or questions on the content, please let us know!

References

food.com

Who.int

Foodsafety.gov