A few weeks ago, I launched a new range of handcrafted curry pastes online, and I now finally have a chance to actually explain what they are and how to use them.
First of all though, a bit of background –
As many of you would know, I use to be the owner-cook of my namesake Malaysian restaurant, Jackie M, in Concord (Sydney). When I closed my restaurant to look after Noah (the doctors basically said life as I knew it was over, I’d have to stay home and look after him around the clock forever, blah blah), I converted some of the recipes from my restaurant into wet curry pastes and sold them at markets and online.
This is what my wet curry pastes look like now:
I kind of kept my wet curry paste range a bit of a secret because frankly I didn’t have much time to focus on them; really, the only people who knew about and persisted in ordering them were my old customers.
The wet pastes were finicky to ship outside of Sydney – they are shelf-stable for about 4 days, but after that they should go in the fridge.
A number of times, the shipments took longer to arrive, plus some arrived damaged (I used to pack them in plastic tubs).
So, over the last couple of months, I decided to rework the recipes for my wet curry pastes, and turn them into dry curry pastes instead, by replacing wet ingredients with dry ones (eg. dried lemongrass in lieu of fresh, etc.)
It’s required a lot of tweaking and substitutions and going back to the drawing board with some, etc.
The result is my Handcrafted Dry Curry Paste Kits, which you can find at Shop.JackieM.com.au
What’s in the Handcrafted Dry Curry Paste Kits?
- Different flavours with all necessary spices and seasonings (no need to add salt, sugar, etc., unless to taste).
- Add water to reconstitute the paste, oil to sauté, coconut cream/coconut milk, and your choice of protein.
- Include dried ingredients like lemongrass, curry leaves, garlic, onion, and kaffir lime leaves.
- Some packs have over 20 ingredients, some of which may be hard to find in your neck of the woods.
- Lightly vacuum-sealed and don’t require refrigeration.
- Shelf life comparable to other dry spices.
- Each pack includes instructions and is enough for up to 2kg of meat or 6 serves for the Laksa Nyonya.
Cooking Methods:
- Sautéing/Braising
- Slow Cooking
- Pressure Cooking
- Thermomix
Customising Your Curries
You can request different spice levels when you order. The pastes are versatile and can be used with various meats and cooking styles. Adjust seasoning as needed; don’t be afraid to add a pinch of salt or a dash of soya sauce to suit your taste.
I prefer rich and creamy curries, so I use coconut cream. Coconut milk is also fine. If you have trouble finding either, let me know, and I can add coconut milk powder to my range.
Features of My Handcrafted Dry Curry Paste Kits
- Made in micro batches, blended by me.
- No added preservatives (though the seasonings I use may have undergone processing).
- Light, portable, lightly vacuum-packed, with a long shelf-life. Great for self-catered holidays.
Wet Pastes vs. Dry Pastes
Wet Pastes:
- Ready to use without adding water and oil to sauté.
- Available mainly for Sydneysiders due to shelf life and delivery sensitivities.
- Six-week expiry refrigerated; six months in the freezer.
Dry Pastes:
- Contain the same ingredients but require additional steps (adding water and oil, and sautéing).
- Available for worldwide shipping; lighter (190g vs 300-500g) and they stretch further in cooking.
- Indefinite shelf-life, no refrigeration needed.
Recommendation:
- For weeknight dinners in Sydney, get the wet pastes.
- For gifting (they make great hamper gifts, by the way), camping, travelling, stocking your pantry for last-minute meals, or if you’re outside Sydney, get the Dry Curry Paste Kits.
- FYI, both the wet and the dry pastes are excellent for meal prep.
Some of the food you can make with my range pictured below – Laksa Nyonya, Sambal Belacan, Chicken Curry, Lamb Curry (the latter two photos are courtesy of friends of mine including Adeline Lamond, Sharon Wong and Aaron Gan, who took some snaps of my food awhile back).
Practical Information
- My dry curry paste range is available for shipping worldwide.
- I also have market days where you can purchase the dry curry pastes, and pick up your orders in person.
- If you’re based in Sydney, I have a number of pickup locations you can select, if you want to save on delivery.
I’m loathe to share reviews about the pastes here, but you can find some of them in the online store – Shop.JackieM.com.au
And finally, don’t forget to sign up to my email list – Jackie.com.au/email (may be a bit slow to load but patience is a virtue etc.) – that’s where you get to find out about any specials along with other updates and recipes.