Patak's

If you've ventured into the International aisle in the grocery store, you've probably seen Patak's products in the Indian foods section. I don't have much experience cooking Indian food, so I thought starting with Patak's might be a good intro. For only about $5 you can get a jar of curry sauce, paste, marinades, or other simmer sauces like tikka masala. While I definitely encourage you to eventually venture out and learn to make your own sauces and seasonings, starting with a good pre-made sauce or seasoning is a great way to start exploring a new food category.

Patak's was formed by Lazmishanker Pathak, who eventually dropped the "h" in his last name to make it easier for people to pronounce. He opened his own shop in 1958 and formed the Patak's brand only a few years later, in 1962. While Patak's was originally sold in the UK, it expanded to the US in 1984.

Patak's describes itself as the marinara of Indian food - making Indian cooking as easy as sautéing plus sauce. Most recently, they have teamed up with Aarti Sequeira of Aarti Party.

My first try was with their korma curry sauce, which is a mild coconut sauce. It's easy to use, and makes a quick meal. I cut up chicken, potatoes, green pepper, yellow squash, and added some hot peppers for some kick since I like spice. We ate ours over steamed basmati rice, but you could use pita bread, too. I plan to explore more flavors of the Patak's brand as well as some home made Indian recipes! I'd be glad to hear if you have any tips or suggestions!

P.S. Check the back of the jars for "gluten free"!