Currying Favor: Comparing Packet Curries

The packet curries of East and Southeast Asia is a Taste Test that has been long discussed, but often dismissed on the grounds that it will be god awful. No one wanted to take it on. This month we were feeling particularly masochistic and took the plunge.

Almost every country has its own specific style, flavor, and history with the dish. Most of these original recipes require specific ingredients native to the region and a lot of time to put it all together. Being the busy people that we are, there is rarely enough time in the work week to cook up a tasty curry from scratch, so we were curious about how effectively can a packet version recreate the magic of the original. Not for long though.

House Japanese Curry (RMB 42.90 - see above)
“This is way too salty. It’s kind of like an ocean soup.”
“It tastes like old powdered cheese flavored snacks, left in a car for a couple weeks after a trip to the beach.”
“It’s just god awful. Tastes like a beef bouillon cube made of rubber tires.”
“Where is the curry flavor? It’s like a sleight of hand trick, and this young pimply magician made it disappear.”
“It has a cheap soy sauce taste and smell that dries you out before it even touches your mouth.”

Nyor Nyar Rendang Curry (RMB 18)
“Traditionally Rendang style curry is hot, but this is a mad at you kind of spicy.”
“It has a strong citronella taste in a good way. Your sweat will drive away the fiercest of mosquitoes.”
“This is the only one that is incredibly spicy, which can only be a good thing.”
“It doesn’t have a very strong MSG taste like the Japanese curry. It actually tastes semi-homemade.”
“It’s easy to fool the casual curry-eater into thinking it is homemade. It would be great to nullify it with some coconut milk to tame the spice.”

Kong Yen Japanese Curry (RMB 33.50)
“It has a very bland, dirty mushroom bouquet.”
“Salt is the only spice. It’s really boring and lacking in any sort of character.”
“There is a salty and slightly nutty flavor, almost testicular.”
“It has a strong chestnut or hay taste, like a horse’s mouth.”

Prima Taste Singapore Curry (RMB 44.80)
“It’s your ye old Southeast Asian curry.”
“It has a rich taste with fresh coconut milk and minimal MSG.”
“A friendly spice that dances on your palate.”
“Pretty authentic tasting for a box mix.”
“The Zooey Deschanel of curry. Very approachable and cute – everybody can get down with this.”

Yamamori Thai Curry, Chicken Yellow (RMB 29.50)
“It has these weird chunks of old chicken bits floating around with a canned dog food aroma.”
“It’s impossible to work with. The flavor is doomed from the beginning.”
“Chicken noodle soup for dogs.”
“I can imagine this being served in an assisted living facility.”
“Thai food for astronauts, if you’re in the middle of deep space and it’s the only thing you can get.”
“Thai people would protest if they knew this was being sold in their name.”

Verdict
Prima Taste Singapore Curry and the Rendang Curry came with more than one packet and also required additional ingredients, but compared to the other instant curries, these had the most traditional taste and not too much MSG. For the price, the Nyor Nyar Rendang Curry is the best deal when you consider the quality and flavor, but all agreed that the most delicious was definitely Prima Taste Singapore Curry. The main thing learned from this assessment: there is a definite correlation between number of additional flavor packets and deliciousness.

Click here to see the full gamut of foods we've tried and tested for your pleasure at the occasional price of our pain.

Photos: Ken