Restaurant style pathia curry is the perfect balance of hot, sweet and sour. It may not be a curry that comes to mind immediately but once you try it you will be hooked.

This is a curry you don’t see in all Indian restaurants. That’s because they all make the same 15 curries. Why is that?

Tell me I am wrong. It’s like they all got together and printed the same menu to save money. I know. I rant about that one a lot. But why can’t they break the formula?

India has one of the most varied cuisines in the world. How hard can it be to make something that isn’t a madras? Or a jalfrezi? Or butter chicken? Seriously.

Pathia is nowhere to be found where I live. There are lots of Indian restaurants. Lots. But no pathia. Which is a bit ridiculous. It’s tasty stuff. It would sell. If you’ve never tried it you really should.

Table scene with restaurant style pathia curry, tarka dal and parathas from above - 1 Table scene with restaurant style pathia curry, tarka dal and parathas from above - 2 Restaurant style pathia curry in a copper bowl from the front. - 3

restaurant style pathia curry

Ingredients

The spice mix

  • 2 tsp indian restaurant spice mix or curry powder - recipe link below
  • 1 tsp hot madras curry powder - or use more Indian restaurant mix powder if you don’t have any madras curry powder
  • 2 tsp kashmiri chili powder or 1/2 tsp cayenne mixed with 1 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp kasoor methi - dried fenugreek leaves
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt

The curry ingredients

  • 3 Tbsp oil
  • 1 Tbsp garlic/ginger paste - recipe link below
  • 1 Tbsp tomato paste with enough water to dilute to the consistency of pasatta
  • 15 oz curry base - recipe link below
  • 10-12 oz pre-cooked chicken or lamb
  • 1 Tbsp tamarind sauce - not tamarind paste or concentrate. I like Maggi brand for this recipe.
  • 1 tsp brown sugar

Instructions

  • Make the spice mix.
  • Dilute the tomato paste with enough water to get to the consistency of passata.
  • Heat your frying pan (don’t use non-stick) briefly over medium heat. Add the oil.
  • When the oil starts to shimmer add the garlic ginger paste and cook, stirring constantly, until it stops sputtering.
  • Turn down the heat and add the spice mix. This is the critical step. Stir it constantly for 30 seconds. If it starts to darken lift the pan off the heat. You want the spice mix to cook in the oil but not burn.
  • Turn the heat up to medium high. This is important. The heat is what caramelizes the onion in the curry base and gives the curry it’s Indian restaurant flavour. As you become more comfortable with this technique try pushing it. Add the diluted tomato paste and stir until bubbles form (the oil will likely separate). This takes around 30 seconds to one minute depending on the heat.
  • Add 3 oz of curry base. Stir until bubbles form (little craters really), around 30 seconds. Think lively boil. Watch the edges of the pan. The curry can stick here. Sticking is OK. Just scrape it back into the base. Burning is bad.
  • Now add 6 oz of curry base and stir briefly. Let it cook until the bubbles form again. This takes 1-2 minutes.
  • Add the rest of the curry base and let cook until the bubbles form.
  • Mix in the tamarind sauce and sugar.
  • Turn the heat down to low and add the pre-cooked lamb, beef or chicken.
  • Let the curry simmer for about 5 minutes. If it gets too thick add a bit more curry base. Don’t add water.
  • Garnish with a bit of chopped fresh cilantro and serve.

Notes

Nutrition

This is the best Caesar salad I know how to make. Homemade dressing. Homemade croutons. Fresh grated parmesan. Delicious.

It pulls out all the stops. It’s serious business. Scratch cooking. This is not your run-of-the-mill toss it on the table Caesar salad.

It’s an undertaking. Be sure of that. A commitment. Old school. But the results speak for themselves.

I love a gutsy salad. Lots of big flavours. Assertive dressing. The croutons are crazy good. Think tossed in butter and roasted garlic. And fresh high quality parmigiano reggiano. This is not the salad you get chain restaurants.

Why restaurant Caesar salad dressing tastes better

From scratch caesar salad with roasted garlic croutons - 4

Egg yolk. And anchovies. That’s why. Sorry. That’s how they do it.

This dressing is old school. Thin. More oily than creamy. Lemony. Not the mayonnaise based supermarket style. Like what you get at a decent Italian restaurant.

There’s anchovy paste in this dressing. It’s not the tastiest stuff straight from the tube. But a Caesar salad is just not right without anchovy.

That’s my opinion anyway. You can leave it out. It can be a great salad. But it won’t have the magic. If you make Caesar salad dressing and it doesn’t quite taste right I bet that’s why.

Spoon drizzling Caesar salad dressing into mason jar. - 5 Spoon drizzling Caesar salad dressing into mason jar. - 6